Two Posts in one month?!
Get out of town!
I just thought I'd post an update. I'm having sort of a lazy day. I always feel guilty when I have days like this because I should always be doing something. But I am exhausted today. I was out and about in Chicago yesterday and I'm just tired.
So yesterday...I mentioned earlier that I would be going to MBK studios for a Sons of Turner painting session...and I did. Here's how it went.
Well the morning was a disaster. I was woken up at 1:20 am by my dad walking up the stairs. You know it's bad when my dad has to walk up the stairs because he rarely comes up anymore since he has to use a cane all the time. The phone had rung and it was mom's work on the phone. The reason they called was to complain at her that the night person never showed up to work their shift. We were all kind of pissed that they called us at 1:20 in the morning. I grumpily went back to sleep. Then I had to wake up a few hours later in order to catch my train in time. So I ate breakfast while my mom continued to complain the entire morning about work. Then soon enough I was off to the train station and on the train. I sat in one of the middle cars this time in order to be closer to the stairs that lead to the CVS where they supposedly had One Day CTA passes for the bus (since I knew I was going to be on busses a lot that day). So I get off the train and head down to CVS and wait in line by the cashier. When I get up there, I ask her if she has the passes. She makes a quick phone call to someone, then says "No, we don't" So I ask, where I can find them and she says "Um, try the CVS on Madison and Canal. That's not too far away, so I go there. There is NO CVS on Madison and Canal. That would mean that there is a CVS on both sides of the train station! WTF?!
So I look down Madison to see if maybe I could go to the Walgreens by the bridge. Madison is completely blocked off. You can't even walk on the sidewalk! I'm feeling helpless at this point. So I thought maybe I could walk down Canal St. to see if there is any CVS down there. I spot one, on the corner of ADAMS and Canal. Stupid cashier! I go in and the HAVE the passes! Thank God! I get one and leave. I'm already sweating in the heat. I hate how much I sweat when it gets hot. It starts running down my forehead, into my eyes, down the back of my neck, making my hair look like crap. I'm thinking...meh, I'm an artist and I'm going to go meet with a bunch of artists. Who cares. So from Adams I walked a few blocks West and ended up on Halsted, which is the street that the studio is on. I was smack in the middle of Chicago's Greektown. Never been there before. Even the Walgreens had Greek lettering on it and there were little Greek restaurants everywhere. I'd like to go back there sometime to eat. So I had to cross the street to wait for the #8 Halsted bus. One passed me while I was on the other side of the street, so unfortunately, I had to wait longer in the sun and heat than I would have liked, but eventually it showed up.
The ride to the studio was actually a lot shorter than I thought it would be. I was expecting to travel really far because I looked it up on Google maps. But I was there in less than 10 minutes. I got out at 16th street and walked like 300 feet to the door of the studio, not really knowing what to expect. But I saw a door with "MBK Studios" marked on top of it. I didn't know if I should knock, or just open the door. Then I saw a little buzzer/doorbell thingy. I pressed it, waited for like 10 awkward seconds, then I hear "Push the door!" So I pushed the door open and walked up the high staircase. I saw two other SOT's at the top. I don't know them that well. They said MBK was upstairs. So I chatted with them a little and looked around. Then MBK came down. I was so happy to see him. He was like "Emily!!" and then he gave me a hug. It was so wonderful seeing him again! He has a really nice studio. It's like a little home (because it's not at his house) with a small, but well-equipped kitchen and everything is nicely decorated, but slightly messy. It's basically the building version of MBK, as it should be. I only hope that I can have a studio that cool one day.
So we all waited for people to show up, ate doughnuts. It was really nice. MBK asked me how my summer was going after he sent the other two guys out to get something in the backyard. I was honest with him and told him it hadn't been going well. I didn't want to really go into detail about my family and my job situation, but I would have if I had more time and wanted to start crying in front of him. But I was happy to be there. None of my closer SOT friends showed up but I did know a few people and all of them were friendly enough, so we had a good time. The model we were going to paint never showed up. It was kind of a bummer since that meant we would have to paint each other. I hate people drawing me. So first MBK posed for some gestures. It was kind of funny, not gonna lie. But it was fun. I mostly did sketches at this point. Then later, we had three of the others (thankfully) pose and I painted some ok paintings. One of them turned out better than the rest, though. It was a fun morning. It was especially nice being amongst people I enjoy being around. MBK gave me another hug before I left. He must know that I need that kind of thing. Not just hugs, but, an understanding mentor/inspirational figure in my life. My family (well, aside from my sister) supports my art, but they don't really understand it all. I am so grateful that the Sons of Turner are part of my life.
After that, I went back downtown and met up with my friend Elisa. I spent the afternoon into the evening just hanging with her, having fun. It was a really lovely day away from home.
The Renaissance Faire last Saturday was good too. Though it wasn't really as fun as I remember it being, probably since it's gotten old. I honestly don't know if I will have the interest to go next year. I'm hoping that I will be working or doing something important next summer.
And I will supposedly be working at the bookstore August 15th through the 31st this year. Not proud, not excited, but a little relieved than I will be making some money.
