Joanna

Arizona Winter Visit

2010-12-27T22:35:00.000-08:00

Mom: Joanna, so I see that you have given up on your room. Should i just, you know, take care of it when you go?

Joanna: No. Just let it be."

Cold Feet.

2010-04-17T23:35:00.000-07:00

I really don't want to graduate. Not because I'm afraid of the future or what happens next. It's literally because I love school. I love film classes. I love my film friends. I got the most out of four years, but wow. Yeah. 2 weeks left.

Over 2 weeks ago I was in the catskills. In that same amount of time I'll graduate. I'm not ready.

I know i can still trickle in and use the facilities. But it's more than the classrooms, the computers, and the equipment. It's the people.

i know that luckily i'm in new york already, so i have a much better chance of people not spreading out. However, I guess i'm scared of losing the infrastructure and the community.

Don't leave me hangin'....

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

P.S. this pre-stress doesn't help that i'm also shooting my film in 2 weeks.

I have lots of anxiety now. I keep waking up an hour or two before my alarm clock, heart pumping, thinking i shouldn't be sleeping. I'd like to sleep in and not feel guilty when I wake up.-like I should have never slept in the first place.

Aghh. scary. It's mid-april and i'm still freezing in my bedroom... very tempted to turn the heat on. But instead, i'm dressed in fleece PJ pants and thick socks to keep my cold feet warm.

Re-numbering.

2009-12-05T18:16:00.000-08:00

Correction. Number 5 isn't a bad thing, and actually gives me more time to deal with number 2.

Also, I was definitely wrong about number 3, and this makes everything better!

downer time.

2009-12-02T13:57:00.001-08:00

it's that time of the semester, and i'm feeling dragged down by the following:

1. sadness (over my grandpa's cancer)
2. school stress
3. rejection
4. sickness
5. replaced at my job

wow, this IS a slump.
I'll push through.

"Joanna" is overdue at the school library. Due Date: 4 am on a Sunday night!

2009-10-19T00:57:00.000-07:00

Exactly one year ago i shot my colorsync, "The Piano Lesson." That was really the biggest stepping-stone of my filmmaker adolescence.

Anyway, right now it's 4am, on a monday night.

I'm in the school library.
I have a bottomless hunger in my stomach.
If i go home to brooklyn, the hour in transportation would cut into the my few hours of sleep before class tomorrow.
If i go home, it's because i care about my hygiene and appearance for tomorrow. This means i will shower and sleep another less hour.

Right now i am deciding between feeding myself/camping out on the animation floor couch. OR, should i go home, to my very own bed (of the foam mattress and loft bed frame sort).

I am not sure. For, I will have to wake up in 4 hours from now. However, subtract the 2 hours of transportation and hygeine, and that's a total of 2 hours of sleep. Is it worth it? I would rather eat. Plus, there are a lot of sleeping people in Bobst. hmmmmm

i feel like my essence is declining at a logrithmic rate. Especially as i sit here, contemplating. I feel really out of it. ---> almost like that homeless person who i accidently let dine while I was hostessing. I still can't believe she drank the wine of the lady sitting next to her. What a fiasco!

Things I DID in Arizona!

2009-09-01T00:18:00.000-07:00

I'm writing to you the 2nd to last night before I leave, since I know I am the best packing procrastinator I know. (They call me the Packastinator).

Anyway, the following is a list of things I did while being home for a month, the last summer break of my life. Those who say Phoenix is boring can only blame themselves. I more than entertained myself, and still have enough on my original list to do next visit.

- Roadtrip with Gina, Lily (her sister), and Ally to Sedona, where we...

