Lisa's Day

The rest of Memphis 1997 (December)

12/5/97 Somebody hung a DEAD MOUSE at the end of my installation!  With a clear tac pin -- not sure if they threw away a square. It was hung by its tail.

12/5/97 Steve was going to take the mouse down, but I made him leave it --- I wanted someone to see it. Steve left (I walked him back out through the maze of halls). I went to the phone to call Brian, but he was coming down the hall.

12/5/97 Brian got a free newspaper from the Sleeze & Slime and took down the dead mouse. He said it probably wasn't personal --- more likely some immature undergraduate - "We've got 18-year-olds here!"

12/5/97

 

12/15/97 I'm feeling like Frida's cat again. [As in Peanuts.]

12/18/97 Yesterday was my Day With Steve. Slept in. Pancake breakfast. Few errands. Then to Gamemasters.

12/18/97 Last night was Star Wars Rollplaying. Mike introduced the icon of Immense Power. Only the holder of the I.O.I.P. may speak to the GM. Of course, Mike had an icon that outranked the I.O.I.P. Emperor. Game descended into rules squabbling, so Mike called it quits. [Fun at the gaming table. The I.O.I.P. was a figure of a Red Palace Guard of the Emperor's. Of course, the Emperor outranks anyone. Note my "typo" of rollplaying instead of roleplaying.]

12/20/97 Yesterday was Steve's Birthday! 5:32 am - set alarm clock to wish Steve a happy birthday on time! 7:00 am Dan calls for me to come in. I ignore the ans. machine. 7:30 Dan calls again - he's all by himself. I ignore it again. Howdy Ho! Get up! Come play with me! 10:00 Lisa calls: "Okay, I know you hate us, now. Can you come in to close? Call & let me know yes or no!" We finally get up & I call & tell Dan NO. I'm spending Steve's b-day w/Steve!

12/20/97 Mid-morning, Allison calls to tell me I won a Christmas tree for my Jewish boyfriend! Steve tries to go to the Dr. for follow-up blood draw, but there's a long line at the parking lot. He goes to Seessel's for powdered sugar & comes home. I frost his b-day cake. We go to get the tree. Bit of a Charlie Brown tree! [Allison was a professor at XXX, and part of the local Usual Suspects. She had a show at an alternative gallery, and she had Christmas trees hanging upside down, by their trunks. She had a "drawing" for them - you had to draw something to enter.]

12/20/97 After a quick stop at Target, we go to Dad's for dinner. Frosted meatloaf. Mashed potatoes. MMMMM... Twilight Imperium w/Jason. Matthew comes home. Loudly antagonizes Jason briefly. [Twilight Imperium, one of the best board games ever invented.]

12/24/97 Had to have a cry on Steve's shoulder. My Steve is a good friend. I've been trying to do too much w/the Christmas presents, etc. and still haven't had a chance to relax. Applying for that job, mailing out grad'n announcements. Looking for another job. Steve suggested I STOP and relax for a couple months.

12/24/97 Came home sleepy & took a short nap. Got up & made chicken enchiladas, tortilla chips & chocolate mousse while Steve took a long nap. After dinner, I fell asleep on the couch for awhile.

12/25/97 CHRISTMAS DAY Steve & I are at his Dad's hanging out & watching t.v. --- Car Wreck & other stuff. The boys called & are coming home from their Mom's early, so it will be louder later... [Car Wreck = Star Trek. Dad had just about every Next Gen and DS9 Star Trek on tape. It was a vast collection. We used to borrow them. Or watch them when we were over.]

12/25/97 I think the time for celebrating big family Christmases was over before I can remember. I don't remember Mar or Lin living at home. You know, I don't even remember opening presents with Betty Jean. We had everyone together at Christmas twice -- about 1970, and 1978. More expectations than realities. [More in a future post.]

12/25/97 As we were driving around yesterday, I was thinking how different it is to not have a traditional Christmas. No tree, or waking up to presents on Christmas morning. I've gotten a glimpse into what it must be like to not celebrate Christmas --- decorations are everywhere and everything is closed, but it doesn't feel different than any other day.

