Flo-master of the Universe

This is a vintage felt tip pen that I forgot that I owned. I will be
flowing soon in a 1950s sort of way. Not so much in a hip hop way.
Although flowing hip hop style should be one of my summer goals. Lofty
goals.

Another Day at Work

Another Day at the Library

This One Time When I was in Budapest...

Quick! Where am I? Nope, not in a small Michigan town near Ann Arbor...but I suspect now that the name Ypsilanti originates in Hungary. (This picture-and all the others in this blog post-were taken during my roughly 24 hours in Budapest.) Who knew?!?
I have been meaning to write a really inspiring, witty, and mind-blowing blog post about more of my travels, specifically about my experience in Budapest. I finally have the time to do that now! I also owe it to our great tour guide, Zoltan Nagy, that we met in Budapest. He asked a while back for pictures. Here they are now, Zoltan!
It feels like forever ago that I was in Europe but it was only this past January. You might remember I spent some time visiting my friend, Bob, who lives in Vienna. We also took some short trips to Prague and Budapest.
...In the dead of winter. If you think the pictures look a bit cold, IT WAS.

When we arrived at Budapest's impressive main train station, I bought a Cappuccino in a plastic cup because I think it usually sounds the same in most languages and I just don't feel confidant asking for beverages in Hungarian. Four years of high school Latin and all I could ask for at Budapest's train station concession stand was a cappuccino while pointing at a bread-y thing. I'm totally a world traveller.Look at the balmy Danube River! I don't know how I forgot to pack my swimsuit!

I learned that Hungary is the only country whose current currency, florints, were in use while it was a Socialist state. I believe there is a push to bring the Euro to Hungary. During the day in Budapest, we did things like stumble upon a church inside a mountain and climb icy stairs to even colder lookouts. Did I mention it was cold? The main highlight of the trip was the Budapest Backpacker Free Walking Tour where we met our very excellent tour guide: Zoltan Nagy. His name translates as 'the great sultan.' We even became facebook friends later. You should, too.
He is a professor of History and gave a great tour to me, Bob, and an Australian couple.
I'd like to think the high point of the trip, both geographically and spiritually was when Zoltan offered us a drink from his knapsack to warm us up. What was the name of that drink again, Zoly? I remember accepting a second shot of the clear fruity spirits and thinking soon thereafter that Budapest was a very fine place to visit.There was a part of the tour where we were invited to touch a part of this statue for good luck. I don't remember what the statue represented but I do know that there was a particular part of the underside of this anatomically correct horse that was shiny and I was the only one on the tour who contributed to its gloss. Thanks for the boost, Zoly.

Below is a picture of indoor heating at a bar. It was cold everywhere!
I learned that many bars in Budapest spring up in abandoned buildings. We sat, er, squatted, in what looked like someone's living room from another era, sipping beer, and surrounded by faded wallpaper, questionable couch cushions, and what looked like drug-inspired decor. I mean, I've never thought of a violin case as an eyebrow until now. We were guided to this off-the-beaten-path bar by our host, Jimmy, at the hostel we were staying at. We would have never found our way through little maze-like walkways and side streets on our own to get to some of these bars without our hostel host.
I do remember that Jimmy, -pictured at right-apparently had a direct line to Obama at the hostel.At the end of our brief jaunt through Budapest, I remember us missing our train by minutes. I definitely could have used some Hungarian spirits from someone's knapsack at that point. The train station is open air and also cold. We figured out what the next train back to Vienna was and scraped together our last forints for McDonald's cappuccinos. I can't wait to return to Budapest in the summer months some day!!!

Assymetrical Coffee

This is the new, hip way I drink coffee in my new neighborhood.

Sideview Mirror Plan B

I really need to get on this new car search.

How Many Lives Does a Polkie Have?

So I was driving to the grocery store. Actually, let's back up a bit. I was exiting the driveway in reverse. I think I haven't fully recovered from the big apartment move and maybe I shouldn't have left the house today but well, I did...and I knocked off my side-view mirror. Dang it!

So before I walk into the grocery store, I walk into the Target on Howard street and get some duct tape. I went back to my car in the parking lot to tape my side-view mirror back on. Now I realize that these car parts are fairly easy to replace but, well, I'm probably getting rid of Polkie very soon.
GASP! The village weeps.
There was a family of four in their mini-van next to me looking out their windows. I could just picture them thinking, "White girl, what are you doing to your car?"
For the record, I have never noticed more people staring and pointing at the polka-dot car than today. Evanston, I think much more highly of you. You are a tolerant bunch, no? Maybe people are always like this and I just started noticing people's reactions while duct taping my mirror back on a polka-dot car...I mean, what were people staring at?
Anyway...
The duct tape worked for a minute but it's not perfect and I'm afraid of going over 30 mph.
I've been saying this for the past two years but I really mean it this time: Polkie is on her last legs. I'm not going to put any more money into her. This means June is look for a car month! I'm now taking suggestions.

Change of address...LAKESIDE

I've been a little out of touch this past week or so because I've
moved to Rogers Park. It's just a few miles from where I was living for the past four years. As you might imagine, I have SO MANY new windows and doorways to make paintings of over and over.
I hope to see many of you in person if not, at least, in cyberspace a lot more this summer. So with that... Let's go to the beach! I think I see a shady spot.

My Summer Gig

I keep getting commissions to paint Illinois wildlife! Is this a
sign of something?
If you're in Orland Park this month, stop by the public library to
view nature in a temperature controlled space. The mural painting
will be in progress through June.

Mural inside an animoto!

My cyberpedagogy class would be proud. This DIY video template gets a little too fancy , but hey, the internets are so easy these days!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Does anyone know how to simplify animoto without paying for the upgrade? I want my mural to actually "animate"!

Fashion Alert!

Nude-colored hosiery spotting on the brown line on May 13, 2010 at
7:21pm.

Great Teaching Video!

I HAVE to share this amazing video made by my colleague, Ms. Alex B. Franke. This is totally cyberdundant. I know. But it's so worth it.

My Day in Court

You may remember my story about how I was ticketed on the CTA for not dipping my "umlimited fare card" back in March. (See it here)
This just in...upon showing my student CTA pass to the city at my
hearing today, they dismissed my citation for trespassing. Contesting
tickets can work! Take THAT, undercover cop!

video!

The documentation continues...

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My Teaching Philosophy

My first video ever. One possible topic for this assignment was to describe my teaching philosophy. This is definitely a loose interpretation. I learned the quality of your video editing doesn't improve when you are simultaneously trying to improve the quality of your thesis paper. Sheesh! What a week!
I literally put the footage (all taken from my iPhone!) together in less than an hour. This is definitely a work in progress. I plan on releasing the full video about the polka dot car at the end of this summer. So yes, there is still time to share your polka dot memories with me. Enjoy what we have so far:
If the embedded video doesn't work, go to this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeTOWpAM8AA