7 posts tagged “baltimore”
As I watch opportunities keep unfolding and opening up for me here in Iowa City, I feel that even though Baltimore is on the horizon- that horizon isn't as immediate as I once thought- or was trying to make it. I've recently joined Iowa City's Public Access Television to start work on video projects ideas that I've been toying around with for awhile. Also, I've started practicing Reiki again- something I've taken a hiatus from since the late 90s. The work with Reiki has been very rewarding and I plan on continuing and expanding this practice.
Also over the past couple of weeks- maybe three now, I've been very fortunate to see old friends and make new ones.
My dear friend Brandon came to visit over a three day weekend. I
snapped what he considers "unflattering" pictures of him taking a nap.
Flattering-schmattering. Adorable is as adorable naps. And, um... kind
of funny.
Moni's scarf never looked better!
Also, I made a brand new friend in a fellow creative, sagittariun soul named Shane. He's an artist who also loves to work on re-creating clothes, plus he is interested in collaborative performance and creating a public art studio space. Sagitarrius in spades. Here is in modeling his handmade "Pan" mask:
My friend, Amelia from Omaha- who I had not seen in 4 years (!!!),
visited last weekend. I introduced her to Iowa City and it's varous
charms (of course, this was during an "away game"- otherwise, I'm
afraid those charms would have been lost in the drunken din of yellow
and black Hawkeye Fans clogging the streets and soundscapes.
go...hawks...). She stayed at the Fancy-Schmancy Vetro and really enjoyed it.
One specific spot I got to introduce her to was Home Ec
Workshop. She sat down, pulled out her knitting and joined the Saturday
morning breakfast crew in the ever-welcoming circle of crafting.
And that is a very general synopsis of what I have been up to as of late, my friends. I took a break from crafting for a while, but I've been inspired to get back into as of this week. More pics on those creations as they are completed!
So obviously, I had a pretty good time in Charm City. I had a lot of positive encounters and some really great synchronicity. People's responses to my exploring Bmore as a possible new home were mostly positive. For example, I ran across a place called "Ok Natural Food Store" (also, pretty close to my hostel) and after perusing this tiny coop (or at least coop-like) store, I brought my tiny purchase up to the cashier- a genuine hippie (which I mean with absolute respect) with a long, braided gray beard. Somehow the topic of me thinking about moving to Bmore came up and he warned, "You really want to think about that." Then after a moment's consideration he asked me, "Well, what is it you do?" and I told him that I wanted to use performance to promote community, social justice, and environmental justice, as well as foster creativity. At this, his demeanor completely changed and he said, "Oh, you're in the right city then."
I plan to go back and visit Baltimore in a couple of months and plant some more seedlings and make more connections while I am there. Even though I am not quite ready to marry Baltimore, I would have to say that we are engaged. It's a good city, and in the words of the Mike, the owner of Liquid Earth, "It's just seedy enough."
Johnny was the sweet angel boy who I met over Craigslist
when seeking out new friends in Bmore prior to my visit. He met me at the
airport and gave me my first overview of the Mount Vernon area which was very
close to my hostel. He made my arrival to Bmore a much softer experience than it would have been otherwise. He has a strong, and I mean *strong* aversion to being
photographed, so I will let his own words describe him instead.
What a great little space! It is sort of the local activist headquarters and favorite hang spot. I saw a number of books I wanted to get either for myself or my peeps back in IA City. And it was only about 4 blocks away from my hostel so I was able to visit it more than once.
Architecture- Bmore is filled with cool, interesting buildings- many styles, many eras, all stacked up right against one another. Take a gander and some of what I saw.
“Believe” – I love that this is the single word on all the recycling/trash bins around the city. I am assuming this- but I think it is a good assumption- that “believe” speaks to the possibility of positive change throughout the city and the rest of the world.
Liquid Earth- love it! So on my second solo outing to Fells Point, I ran across Liquid Earth. This is the friendly vegan/vegetarian joint you’ve been looking for.
The staff were so fun and friendly, that it was easy
to see it as one of those joints you just end up falling in love with and coming
back just for the ambiance, if not for the amazing food. (And even if you don't like "health food" you should check out their website, cuz it's pretty frickin' amazing, as well.)