12/25/97 It doesn't bother me. It must have been like this for B.J. & Marilynn, all those years they didn't come home for Christmas. I wonder if they regret not coming home more often. Is it up to me to choose to be near them? Would they ever choose to live near me? [HA!]

12/25/97 [See next piece.]

12/25/97 I had a dream last night that XXX was a beautiful campus school, like Rhodes, and I knew a lot of the undergraduates, and graduation was coming up, and Mom was there, waiting to attend, standing outside a church, dressed in a long robe.

12/25/97 I'm ready for 1997 to be over. All this calendar year, everything I have done I have finished either right before it was due, or late. Classes Spring semester, papers, critiques, even through the summer, into fall, final orals, final show, book projects, even Christmas presents! Ready for this cycle to end.

12/25/97 It's so strange. The reason I moved here no longer exists. But my life has changed so much. I came here for the sole purpose of attending graduate school --- I was part of the small community of XXX. Now that I'm done, I feel like I've been shoved out the front door and it slammed behind me.

12/25/97 If it hadn't been for Steve, and all his support and affection and love, I would not have survived graduate school --- and I'd be really alone and sad right now, out of grad school and by myself in a strange city --- I can't even imagine it.

12/30/97 Mooshie ensconced in my lap.

12/31/97 The most important element of my life in 1997 was Steve.

The Rest of Memphis November 1997

11/17/97 Why am I so calm about my future?

11/19/97 Steve called twice today. I didn't get out of the apt till after 1:00. He calls a lot from work and leaves silly messages, for me, or the cats.

11/20/97 Held my sweetie in bed for a long time, nursing a really bad headache. Gave him two of his green pills & it actually worked. He finally got to sleep, when the pain stopped (and I relieved a little of his tension).

11/21/97 I'VE BEEN EXHAUSTED ALL DAY!

Memphis November 1997 through MFA Final Orals

11/3/97 I'm more of an Observer than a Participant.

11/3/97 I've reached this odd calm state...

11/6/97 Went home to much-needed hugs & kisses from Steve.

11/6/97 A "Southpark" Moment at XXX:  "I have prepared a statement for the XXX Administration. ...Fuck you." "If you have any questions, you may direct them to that gallery wall." [Remember when all the Southpark parents went to NYC to protest Terence and Phillip?]

11/7/97 My Button has the sniffles. Poor little thing. Choo! Choo! Choo!

11/7/97 Got the final final set-up for the final Review Committee. What a MAJOR hassle!!!!!! Why?

11/7/97 People in Administrative positions don't understand that what is a simple, trifling administrative decision for them is YOUR LIFE. And they wonder why people go berserk and run into offices with shotguns a-blazing?

11/9/97 Jami called this morning at 6:30 am to catch me before I went to work. She wanted to wish me luck but she has confidence I'll do well!

11/10/97 Still working on boxes. Plan B did not work. On to Plan C. ---? What the hell. I'm taking the few I have in & will get their opinions. It's all I can do.

11/10/97 Like Wendy walking the plank, I'm just ready to do it and get it over with. I'm not nervous. Just tired. [Wendy in Peter Pan.]

11/10/97 I am now Lisa [maiden name], MFA! Too, too tired - will catch up tomorrow. [Steve's writing:] After we see the Fart bug! (plasma) [The day after my final orals, we went to see Starship Troopers. I made jumbled notes all day. I never went back to figure out what some of them meant.]

11/11/97 Brian & Jim loved my angry XXX series! Journaling - what conclusions? Some yes - (Mom=home). Some no - (Why can't I speak?). Sheri - patterns/conclusions - DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

11/11/97 I feel different now! Write about Su-en. Short/comp person: Sat. School. Sheri: rel'p [relationship] of writing to: images, viewer, wall. [I think Su-en said she wanted to see more about her! I have no idea what short/comp person means, or what it has to do with the Saturday School.]

