Discovering Perspective

Stir crazy. I can't take much more holiday.

Hello, my name is Sarah and I'm a workoholic.

I really do enjoy going home and sitting on the couch with a cup of tea in one hand and the remote in the other. But I don't have that much tolerance for t.v., especially not what t.v. has become in the three and a half years since I've had cable. I do it for the nostalgia of what relaxation used to be. I rarely had homework in highschool and probably rarer social obligations so most evenings were spent in front of the t.v. It was relaxing, given how stressed I made myself during the day. Now it just drives me nuts. But I experience free time so seldom that I haven't found a replacement. What to do when I'm not busy?

It's also hard because I'm home and not home (London and not Ottawa). Even with the access to a car this time down, there is only so much I can bring with me. I wouldn't mind painting, but that's all in Ottawa. I should be working on my portfolio, but most of my stuff is in Ottawa. I could read but I wasn't sure what I would be in the mood for so I left my books in Ottawa. Not to mention the friends and parties that are happening... in Ottawa.

At the same time that I am missing Ottawa, well the people and things there, not the actual place, I know that if I were there I would regret not spending time with my family when I have the chance. Unfortunately those 'chances' are also the only time I have to do all the other stuff I never get to do and see the people I never get to see. I may as well be in a different city from all my Ottawa friends, only I don't come home for the holidays to celebrate with them.

I think it was good for me to make friends outside of my program, it makes it so that my whole world doesn't revolve around one building on the Carleton campus. But it would have been easier. The other people in studio seem to have an easier time of it. They spend time with their friends in studio. That way when the holidays come along, it's an easy choice to go home to spend a week or two with their family and come back to their friends after. But I don't feel like I'm going back to my friends. I'm going back to school. That's just depressing. How can you look forward to that?

And yet I do look forward to it because I just pretend that being back in Ottawa will mean being back with my Ottawa friends. Of course this just makes me feel guilty about wanting to leave home. You'd think I'd have learned by now that I never win.

Galleria 173
164 Preston Street
Ottawa, ON
Canada
K1R 7P6

Hours:
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 2 - 6 p.m.
Saturday: 12 noon-5 p.m.
or by appointment:
(613)230 9903

For those of you in Ottawa for the holidays and looking for something to do and desperately missing me....

I found out that my painting will actually be on exhibit at the gallery for a few weeks. I was originally under the impression that it would only be up for the day of our presentation. The gallery belongs to a friend of my prof and she wants to keep the paintings from the Painting as Architecture workshop up for a bit.

I forgot to take note of the gallery hours but here is the info I do have:

Galleria 173
173 Preston Street
Ottawa, ON K1R 7P6
tel (613) 230 9903

*note the street address listed on all the google hits I found is 173 Preston, but I believe the address I was given was 169. I will double check but there is a sign on the porch that says Galleria 173.

Well I managed to get it all done. The last three weeks seemed like they would never end but here it is. The End.

Tomorrow I get to end the term off on a good note (hopefully). My painting workshop is getting an exhibit at a local gallery for the afternoon. We'll also be showing our videos and there is a rumor that there will be beer. Should be really fun to see my work hanging on the walls of a gallery. Super excited.

Crits went as to be expected. The critics were in a rather nasty mood but still managed to give some good feedback. It was the usual trying to defend something when the only reason I can really think of is "because my prof told me to do it". Oh, but you learn in first year, never say that. Oh, and the prof never backs you up. At least this time I didn't get criticized for having too much work. Now I'm left with the usual mixed feeling of wanting to go back to my drawings and models and work in some of the feedback and never wanting to see the project again. But for the sake of portfolio for upcoming grad school applications...

Finally, the Design Economics exam was a bit of a joke with one or two unexpected real questions. It helped that the instructor read us 80% of the exam on the last day of class. But it's done.

Next semester is looking good though it's always rough to stay motivated when you don't have time to recover from the previous semester. I'll have one less course on the plate which should help considerably. Also only one class before 1:30 every week which is also very good for my sanity. Studio, Urban Studies Workshop, and Research and Criticism. I can live with that so long as I'm not stuck with another sessional for studio.

So, Wednesday I will be off to London and will return on January 2nd (in case anyone cares). Hopefully I won't miss all the good parties.

A great turnout to the latke party last night. I managed to talk to most of my guests briefly when I finally got to move away from the stove as Mary and Brent kindly took over the latke making. It's always interesting to see how different groups mingle (or don't) but I think everyone had someone to talk to and lots to eat.

I forgot to pull out the dreidels. I've been trying to work out the rules to a dreidel drinking game and then I could really have a Vodka Latke Party (that's a lot of potatoes).

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and especially those who helped with the potatoe peeling and onion grating.

Only one more year to Latke Party 2005. (Note Hanukkah will be late next year)

mmm....hotcopus soup