the "REACTED, CREATED!" manifesto

There was a fire in the hospital on the day I was born. There was a flood that day too. A man drowned in his car. I realize it sounds like some kind of apocalyptic tale. Maybe it is and I just don't know it yet. If that's the case though, and maybe the Mayans were on to something after all, I plan to leave behind a decent representation of life in America as I saw it.

I will be turning thirty in September. To celebrate, (I swear this isn't a whole "Hooray + Let's Celebrate the-Life and-Times-of-Cara-Schmidt Event") I'm going to spend the next several months compiling stories and constructing corresponding dioramas to illustrate the happenings, events and ideas that have shaped and inspired us. Of course, unless I get feedback from you, it will be more about the things that have influenced just me, and that won't be as interesting.


for consideration:
i. if you come across some amazing fabric scrap/mystery screw/busted-up costume bauble i'll take it off your hands and incorporate it into the work.
ii. should you support my efforts with ideas or artifacts i'll gladly sing your praises and promote your projects.
iii. for images brined in brackish pop-culture backwater i intend to stick to lower-grade building materials. should the tableau require reverence i will make every attempt to use more appropriate supplies.

the plan, as of now:
i. weekly i will state the year of focus.
ii. i'll tell a harrowing tale and ask if there is anything you can think of that seems to be more worthy of illustration. there's a great chance you'll have a thing in and mind and i'll appreciate you for it.
iii. a diorama/shadowbox of sorts will be created.
iv. by the time my birthday rolls around thirty vignettes will sit in a row. i'll try to find a way to show them, ideally this will coincide with a party!! come to my party!!

catalysts:
amusement.
excuse to write more.
inspiration for creating boxes.
obscuring stress associated with waiting*.
using some of the thousands of rhinestones i have accumulated.

*i've applied to and am dying to hear back from drexel. i am hoping to get my master's in art therapy.


ridiculous:
there are just enough weeks, if i start now, to have everything done for my birthday. good timing, self!!

from workshops to walmart (more from intro to art history)

As the person who isn't responsible for great things I can't deny the pangs of envy that I feel when hearing about others with workshops staffed by those less talented--but talented no less-than the master.
Just because we're looking at art though, we have long attributed the entire piece to one individual. Only recently has it come into vogue to have those others who have helped with the work be recognized. When hearing a symphony though, people are more often familiar with the composer. Only those who are curious or with interest can tell you that what we're hearing is the Berlin Philhamonic Orchestra, for example. Taking it a step further, maybe you're really into Herbert von Karajan's reign as conductor from '54-89. You might have a specific musician who you prefer and NOTICE when they do something differently.
And for people that knowledgeable, for those who care that much, it might mean something. We might care to know that Rubens didn't do that landscape. It might mean something to the more seasoned observer.
The general public does not require that attention and information.
Where would we draw the line?
We've got this big box store: Walmart. Most people can tell you Sam Walton started it.
They carry, I don't know, domestic-wares endorsed by Martha Stewart, for example. That's going to be good enough for most.
Most people won't find it necessary to know further: Who really designed the product? Martha didn't.
Who built the prototype?
Who worked in the factory?
Who discovered the formula to create the resin from which it was made?
Who created the mold from which it was cast?
Who packaged it?
Who created the packaging?
Who inspected the final product?
Who grew the grains to grind to bake the bread?
Really, really, how far must we take it? Credit to all--while nice in theory-would utilize a lot of ink, make packaging really ugly and create a great deal of additional expenses on the part of the manufacturer. I'm imagining a tree chart starting with one "Master" name at the top, and as it breaks down lower and lower, more and more names from which to choose...things are getting out of hand.
It's like field day in a contemporary elementary school.
Everyone's a winner here.
No feelings are hurt.

i know i'm super late with updates.

thinks about which i will write ASAP:
how date twelve went.
meeting people when your memory isn't what you thought it was.
dead animals where you least expect them.
more dates.
follow ups.
constructive criticism from a self proclaimed expert.
running into these guys later.
real-deal crushes.


i need a thousand hours in a day for like...one day.

every semester i start out so motivated and think i'm going to get serious and things will be more awesome than i can express.
every semester i try to include one class that's not required "for fun." i pick something about which i'll be thrilled to learn and buy the inevitably extremely expensive text book. about three weeks in i find myself wondering about the decision.
this semester i could cry.
i'm worried that i'm essentially buying credits in art history. i've taken art history classes before and i LOVE them. i love looking at slides and discussing the impact society had on the things in which we find beauty. i love hearing what other people think. i get upset about responses, i argue. i'm a pain in the neck. i get defensive. i end up keeping the professor late because i want to keep the conversation going.

