In the past few weeks, I’ve driven to the coast and visited both Portland and Seattle. I’ve hidden and I’ve been social. On November 4th, I danced in the streets of downtown Olympia, singing and cheering with hundreds of my neighbors, an impromptu block party. I’ve seen a few rock shows and a few art shows. This weekend, I made black walnut ink from the tree in the backyard. I’ve done a lot of stuff while simultaneously having done nothing at all. I feel like a pot that’s been simmering for far too long. Reducing, reducing, reducing.
In a fit of disgust, I took down the majority of the website. Last weekend, I read a few chapters in my CSS manual but I have yet to turn a page since. I have a map of how I want the site to flow, what goes where. I’m not in a terrible hurry to resurrect it. I’m fairly certain I’m going to be here for another year anyway. I’ve been offered a couple of interesting teaching opportunities. I’ll know more in January, I suppose. Washington state has imposed a hiring freeze in governmental agencies, including higher education. Academia is bracing for some mighty lean years. The academic budget for 2009 – 10 is being cut by 20%. Heads are already starting to roll. Gotta cling tight to what I already have.
Also, I feel like I haven’t learned everything Olympia has yet to teach. Since the end of summer, I’ve been involved with the The Olympia All Ages Project, a non profit youth based organization. I’m on the working board and my primary responsibility is acting as the Gallery Coordinator. Oly All Ages is an all ages music/art space modeled on 924 Gilman Street in San Francisco and The Vera Project in Seattle. We’re working on finding a permanent building. Everyone involved in the project is amazing and incredibly dedicated. We received our start up loan from Kimya Dawson. There’s so much potential for the project; it’s something that I’m constantly excited about. Olympia is just starting to get interesting.<
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