- Hiked a few Vortexes -- Airport Rd., Bell Rock, and Cathedral Rock (where we shouted from the tip top of the mountained and our new hiking friends a ways down shouted back!) (Sedona)

- Slid down and jumped off "Slide Rock," a natural waterpark, where we formed "Tribe Red Rock" by painting our bodies with red clay (Sedona)

- Saw a few shooting stars from the Perseid Meteor shower under a blanket in the middle of a dark/damp gold course (Sedona)

- Visited a charming ghost town (Jerome)

- 4 girls go camping with one sleeping bag, a tent, and no supplies... and then we stocked up at the grocery store. (Outside of Sedona)

- Played guitar around a campfire, with a few new friends, while staying up way past camping quiet hours. (Outside of Sedona)

- We had a blowout on the freeway, where we were forced to pullover on the side of a cliff on the way back to phoenix. Some nice old couple stopped and helped us, in the 110 degree heat. We made it to some sketchy gas station, where I filled the tire with air. By time we finally made it to change our tire, dirty from camping and covered in tire grease, our new friend Scotty, the tire guy, sprayed me down with degreaser. (Anthem)

- Exhausted, sweaty, and filthy, we crashed the beautiful Marriot Resort. Since our 1.5 hour trip took 6 hours, we missed tubing in the Salt River, but we jumped into the tubes of the resort's fake lazy river with about 70 fourteen-year-old football boys. (Phoenix)

- Crashed the W Hotel at night (Scottsdale). In addition to the purple lit-up rooftop pool, the patio also has a sandy beach cabana area!

- Crashed the Hyatt Pool! (Scottsdale)

- Went camping with Nora and her dad!! (Just outside of Flaggstaff)

- Feasted on delicious gourmet vegan camping food (cornbread chili, tofu Scramble, smores and banana boats) a la Nora! (eleanordashwood.blogspot.com)

- Hiked some unlabeled trail with a dried lake, ponderosa pines, and spruce trees!

- Hiked Walnut Canyon, formed by water, and loaded with Sinagua indian ruins!!

- Toured Arco Santi, built by the architect Paulo Soleri! (look it up!) (Arco Santi)

- Gambled with my dad at a couple Casinos, where we played blackjack, slots, and a bit of Poker! (Indian Reservation)

- Saguaro Lake with my parents. I really didn't know such a big lake existed, and never looked at a map and realized how relatively huge it is. I'm still in awe of a lake surrounded by baren desert and saguaros. We ate at a restaurant, and found Sandy Beach, an oasis where summer heat refugees were frolicking in the water. (Saguaro Lake)

- Another weekend in Sedona with my parents, where we hiked a couple vortexes. One trail had the famous photographed spot!

- My parents had psychic readings while I had my Aura read. Apparently i'm mostly yellow, meaning that I'm funny, creative, intelligent, optimistic, logical, and so on for 25 pages. (Downtown Sedona)

- My dad bought me a cowboy hat and I played the kokopelli flute in a gift shop for an hour or so. (Downtown Sedona).

- Went to the delicious "Elote" where they made me vegan enchiladas!! A special mention for that! (Sedona)

TO BE CONTINUED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I must go to sleep now, but i will edit this in the morning!!!) au revoir!

Things I Want to do in Arizona

2009-09-01T00:13:00.000-07:00

So i made an actual list of things i want to do in Arizona, in order to make the most of one month home in Arizona, during the last summer of my life. Then, I publicly shared it on facebook.

Below is the list. Enjoy!

THIS COULD BE US!!!

- Spend a few days in Sedona (go to Vortex, hike, meet mystics, buy some rocks) / there's an arts & crafts show 8/15-8/16!

- First Fridays in downtown Phoenix ( There is one this friday! Who want's to go?)

- the BIODOME!!! (google it! az has one!)

- shamelessly run through the fountains at Desert Ridge or Tempe Marketplace!

- Ride the Skyline Ski Lift at Snowbowl in Flagstaff!

- Spend 4 hours waiting for the best Pizza in the country: Pizzeria Bianco

- Take a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West! (It's like 5 minutes away from my house!)

- Camping!!

- Go find some Hohokam ruins or caves in Northern AZ!

- Play some Basketbal (at night, when it's coolerl!)

- Get lost on the Phoenix Metro!