11/11/97 Mon: Book Class: Atl book - how I got dirty (Brian). Boxes - precious object. decorate - Anne - Penchant Mementos - Keepsakes Steve brings me Han Solo! I was so confident, and I had hard questions, but I ans'd them. That was better than an easy oral. [For Bookmaking class, I made a book about Atlanta, painting on sandpaper pages, glued together, on the floor, very messy; moving to the city made me grow up and get dirty. Brian taught our book class, so this was his project for us. Anne is a character from a bad novel I wrote called Penchant. Long ago, in a state far away, Jami gave me this set of Star Wars figures, but it was missing Han Solo; Steve found one and brought it to me - he gave it to me right before the orals.]

11/11/97 Don't edit. Yes - add history, put into context so viewer understands - Dad/Magpie, reasons/history/impact. [Magpie is my name for my Dad's wife, Margaret. She used to harp on and on, like a...well, remember Heckle & Jeckle?]

11/11/97 I prepared a lot of stuff I didn't say: Sean Landers/articles: "text-based art." Cary Liebowitz. Joseph Grigely. "text-based society." Who says text [doesn't equal] visual art? text is inherently visual. Slept in till 10:00 - still sleepy.

11/11/97 B'fast for homeless woman - Libby noticed. (Something made me think of it) Called Jami pm (last night) - body image. Steve - bad migraine early AM Monday - called in. Trying new Dr. We're at Perkins now (12:08 pm). God, I'm hungry and exhausted. After brunch - Starship Troopers! [Something made me think of something I did in Atlanta. There was this old woman who used to stand at the top of the Five Points Metro stop in Atlanta, not actively begging for money - she used to just stand there; I assume she was homeless. One morning when I went down to the cafeteria for something to eat, I got something to go for her - don't even remember what it was. On my way out Libby (coworker and friend) saw me and asked me where I was going with the little bag, so I told her; she knew who the woman was, too.]

11/11/97 Book workshop for Jami. Supplies - Xmas present. Everyone has stage fright. (Su-en) - nervious/light-headed at first - then it went away. I can speak in public. I feel like an adult. [I think I was considering showing Jami some bookmaking stuff if she was interested, but I don't think she was because I never did.]

11/11/97 One thing that I do edit out is my sex life. I don't think the viewer needs to be able to track how often I have sex. HOWEVER, last night was the most incredibly intense ever...

11/11/97 Sheri: more drawing. Steve: no hands in pockets (that's why I emptied them). Eugene in Bil. Blues [Biloxi Blues]: "I have a thought, I write it down, it doesn't mean anything." His friend: don't edit yourself!

11/11/97 7:41 pm. Just got home. Too exhausted to do anything but fall asleep on the couch. WAY WAY OVERTIRED.

11/11/97 They wanted to know more - more - How's this: I spend a lot of time in front of the bathroom mirror plucking prickly chin hairs.

11/11/97 Brian said the part about the Simpson's was the Best thing I said! Woo hoo! (pop culture references) Cheaper by the dozen: early Bev Cleary. Dream: Mom & Dad own antiques store. Cleaning pt/flocking off window. Men come up & steal stuff. Lee driving/ill. [I have no idea what I said about the Simpsons! Later I wrote on this piece: pop culture references. Something made me think of the book Cheaper by the Dozen; I later borrowed it from Dad (Steve's Dad); also early Beverly Cleary novels, which took place in the 50s.]

More 1997 Memphis, up to Halloween

  10/20/97 I take a little time to play a quick Car Wreck w/Steve (Valiant v. Jimmy Deans). [Table top starship battle. Car Wreck = Star Trek. Valiant is a Fed ship. Jimmy Deans = Jem'Hadar.]

10/23/97 Steve gets a really bad migraine at work today. Lisa & Jody were both looking for me. They put him in the Community Room. Lisa drove him home.

10/23/97 The other night I woke up when Steve came to bed. He wanted me to cuddle w/him before going back to sleep. Then Griffin came up for some attention. I was groggy, but it was nice.

10/29/97 Standing in line at the Haunted House. People in cars kept staring at us, so I finally started waving -- made some girl in a passenger seat laugh when I waved. Candy Lady. "Jason" enjoying another cigarette.

 

10/29/97 I fall asleep on the couch.

10/29/97 If I don't get my Committee together, I'm going to have a Nervous Breakdown.

