I started up a new blog, devoted mostly to my photography ( with a possible sprinkling of my other artistic endeavors...).  So, check it out.  i"m also looking to get my work out into the world, little by little.  It will take awhile, but i'm just trying to wrap my head around everything a little bit more.  This blog is going to be here at least until I can figure out how to get my own website up.  That is my goal as of now.  It will probably be awhile but it's my goal, and it's out in the world now.  Later.  peace - msky


http://mskyphotography.blogspot.com/

I've eaten some chocolate tonight. I will not tell you how much or how little. You can pretend I ate the whole bag or you can pretend I ate just one piece. It doesn't really matter anyways. It was good either way. Dove Dark Chocolate. I was at Target, looking for a gift, something to bake someone, a dress, and some mascara. I didn't plan on walking down the chocolate aisle but it happened. When you walk into the Target that is downtown on Nicolett Mall you are greeted by the aisle of chocolate. All you see is red target hand baskets and red registers straight ahead ish and to your approximate right is the chocolate aisle. Excellent idea Target. Way to think that one through. I'm sure money is being made off of that plan. Anyways, desire. I wanted a clever lead in for this big, semi-philosophical (if you want to label it that way) blog post I felt I needed to write, thus the chocolate. What can I say? I have a weak spot for dark chocolate. And peanut butter and honey toast. And "Simply lemonade." And the paninis from Nolte Restaurant at work.

I've been back from France now for just over two monthes. Just over two monthes ago I was in France. I was just getting back from a trip to Paris. My thrid trip to Paris. And here I am, back in Minneapolis, my second home, in a state of desire for many things, and having issues.

When I say I am in a state of desire for many things I don't really mean material things. I desire chocolate from time to time (or very often...), sure, or a new summer dress, or a glass of red wine. But I really don't give a damn about those things, I mean, truly give a damn when I get right down to it. What do I give a damn about? My creativity. My dreams, aspirations, goals. I have this fantastic camera in my possession. It's been sitting in basically the same spot for the last two monthes. And it makes me so upset. But you know what? I haven't been able to pick it up. I don't know what to do. I haven't taken a picture in a long while. I see it everyday, sitting in it's bag, just waiting for me to pick it up and switch it on. But I don't. I make up excuses. I need to wait to get an external hardrive. That still hasn't happened. I need to move the photos off of the SD cards. That hasn't happened yet. I am waiting for my 35mm film camera to be fixed. Hasn't been fixed yet. What is my issue? I have a burning desire in me to do, to create, to get the fuck out there. But I feel like I am in this daze. Like I don't know what I am doing or I do know but it's just mediocre. I love the work I do and my ideas. I have sketchbooks and notebooks full of ideas, drawings, collages, lists, etc of things I want to do. But I am just stagnate. Instead, I come home after work and watch Law & Order: Criminal Intent and drink some lemonade. Maybe go for a bike ride and admire the sunset, thinking how beautiful it is and how much it means to me to be able to take that in, but it ends there. I even try and think of photography ideas but it overwhelms me. I don't know how to execute them. I don't know how to put it out into the world. And if I do, what do I do with it? How do I show people? And when they see it, what then? How do I... I don't know... How do I do it?

I feel like I came back from France even more invigorated and inspired than ever but equally as reserved and hesitant. I hate it. I really do. I'm struggling right now. I feel mediocre and I know that I am not.

I ate some chocolate tonight. You can pretend it was a lot. Or you can pretend it was a little. It doesn't really matter. I enjoyed it either way. Tomorrow, I am breaking out my camera. I'm bringing it to work with me. I'm going to take photographs. I'm bringing my sketchbook with me. I'm going to make drawings. I'm bringing my gluestick with me. I'm going to make collages. I'm bringing my confidence with. I'm going to leave my reservations next to the trash can when I leave.

I might have a piece of chocolate and some lemonade. Just for good measure.

M.Sky

Well.. I finally am getting around to a "hello, i'm in the states."  Even though i've already seen most of you all.  It was a weird first few days being back in Chippewa Falls and seeing the city and my family.  Kind of whirlwind.  And now i'm back in living in Minneapolis for the first time at a place of "my own".  It's all weird yet.  I have a strong desire to hope on a plane and go back to France.  I love Minneapolis but this house I am living in just doesn't feel like my home.  It feels like a room that has all my stuff in it and that happens to have a place to cook and take a shower and wash clothes.  I feel at home at work here, or walking on campus, or sitting in the coffee shop reading, or biking the city with my friend.  But I don't feel at home in my "home."  Not yet at least..  It hasn't even been a month though.  Give it time. 

