Quote From Lauren

"You know, your blog would be really good if it didn't suck." - Lauren Shor

Going to think about retooling this thing. Any thoughts?

-taylor

San Fran

Blogging this from San Fran's apple store because I hate airport security and thus didn't take my laptop...I'm officially moving here one day. That is all.

~taylor

From the Apple Store

Totally blogging this from the Apple Store while fratting around with Mansfield:

Quotables du jour:

"My sister is totally pc because....you know....she's a lesbian." - Friend

"I heard you were naked" - Me
"Only the Top." - Tom

"I was not! Shhhh......" - Daisy

"Why don't you vomit on him?" - Friend

"Because I don't want to be that girl that vomited on that guy" - Other Friend

Alex playing with his iPhone: "You know what's really sad, I searched sex shop and the ramada inn, kmart, and urban outfitters came up."

The AP Art Show - March 13, 2008

Since my school has effectively eliminated its newspaper, and since I'm contemplating a career (or something I can at least pass off to my parents as one) in both Art History and Journalism, I thought that I'd take this opportunity to blog about our lovely little AP Art Show Gallery Opening that took place today. The show lacked an official title, or at least I'm too lazy to look it up, so I'm going to give it the name of one of the artists' de facto exhibition name, "Yay Death"; thus I am blogging on the "Yay Death" Art Show. The artists involved told me that I could post their names, but I'm going to decline that generous decision on their part and just use their initials because, well, this is still the Internet.

First, I'd like to note how few students actually came out to the gallery opening; I laud those of you who were there, and while I know that it can be difficult to find time for random and credit-less events after school, the general lack of interest in the arts, especially the visual arts, given the high degree of talent our artistic community has and the large amount of effort it puts into its works, is highly disappointing. (Also, I know I'm writing like a 19th century author, sorry.) Many of my peers can make it out to random sporting events at 3:30 on a Thursday afternoon, and yet, one or two days a year, they cannot seem to find the time to simply step out of their own lives and appreciate the artistic talent of others; c'est tragique.

But I digress, I'm now going to discuss the show, which though it contained few artists, was interesting and eclectic, especially within the genre of postmodern art, nonetheless. Here I must interject and say that I wish our school also offered some more courses in the academic style, for though I do love modern art, especially after taking Art History, I still have a high appreciation for a refined piece of classical art firmly grounded in the Western tradition. Please excuse my treason art kids. Anyway, the show (It's late so I'm only going to do a few artists, but hopefully I'll have time to update tomorrow the rest):

BW:
Her pieces struck me for their darkness, truly captured in her commentary, which included the words "Yay death"; however, we all that truly know her understand this to be a ruse, a commentary-within-a-commentary on the fact that generally, though not today - much to her dismay - the vast majority of people don't read the commentary/museum plaque explaining the piece being "observed", if such a word can be applied to those who merely glance at a work before moving on, an entire moment of expression, sometimes a lifetime or career, rendered into one 10 second glance and nod. Of all of her pieces, her carriage charcoal piece cum collage struck me most for its simply elegant ascetics, yet morbid Poe-inspired carriage ride of the macabre, while her photograph of a Ms. CR stunned me. The girl in the photo is already beautiful, but this black and white snapshot, clearly the work of just an instant between friends, was moving; I have rarely seen a prettier/sexier/more captivating photo - it was truly one of a kind, good work Ms. Yay Death.

CW:
Oh what can one say about this versatile artist - she simply produces "good", though not moving, work in any genre; indeed I feel as if her display only touched her abilities; we saw her craft, but not the love behind it in many pieces. I feel as if she touch more aesthetic risks with her work that not only would it gain a greater depth, something lasting in my soul, but it would still retain its glorious craftsmanship. In other words, this girl can paint/collage/draw very well, but we all know this - I crave more of you Ms. CW than simply another pretty nature scene, though academically speaking you are by far the most talented in terms of producing "nice" pieces. I liked her attempts to expand with the tampered books themes, but I felt as if at times this became a bit cliche, i.e. one or two quotes is fine in the "Change the World" book, but at some point it becomes too much, too overdone. Your skeleton piece actually really appealed to me, as did your "Christmas"/"Entrapment"/"Oedipa Maas" series because in these two pieces you were at your purest - not only did you deliver a highly polished final product, but I felt some soul behind it. Bravo! (Just keep it up and I think we'd be seeing quite a lot of your work in the coming years)