- the Hyatt Gainey Ranch and sit outside by the firepits, with a cocktail and some mixed nuts. Maybe crash the pool during the day.

- Los Sombreros on Scottsdale Rd. for some guacamole, margaritas, and bottomless salsa.

- the pool on the roof of the W Hotel at Scottsdale Fashion Square.

W Hotel Rooftop Pool!! Yes, at night!!

- Tubing in the Salt River

- Westworld!

- Kayak in Tempe Town Lake

- Go to Vegas! (yes, this one isn't in AZ)

- play POKER at the casinos on the Indian Reservation!

- Some ASU parties (the polar opposite of NYU)

- the BIG BANG dueling piano bar on Mill Ave!

- the Library on Mill Ave! (i've always been curious)

- A daytrip to Jerome (ghost town!), flagstaff, tucson, or bisbee!

- Hit up the nightlife scene in Snobbsdale!

- Wilcox 3rd Annual Grape Stomp! 8/29! stomp your own grapes and wine tasting!

- Crash the pools at the Princess Resort, Biltmore Resort, orthe Point. (I'm flexible)

- Arboretum in Flagstaff! Wild Mushroom Retreat! 8/21-8/23

- Learn your Lizards, 8/8! in Superior, AZ!

- Gelato Spot, Smoothies, Iced Tea!

- Pita Jungle as much as possible (especially the locations i haven't been to: gilbert, mesa, desert ridge)

- explore the Three Roots Secret Anarchy Society

- Cowboy poetry and music jam 8/14-8/15 at Yavapai College in Prescott

- Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, 8/11 Perseid meteor shower and viewing course!

- hear some local music by some local bands at some local venues!

- Rhythm Room in Scottsdale! (according to Cameron Rochette, "Best Club in Phoenix!")

- watch the film, "Arizona Summer" ...aren't you curious?

- house parties?!?!

Yes, this list could be boiled down into a few things: Pool, Parties, Adventures, and Eating. Who's with me!!?!?!?!!

Hit Me!

2009-08-10T03:14:00.000-07:00

Hello One and All,

I am here to tell you that today, I gambled for the first time at a Casino. As sort of my 21st birthday celebration, my father and I went to one of our lovely local Indian reservation's casinos, and impressively came out with a net gain that paid for our dinner! What a high-rolling Scottsdale night: RA Sushi, the W Hotel, and then some gambling! For awhile, i was pulling my weight through some serious blackjack. I dabbled in some three-card poker, but this wasn't for me. I'm much more of a Texas Hold 'Em or Five Card Draw kinda girl. Anyway, i'll make sure the next casino is more fitting for my poker tastes.

So team father/daughter was successful at blackjack? Not quite. We definitely were in the hole by a good amount. However, luckily my dad had the Midas touch on a handful of slot machines, and in three big wins we had replenished our funds and made a nice surplus as well!

So now, it's 3:30 a.m. again and I spent a couple hours in poker practice rooms reading poker strategies.

And as usual in these late night hours... I've noticed something. Where is everyone? No one's on Facebook Chat. I know it's a little late, but i remember back in the AIM days, someone was always online. I found myself signing onto AIM just to see, and realized no one chats anymore.

The people who sign onto AIM put themselves out there and say, "I am online, I am by my computer, and I want to chat." Those on FB Chat are putting themselves out there a little less, but they're still reachable if you need them.

While signing on, I accidentally found a hidden "recently opened" file of old chats. I found two particularly interesting ones. I read through them, reading that old freshman or sophomore Joanna speaking, laughing, through them. I want to chat! who's with me! (and if you really want to have a good time, maybe we can go to a poker chatroom!)

....aaaahhhhhh summer nights ...in my bedroom.

how 'bout some postin'!

2009-08-08T02:41:00.000-07:00

Joanna is...

still tappin', strummin', singin', and lovin'!

Being and Nothingness

2009-08-06T03:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends, Fans, and Followers!

