Foto Friday - Writing Utensils

I haven't mentioned it here because I've had too much other fun stuff to write about, but I'm participating in NaNoWriMo this year. I've previously written novels in 2007 and 2010. This year I'm writing a short story collection centered around a certain theme. Characters and situations came to me randomly while I was in England and insisted that I scrap my previous idea.
     The funny thing is, the novel I was going to write was what I had planned to be my MFA thesis. If I hadn't dropped out, I would be working on that thesis right now! It's been put off twice, but I'm sure I'll get around to writing it.






The pencil picture is from last year's Nano photoshoot.

Laughing in London with the Horne Section

While in England, I was exposed to Tim Minchin - thank you, Laura. "So Rock" was the first song of the first special I saw; I hold it close to my heart. My second favorite would have to be the epic environmental anthem "Canvas Bags," closely followed by "If I Didn't Have You" (yes, mostly because of the wiggle dance). We looked up tour dates to see if he was playing any shows in the area. Turns out, he had just finished a tour, and wouldn't be starting another until after I left.

Then I found a listing for Tim Minchin as a special guest with the Horne Section. We booked tickets without looking up anything about the Horne Section; we were just excited to see Tim. I'm glad we did it that way because the Horne Section was a delightfully hilarious surprise.

The show was at London's Criterion Theater.

The Horne Section's stage set up; note the Wheel of Wonder - it's crucial to the show.
The Horne Section combines music and comedy. The show began with frontman Alex Horne introducing the band and, much like a rapper, instructing all the ladies in the house to say "Yeahhhh!" We did. Then he asked the men to do the same. A guy in the front row punched the air, to which Alex commented, "That was manly. That was very man...ful. It's like you have a little man inside you - carry on." We were off to a great start.

The Wheel of Wonder has its own theme song, and I was crushed that I could not find it online. It gets stuck in my head frequently, so if you'd like me to sing it for you, drop me a line. Like a human being, the Wheel of Wonder has many layers, the first of which was Games. It was spun and came to a stop on Twister. Two team captains were picked and brought to the stage. I wasn't sure how funny it would be to watch people onstage play Twister, but Alex insisted that the whole audience would play.

"Put your right foot on the person to your right," he instructed. "Put your left hand on the thigh of the person to your left," he continued. It's amazing how it is not awkward to intimately touch total strangers when you're all laughing so hard (something to remember next time you want to approach that cutie at the coffee shop?). The game went on until he told us to sit on the shoulders of the person in front of us. Our team captain jumped onto Alex's shoulders, winning the game for our half of the theater! It just might be the proudest moment of my life to date.

A layer was peeled from the Wheel of Wonder to reveal different types of music; the spin landed on Boy Band. The Horne Section, who had already proved themselves talented musicians and comedians, sang a song about groupies that was catchy, with impressive harmonies.

Special guests performed small bits in-between the Horne Section's own act. Beardyman, an amazing human beat box, performed. I don't even know how to describe him, you just need to check him out. Tim Minchin performed his song "Cont," but then decided to just "fuck around" instead of performing another piece. Beardyman came back on stage to join him, which resulted in this extra catchy jam session. When I wake up singing "I think I've got an erection, I got a little horn for the Horne Section," I know it is going to be a good day.

A little aside: Tim Minchin booked three American dates after I returned to the states (thanks for waiting for me, Tim!). I was able to make it to the Chicago show last week and see him perform a two hour show of all his own material. It was hilarious and offensive and delightful.


If I lived in London, or anywhere nearby, I wouldn't dare miss the Horne Section's weekly shows. But I don't live there, and a lot of my readers don't, either. So, inspired by Alex Horne's quest to be the oldest man in the world, I've decided to start my own project - bring the Horne Section to America. I won't lie - I'm not really sure how to do this besides telling everyone I know about the group, and bugging @hornesection as often as I can without making them scratch America off their To Do list.

The Horne Section. Listen & Love them. Help me heckle them to America.
The Horne Section's site
Radio BBC show - part one
Radio BBC show - part two
Bald Man - a sample of the Horne Section's good-natured humor

Alex Horne's personal site
Long Live Alex - Alex Horne's attempt to be the oldest man in the world, a goal he's been working towards for over 33 years!
@AlexHorne on Twitter - he often ends tweets with "Bye!" as if having a delightfully short conversation, and it never fails to make me smile.

Let's do this.

London Calling

Laura and I took several day trips into London, cramming so much into each visit that I'm thankful for pictures helping me remember it all. Like in DC, the galleries and museums are free; we went to Tate Modern, where I was extremely angered by a work of "art" that is simply a mirror mounted on canvas.
     "Rather than look at an image of the artist’s making, viewers are now confronted by themselves, thereby questioning a long-held notion of painting transcending reality."
Bullshit.

Other installations made up for it, like gauze stairs coming down from the ceiling:

At the V&A we saw the Power of Making exhibit, which had the delightful pencil lead alphabet on display, as well as a larger-than-life gorilla made of coat hangers.


We went to BBC Studios to be in the audience for a taping of Harry Hill's TV Burp.