CC:
You know you're good/strange/psychedelic/awesomely good with color. You by far showed the most mature and well developed use of color at the show; furthermore, you had the most united exhibit - loved the 60s theme, major props. Your skeleton piece was amazing, it was macabre, silly, unnerving, and yet perfectly in tune all at the same time. I love how you translate your understanding of the world, if I can be so bold as to assume that I understand you, into you art; furthermore, your commentary was awesome. You understand well that every person and every piece of art has stories to tell, and I love how you incorporated this idea of stories into your pieces - it's a fascinating collection that entices like Discord's Golden Apple.

BD:
You are a fantastic artist, and this really shone through in your collection. I like the Italian theme, and I think that you'd do well to study some of the Futurists and Italian Surrealists as your pieces appear to show some of that influence, or at least that's what my memorization of 20th century art is bringing out in me. Your charcoal piece of an Italian street bathed in shadows was fantastic, are you interested in selling it - I'm not kidding. You managed to capture in this piece a sense of both tranquility and danger, normalcy and change, the overshadowing past, the tenuous present, and the unknown future. You captured Tuscany, but more specifically, by doing a piece in the black and white of charcoal, you captured a Tuscany that few outsiders see/want to see - I applaud you greatly for this. Indeed, your entire collection was great - I look forward to seeing where you're headed in the future.

AS:
I really only got a chance to admire one of your pieces, but I really liked it. It was the piece of an ocean with whales, and though it was simple, it radiated a purity that echoed its subject matter and your portrayal of it. I hope that I'll get a chance to revisit the gallery and check out more of your exhibit.

Okay, so I'm very tired, and I believe that I need to revisit the gallery to refresh my memory on several of the other artists, but, all criticism aside, y'all did a great job today. I was very impressed by both your energy and your skill - indeed I wish that our school paid you, and your gifts, more respect as, to be blatantly biased and somewhat rude, a football game may be remembered, at best, for 50 years, a work of art, why that will be remembered for, at worst, 500.

taylor

Post Scriptum - I haven't proofread this post, so sorry for any mistakes, but I'm going to bed.

Don't Drink Yo Haterade.....

So as I sit here, watching 250 pages print with a broken printer and bemoaning the destruction of my pair of diesels, I decided that I needed to update my blog with some quotes that I can remember from the past like 4 weeks....

Text Conversation -
Me: "Ouch that was mean [in response to an earlier text]"
Girl: "Why don't you write about it on your blog."

Actual Conversation -
Me: "So Martha what is your rapper name going to be?"
Martha: "Fly ass bitch....you know so it becomes F.A.B.!"

Me: "You misspelled Sophomores when y'all were sophomores...."
Martha: "Stop drinking that haterade boy and back off my grill!"

I dissolved into laughter at both of these points....

Friend: "We're so like the Bolyn sisters! [referring to her and her sister]"
Me: "Wait is that suppose to be a good thing....?"
Friend: "Yeah why wouldn't it be?"
Me: "Well one of you does - you know - get her head chopped off...."
Friend: "Oh right....okay so we're the Bolyn sisters minus that."
Me: "Ah...I can totally see it now!"

Damn printer....going to fix....