I write to you from my Arizona bedside. I sit atop a worn-out checkered baby blue Bed, Bath, & Beyond comforter. My allergies are probably acting up from all the dog hair on my twin bed, which is surrounded by dusty momentos and knicknaks. I'm in this little blue room, with hanging 9th grade homecoming Mardi Gras beads, dried roses, and a stack of high school yearbooks...

(You know, i read those yearbooks yesterday. I must have read those dozens of times, but I noticed something different yesterday. More interesting than the messages themselves is the general development of friendships. Classroom acquantainces' little four word signatures transform into paragraphs with funny memories and truly caring messages. And where are they now? Well i'll find out these next couple weeks!)

Still, I sit awake, shoulders hunched over my warm radiating 12inch powerbook. It's 3:34 am and i'm ridiculously anxious...

about nothing.

Nothing at all is what I intend to do on my month's rest in Arizona. However, I have just formulated the most epic list known to mankind, filled with southwest tourism, hotspots, foodie joints, and a whole lotta party. If you've seen my facebook note, the list is ridiculous and completely fantastic. I'm pretty pumped for all these adventures, all these people, all this homeyness i haven't seen for months. My days are counting.

I've only been here a few days since i've arrived from Chicago, where my 31 year old brother was married! (!!!!!!!!!!!!!). "The Wedding of Weddings" as my mother calls it-- that expression barely does it justice. Hm, how can one, especially one as articulate and poetic as myself, put all the days of celebration into words? (Nay, I shall not document detail by detail as past blog followers may recall! After all, that would be tedious to read and write! However, I shall try to recreate the overarching feeling of incredible amazingness).

When you're in the moment, and it's happening all around you. It's so unbelievably like anything else you've experienced and probably anything else you will ever experience, that it's hard to truly appreciate that moment at the moment of its happening. To do so would require too much thought, and less embracing the actuality. So, you decide to keep on living it-- keep on dancing on the dancefloor while making glowstick chains. Only afterwards do you reflect and replay it over and over, and attempt to appreciate the moment. But now that old moment is a memory, and the new mundane moment passes as the others.

Now it's 3:44 a.m. About 4 hours ago I couldn't fall asleep. I once heard the worst thing to do when you can't sleep is to try to sleep. Amen. But now I'm still here on my laptop, and i'm not one to fall asleep in front of a computer (unless, of course it is an essay, or an online book...). So i suppose the effort lies at my end-- not yours, you did nothing wrong! -- and it's up to me to shut mr. powerbook. I must deprive him of his glory.

So i've started buying short red dresses lately. I now own three. Maybe it helps with confidence? Or maybe Arizona is just too hot (100 degrees plus, every day!). Well then, why am i such a rocker of red lipstick?

In between my sneezing, I have nothing else to say. Nothing. And that's what I intend to do-- right now, and this summer. Do nothing, while at the same time... doing everything. Say nothing, while at the same time... saying everything.

You hear?

Look what I found on Craigslist!

2009-05-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

WANTED! SIBERIAN TIGER FILM STAR! (manhattan)

Attention exotic animal owners:

I am a film student shooting an adaptation of Ray Bradbury's "The Veldt". The tiger is a crucial component of this shoot. The tiger must be domesticated, preferably with some film experience. He (or she, this detail is unimportant) must be good with children as they, too, are crucial to the shoot. I'm willing to compromise some of my script, but I would like to maintain its overall integrity. I would prefer a tiger comfortable with climbling a small tree (~8 feet) and jumping down. If he would be willing to slink seductively around a fire hydrant, that would be spectacular. I also want a tiger that will roar on command and eat a live bird. Excellent compensation would be in order. Please contact me ASAP as the project is due in a week.

* Location: manhattan
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: $10000+

Hotter than 98.6

2009-05-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

Through all the work, showing the parents around, and I had this vision of paradise for the one week between spring and summer semesters. I thought that one week I'd explore the city, live it up, relax. But no. Not quite. Actually, very far from that.