I turn 20 tomorrow.  That's a little crazy.  20 feels big to me.  I'm not a teen anymore.  I'm 20. 

I haven't decided yet if I am going to keep this updated or not.  I'm thinking I might from time to time so check.  I like the whole blog thing now.  I was opposed but I feel it is the future.  So, hey, why not?

Keep your head up.  I'm doing my best to keep mine up.  I just keep focusing on picture of France I have in my head.  Later

peace - mariah sky

That's crazy...

This studying abroad/living abroad/traveling/learning/LIVING thing went fast.  Damn.  Pardon my french.

I woke up and drank tea and ate bread and honey.  Lovely.  Then I listened to music and read the news.  Then I packed.  My suitcases are heavy but I don't think they are overweight.  I did pretty well I think.  (I hope.)  My room is barren again.  Today was weird.  It was a beautiful, perfectly sunny day.  The temp. was perfect, the sky was blue with big white clouds and they sun was great.  Just the way I love it.  I spent the day with some friends.  I'll be able to see most of them again because they go to the U, but Katrice is from North Carolina and attends school in Pennsylvania so I don't know when I will see her next.  It was nice walking around with her.  We talked about the semester and funny stories and what not.  Right now it feels good being here so I think it is begining to hit me that I don't want to leave this place behind.  France is a phenominal country and I absolutely love this whole experience. 

I had my last dinner with my host family.  We had this dish that consists of couscous and chicken.  It's fantastic, just like pretty much everything I have eaten here.  I've been quite lucky here "Chez Attard."  Vero and Jean are pretty great people and could not have asked for a better experience.  They are so kind and caring and patient.  I am so grateful for everything.  It's hard to express all that in french but I tried and I think they know.  Okay, so now come a few tears...

So...  I have an early flight, 7:00.  Getting up early and Jean is driving me there.  I'm ready I think.  I'm excited etc.  But it will probably be hard no matter.  Okay, I need to go before I tear up again.  See you all soon enough.  Hopefully you will be at my sister's grad party or in Minneapolis or somewhere so that I can see you.  Love.  More later.

Peace - Mariah Sky

Hmm...

Let's start with Saturday.  I received two new Colplay songs from my friend Tony in the morning.  Fantastic... so fantastic.  Then my ipod froze up so I had to wait all day to listen to them again... I went to my six hours of finals which turned out better than I thought... I think at least.  They didn't seem too bad, a little daunting I guess, but not too bad.  Then that night the girls and I went out to danse and what not, have a little fun after finals.  It was a good time.  I love to dance.  It's such a release.  Beautiful.  Found out one the girls I've become friends with here will be my neighbor this summer.  That's a nice surprise.  Sunday... hmm... I enjoyed the day, it was beautiful.  I went into town and took photos of places.  I also was sitting up at my favorite place and there are always pigeons there and ended up taking like 100 some shots of pigeons devouring bread.  hehe.. it was a good time.  So if you need a picture of some pigeons, I'm the girl to talk to. 

Monday - today - I had my last final which was a joke.. not so great.  It was oral comprehension which i'm usually pretty good at but the topic of the video was farming cows and pigs and rather than just talk about regular farms they went into animal cruelty and poor farming techniques and showed pictures of pigs being maltreated.  It was horrible and distracting and no one could concentrate.  I don't know who thought that was a good topic but my god... And then M. Gomez, I can't stand him, came bursting into the room about four times saying that his projector wasn't working and thus interupting our classroom... Seriously dude, think about for an extra second next time.  There are a lot of people who could use an extra second before they speak.  I've meet a few here... man.  After that debacle, a few of us went to have a picnic with cheese and bread and sausage.  Then we all walked around and enjoyed the day because again it was an incredibly perfect day.  Loved it.  Bought some flowers for my host mom.  I like giving people flowers.  They are just a happy gift and i really love it.  I came back here and made a few piles of things so I can pack and clean tomorrow.  My last day here might I remind you all.  Vero made my favorite dish for dinner, lentils and sausage.  Match that with some good bread and yogurt for dessert and you have a beautiful meal.  Beautiful.  I'm making it when I get home.  Just wait.  I will perfect it and I will add it to my list of signature dishes (which only includes homemade tomatoe sauce as of right now.. ).  It was a good dinner.  I will miss a lot of the food here.  The yogurt here is different and I like it a lot more.  The cheese.  The bread... (yum...).  Good food. 