Good Girl Gone Bad

This post will be short, though I'd like to come back and examine this topic further later. I have been constantly amazed this year by the number of my good friends who are girls that have started engaging in "sketchy" activities of various sorts. (Note: this applies to guys too, but I've noticed it more in my friends who are girls) Also, it seems that many of these girls fake an innocence to the outside world, yet secretly are proud of what they're doing and who they've become. Now maybe the fault lies with society that creates a double standard, or with parents who push their children to the edge of rebellion; maybe all teenagers are like this and I'm just naive, but still I notice a recurring theme of "good girls gone bad". Some can hide it well; others can't, but beneath it all beats the same desire to break the mold Country Day has told them that they fit, to rebel against the instruments or sports or art activities their parents signed them up for when they were six, and to assert their independence through bad-assness (I know that it's not a real word, but its appropriate here to capture the scope of both dubious morality and secret pride). I could list specific examples, but for the sake of privacy I won't, though my argument does seem a bit flat without them. And so I wonder, as we grow up, do some of us seek to assert independence through a secret rebellion (most parents/adults don't know the girls engage in the behavoirs that they do); and if the rebellion is secret, is it really rebellion at all or actually a submission to the will of adult society that says that girls must be innocent and to teenage society that praises edginess?

Finding an Internship Part I

So I've spent the better part of the last hour trying to find an interesting (and local) internship for this summer; unfortunately, I'm not having much luck. I want to work either for an ibank, a law firm, or a museum (random I know, but I love art), so if anyone knows of a good one please let me know. This will be further updated once I have a better idea on the process to get an internship, but my overall goal is to do this as much on my own as I can because frankly I'll need to learn how to find a job/internship at some point in the coming years. Also, and I'm embarrassed to admit this, but how does one put together a resume? Do I include my high school transcript? What activities and awards should I put, or should I list all of them (a frightening proposition)?

Grr....

It's Beginning to Get To Me

So lately I have been told that I need to blog more about gossip/my own personal life and less about random intellectual thoughts I write down when I have time/don't want to do a Model UN paper, but I like my blog even if I have no readers, and even though it's a bit dry, I feel like it's an accurate reflection of what I'm thinking. That is to say: this is my own place to really be intellectual about those issues that matter to me because most of the people I talk to don't care about the same things that matter to me, and I don't want to bore them. I feel like our personal lives are the mainstays of our conversations, and while this can be nice, I'm ready - to paraphrase Hollister - to be in college where no one talks about drama. Or am I? What if I suddenly find conversations on new topics boring, what if I can't keep up, what if I *gasp* end up missing high school? But that's a risk that I'm willing to take; I believe that there is nothing worse than being fixated in the past; we must look ahead to the future, to that glorious day when we can look back and say "yes, this is who I am, and I'm proud of what I've become, and more importantly, where I still have yet to go."

Wow that sounded really cliche (need accent mark), but oh well. I want to go read my new Pynchon now. Also, found a great new tapas place tonight so that was exciting!

And tonight I reaffirmed what I already knew - newsboy caps weren't cool in the twenties, and they're not cool now. However, Dashboard Confessional has become cool again - good for them.

Finally, blog's title stolen from Snow Patrol:
"And it's beginning to get to me
That I know more of the stars and sea
Than I do of what's in your head"

Blah...

Things that piss you off when sick:

1. The people that shop at Dean and Deluca.
2. The people that work at Dean and Deluca.
3. Dean and Deluca
4. Expensive cars in ugly colors
5. 3 dollar coffee (it's a small!)
6. Homework

Oh the Times! Oh the Customs!

Over the past few months a disturbing and world-shattering fact has been brought to my attention, rocking my naive soul, and destroying much of the faith I had had in my peers. This fact is that a lot of people cheat. As a member of the Honor Council and as a pretty intuitive person, I knew that people cheated, but I could never imagine the extent to which cheating appears to be prevalent in American society: I had friends at Governor's School, supposedly the home of our academically most talented, admit to cheating, I've overheard students at my school outright talk about cheating, and I've had friends tell me that "everybody cheats". Everybody does not cheat. But, beneath the obvious issues inherent in a person willing to cheat lies problems in American society, especially Middle and Upper-Middle class American society.
Something is wrong when American children feel that they have to cheat to succeed; something is wrong when Yale students admit to taking attention-enhancing drugs in order to handle their workload; something is wrong when even our best and brightest, people I met at Governor's School, approach cheating as just another fact of life. I do not cheat and I have stellar grades, but even if I didn't, I would never cheat. And I would never cheat for one very simple reason: CHEATING IS WRONG. Period.
But let's approach this problem from a more "entire woods" instead of "individual tree" angle. Something must be desperately wrong with our society if cheating is an understood, albeit rarely discussed, fact of life in modern American high school. I think I know what that wrong is - and it is our materialistic culture that has taken to defining success in dollars, car options, technology, labels, and square footage. Our culture says that one is only valued if one can afford these things, and the way to afford these things is to make a lot of money by getting a good job by going to an Ivy League school by making good grades. It doesn't expressly say cheat to get there, but it doesn't say don't cheat. Furthermore, it doesn't leave room for the student who just isn't that bright, nor does it recognize other paths to success. Indeed, the majority of its advice on integrity seems to be that of don't get caught. I could list a thousand examples of what I have written above, but I'm tired, and by no means do I mean to impugn capitalism as the cause of all of society's woes (though I'm starting to think it just may be), but I really just want to make my readers think - the next time you start to cheat, think: is this really what I've been reduced to?