Paul- just as sweet as the expression on his face. He is someone I met on my last day at the in
Bmore at the hostel. Like so much of
what I experienced during my stay, meeting Paul was an unexpected pleasure that
welcomed me with open grace. Paul was staying at the hostel on his way to Europe
for a week long adventure. He is in the national guards (so blessed to not have
been shipped off to Iraq!), but really, he is a vocalist and a pianist- amongst
other things. We talked about how fear blocks creative expression and constricts
the voice, as well as the body. We talked about using vocal toning as a healing tool and how we are all manifestations of sound and frequency. We swapped stories and smiles, and I walked
away feeling like the universe had snuck up behind me with another big
hug.
Here's part I of a kind'a in depth review of my lil' trip to Bmore.
Why it’s called Charm City: Generally, wherever I went people had a pretty open and friendly demeanor. “Down to earth” was the most aptly offered description. You could walk down the street, look somebody in the eye and say “hello” and find a friendly greeting in return. This was not something I was expecting from a larger East Coast City. The city does suffer from what looked like some pretty huge economical disparity (and definitely needs healing in its racial disparities and divisions as well- but that’s another blog entry for another time). You’ll find building and shops that are closed and abandoned on one street and then a couple of streets over, a thriving little “village” of shops and well-kept apartments. And yet, battling against a deep sense of struggle generated from what must have been economical hard times for a dying industrial city, is a pervading sense of an open armed welcome, where the big sky pushes off the big bay and creates a synergy for new possibilities. The city is actively remaking itself and seems to be a fertile ground for the arts, creativity, activism and pro-active change.
I stayed at the Baltimore Hostel.
It was great. I had just a good meeting and talking to the people at the hostel
as I did going out and exploring the city. The staff was friendly, helpful and
very present to the needs of their clients. I think people miss out on a lot
when they choose the pampered, yet sterile comfort of a hotel over the communal
experience of sharing a living space with fellow travelers. I saved money, made
friends, and had conversations that I would never had the privilege of sharing
if I had kept myself “safely stored” in a proverbial ivory tower.
Ryan was a sweetie that I met on my first night at the Hostel. Eventually that night he and Greg (see below) found the Karaoke machine in the hostel’s tv room and we took turns belting it out- hands down Ryan had the most melodic/beautiful voice of the trio. I was lucky enough to have him as my Bmore Bud on the first day of exploring the city. He’s traveled extensively and I listened with envy as he told me about some of adventures in Europe.
The American Visionary Art Museum was amazing-
inside and out! Their website does not do the work inside justice. The art
exhibit up now is called "God is Love." It would really be difficult to describe all the various amazing pieces of work we witnessed, and of course, we were not allowed to take any photos. Suffice it to say, if you visit Bmore and you love art in any kind of way, you MUST go visit AVAM. Even the outside of the building was amazing.
Taking the water taxi was a little pricey ($9!- but it was good for a whole day), yet so worth it. Just riding across the bay was such a simple way to relax and yet be exhilarated at the same time. Here are some of the views we took in.
Eat Bertha’s Mussel’s is in Fells Point. Ryan and I ate there after taking the water taxi from Inner Harbor. We had us some mussels and then some. They tasted good, but Ryan did end up with an upset stomach later- I, however, did just fine and I ate more than he did. Actually, the crazy décor was better than the food.
Greg! This was a pretty okay guy that I ended up sitting (and walking) and talking with on more than one occasion while at the hostel. We talked about everything from dealing with jealousy in romantic relationships, to the nature of meditation, to why it’s not okay to say “that’s so gay,” to personal experiences with paranormal realities- just to name a few topics. Also- I offered up a couple of suggestions for one of the screen plays he is writing. If you see a movie involving a closeted gay bandit and an alien squid- you’ll know I had my hand in it: “I’m not gay or anything, but…I really like the shape of your head.”
Greg’s Recipe of "Just Be":
Five times an hour, every day- maybe for 15 seconds at a time, go into a relaxed state- which means to *let go of everything* and just be.