Tomorrow.  Sleeping in.  Having some tea for breakfast.  Maybe some bread and honey as well.  The honey here is divine, at least the kind Vero buys.  There is a flower bush by the house that smells exactly like the honey tastes which is kind of cool.  Then what shall I do...  Oh yeah... clean and pack.  How could I forget.  Silly me.  I think i will do just fine on getting my things into the suitcases.  I'm bringing most of my books in my backpack since those are heavy and take up room and if I get bored on the plane I can have my pick.  : )  I adore books.  My apologies to the trees.  I'll plant some to make up for it.  Then, I don't know... go for a walk.  One last walk in France.  Hopefully the weather is nice.  It rained for a bit tonight and I might tomorrow.  But hey, I love the rain so either way...  Then go to sleep and wake up early to fly away from here and back to my home!

Cool.

Night all.. Peace - msky

I had a bit of a rough night.  Couldn't sleep and had a lot on the brain.  But I got through the day and I think I aced my art history final no matter the lack of sleep.  I have been studying since I got back home which has woken me up a little and I'm feeling positive about my six (6) hours of finals tomorrow.  yeah... I might be a bit exhausted by the end.  But my studying is going well and I feel good about it all.  Then I'm basically done.  Monday is a 45 minute oral comprehension test but it shouldn't be too bad and there isn't much I can do to study so yeah.  My last few days are upon me.  Alright. 

Special thanks to John Coltrane and Miles Davis for helping me out for the last few hours.  lol...

Peace - Mariah Sky

I can't sleep.

I have a lot on my mind I guess.

I can't sleep.

I leave soon, like fiveish, sixish days soon.

I can't sleep.

Norah Jones didn't cut it tonight.

I could go for a cup of tea or a glass of ice water right now.

I can't sleep.