taylor

What It's Just a Lexus....Part II

So this plan may sound unrealistic, expensive, and containing a high possibility for failure, but I think it's a good idea nevertheless. Upon review of my biology notes on cellular respiration and photosynthesis, coupled with a PBS documentary on Global Climate Change, I began to ponder an organic solution to this impending crisis which would be more than a stop-gap measure. What if we were able to devise cars, machines, and factories that ran off of the natural energy-converting systems found in photosynthesis, by that I mean, what if we were able to design cars that took in sunlight, water, and CO2 and then converted these products into usable mechanical energy? Far-fetched, sure. But, don't we owe it to ourselves to try something like this which would reduce the CO2 level in the atmosphere and at the same time allow for continued and further development? Nature has the answer, we just have to unlock it. Thus I propose that the United States' government begin immediate and large-scale funding of plans to make our current technology more organic; we can spend 1.4 trillion on a stupid war, yet we can barely spend a fraction of this on research to maintain our way of life. What? We are the country that built the Hoover Dam, put a man on the Moon, and designed the Space Shuttle; I think that we could, with the right funding, brilliant and international minds, and just a little bit of luck, save the planet. At least, I hope so.

More later,
taylor

I Mean It's Just a Lexus....

So this post was suppose to be an insightful and well-rounded discussion on the current (bad) state of our environment with an emphasis on climate change. However, it's getting late and I don't want this to just be another crazy rant that appears nonsensical because global environmental problems deserve a full and honorable post. So I'm just going to say this and blindly steal-and-tweak Daniel Webster's famous "Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable" quote and say "Environment and Humanity, now and forever, one and inseparable". Thanks Mr. Webster!

taylor

Are They Dating? They're Brother and Sister.

Some days, such as Friday, Country Day and South Charlotte seem like the greatest places in the world. Advisory lunch at P.F. Changs was an amazingly fun experience given the eclectic composition of our advisory (yay Arutyunyan!), but we all share the similar trait of slight insanity :-). Days like Friday remind me of how much I'm going to actually miss this place and these people when I graduate and go to college; for good or bad, Country Day and the Class of 2008 have had tremendous influences on my life. I think those influences tend towards the good side. So as first semester ends, I'm going to take the time to say that I'm gonna miss y'all.

In other news...I read an interesting article in this month's issue of The Atlantic concerning a partitioning of the Middle East and South West Asia along ethnic and religious lines; it was a good elaboration on a similar article Vanity Fair ran two months ago. Also, the risk map graphic is one of the best I've ever seen, but then again I'm a map dork.
I've noticed that I've started reading magazines more now than I used to; I'm not sure if I've started growing tired of long novels (and thus prefer things which can be read and absorbed in one sitting), or if a lack of time coupled with my desire to read has made me want to learn the most that I can as quickly as I can. Also, setting The New York Times as my homepage was one of the best computer-related decisions that I've ever made - not only do I know what is going on, but my Facebook quiz score went up...and really isn't that what's most important?
However, I wish that The Times would cover international news as thoroughly as the BBC does, and by that I mean that I wish it would run it as headline stories on the front page, and not bury it back in section A. I know that both are aimed at different audiences, and that America's election is what matters most to the majority of The Times' readers right now, but still I feel as if I'm slowly losing my grasp on international news, something I had down in December. I could just go check BBC after I check The Times, but then again....Facebook is really temping.... But given all of this, The Charlotte Observer still sucks....no really...Parade Magazine?! Oh, and editorial writers from yesterday's Observer, y'all were a little harsh....I mean say what you want about John McCain's politics, but don't insult his military service record, that's just uncalled for.