I just thought I'd post an update. I'm having sort of a lazy day. I always feel guilty when I have days like this because I should always be doing something. But I am exhausted today. I was out and about in Chicago yesterday and I'm just tired.
So yesterday...I mentioned earlier that I would be going to MBK studios for a Sons of Turner painting session...and I did. Here's how it went.
Well the morning was a disaster. I was woken up at 1:20 am by my dad walking up the stairs. You know it's bad when my dad has to walk up the stairs because he rarely comes up anymore since he has to use a cane all the time. The phone had rung and it was mom's work on the phone. The reason they called was to complain at her that the night person never showed up to work their shift. We were all kind of pissed that they called us at 1:20 in the morning. I grumpily went back to sleep. Then I had to wake up a few hours later in order to catch my train in time. So I ate breakfast while my mom continued to complain the entire morning about work. Then soon enough I was off to the train station and on the train. I sat in one of the middle cars this time in order to be closer to the stairs that lead to the CVS where they supposedly had One Day CTA passes for the bus (since I knew I was going to be on busses a lot that day). So I get off the train and head down to CVS and wait in line by the cashier. When I get up there, I ask her if she has the passes. She makes a quick phone call to someone, then says "No, we don't" So I ask, where I can find them and she says "Um, try the CVS on Madison and Canal. That's not too far away, so I go there. There is NO CVS on Madison and Canal. That would mean that there is a CVS on both sides of the train station! WTF?!
So I look down Madison to see if maybe I could go to the Walgreens by the bridge. Madison is completely blocked off. You can't even walk on the sidewalk! I'm feeling helpless at this point. So I thought maybe I could walk down Canal St. to see if there is any CVS down there. I spot one, on the corner of ADAMS and Canal. Stupid cashier! I go in and the HAVE the passes! Thank God! I get one and leave. I'm already sweating in the heat. I hate how much I sweat when it gets hot. It starts running down my forehead, into my eyes, down the back of my neck, making my hair look like crap. I'm thinking...meh, I'm an artist and I'm going to go meet with a bunch of artists. Who cares. So from Adams I walked a few blocks West and ended up on Halsted, which is the street that the studio is on. I was smack in the middle of Chicago's Greektown. Never been there before. Even the Walgreens had Greek lettering on it and there were little Greek restaurants everywhere. I'd like to go back there sometime to eat. So I had to cross the street to wait for the #8 Halsted bus. One passed me while I was on the other side of the street, so unfortunately, I had to wait longer in the sun and heat than I would have liked, but eventually it showed up.
The ride to the studio was actually a lot shorter than I thought it would be. I was expecting to travel really far because I looked it up on Google maps. But I was there in less than 10 minutes. I got out at 16th street and walked like 300 feet to the door of the studio, not really knowing what to expect. But I saw a door with "MBK Studios" marked on top of it. I didn't know if I should knock, or just open the door. Then I saw a little buzzer/doorbell thingy. I pressed it, waited for like 10 awkward seconds, then I hear "Push the door!" So I pushed the door open and walked up the high staircase. I saw two other SOT's at the top. I don't know them that well. They said MBK was upstairs. So I chatted with them a little and looked around. Then MBK came down. I was so happy to see him. He was like "Emily!!" and then he gave me a hug. It was so wonderful seeing him again! He has a really nice studio. It's like a little home (because it's not at his house) with a small, but well-equipped kitchen and everything is nicely decorated, but slightly messy. It's basically the building version of MBK, as it should be. I only hope that I can have a studio that cool one day.
So we all waited for people to show up, ate doughnuts. It was really nice. MBK asked me how my summer was going after he sent the other two guys out to get something in the backyard. I was honest with him and told him it hadn't been going well. I didn't want to really go into detail about my family and my job situation, but I would have if I had more time and wanted to start crying in front of him. But I was happy to be there. None of my closer SOT friends showed up but I did know a few people and all of them were friendly enough, so we had a good time. The model we were going to paint never showed up. It was kind of a bummer since that meant we would have to paint each other. I hate people drawing me. So first MBK posed for some gestures. It was kind of funny, not gonna lie. But it was fun. I mostly did sketches at this point. Then later, we had three of the others (thankfully) pose and I painted some ok paintings. One of them turned out better than the rest, though. It was a fun morning. It was especially nice being amongst people I enjoy being around. MBK gave me another hug before I left. He must know that I need that kind of thing. Not just hugs, but, an understanding mentor/inspirational figure in my life. My family (well, aside from my sister) supports my art, but they don't really understand it all. I am so grateful that the Sons of Turner are part of my life.
After that, I went back downtown and met up with my friend Elisa. I spent the afternoon into the evening just hanging with her, having fun. It was a really lovely day away from home.
The Renaissance Faire last Saturday was good too. Though it wasn't really as fun as I remember it being, probably since it's gotten old. I honestly don't know if I will have the interest to go next year. I'm hoping that I will be working or doing something important next summer.
And I will supposedly be working at the bookstore August 15th through the 31st this year. Not proud, not excited, but a little relieved than I will be making some money.