Scharn's Xanga

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 14:11:04 GMT

I head to Michigan today for a wedding and a couple birthdays. Feels like I was just getting settled from my summer travels, and I'm off again. I've been seeing a lot of live music, bands that my friends are in. I love live music. It has to be pretty awful for me not to enjoy it, because it's the experience of going out, usually with a good friend or a group, and having the bass drum pounding in your chest and trying to figure out the words alongside a bunch of other people doing the same.

I made a friend at a concert back in May when my favorite band came to California. I knew because she was there that we would totally get along. What is it about music that is such a conduit for community, or for some people, a substitute for community? I remember meeting a guy on a plane who loved communicating over the internet, because he could connect to people who were into the same music as him, obscure bands from the 80's who are no longer together. When someone knows about the same obscure music as you, you immediately develop respect for them.

Had a friend visit. Went to the Getty Museum. Loved the architecture and the setting and the gardens. Went to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena a few days later. So many pieces by Degas I wanted to start twirling around the room.

Continuing to apply for jobs....had two interviews yesterday.

And, I've been writing a song. It's been a long time since I've written a song, and I'm enjoying the process. What happened to the days when they would just flow out of me? Now I've gotta work for it, but it's about the process. I'm discovering, through conversations with my roommates about decisions we make in the house, that I love being a part of the process, and if I'm not a part of the process, even just as a listening bystander, I feel as though I've been jipped out of something. I haven't dug down far enough to ponder why I appreciate the process so much, but that insight alone has been incredibly helpful.

Some people measure the progress of their lives by how much they've gotten done. I tend to measure it by the depth to which I understand myself and the people around me.

Off to do laundry and pack.....

Funny faux pas

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 23:30:00 GMT

I picked up my roommate fresh off the plane from South Africa, and as we were catching up on the drive home, I said that I applied to "a part time job."

She stopped me abruptly. "Wait, did you just say you applied to an apartheid job??"

All back

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 18:10:14 GMT

After a summer of adventures, tonight my 3 roommates and I will all be living under the same roof again. I picked up Carmen last night from her adventures in Europe and we went to the beach. It's amazing that no matter how much we've done or where we've gone or how we've changed, the waves still crash against the sand over and over again and the stars still hang in the night sky and planes fly over us taking people to and from worldwide destinations. And it's peaceful and it's settling and it brings everything back into perspective.

Classes started again last week, and I'm looking forward to the semester. My mind is hungry. I applied to a couple part-time jobs to help fill out my schedule. One of the jobs connected me to a photographer whose work is phenomenal. She is a member of a worldwide consortium of 10 award-winning photographers. Check out their stuff. I love craigslist, which connected me to this opportunity.

Time for lunch then off to get roommate #4 fresh from South Africa.

Up North

Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:34:35 GMT

Off to the northern woods of Minnesota for the last few days of my adventure. Some quiet. Some reflection. And my first attempt at camping. I think it should go well.

There was an awesome thunderstorm here yesterday morning. It was as dark as night at 9 in the morning. I miss the distant rumble of thunder as the sky threatens to spill its contents onto the earth and then the subsequent torrent of drops and lightning and thunder as wind dances through trees and people run for cover. I went outside and let a few drops fall on my skin and lifted my face upward, wondering if I might be able to see where they came from, but then a raindrop fell in my eye and I was done with looking up.

I love my friends. And they love me. It's so easy and comfortable and fun and amazing.

I'm taking a Strengthsfinder training next week and so retook the assessment last night, and got the treat of seeing all 34 of my strengths in order....that'll have my head spinning for awhile.

Ready to battle mosquitoes....

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 14:10:53 GMT

Well, it did get too hot to see all the movie--"The Band Wagon" with Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. There was lots of good dancing, but the blanket we were sitting on generated a lot of heat, making it feel like an oven, even though the air was cool. What a great way to see a film, though! Buildings of Manhattan all around. All different kinds of people on blankets splayed out on a huge lawn.

Yesterday was quite the New York day. I had stayed the night in Astoria in Queens then went to midtown to get the key to another friend's place where I stayed last night. Dropped off my kindergartner-sized backpack at her place on the upper east side, took the subway down to the southwestern tip of Manhattan and had lunch with a friend at the World Financial Center, then traversed back up to the upper east side to take my second shower of the day and change into my third outfit. This heat is BRUTAL! I think the heat index yesterday was 105 or something? Then to midtown, right across from Grand Central for dinner with my childhood French horn teacher. Then to the movie in Bryant Park a few blocks away, then back to the upper east side.

Grand Central was crazy busy...I was there from about 5 to 5:30. There's actually nowhere to sit so I just stood in the middle of the chaos and wrote down some thoughts. It seemed like everything was in fast-forward, but it wasn't. It reminded me of the Qatsi trilogy of films--I can't remember if it's Koyaanisqatsi or Powaqqatsi where people moving through Grand Central ARE in fast-forward with trippy Philip Glass arpeggios going in the background. I couldn't get past the hurry and the chaos and the heat and it was just heavy. I tried to get past it, but I couldn't and I don't know why. But still, I really like this city. I love the subway; I just don't like waiting for the subway when it's a million degrees and I'm on my third outfit, dying to get into a fourth.

Today, off to Minnesota and in a couple days to the backwoods of northern Minnesota. From the chaos of the city to the serenity of Lake Superior with one of the most calming people of my life. Should be a good way to close out this life adventure.

The Big Apple

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 17:54:15 GMT

Attempted to post this morning, but the computer ate my post.