Okay, that's all I can think of for now - except, where's my damn snow? - I'll hopefully blog more later today.

taylor

Grr

This blog would be a lot better if I updated it regularly....damn you facebook....damn you....

also I'm thinking that if I become an academic....will my dad consider that the waste of a half-million dollar education....?

The Phony War

To not insult those who fought in the Winter of 1939-1940, I have decided that my life has become a waiting game....waiting on college, waiting on friends and other people, and just generally waiting on life. This time period is suppose to be one spent in reflection of the past 4 (13) years...but I don't want to reflect and I don't want to wait. I want to know where I'm going to college, I want to know how things are going to turn out, and I want to close this stage in my life. Country Day has been good to me, but it's time for a change. Also, maybe I'm just tired of waiting and ready to move on because I haven't really moved on and I think a sudden separation would be the best way. Over the past few weeks I've tried to process what Country Day has meant to me, but it's hard to reflect on something so ingrained into my psyche...so hard to separate desire from loathing, truth from fiction, actuality from memory....I keep getting drawn back to what Aerosmith sang in Jaded: "it'll always be what I've loved and hated"

taylor

.....

This will be updated as soon as I figure out what exactly I want to say.
Sorry for any inconvenience

Just quotoables:

Me: "So how scandalous is this book?"
A friend: "I mean it's not hardcore pornography or anything....I was a little disappointed. Hey do y'all know if the last chapter has a good sex scene?"
Another friend: "It doesn't."
First friend: "Damn."

So Beyond Ready....

Hey all,
Today was our first day back at country day after 19 days of Christmas Break....I am so ready to graduate and leave the safe, little bubble-world of South Charlotte. Don't get me wrong, I love CDS and many things about Charlotte, but I'm ready for somewhere new and being back at school really clarified that today.

In the words of Augustana: "I think I want to go to [insert college town of college I'm applying to]...I want to start a new life..."

Quotables:

Teacher: "Did you have a good break"
Kid: "Well it was a lot of family time"
Teacher: "Was that good?"
Kid: "No."

You don't need your SUV

This is my rant of the day:

Dear Little Country Day Mom (also CCDS Dads, the majority of the people I go to school with, half of South Charlotte, and really anyone in general who isn't hauling something or has a big family),
You don't need a car meant to carry eight people when it's just you. Also please don't run into me and stop using up our natural resources and ruining our air.

Thanks,
Taylor

Basically I almost got run into while driving home today by 6 (I kid you not!) of the same exact SUVs. How many were driven by a single driver (for a car that could have carried all six)? I think 5 out of the 6, and the sixth had like 3 people in it. You don't need the SUV. We live in a city....it has good roads...when are you going to take your Land Rover off-road? Seriously....seriously!

Rant over - I'm tired so I can't think of more SUV-related insults right now, but I'll work on it....

America as an Idea

So this will be another politicalesque (yes I know it's not a real word either) post so sorry - I'll try to make my posts more exciting, but I also don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by posting drama on here....

Recently I've been reading the November 2007 issue of The Atlantic which discusses "The American Idea" from various viewpoints written by several famous politicians, writers, philosophers, and professors, along with drawings and photographs representing the idea from famous, contemporary, international artists. This reminded my of Tanderson's class last year and got me to thinking about my own understanding of "The American Idea".

I'm going to start off by saying that I believe in American Exceptionalism (not the philosophy in which America is the world's best country that was used to justify early 20th century imperialism), but the belief that America is a unique place given its geographic separation from the "Old World" and history of immigration and democracy (even if it has not always truly been a real democracy).