(The links are the episode we saw, though I don't expect you to pick out my laugh.)
We were scared silly (or maybe I should say scared and then silly) in the London Dungeons. Not being sure where you're stepping or who will jump out at you from the darkness made both Laura and I antsy for the first half of the tour. The breaking point was when a bloody murderer made eye contact with Laura, menacingly marched straight up to her and, instead of grabbing her, politely said "Excuse me," before walking on by.
     We were on the tour with a group of German teenagers, so many of the jokes were lost on them. At a trial reenactment, the judge said the defendant had been arrested for "tenderly loving a horse." Laura and I laughed loudly while the foreigners around us remained silent. Not awkward at all.

We went up high on the London Eye.



Laura, her sister Shelley and I ate at a posh Japanese restaurant where you bypassed the wait staff and ordered by using your table as a touch screen. We then saw a comedy show at the Criterion Theater - the Horne Section with special guests Beardyman and Tim Minchin, which I'm going to post more about on Wednesday.

I fell in love with the walkable streets of London, started to learn my way around the subway system, and got sniffed by a police dog in one of the international stations. I'm sure you understand why I kind of want to live there.

Foto Friday - Coffee Break

The English tradition I adjusted quickest to is having coffee or tea and cake in the afternoons - definitely one to bring back to my daily life in America (as if I don't already drink coffee all day).
     Laura's mum treated us to a lovely afternoon at Cafe des Fleurs in Rye. It's a combination cafe and flower shop, and the smell of espresso brewing mixed with fresh cut blossoms was intoxicating. It didn't hurt that the coffee and cakes were delicious, we were given free (incredibly rich and creamy) truffles, and the cafe decor was adorable.











See more on my Flickr.

Purgatory

I've followed the West Memphis Three since I was a stubborn high school sophomore who wanted everyone to know about the injustice - and needed everyone to see it my way. Thankfully, I've grown up since then. I don't want everyone to have the same opinion I do (be it about a band, a book, or a controversial court case), I just hope people are open-minded enough to check out things for themselves - listen to a song, read a paragraph, research the facts - before forming an opinion.

Sunday night was the Memphis premiere of Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory. It is easily my favorite of the Paradise Lost documentaries, and not just because of the "happy" ending. It was well-done, going back over the trials and subsequent developments just enough to make it stand alone for those completely unfamiliar with the case. The supporters who have seen the previous documentaries are not bored with repeated information, because a great deal of the footage was not used in the first two.

There were clips that made the audience boo, applaud, and laugh - even when crying would have been more appropriate. Case in point: Dale Griffis, a "cult expert," was testifying for the prosecution. The defense asked what classes he took to earn his PhD.
     "None," the expert said.
     It was already known that his PhD was a mail order degree, but to have completed it with no coursework? The defense requested he not be allowed as a witness since he was not an accredited expert like he claimed.

Judge David Burnett overruled the request.

Why? Because, according to Burnett, an expert does not need to have a degree. Someone could have a "third grade education," research the subject of their choice and be considered an expert in Arkansas courts. "I’m not sure in Arkansas or in any other state that you have to have any kind of degree to be an expert in a particular field." For the record, I am now an expert in psychology and decoupage. My degrees are in the mail.

After the screening there was going to be a Q&A with filmmaker Bruce Sinofsky, but he was ill and unable to make it to Memphis.

Instead, we got Jason Baldwin.

Jason Baldwin, producer Jonathan Silberberg, Memphis Flyer reporter Chris Davis // Photo is my own.
I can't explain how inspirational it was to hear Jason speak. He's easily the most optimistic person I've ever met, which is exponentially more impressive when you consider his circumstances.

He was sentenced to life in prison when he was a teenager, despite repeatedly proclaiming his innocence and there being no evidence linking him to the crime. He grew up in prison. He was released at 34 by pleading guilty while still maintaining innocence - only because he wanted to save his friend on death row.
     An audience member asked if he would have taken the deal if no one's life was at stake, and he said no. He compromised all he had been fighting for nearly two decades and swallowed his pride to make sure his friend would not be killed. The clip of Damien thanking Jason never fails to make me cry.


Another emotional moment happened towards the end of the Q&A session. A girl sitting in the front row asked if Jason had talked with any of the victims' families. He said he hadn't, but would like to. Everyone leaned forward, straining to hear her soft spoken voice. She went on about how there were six victims that day - the three dead boys and the three rotting in jail. Audience members looked at each other, wondering what she was rambling about, but Jason's eyes never left hers.

"My favorite color is black," she continued. "My favorite band is Metallica. My name is Amanda Hobbs [victim Steve Branch's half-sister] and I think you are innocent." She got up and left immediately after her statement; Jason's lawyer followed her out. I hope they got to speak in private after the event; I can't imagine how emotional that would be for both of them.

Jason is just now learning to drive. He thinks cell phones are something out of a science fiction movie (remember, he was locked up in 1994, in Arkansas…). He's considering colleges and thinking about law school. He's excited about seeing concerts and going to Disneyland. He may have "grown up" in prison, but now that he's back in the real world, he's sixteen again.