Been in New York a couple days....leaving tomorrow for my last stop on the world tour. The rest of Germany was awesome. We spent 4 nights on the Bodensee and then 2 nights in small town southern Germany, where my friend has been teaching for the past year. Basically she was sent to the German equivalent of the backwoods of Tennessee. Beautiful countryside, I mean BEAUTIFUL. Small town life has its quaint niceties, but it also leaves much to be desired. Still, there was a lot of cuteness in the little towns, lots of charm. And it wasn't just in the buildings or the town squares or the covered bridges, but in the people and their warm hospitality.

I understood a lot of German, which was honestly quite the surprise. Strangers continued to speak to me in German, which I found complimentary, but I guess you don't expect someone in the backwoods of Tennessee to only know Russian.

Lots of great conversations on trains and buses leading to my re-entry to the US. Had an amazing conversation with a woman on the way from London to JFK.

And now, having spent a few days in New York, I saw a show, went to the Met, walked through Central Park, and have seen gobs and gobs of dear friends....and the fun continues until I leave.

I have been to New York since September 11, but today marked my first trip to Ground Zero. It is one BIG hole in the ground, with surrounding buildings still displaying their damage as the foundation for "Freedom Tower" is being laid. Somehow as I recall all the times the name "freedom" has been slapped onto something--Iraqi freedom, freedom fries, Freedom Tower--it makes me think of something one of my professors said--"You don't have to keep claiming something that's already true." Are we really a hallmark for freedom, or do we have to keep convincing ourselves that that's what we give the world.

Tonight a movie in a park. It's really hot, so we'll see how that goes.

Abenteuer in Deustchland

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 07:27:48 GMT

So many adventures, where to start, where to start.

Someone ganked over $900 out of my checking account at Wal-Marts in So-Cal after I was gone. That sucked.

We've stayed around the Bodensee, exploring different cities each day--Konstanz, Meersburg, Mainau. It is truly beautiful here. Yesterday we hiked above the lake through some vineyards. Today we're hoping to bike around, but we need to find a place to stay first.

Two nights ago, we returned to our hostel after the desk closed. The Germany game was on, so many of the guests were sitting in the lobby watching when we arrived. Unfortunately we had locked our room, and you have to turn the key into the front desk if you leave the building. So we got back and there was no one at the front desk and our room was locked. Fortunately, a jolly German father let us know that his daughter had space in her room and we could go sleep there, which we did. This was after much debate about whether we could climb out windows and into ours or other adventurous theories.

More to come.....

Out of this world

Sat, 08 Jul 2006 09:28:39 GMT

We explored Ueberlingen last night and enjoyed some delightful gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce...mmmm.

Today took the bus to the ferry to the bus into Old Town Konstanz, Germany, two minutes away from Switzerland. On the walk to the bus from our youth hostel, this elderly man stops mid-step and says something in German, the only bit of which I catch is "gruene Haare" or green hair. He described it as aus-something, which I didn't know. Bethany explained that it literally meant out of this world or alien. What was so funny is that this man was so content, so pleased with himself, almost to stop, make this comment, and go on about his day. I felt it complimentary that he thought I would understand his German, which I really didn't.

So, my hair is out of this world. I'm a martian. Awesome. If nothing else, it was a delightful little interaction with a stranger on the other side of the world.....

I love boats and lakes and people, all of which have been a part of today. Sehr kuehl.

Ueberlingen

Fri, 07 Jul 2006 16:46:20 GMT

A quick update from Ueberlingen, Germany where the keyboards are slightly different from the US....

I love Europe. I love the cities and the little towns. I love how buildings are old and charming. I love the charming old people that are still out and about no matter their age. It's a fun challenge to hear German and to try to decipher it.

We were in Zurich for about a day, exploring around town. It really is beautiful here in its own way, complete with beautiful lake nestled in rolling green hills with old, beautiful buildings lining it. Then today we took the train (lugging all my stuff--man I brought too much stuff!!) to Ueberlingen on the Bodensee, a huge lake on the border between Germany and Switzerland. The cheaper prices of Germany are very welcome! OK, internet time about to run out!!

Full

Wed, 05 Jul 2006 04:02:05 GMT

I feel so full, and it wasn't just the barbeque we hosted today. I love my friends. I love vacation. I think I want to be retired. I think we're an entire generation of people who want to be retired. What's a girl to do?

Last night, I took the El into the heart of the city, amidst fireworks watchers to meet my high school friend Jessica. We can't remember the last time we saw each other, how many years ago it was....at least two or three. We talked for 4 hours, and it was fantastic. We just connect. We've ended up in similar graduate programs, so we're heading in a similar direction, and we come from the same place--we've known each other since we were 13. To see the things about her that are still so genuinely her; to hear how she's planning her wedding, to see how she's living her life, and to know from a resonance deep within, "Yes! That's so you!" How? How can someone change so much and still be so thoroughly herself. Or perhaps it's that she's more truly and genuinely herself. I can't quite say. It's so profound that I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around it.

But to share with her all that has gone on through my crazy life journey, to watch her eyes gather tears and know that she was fully sharing those moments with me from somewhere deep within herself. To look across the table into the eyes of someone you feel like you'll always be connected to no matter how much time or distance separates you and that all you need is a few hours every few years over Indian food in the heart of a bustling beautiful city to connect 13 to 18 to 24 to 27 to 32 and so-on. Incredible.

Had public transportation experiences, but I'm sure I'll be able to rack up enough for an entire entry.

And then to be with Kindra and Chris and little Ben--it's a home to me--one of the many that I have. Such a different world at their barbeque today to be around young couples with children running around or pregnant bellies or spouses and nearly all younger than me. I was the only single person present. So not what my world has been in LA, but special and enjoyable for sure. And to then just exist in normalcy as a part of their family...going to the store, watching TV, playing cards, cleaning up.

I am really loving Sirius radio through their cable right now. Tomorrow I leave for Zurich, which is surreal, provided my passport arrives by its guaranteed time. Is this really my life? Do I really get to have all these wonderful things piled up one on another?