So what is America to me? America is at first my birthplace, my home and native land, and though I don't always agree with her actions and policies and though I love traveling to distant shores and I hope one day to live abroad, America will always be my home. But more than that, America represents for me those things which I think that she should stand for: 1. personal freedom; 2. the right to openly question anyone at any time; 3. a democracy based on merit not wealth, status, or might; 4. a place in which others are openly accepted for who they are not what society (if such a unified group could ever be defined) wants them to be; and finally 5. (and I'll probably regret this later since it could be taken in many wrong ways) a beacon of the above virtues for the entire world.

But what has become of my America? The world tears itself apart yet we stand aloof, or when we do intervene it is executed poorly and in the wrong place. All politics and national interests aside, how can we support the regime in Saudi Arabia while condemning Iran? I know that it is too much to expect perfection and strict adherence to the ideal in any facet of life, but honestly I am able to understand why the man in the street of Damascus or Havana or Rangoon appears to hate us; we are hypocrites; we have failed them. America cannot be the world's policeman, but she can be her torchbearer.

Also, our nation is strong because of its history of dissent and dissent can only thrive in heterogeneous societies. We are a nation of immigrants, and yet we now turn those who desperately want to be Americans away from our borders. You say they are illegal, but were my ancestors who so proudly tamed the wilderness of this virginal land any better? They had no passports and no visas; indeed one could say that they were far worse, bringing with them genocide, war, slavery, and racism. But they also brought the idea of liberty, of equality, and of justice. And this idea did not die in the fields of South Carolina as it cannot die today along the fences of Arizona! Welcome the immigrants with open arms, our culture can only be made richer for it. History moves like water; nothing can hold back the waves and drops will become torrents when attempts are made to control them.

And so I say to my fellow Americans, my countrymen, and my schoolmates: this is a dark hour, but there have been many dark hours before it. Do not allow the threat of terrorism to turn us away from our core values, but at the same time be weary of those who try to tell you that our core values are anything but liberty, freedom, justice, and democracy for all. Do not embrace fundamentalism from either side. When the men of Athens all those centuries ago stood up and proclaimed that they were free and equal to all other men, they lit a spark that has waxed and waned throughout Western civilization since that time. That spark has been buried, yes it must be said, behind slavery, racism, intolerance, and oppression, but in every generation there are those few brave souls that seek to liberate that spark and to use it to ignite the world. I do not believe that we shall all dance as brothers and sisters in front of the tree of equality in this generation, but if a few more chains can be broken, if that spark can be used to light a few more candles, if that dream of America can become even closer to a reality (for I do not believe we are just chasing after the green light), then I shall think that my generation has done its part. And so I say on this cold night in early 2008, a presidential election year, a precarious year in which much of contemporary world history hangs in the balance, go forth Americans who agree with me (and even those who don't for as I said dissent is the basis of our freedom) and show me and the world that my hope is not misplaced; show me that "The American Idea" really does live on to inspire, defend, and uplift all of mankind.

I'm Not a Caffeine Whore Part II

First off, let me just say Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2008 is much better than 2007 because let's face it....2007 sucked for the most part. Anyways here are my resolutions: 1. Go to the gym 3 times a week; 2. Stop drinking so much coffee; 3. Make the right decision on where to go for college; 4. Spend quality time with friends (home, college, and GSW); and 5. Not completely lose contact with people when I graduate. Let's see how many of those I'll actually keep...

So I've decided that my body hates me - I went for a run today and almost died...no really I felt like I was having a stroke...and I figure that that's not a good thing. This is weird because usually I'm a decent endurance jogger so I'm going to blame it on several weeks of not jogging plus not eating plus drinking coffee an hour before I went running. Damn you coffee.

Also I need to stop waking up at 2-3pm, but it's hard because I go to bed at 2 am. Also why does 10 pm to 2 am fly by? Why do these four hours feel so much shorter than all the others? I blame the internet...damn you internet.

Finally here is the quote of the day:
Friend: "If I had a friend like that I'd strangle myself! Thank God she's my enemy." - oh Country Day drama....

I wish everyone the best of luck in 2008 and I hope I'll see all of you soon!
Taylor