deuxlits

…is a never-ending quest for myself. with this whole school shenanigans, all of my previous systems and methods of organization have really come into question, as my main organization structure has evolved around a lot of work-related activities. however as a student, what constitutes "work" and "non-work" start to blend into one another. during this whole summer, i’ve run into a lot of interesting articles and blogposts that don’t necessarily fit within this binary distinction. i’ve spent the larger half of today going over my email folders, setting up pop accounts, doing a destop overhaul, etc. does anyone have a personal system that they are actually happy with?

  brooklyn bridge park 
  Originally uploaded by lillyuyen.

i am slowly calling an end to my extended new york sejour. lots of movies in the park. lots of general hanging…hitting the pause button in life only gets more and more difficult to do and so this has been a much needed break as i ramp up for LA and school. i started laying out my timeline for the next couple of months and i am definitely stoked, particularly after reading Phil Agre’s syllabus for a seminar on knowledge…

in the meanwhile, i have been working hard and keeping busy playing lots of music, hanging on rooftops and also working on a presentation/installation on information culture for an art show at the rock-paper-scissors space in Oakland, CA which was curated by my friend emma spertus. if you get a chance, please go by and take a look and let me know what you think.

i went for a really long drive this weekend out of a need for mental breathing room. there’s something to be said about getting in your car, without any real sense for where you will go. i hopped on the 80 east and took off, crossed the richmond bridge, found myself on the 101 north heading to novato and then on the 37 heading into vallejo and suddenly decided to turn around. i got back on the 101 south again and got off at sir francis drake and decided to head out to point reyes. if you’ve never been there, you should really go. it’s truly beautiful. there are a series of historic farms and to see grazing cows with dramatic coastside in the distance is truly breathtaking.

as i was driving, this feeling of running to meet the ocean came over me and while i was driving slowly so that i could take everything in, i felt this heavy sense of urgency come over me. that i had a purpose for whatever reason. and when i finally arrived at my previously unknown destination, i parked my car, put on my hat and scarf and walked down to the beach. if you don’t already know, beach-walking is no easy feat and i found myself struggling to move through the course sand. but it felt good. that i had to try to just keep moving. i could feel myself getting warmer and it just all came out. it’s like there were all these things trapped inside me and they just needed to be tossed into the water. it wasn’t violent. nor was it a quiet exit. it was this kind of matter of fact regurgitation that i just accepted would not be pleasant.

the occasions to mentally purge are rare these days. i don’t know if it’s just me, or a natural condition of post-modern times. being constantly surrounded by movement is breathtaking and wonderfully exciting, but sometimes the day-to-day overtakes you and sometimes you simply have to make yourself stop for a moment.