My variation or amendment to this recipe is to bring your mental focus to the center of your body. When you breath in, the focus comes into your body and when you exhale you let go of all body tension. Repeat til Nirvana.
"Kat be nimble, Kat be quick"- I'm doing the mambo with a limbo stick. And by that I mean the feeling of limbo that I've been experiencing after graduation. I'm sure it is fairly common. The deal is I'm still in Iowa City, looking out to the East- but the future is still cloudy. What next? How soon? What to do?
David from Bmore came to visit last Thursday and we had a really great time- having dinner with friends- and of course Gen and Alex dazzled and delighted all with their exquisite cuisine. But while sitting at the dinner table surrounded by my beautiful, loving and supportive Iowa City friends, Baltimore started feeling like a scary uncertainty. Not "bad"- just so new and devoid of all the comforts I've accumulated here in Iowa City. It really made the idea of loss of my current life hard to think about.
Over the course of a few days, I've realized that I do not have to rush off to Baltimore by a certain time in a certain way with absolutes that I must achieve once I get there. After processing lots of feelings and thoughts with friends, I've realized that I can wrap things up here in Iowa City a day at a time. I can just stay open to the moment while things unfold- I don't have to go rushing off to a future life just because I have graduated. I can put the pieces together gradually, rather than searching for an instant outline of "what's next." What's next is this moment, and then this moment, and then the one after that. I will continue to research things in Baltimore but while doing so, I will enjoy taking care of the immediate business of life in Iowa City. I so dearly love my friends here. As much as I am excited by the prospects of a future life of art and activism, I am also enjoying the all the fruits that have blossomed for me over the past three and a half years here in Iowa City. I want to savor and share them for as long as possible.
So Baltimore is still on my horizon, as far as I know. But I am also going to check out some other cities just so I have somethings to compare and contrast. What with this being my life and all, I don't have to sell myself short by getting attached to ideals. There is a lot of room for movement and new possibilities. I want to listen to what they all have to say and then go dancing with the ones that promise the most fun, the most growth and the most progressive, healthy change. I am content to wait and listen until I hear that laughter riding against my front door. Then I can step out with confidence that the flow of new life is with me- and not get tangled in expectations set on ideals. That just sounds like a lot more fun- and much more friendly.
So there it is. I'm still in IA City- and will be for part, if not all of the summer. Keep your love flowing this way and I will return it with a hug.
Kman
It’s been a couple weeks too long since I’ve updated my blog, but I think the “graduation card” trumps in the case of needing a good excuse.
So over this past winter and spring, I’ve been corresponding with a very nice man named David (aka Druben on the interweb), and we’ve been having some great chats about the arts, education and nonprofit organizations- amongst other things. David lives in Baltimore Maryland and over the time that we’ve been chatting I’ve been checking out Baltimore as a possible next move. And I think I may take the plunge. I will first, of course, find a job in or near the field of my study- but my energies and my intuition seem to be saying “yes!” to this new opportunity.
So why Baltimore?
*I’d like to get to know my new friend, David, better.
*Baltimore
is near the ocean- which I’ve always missed ever since moving from California
back in the early
90s.
*It is
city with a black majority- and I’d really like to get out of the white
mid-west and see what it is like
when my white privilege is clearly in front of
my face.
*The winters are generally around the 40s. After this year’s seemingly endless winter- who can blame me for wanting to try a new climate?
*
Baltimore is plagued with problems with crime and poverty, Moving to a “safe
haven” (or staying in one,
like Iowa City) would be missing why I’ve gone to
school to begin with- which was to become someone
who creates community, and
thereby, heals the world- even if it is just one neighborhood at a time.
*I’ve never lived on the East Cost before- and it is time to try something new.
*It just feels right.
I know I spoke about moving to Vancouver at one point- and that is still a goal. But I think Baltimore may make a great training ground in honing my skills and putting what I’ve learned into practice. My crystal ball can’t see too far into the future- I’d like to see moving to Vancouver happen…someday.
And how does it feel having graduated? Wonderful. I’m happy. Life is good. And I’ve been blessed. Now I want to sow those blessings where I can and watch the healing unfold- sewing up whatever pockets will sing with the strings of change.