Instead, I came down with a very very terrible and inconvenient illness. Probably as a result of my body's stress from finals week. It knocked me out for a week, confined in that 307 room. I was packing with 103+ fevers. I've never felt so terrible, and it lasted for over a week.

But now i'm here. Almost a full recovery, beautiful warm weather, started summer school (Psych and Existentialism), and a few good laughs later.

Last night was another one of those nights that I'll replay in my head for awhile. I'm almost 21, and i'm a little closer to catching up to everyone else. What occupied amojoam's every thought was totally put on hold, buried in a different world, and completely forgotten about. But, what a surprise. as always. what are we on now, like number five?
*bites lip*

Familiar Faces in the Crowd!

2009-05-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? i got through it all. even my piano recital was actually decent.

Even though I didn't feel confident or prepared going in, somehow when I was performing, I completely had a handle on the piece and had a very musical performance.

My parents came in town!! That's always a treat when they live so far away. I'm going to try to list everything we did, just, for the sake of documenting:

DAY 1:

Wild Ginger - vegan restaurant. Delish!
Cafe Roma (Little Italy) - coffee and almond cookie for mom and pops
Flower Shop (SoHo) - mom bought me a giant bouquet of Lilacs
Steinway Hall (Midtown)- my piano recital
Ciao (McDougal, Greenwich Village)- Italian Restaurant with the Suitemates!

DAY 2:

Little Atlas (East Village) - quick breakfast!
Carnegie Hall (midtown) - we did a tour and sat in on the Berlin Philharmonic rehearsal!
Russian Tea Room - brunch
Central Park - a quick stroll
Times Square - bought tickets
Canal St. (Chinatown) - bought cheap touristy stuff from vendors
Bubble Tea/Chinese Bakery - a sweet appetizer
Vegetarian Dim Sum House (with Benny) - With Benny! Yum!!!
HAIR on Broadway - the Age of Aquarius!
Stogo Icecream (East Village) - Yes, it's vegan!
My Dorm (East Village) - apparently, not clean enough, lol.

DAY 3 - Mother's Day

Flower Shop (Soho) - bought some pink Peonies for my madre!
Spring Natural - nice organic restaurant. I had a tofu scramble!
Statue of Liberty (Battery Park) - we saw it! what a windy day too!
Wall St. (Financial District) - saw my brother's office & spent 15 minutes trying to find the ATM in the largest Chase in the country
Gus' Pickles (Lower East Side) - by the barrel, on the sidewalk!
Coffee Place (Lower East Side) - where they suck up your bean choice through the ceiling pipe, and grind it fresh.
MooShoes (Lower East Side) - bought my first pair of flats that fit!
Tenement Museum (Lower East Side) - watched short documentary, giftshop
BabyCakes (Lower East Side- delicious vegan bakery, my first time!
Boutique Store (Lower East Side)- got a black w/ embroidery dress!
Katz Deli (Lower East Side) - the vegan's antithesis
Akshara (Lower East Side)- Delicious Felafel
... and then they left. :(

The Light

2009-05-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

Good News! Two down, two to go!

SCREENPLAY - wrote 65 pages in less than 36 hours - DONE!

ANIMATION - finished tonight! - will upload soon! - a homage to my homeland! - DONE!

UNIVERSE FINAL - haven't started studying yet - but, i have study buddies - Dark Matter, Quasars, Space-Time Continuum, Black Holes???
One could say, this exam is a mere trifle in the grand scheme of the universe, especially considering matter (protons, electrons, neutrons) is only 4% of the Stuff of the Universe.

PIANO RECITAL - I'm T minus 3 days - I didn't make a Facebook Event as I usually do - I really just want my supporters to be there - Honestly, my expectations are low.
However, perhaps in some stoic way, I'll surprise myself by whatever progress i can make, in only a couple days! - (Hey, after that Feature Screenplay, anything's possible!)

But Please. Is it really going to rain this weekend??? My parents are FINALLY going to visit me. I may not play my best recital,
but at least let New York be beautiful for them.

(at the end of the blog post.)

the game plan.