Peace- msky

So, I went to Paris and Normandy.  Now, I loved my spring break in London and Ireland and my first trip to Paris this year was fantastic as well.  But being in the north of France this time was fantastic, it was another feeling altogether.  I had a really great time.  The first day, Sunday, in Paris was really nice.  I went to Pere Lachaise cemetary first.  It's a famous cemetary in Paris where Oscar Wilde, Camille Pisarro, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Chopin, etc. are buried.  It's a really unique place.  There are hundreds, actually, probably a couple thousand, tombs that are all above ground.  They are all pretty elaborate and really beautiful and because there are so many they are nearly all on top of each other.  They are packed pretty tightly but it is a really incredible place to wander around.  I was pretty lucky throughout the entire three days in terms of basically everything, but especially the weather.  It was beautiful, sunshiny, bright blue skies, and just loveliness each day.  So I wandered the cemetary and took some photos and had some time left in the day so I made my way toward the Seine and the Champs Elysses area.  A small tidbit of information before the following bit...  My homepage is the New York Times because I like to keep up with, well, the news.  They have a big section on art related things and a couple of weeks ago they had an article on the major contemporary sculptor Richard Serra, who I really enjoy.  He does large "sculptures" made solely of steel and they are really interesting.  ( I think so at least.. they are just steel plates, but ya know... I like them. )  Anways, the article was about a temporary exhibit that he is having at Le Grand Palais in Paris.  Yep, in Paris... So, as soon as I came up from the Metro and saw the very top of the Grand Palais' roof I was all giddy and went straight there.  I thought I might be able to peek inside or something because I assumed the exhibition might be a bit expensive and I'm trying to not spend money right... Well, I get there and since I am an art student I was able to get in for a mere 2 euros.  Yes, that is correct.  2 euros to see a temporary one month exhibit of Richard Serra.  Oh my goodness.... I had chills the whole time.  It was a pretty phenominal piece.  And they had free audio guides that were down my Richard Serra where he talked about the piece and his work and how he did it all.  It was fantastic.  I am so lucky.  So I spent a few hours there.  And considering the piece is five gigantic vertical steel plates standing in the Grand Palais, that's awhile.  Okay, so that's my art nerd being channeled for Sunday.  I walked down the Champs Elysses and just caught the metro back to my hostel.  I hung around the canal for awhile watching the old men play "Petanque," a game sort of like bocce ball.  I had a sandwich at a place near the hostel and talked to the owner/chef in french the whole time.  : )  Pretty sweet.  The next day I got up and caught a 2 hour train from Gare St. Lazare to Bayeux in Normandy.  The Normandy landscape is incredible.  Big sweeping green fields and yellow canola fields that were stunning next to the bright blue sky.  I completely understand why the impressionists painted all these french places, they transport to this other world.  It's enchanting really.  So, anways, I went and reserved my place on the tour I decided to do and then went and had a Quiche Lorraine for lunch in town.  I again did everything in french.  It was really cool this time because I didn't have to have her repeat anything and she understood everything that I said.  Really good feeling.  Oh and I just loving watching other American tourists now... It's so nice to have a bit of knowledge about the french culture and to know how they do things in a given situation.  The tour was good, with only four other people doing it.  It lasted 5 hours and the tour guide took us to Arromanches, Longues sur mer (german bunkers!  Incredible place...), The American cemetary (9000 men buried there with 15,000 others having been shipped back home...), Omaha beach, and Le Pointe du Hocs.  It was a really stunning, humbling trip and I learned a lot about D-day and got some photos.  It's just so hard to see these beautiful beaches and really comprehend that there was a huge battle there 60 some years ago and that so many men lost their lives there... I just kept thinking what do those people sunning themselves out there think.  But it was a beautiful day and it was well worth it to see.  Incredible.  The train ride back was amazing as well.  I just had this incredible feeling the whole time.  The sun was setting and the skies were incredible and we were rolling through the hills in Normandy with big green fields to either side and it was as if I was in a movie watching myself or something.  It was just incredible.  I will not forget it.  One more day in Paris, yesterday, tuesday.  I got up and went to the Musee d'Orsay first.  Really fantastic place.  I mean really... my art heaven would be this museum with Klimt, Schiele, Turner, and Peter Doig added.  (that is for paintings I should add, there is a seperate photography heaven... lol...i'm crazy.)  So, I saw, finally, all these beautiful paintings that i have been studyin for the last few years and that i love in person, stroke for stroke.  Degas, Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Toulouse-Latrec, and all these other people who loved life and needed to paint it (or sculpt it, etc.).  I was just amazed.  After that I walked down to Notre Dame and then to this famous bookstore that is nearby and spent awhile there.  I walked to the Pantheon and then to les jardins du luxembourg and I walked by Le Sorbonne, a famous university in Paris.  I headed back to the hostel to grab my bag and head to Gare de Lyon to head back to Montpellier.  It was a nice trip.  well, more than nice, but I haven't used that word yet here and have used amazing, incredible and whatnot a lot so I thought I would give nice a chance.  Wow.. that was kind of long.  Worth it though, and now I have a mere 6 days left.  And I need to study.  But I have been doing that so I feel decent about it all.  Tomorrow will be devoted to studying as well.  And then finals...  Alright.  That's enough for today. 

Peace- See you all soon!  Mariah Sky

Thanks to my amazing parents I am going to Paris and Normandy to the D-Day beaches for a few days as my final trip while here.  I leave on Sunday morning and return on Tuesday night.  I'm really excited for this.  I will be able to finally see these historical places.  I am doing a tour of them and I'm so looking forward to learning even more about them.  We are going to Omaha and Gold beaches, the american cemetary and Pointe du Hoc.  I can hardly believe I'm going there.  In Paris I am going to the Musée d'Orsay which is the Impressionism museum that I didn't get to before.  Other than those places I am doing free things.  I'm going to wander the city and go to a famous bookstore that is by Notre Dame and go to Les Jardins du Luxembourg and take in Paris while I can and before I return to Minneapolis. 