10/29/97 Steve gets me up to go to bed (he's watching a H Channel show on ritual death rites). Anyway, I can't sleep because I'm stressing over my Committee. I get back up to draw some more. [H=History Channel. My grad school was trying to f- me over with my Final Orals Committee, purposely scheduling it so a professor I wanted on it, who was NOT a studio art professor, would not be able to attend. I finally got it scheduled so she could attend and be on my Committee.]

10/31/97 HALLOWEEN NIGHT  Dinner at Applebee's. None of our group shows up at GMs. Sean. Melody. We get home in time for [Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown] and play Star Blazers on the floor. There was a PILE-UP in turn 2! [GMs = Gamemasters, the game store. It's no longer in existence.]

Back to 1997 in Memphis...

9/16/97 Trudging to work in pain, griping all the way.

9/16/97 Audra suggested I try the back brace in the cupboard. Then Annie made fun of me walking with it on. Me, Audra & Niki laughed and laughed, while eating our Tiramisu in the kitchen. 

9/17/97 This is a most pathetic day.

9/17/97 VIEW FROM THE FLOOR

9/18/97 It still hurts. Now I'm just mad. [I only had one day off from work with my sore back.]

9/20/97 I discover back pain pills. Groovy! [I took two; they didn't seem to work; I took two more; um, they take awhile to work.]

9/23/97 Soft rain falling early this morning...But it had quit by the time I was waking up. Just the same, it rained all day & all night. From the look of the radar channel, it will rain all night long.

9/24/97 I really like just sitting and tearing down paper.

9/24/97 I sincerely enjoy the lifestyle of a student. In the middle of a weekday I can take a walk in the rain to run some errands.

10/2/97 I really should just GET UP or reset the alarm, instead of hitting the snooze button for an hour.

10/2/97 Early memory of Mom saying bedtime prayers with me. El Paso, TX, 1970.

10/3/97 Test piece! [I just scribbled something to test dipping my pieces in beeswax. Years later I discovered that some of the beeswax pieces deteriorated and turned funky. But not this one. That's Button.]

10/3/97 Mooshie is so happy when she's cuddled up to someone she loves, being held and petted. She wants so little out of life. I've been so busy - this morning I had to take some time to pet her.

10/5/97 I have far too many things on my To Do List - stuff I've had on the List for weeks - time to get it all done.

10/6/97 Button jumped up on the couch this morning, wanting some attention. He burrowed his head in my hand. Then he jumped back down and went off to his spot under the kitchen sink.

10/9/97 Had to take Bunny Bunn to the vet yesterday. Had to sequester & starve him for 24 hrs. He's happy to be out.

10/13/97 Sat. afternoon, while the steaks were marinating, Steve & I walked to Del. Lit. for coffee, and to pick up my book. On the way back, I was thinking about Oct. 13th coming up - Steve asked me if I was all right. I told him I'd been a little depressed lately thinking about Mom. He said, "Why didn't you tell me?" He put his arm over my shoulder. I told him (as I have before) that Mom would have liked him a lot. He said he wished he'd known her. We continued walking down Union,

each of us with an arm around the other, our steps almost matching. Then Steve said, "Don't we look absolutely disgusting?!" and I laughed. [At one point, these two pieces were attached together. Del Lit = Deliberate Literate, a bookstore and coffee shop. My Mom died Oct. 13, 1991.]

  10/17/97 Liesurely [sic] walk to get lunch & then home.

10/17/97 Steve gets home shortly after I arrive.

10/19/97 Steve gets another migraine.

 

10/20/97 [I had this whole Tortoise/Hare thing going on - I am the Tortoise trying to be the Hare, or sometimes when I am rushing around I AM the Hare and I need to be the Tortoise.]

10/20/97 [This was part of a Disgusted-with-Critique series.]

9/16/97 What did I do to my back?! I don't remember lifting anything yesterday.

9/14/97 I have to lead a discussion tomorrow?!?!

9/13/97 Had to wheel the G.H. Bread racks all the way around 'cause they won't fit past the Juice Bar side. Got the worst wedgie & Dan laughed at me. [G.H. = Great Harvest]

9/12/97 BIG BUGS BUNNY FEET!