2009-05-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

So friday night, a night to forget about problems --> a party, a rooftop, and then a bed, finally. Then sleep at 5am.

I'm still pretty empty inside. But, at least i'm lighter. With all this running around, I'm probably better off.

I woke up at 4pm on Saturday. A night to forget turned into a Day to sleep through. I didn't want that. I guess i needed the rest, so i shouldn't feel bad. I still do.

So as of 7pm Saturday night, i only had 16 pages. Now, less than 20 hours later, I have 47. I just might be able to make it to feature length.

My sweetmate baked all day yesterday. Of the 4 pies and Zucchini Bread, the vegan apple pie and vegan peanutbutter chocolate chip cookies we customly made for me to enjoy. Yum.

And now it's 3:43pm. If it was yesterday, I'd still be sleeping, ignoring the doom that lies ahead of me. But it's Sunday, and I have a few more hours to crank something out onto paper.

On another note, I think i might be able to get through this week.

just 15 minutes.. LATE

2009-04-30T17:44:00.000-07:00

The past couple days have literally been non-stop. Firstly, since I pulled a symphony of strings together to apply for this grant, I had to put together 12 packets filled with proposals, resumes, signatures, etc. Somehow, in some amazing way, I actually met the deadline with a decent application.

Unfortunately, much to my chagrin, I was 15 minutes late today. It was probably one of the worst times of my life to be 15 minutes late. Particularly since I was really passionate about this presentation, and being late was the last thing I would ever want to do.

Just imagine: a room full of 18+ executives around a big conference table and your group in front of the room. You're out of breath with bloodshot eyes, and somehow you're peering through the glass door outside of the conference room. You showed up 15 minutes after the presentation already started. You were the first slide.

So what do you do? take a breath. then enter.

I mixed up the time, completely sincerely. I know that my fellow interns know that, but that doesn't really matter in the working world. Oh well, i felt kind of tipsy from all the recent stress and sleep deprivation. I think I cracked a few jokes, considering i had nothing to lose... that I hadn't just lost.

Lunch was dinner when I finally ate tonight at 6:00pm. Then, with my pounding headache from multiple nights of a few hours of sleep, I was supposed to sit back and relax in my Universe class, learning about dark matter and the universe's expansion

as always, the worst is yet to come.

-finish animation - Universe final - write feature screenplay - piano recital

i'm sorry, Self.

2009-04-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Self,
I'm so sorry i did this to you.

In the next week and a half, i have to . . .

Write a Feature Screenplay (i have 20 out of 100 pages)
Take a Final for my Universe class
Finish my Animation
Apply for a Grant for my films
perform a Schubert Impromptu in a piano recital
search for a summer job, before summer starts

Just one of these things would be more than enough to do in a week and a half.

I have no fresh fruit or vegetables in the fridge, and ran out of clean underwear.
This is going to be a hard.

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

so this is fulfillment

2009-04-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

I did it!
This morning, i finally recorded the film score that i wrote. More than just background music, if you've seen my film, you know how much the tunes are a character.

The moment when i saw the string quartet playing, and the conductor conduct, and the recording engineer record, i felt that shivering feeling when everything comes together.

The notes i wrote last semester were finally more than just computer MIDI, and finally played as they deserved to be.

I'm so truly happy in every sense of the word.

I made it uphill in pre-production. I made it over the mountain when i shot the film. I've wandered a bit, but i finally made it through the trudging mud of editing. And now, even though i'm nowhere near the end yet, I found this beautiful flower along the path--the flower that inspired the whole movie to begin with. Finally. finally... finally. I'm still living my film.

The fruits of labor were extra delicious by the accompaniment of my dear benedetta. By the way, i forgot to mention i had the most different and special passover with her last weekend! (nora/meh- i have to send you the pictures of the vegan seder, haha)

Now, i need to find an exit from this cave! Finish the film!
That way, i can come back to the real world and make another one!!

Look who's falling down!

2009-04-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

Friends and Lovers,

This weekend i barely got anything for myself done.