instead, and i knew going into it, i'm taking this class online.
i just opened this week's "slide show" and see before me 1:36:37 of part i of the class material. the first six minutes were a black screen with a voice telling the viewer that we'll be looking at the high renaissance, venetian and mannerist work.
my heart, once again sank.
i can't fault anyone but myself.
i want the dialogue though. i've got these headphones on and i'm isolated entirely. the last three minutes have been a blank screen with no talk. the meter is running.



more important: people are sitting next to me. the girl to my left had never heard about spring break and just arrived from europe. she's telling fantastic tales of nudity, debauchery and drinks. i am in the wrong conversation. she was, as one might imagine, horrified.
she went all the way to daytona beach and just wanted coffee. all she could find was: people driving on the beach. boobs.
HILARIOUS.


more time has passed. nothing is new on the slide-show front.
(i recently posted my thoughts on thomas kincade. that's something i used for the class discussion forum for the art history class.)
i need to get more interesting.

it's february. i spent 3 days sick and sleeping and eating pizza. as rotten as it was, it was also awesome.



sometimes people want to tell you that "ring around the rosie" is about the black plague.
plague doctors sure are scary.

but today i heard an alternate version on the song. instead of the standard "ashes, ashes we all fall down!" the lady said "hasha, hasha, we all fall down!"

and i realized something. at first everyone laughed at her, but it made sense:
what if you sing it with "atchoo, atchoo! we all fall down!"
--maybe someone is sneezing because they've just filled their pockets with posies?
if done right, i can nearly knock myself over with a sneeze.



yes, ladies and gentleman, i've done it.
i've turned a blog about dates and being single into a dullish rambling on art history lectures and my interpretation of baby-poems.


let's also add this:
one of da vinci's illustrations from this weeks lecture is included below, it was his death machine.
i put some notes of my own on it.

oh, let me clarify: i don't think anyone wanted to scare me or threaten me or anything like that. rather, i think they just left them out and i found them and they read a lot of "fantastical tales" or something.



somehow i think i managed to tie this all together.
art history>isolation>being an outsider at spring break>viewing the grotesque>my interpretation of kincade>being sick>the black plague>ring around the rosie> being sick>disturbing/grotesque inventions>isolation>da vinci.





(taking a bow, exits, stage left.)

oh hey, let me just say this:

Seriously, if Thomas Kincade found something that works for him, that's fine--for a while. But the man has been pumping out essentially the SAME THING over and over. If you've seen one quaint cottage, you've seen them all. He, much like boy bands and girlie pop-stars found a thing that sells and continues to reproduce it with slight variations. His longevity and continued appeal is beyond me. I admit, I'll fault him for it partially out of jealousy, but also because man, it's getting old.
How about Wyland:

He is basically the T.K. of the tropics. I want, so badly, to compare him to Jimmy Buffet, but I feel as thought Jimmy Buffet is more diverse in his talents. He also writes AND owns some restaurants (yes, I called investing a talent.)

(one of my favorite things to do/one of the most romantical things of all time is this: writing/studying alone but sitting with someone else doing their own reading/writing/work while drinking coffee/tea.)

more date-related updates tonight, i mean it!!

but in the meantime: i might be moving to baton rouge, la?
from:

Matthew  <mxxxx@xxxx.com> to Amy Txxxx<atxxxx@xxxx.com    cara schmidt   <caraaschmidt@gmail.com> date Mon, Jan 24, 2011 at 10:24 AM subject Staffing this week

hide details 10:24 AM (6 hours ago)

Let's Discuss this list:

Staffing this week:

Tasks to do list:

BC:

1. Data center wall.  (needs ) Matt

2. Inserter room (wants ) Amy

3. CEO Coffee Bar- (Amiee to set up Alonzo to revise the rendering)  Amy

4. Security Building- Matt

5. All projects- Meeting notes (completed- Nate to review and send out) 

BR:

1. Issue ASI for finishes- Amy

2. Issue ASI for Lobby revisions- Matt

3. Send back the aluminum submittal- Matt

4. Revise finish boards to new finish selections- Cara

to which i replied:

Matt,

I'd prefer to do the CEO Coffee Bar, honestly. This must have made its way to the wrong Cara Schmidt though. I'm in Pennsylvania. Let me know if I should read up on Finish Boards.