My host parents got back from Madagascar on wednesday.  They had a really good time.  I think a three week vacation that included hiking, taking a train around the country, boating and scuba-diving and laying around on the beach is a good time.  They got home and that night we went to dinner with their friends.  The french are crazy... A big outdoor soirée and I tried beef tar tar.  Look it up...  But yeah... it's nice to have them back and talk with them again.  We tried watching the movie 21 grams on tv last night.  It's a pretty serious movie about drugs and what not with Benicio del Toro (or however it's spelled), Naomi Watts, and Sean Penn.  Vero didn't get and I really didn't get it since it was dubbed in french plus it's a confusing film.  Oh my... that was a challenge.  I ended up going to call my dad and they changed the channel.  Thank goodness.  Oh and we're back to our weeknight soap opera show "Plus belle la vie."  When you miss three weeks of a soap opera a lot can happen.  There is a new lesbian couple, someone's in jail, another has been reunited with his dad who he never knew, and there are two new couples.... Oh my.  Today they had a beach volleyball tournement in the middle of the city, in the main square.  They brought in sand and a net and blocked off a square for it and set up bleachers.  I watched for awhile with my friend Katrice.  There was a class of young french kids there and they were all yelling "i'm for the black" or "I'm for the white" and they were so animated.  It was cool.  But, listening to 5 year olds speak better than you definitely puts you in your place.  hehe... But hey, I can understand them.

Alright, there you go.  11 days.  wow.

Love and Peace - Mariah Sky

So what have I decided to do?  Write.  While listening to a little John Coltrane, Frank Sinatra, and Miles Davis... maybe that will help.  Maybe not.

It poured last night.  I slept great.  The sound of rain hitting the roof, or the ground outside is one of the most beautiful sounds on earth.  It's so wonderful to lay in bed and listen to that in the dark.  I should record that to listen to on nights like tonight when I have thoughts racing through my head.  I think a lot of the thoughts are about my two weeks left.  I feel like I am in a lull of sorts here.  I have these few days left and I don't know what to do.  I go out and see the city and study and read and do my thing here, but I am still antsy and a little anxious.  I am not really sure what I am to do these next few days.  I am not wishing the days away.  I'm just not sure what to make of things.  It's weird.  Plus, I am starting to begin to think of the near future that is my new house and my summer and what not which is bringing me closer to new and exciting responsibilities.  And even though I am trying not to think about these a things to worry about they are still creeping in.  I'm not sure how to help that.  John and Miles have been soothing me all day though.  Two songs on loop all day:  It Never Entered My Mind by Miles Davis and My One and Only Love by John Coltrane.  I adore them.  They make me feel like I am in a Manhatten loft with big windows looking down at the streets of New York at night, with a glass of red wine and my dreams being realized.  Not that Manhatten is necessairily a dream of mine but it's just the idea.  You understand right? 

Can I just say again that I do not like drunkeness.  A girl in my program that I know went out six nights in a row drinking here this past week and five of those nights blacked out.  Excuse my french, but what the hell...?  I hear people say things about how it's so much fun and the time of their life and they have a blast.  I don't see it.  I don't.  I went out dancing with some friends at this bar last friday and had a blast (sober) with them for three hours.  It was fantastic.  Another girl who is in my program wandered into the bar wasted, stumbling, dancing with strange men and letting them grope her.  It's disgusting.  I have a hard enough time wearing a semi-lowcut shirt let along going to a bar, drunk, and making myself vulnerable.  wow...  We left then and she left at the same time and started bitching about how guys were feeling her up and grabbing at her and I just kept thinking how she was exactly what I am not and hope never to be.  It makes me sad to think that it's more and more prevelant in society today.  I am an open-minded, intellectual woman who is all for women asserting themselves and standing up for their beliefs and their rights alongside men.  However, this can be done without the aid of our body.  We don't need to get ahead in the world by flaunting our assets.  I just wish women would make themselves a little more clear-minded and realize this. 

Well.. that was my speech for the night. 

Oh, and I speak french now.  Cool huh? 

If you haven't listened to those two aforementioned songs please listen to them and close your eyes while doing so. 

My mind is still running around drawing and writing things all over the inside of my head.  I'm sure if we could see it right now it would be the next Pulitzer prize winning piece, I just can't seem to put it together at the moment.  It's alright.  Life happens and it all works out.  I'm not one who usually loses faith easily.  I may wear thin at times (for example November and early December of last year...  ask Allison...) but I bounce back.  I have far to many things on my list of things I will accomplish in my life to not suck it up and move on and keep the faith. 

My host parents come back tomorrow.  Sometime.  That will be nice.  They'll be nice and tan.  I cleaned the house again today.  Vaccummed (One of my least favorite words.  Ever.), ran the dishwasher, washed my clothes, cleaned the kitchen, threw old food away, took out the trash and recycling, etc. 