I finally sat down to animate tonight, lightly guilted that i hadn't started earlier. On the good days, in experimental, you go in without a plan and everything starts flowing and mixing together as it is happening. On the other days, you keep trying to try things, and everything stays kind of static. Today was one of those. Hopefully tomorrow the coin will land on the other side.

On a lighter and less graceful note, I had two wipe outs this weekend. One down the slippery computer lab stairs in my rain boots. The other off of a skateboard on the 8th floor.

For a weekend recap, I ate deliciousness in the East Village, I partied, i spent a few hours in the hospital urgent care lobby, i did makeup, i did laundry, danced to silent music on a film set, and won a slow dance in a raffle.

Lots of chocolate,
Joanna

Four, Three, Two,

2009-04-05T18:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight i founded my music myspace. I've been yearning to have one of those snazzy little things. I can't tell you the link now, but very soon you should expect for me to unveil the inner rockstar.

On the more seasonal side of things, I've definitely had a fascination for coconuts lately. The delicious and hydrating water, and spooning out the inner grub for reward. However, i always worry that the man at the Whole Earth Vegetarian Kitchen is going to chop off his finger when he cuts it open for me.

I'm really going to start writing my feature screenplay now. My suitemate is teasing me with her sesame rice crackers. She wont give me any until i start writing, and as she said, "they're slowly disappearing."

Nothing Much

2009-04-04T14:49:00.000-07:00

Dear fans,

I don't have much to say right now.

Sorry for the lull in my blogging life.

Yours truly,
Joanna

Being and Nothingness

2009-03-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

So it's supposed to be Spring according to the Equinox, but New York couldn't care less. What an ego.

When i lay atop of my plastic dorm mattress, i try to imagine my real bed. I'd like to wake up to the sun shining through my shutters, and then I'd stumble outside barefoot in 80 degree weather to let the dogs out. Arizona-- where i was just a couple days ago for Spring Break. Blue skies, lovely faces, pure bliss.

We had a day trip to the mystical Sedona-- my recent fascination. Somehow I've been enchanted by crystals and Red Rock. I still haven't made it to the Vortex, so there's still a reason to go back. I also still haven't found my future husband, Justin (as the Phoenix Psychic told me).

We started off at the tail of the sunrise, on the road to Jerome-- a real ghost town a mile high. We made it back to Phoenix just before the 2:30pm piano student.

Road trips aside, Spring BREAK?

Just a disillusioned interruption of the Spring '09 Relay Race
(of which the worst is yet to come.)

Moreover, it was a tease of the home that I will never really live at again.

My Eyes + Parallax = How Far is the Monitor?

2009-03-11T22:21:00.000-07:00

I'm munching on dried apples i bought in bulk from the Food Co-Op, and sitting in the basement of my freshman dorm in the 24 hour computer lab. The number of sleepless nights i've spent in this cold unfriendly lab are adding up, and I'm beginning to see this place as kind of comforting-- perhaps, a place of hope in the wee hours between night and morning. It's 2am, and I have a midterm tomorrow in my Universe class. That's not too bad, but I haven't been sleeping much days before, and I wont be sleeping much at least 2 nights after this, and my 12+ hour days/5 days a week are absolutely packed --nothing new about that though.

So, my vegetable-rich brain has come up with a few theories while sitting here. Here they go.

1) Class problems (homework, test, etc.) are phrased in two ways: interrogative and imperative. I'm definitely partial to the former and more polite type. Why would I want to provide an answer to a non-question? Why would I submit to the derogatory tone of a demand when I don't even want to do the homework in the first place? Why am I using rhetorical questions? Is this rhetorical?

2) Why is Johnny AppleSeed so famous for planting appleseeds accross America? I mean, really? There have to been many more noteworthy people before him that we're forgetting about.

Unchiseled

2009-01-01T22:47:00.000-08:00

After performing a couple of original compositions and classical pieces on the piano at our family's New Year's Day open house, one guest asked where the themes come from. I answered that