He wants to live life to the fullest without holding grudges or being bitter, and that inspires the hell out of me. How many times have I let spilled coffee or a flat tire ruin my day? Meanwhile, there's someone who's never experienced that, who would have loved to worry about going to a meeting with stained pants or fretted over how much a new tire would cost. Those worries are so trivial compared to wondering how much longer you'll be in jail or if the courts will actually believe you're innocent. It really puts things into perspective.

If you're interested in the case and want to learn more, I highly recommend:
WM3.org
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)
Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000)
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (filmed 2011, airing on HBO in January)
Devil's Knot by Mara Leveritt (a Little Rock journalist who covered the case from the beginning and continues to do so)

Climbing the Tower

Continuing my historical church obsession, Laura and I went to see the beautiful Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Rye.

After exploring the cathedral itself, Laura and I decided to climb up the bell tower to check out the view from the roof. Let me say right now that Laura is scared of heights, and I am claustrophobic - maybe that will give you a vague idea of how hard our hearts were pumping when we started, and how much adrenaline was coursing through our veins when we finished.

Start climbing these stairs. Not too bad, right?


Pause to look out the window. Not the best view,
but better than facing what comes next...


No camera deception - they really are that narrow.
Turn sideways and suck your stomach in.


These stairs were sturdy and wide (in comparison),
but the rafters overhead were dangerously low.

You've made it to the bell room!

I should have said this at the beginning, but make sure to time your
climb well before or after the hour, or else you might go deaf.

Climb up a ladder that reminds you of rickety attic steps. Almost there!

Cross this little platform, and there's the door out.


The view that greets you is undeniably spectacular. Walk around all four sides
and check out the different scenery. An old castle, green fields, waterways,
red roofs, the graveyard from up high.

Don't be afraid to lean against the stone wall when the wind blows so
incredibly hard, you're sure you'll fly away with it.


Make sure you check out the alternative views.

(Funny) Foto Friday

As I mentioned in my anniversary post, I love noticing the little things when I travel. Visiting villages in England made me realize that I love a good sign, and when I looked over my portfolio, I found quite a collection. I like simple, straight-forward signs, but some of my favorites are the ones that make me laugh.

All of these were taken in NYC.





Ok, that one might be a little sad.

Sometimes, they're just not well executed:

That one-second delay in lighting makes all the difference in the world.

Check out my sign collection on Flickr.

An Anniversary.

This past weekend marked three months since my job quit me (7/29) and I began traveling (7/30). You can't say I haven't been enjoying my funemployment (You also can't say I coined that phrase - I've seen others call it that and have shamelessly stolen it for my own): I've seen tons of new places, experienced things I never would have otherwise, and met so many different people.

I went on three extensive trips to places I had never been. I went on two shorter, impulsive trips in between. When people ask me what I've been up to, I simply say "Traveling." I don't elaborate. Partially it's because I don't think people want to hear my anecdotes. I don't have stories about major landmarks because I value the little things: the comedy shows I saw in London, the art galleries I've visited, the national parks I've hiked. My photography reflects this - baby pinecones (apparently an unknown obsession?), a slug inching his way down a log, flowers popping up from between bricks despite the October chill.


Clouds casting shadows on the Atlantic Ocean
I was trying to think of what I could write for this anniversary. I've documented my travels pretty loyally here, so while I could compile some sort of "Best Of" list, it wouldn't be more than repeats. I don't have a life-changing revelation to announce.

Or do I?

Monday morning I reported to downtown Memphis to do my civic duty as a juror. I listened to the commissioner speak for about two hours, paying attention in the way you do in high school (aka, not).

"Let me veer from the prepared speech for a minute," he said after instructing us to go back to work the rest of the week should we be dismissed early. "If you hate your job, if it's making you and everyone around you miserable, quit. Life is too short to be unhappy. Find something you love, and do that instead."

My cheeks got hot and I swallowed hard, silently chanting "Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry." Ever since I got back to Memphis, I've been trying to figure out my next step. Travel is fun, yes. I don't want to write it off as just "something to do," but I thought it would impact me more, I thought the answers would come to me clear as day, and all of a sudden I would set off on my obvious path in life. That hasn't happened, so I've found myself looking at all the options available to me. I haven't spent the savings I allotted for travel, but I haven't planned any more long-term trips (though I have a lengthy list of dream destinations). My options also include, of course, going back to a "real" job.

It might seem strange that a suited city official could inspire me, but that's exactly what happened. My last job didn't make me miserable at all - I absolutely loved it. But I also love travel: I love the freedom to go where I want, when I want; I love having time to dedicate to creative endeavors that have been on the back burner since grad school; I love being able to see friends who don't live nearby. I love that a city pops into my mind and instead of asking for time off, I just go.


I've gotten used to living out of a backpack. This is what it looks like when it throws up after I get home.
I initially planned to travel for five months. I figured I would fall in love with a city, settle down in January and get a new job. Instead, I've decided to keep going. I want 2012 to be the year I go all out - traveling as much as I want, wherever I want, freelance work keeping me afloat (fingers crossed!). It's only a year out of my life. I'd rather drain my savings and come crawling back to work a 9-5 than be sitting at a desk this spring, wondering what I could have accomplished.

I have to give it a shot. That's all I can do.