I adore the saxophone and trumpet.  Slow saxophones and or trumpets are so soothing, peaceful, calming, sexy, romantic.  I can't get enough of it. 

Ya know how celebrities fund different charities and foundations and causes?  How do they decide which one(s) to endorse and fund?  There are a lot of important issues out there and so many events happening that need more awareness that I don't know how I would begin to fund just one or two when they are all worthy.  I think that is why it's hard for me to commit to "Ending world Hunger" when I think that The Rawandan Genocide or the population problem in India are both important.  And what about Environmentalism?

I guess we could all start with the "Let's end ignorance" campaign.  Wait... does that even exist?  Suffice to say, the world has issues.  We all need to do our bit, become informed and try and do something good. 

Alright.  It's officially been Wednesday the 7th here in France for one hour and thirty three minutes.  In military time midnight is 00:00.  I love it.  Not as much as 11:11, but it's my second favorite I think. 

For real though.  Hope that helps the sleep issue... Wednesday classes are always the longest so sleep would be a nice way to start the day.  A bit random, this post... but hey, it's late/early... made me a bit more tired though.  One small success.

Peace - Mariah Sky

“as a teacher, i want everyone to know: frustration is a good thing! the more frustrated you are, the more rapidly you are learning. if you work through your frustrations (endure, experiment, research, find a good teacher), you will be smarter and more talented because of them. honestly, blue skies, i am excited for you. being accomplished at something isn't nearly as interesting as BECOMING accomplished. your email to danny comes from the brink of defeat but you wouldn't have written him if you had really given up. if you go back to the drawing table now (literally) and give yourself permission to feel frustrated, this time will pass quickly and you will look back on it as the week or the month or the year when you became an artist. you clearly have the appetite for it.”

“A suggestion? Grab a ream of CHEAP paper, and just draw simple shapes. Cover a hundred pages with circles, a hundred with triangles, another hundred with squares. Each time, work on making the circles round, the triangles true, and the squares...square. Learn to control your hand, learn to use your pencil, learn to put marks on the paper. And when you get bored of each shape, change it a bit. The circles become ovals or spheres. Triangles were meant to become cones and squares morph into cubes...soon, you won't be so afraid to make marks and try more complicated subjects.

-Needed a place to put this for now.  found it while searching some art blogs...

17 days.  Oh my.. I still have nearly everything to do!  Yikes...

Going out for a walk and then to sketch some.  I've had a real growing desire to sketch more and to do more drawings.  I'm really looking forward to this fall to my drawing class and to my photography class.  I can hardly wait...  This summer I am contemplating taking a course at the Minneapolis Center for Book Arts.  They have some really great classes.  I have also found some sites with video blogs things with drawing instruction and what not and a few sound really cool, so I might give those a go when I get back to have an outlet for my thoughts.  This whole trip has energized my imagination and ideas in terms of art and creativity.  I have so many now, more than ever and I really have a lot I want to see come to life.  Sweet. 

More later!  Love you all!  Peace - Mariah Sky

So, 20 days left?  Oh my...  I have two days of classes left.  Two days.  Only two classes of Mr. "I'm from Argentina, but I speak french and wear a bowtie everyday, and want to annoy each and everyone of you" Gomez.  Thank goodness.  I was at my wits end Tuesday morning in his THREE hour french grammar class.  I really am excited to not have to see him again.  My apologies if that is harsh.  But I really do mean it.  Mme. Monier is pretty sweet.  I like her and I have learned a lot from her.  I don't mind going to her class especially since now it is review anyways and we are just having a good time.  Okay... enough of that.  It is so crazy to me that this whole experience is on it's last leg.  That I have to soak up every ray of french sunshine as I can.  But I am ready to go home as well.  I miss people a lot at this point and I miss my art supplies.  lol... It's true.  So I would just like to have my finals go well, spend a couple more days on the beach, eat a few more french home-cooked meals, and then step off the plane in Minneapolis and see my family.  20 days...