Thanks,

 Cara

leading up to date twelve

i was supposed to be updating this on a regular basis. unfortunately i got busy with the start of a new semester, applying to grad school, shopping for a replacement car and doing my best to remain optimistic during the time of year that brings me down the most.





when my car was lost on that monday following date #9 i called milkshake. he immediately came to my aid like the good friend that he is. as we walked away from my car it hit me hard that i wouldn't be able to go to do a lot of things:
- go on date ten to the story slam.
- make it to new york for the talent show.
- get all of the dates in by the end of the month.
- necessarily get a new car by january 3 to return to work.

my biggest concerns (i know, i realize the last on the list should be most important...) were getting to new york and finishing all the dates. it was freezing and my fingers, i was convinced, had detached from my hands. they were just sitting in their rightful slots in my gloves. i wanted to cry but was too cold and too upset. besides, though i'm extremely comfortable around this guy, the last thing i wanted to do was cry to him. he'd just done me a big favor and i didn't want to get all over-the-top, etc.

some really good things came out of this whole nightmare: he changed my question. i thought it was "am i going to go to new york?" he made me realize instead that i needed to begin it with "how..." get a rental? take a train? a bus? just go. yes.
he recognized that we'd planned to go to a party on new year's eve, so instead of having dates 10, 11 & 12 on tuesday, wednesday and thursday, just make the last night of the year the last date of the project. i admit it: this is something i'd wanted to ask him, but with everything that had happened in the last twenty minutes i kept my mouth shut. when he suggested it though, it was a tremendous relief. were this a movie of my life, i'd be hearing some adorable singer/songwriter. i'd get my final date in. it would be with someone who i actually really care about and it's on a night that is kind of momentous: last night of the month AND year AND my project deadline. WOOHOO!!
also, we got coffee and i got a cheese and pepper sandwich. that was pretty good. yeah, all around good night. oh, also worth mentioning: when i posted on facebook that i'd lost my car my hysterical friend tom whitaker responded with: "ALL MY WORK!!!!!!" he's a great guy and has put in way too much time changing my headlights, and and and. in writing it, i realize i've lost a lot of what's funny about it, but just trust me, ok? here i am, sitting in some 24 hour brown and orange cinder-block restaurant eating a meatless cheesesteak. i've just lost my beloved car and it's three in the morning. my friend hears about this accident and his initial response is concern about the time he spent checking a headlight. trust me. hilarious.


so now i've got all my dates lined up. i am delighted.

date eleven

i'd be lying if i said i wasn't disappointed that i haven't heard from #11 since our date.
jon was polite and handsome and contributed interesting things to the conversation.

i met him at fiume for some bluegrass. we talked, listened and looked at pictures in each others phones. (funny how that's a normal thing to do.) a third of the way into the evening we left to put coats in my car. it was hot up there and nice to take a little walk. i thoroughly enjoyed this guy and can't help but wonder what it was about me that made him say he'd see me again, but not actually follow up on it.

(that's one of those things that is really getting to me. he and #2 both seemed to enjoy the evenings, both expressed interest in getting together again, but neither of them have made any attempt. and, as expected, they are the two that are now eating away at me most. drives me crazy, absolutely crazy.)

we talked about ideas, projects and motivation. he told me about the dance party machine which, by the way, is extraordinarily awesome. in discussing this we met some guy who apparently does electronics on sculptures. had i not been a total slacker, i would have networked the hell out of the situation and at this point we would all be in a room with a moving box, flashing lights, and a fog machine to keep the energy up. (note to self: accepting invitations.)

when the night was done jon walked me to my car and i drove him home. at this point, he paid me the best compliment i have ever received. i left smiling. when i got home 35 minutes later i still had this dumb smile plastered across my face.

i feel as though I should write about date #13 because was originally supposed to be date #10. the circumstances surrounding this guy were interesting, all thing considered, even by my often skewed standards (for example: is it ever ok to share a toothbrush with someone? I don't say no. this has resulted in various discussions.)

but then, at what point does it stop being a project and start being too much information by a girl who should maybe consider investing in a filter?



but trust me, this one was pretty interesting.

boots are the new bag

chapstick. credit card. id. keys. lotion. money. notebook. pen. phone. scissors. sunglasses.

oh, he!!o 20!!

this is the year to get totally thrilled!!
this is the year to get tota11y thri11ed!!
this is the year to get tota!!y thri!!ed!!





date 12 just ended, I guess you could say.



overall I am amazed, excited, inspired, optimistic, up and sometimes yours.

I'm going to sleep but the updates will be overwhelming. I let too much time lapse. oops.