I stayed up until nearly 3 in the morning this morning... and subsequently slept for the next 11 hours.  Wasting half of my day...  But today was a good day for it since I am basically stranded in Castelnau due to it being May day and everything including transportation is closed.  In May, France likes to do that.  There are going to be two more days of that while I am here.  They pile a lot of National Holidays into May and take a lot of vacation.  They're just that cool.  Anyways, I need to wash dishes from last nights dinner (more and that in a sec.), vaccum (hate that word...) and mop my room and the kitchen, clean my room, hang up clothes, do homework, go for a walk (because it is beautiful out today), and then chill out and finish watching the movie "Something's Gotta Give."  Sounds like a plan Stan.

Alright, dinner party last night.  In total there were five of us.  The other texted me and said she went home from classes sick and wasn't going to make it so there were five.  I made a lemon vinaigrette for the salad.  Let's start with the salad.  It was good.  I would let the avocados ripen for a couple more days, they were too hard.  And I would use less lemon juice in the dressing because, for me, it was a bit too sour or tangy, but everything told that the dressing was excellent and their favorite part.  So that is a plus.  Then I made chicken flatbread sandwichs which needeed a bit more planning maybe... I would like to marinate them next time for a bit more taste and I would like to make a sauce of some sort for them I just didn't have time and I'm not sure what kind I am looking for.  But they weren't bad, just a bit dry.  the flat bread was good and we had this type of lettuce called "Mache" and tomatoes on it with the chicken.  Not too bad.  Drank a little white wine which was alright.  For dessert a friend brought strawberries and champagne.  Let's just say that my friend Andrea and I smelled the champagne and it smelled like puke.  No one else smelled that... but we did and tried a sip and found it revolting.  We couldn't handle it.  But we had a really good time overall.  Listened to music and talked and laughed.  from 7:00 until 11:30.  Good times. 

Yeah, well... I am going to get going.  Go clean the house a bit.  Go for a walk.  Talk to you soon. 

Peace - Mariah Sky

So, there are five of us total that will be here at "my" house tonight.  I am cooking.  They are bring wine and baguettes.  I'm testing out a couple things.  Crossing my fingers they taste decent.  I made a lemon vinaigrette for a lettuce/spinach/avocado salad.  I am also going to try brushing the chicken with lemon juice and see what happens... I don't know if it will do anything.  Then we are doing flatbread chicken sandwiches with lettuce and tomatoe on them.  I'm excited.  I'll write back with the results.  Later!

Thanks Mom and Dad for the card in the mail!  It made my day.  Love you and can't wait to see you both!

Peace - Mariah Sky

So, I have at least one million three hundred and fifty six thousand nine hundred and eleven ideas rolling around in my head at this moment.  That's a lot.  They were their last night as well causing me to not be able to fall asleep until at least 2:30 in the morning... The night before it was 4:30.  It may be a combination of the weird sleep pattern I embarked on the last few days of vacation mixed with being thrown back into my routine here...  It could also be that I have so many ambitions, ideas, thoughts, hopes and dreams and hardly any idea of how to begin.  I've been doing a lot of thinking about many of those millions of ideas and really it's difficult for me to sort out, or to even pick one or two and work on them.  As soon as I sort of bring one to the surface it grows into 11 new ideas and I become stuck again.  Unable to move because I have just created new ideas for me to ponder.  How do I solve this?  How do I focus long enough to complete this?  I want to photograph great sweeping landscapes.  I want to photograph small details.  I want to photograph the entirety of my family, extended family included and create a large photographic family tree with written portions included in it.  ( I really want to do this and may try and organize this project beginning this summer.  Hey!!!  That's a start.  Any input would be quite welcome.. Thanks.), I want to photograph all of the people I find interesting who are a part of my life, the people I work with, the people I see on street every day, the guy who works at the coffee shop, the girl with the cool dreads in class... you get the idea.  I want to make line drawings of trees and over lay them on photographs.  I want to create intricately painted small boxes and give them to people.  I want to make handmade books.  I want to write a short story.  I want to photograph trees.  I want to figure out how to use a medium format and large format camera.  I want to photograph my childhood.  I want to photograph my parents and my sister, and their/our new home.  I want to do self portraits in photographs and in charcoal.

Oh my...

That is merely the surface.

I needed to get that out there.  It has been couped (is that the correct spelling...?) in my brain for awhile and I need a little advice, input, suggestion, ideas, help, a single word, or whatever.

P.S.  I am very serious about the Family Tree project and want to photograph my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins, their children, my parents, my sister, great uncles and great aunts possibly.  I have been thinking about this for awhile and think now is as good a time as any to put the idea out there and start working on it.  I think I want to shoot in both black and white and color and do full lenghts of each individual as well as family portraits and maybe photos of their favorite thing, or their favorite food or something extra ya know.  I don't know... Or something that reminds me of them... or something.  Let me know family since you are the make up the majority of my readers.  The others who are not my family by blood, let me know what you think as well.  Also, i would love to take your portrait as well so let me know when I get back when you want me to do that.  : )  I want to have a portrait of you.  It's selfish of me.  I know.  : )

Okay.  Finish homework.  Then sleep.  Then wake up and go to Wednesday Classes which are always a drag, and then cook for friends at my dinner party tomorrow night.  More later!

Peace and Love to you all.  Thanks for "listening" and it has been refreshing for me to write all that.

Mariah Sky

P.P.S.  A couple photos from my cloud gazing in Hyde Park, London :

 

Much to talk about.  Much.  Beaucoup.  Muchos (I think that may be correct in spanish.)  So, I commence.

Okay.  So short version:  I had an amazing time.  I was able to do a lot of thinking, contemplating, sitting, walking, seeing, observing, listening, creating, learning, tasting, smelling... All things I adore and love to do.  Beautiful, though short, two weeks of my life. 

The Long version:  London was fantastic.  My mom asked me what my favorite part was.  The irish landscape probably wins that contest.  It is truly something to behold and I wish everyone could see it in front of their own eyes once in their lives.  Despite this, my first few days, spent in London, were a close second to the irish landscape.  I walked London, lazily wondered art museums, took photos, laid in the grass in Hyde Park watching the clouds go by, discovered my love for avocados and learned a lot.  I mean really... Truthfully, hardly any words to describe that.  I loved it. 

P.S. (Mostly for dad...  I think on the phone I affirmed to you that I had seen Abbey Road when in fact I did not.  I didn't make it up there because on foot it wasn't practical from where I was and thus chose not to see it.  Sorry, I don't really know why I said I had.  My mistake.  But I will send you the photos of John Lennon's jacket, glasses, and lyrics today.  Again, sorry.  We can go see it together sometime. )

So, London was excellent.  Off to Dublin.  Excellent.  Sat behind two terribly handsome Irish men, complete with soft blue eyes and sexy accents.  Oh my.. And so it began.  I met two friends, Andrea and Chloe there and we stayed at the same hostel and walked the city, took a tour of the Guiness Storehouse, and went out one night for a pint and some irish music.  Good times.  I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting from Dublin but it wasn't what I expected.  I don't think I realized how big it actually is and the vibe is different.  But the city has so much character.  It's been through a hell of a lot, it should have some character.  The people have character as well.  It's great.  I caught a bus then to Galway.  That bus ride was great.  To see the landscape of Ireland for four hours... my, gorgeous really.  Galway was good.  It's smaller than I thought, with not too much to see, but the feeling is very cool there.  They have a lot of colorful homes and buildings.  Random colors too.  There was a row of houses on the coast that were all different colors, rust red, orange, yellow, dark blue, light blue, bright green, etc.  Loved it!  I met some people there from Spain, Italy, and France.  We went out one night and chatted about Spain and traveling and beer.  lol... And watched a little soccer.  Europeans love their soccer or "football" as it is referred to everywhere in the world except for the USA.  I was talking to Anabel, one of the spanish girls about American football and she was cracking up she thought it was so funny that these guys put on big pads and helmets and smash into each other and throw a "rugby" ball around to each other at the same time.  It was interesting.  But yeah, then on to the Aran Islands.  Beautiful place.  Stunning and hard to leave.  I rented a bike two days that I was there and went and saw the island.  Just gorgeous.  Hard to put into words...  Also, the french guy that I met in Galway at the hostel ended up staying at the same hostel as I in the Aran Islands which was more than okay by me : )  His name is Vincent, he's from Paris, probably the most beautiful french man I have met to date and the way he talks had me nearly in a puddle everytime we had a conversation... : )

Okay, sorry for the tangent.  When it comes to beautiful french it just has to be said.  I will miss them... lol.  : )

Anyways, my friends Andrea and Chloe met me on the island again and we biked and had lunch and spent the day together there.  Then I left the next day for Galway and basically the next nearly 40 hours I spent wide awake and traveling from Galway to Montpellier.  It was tiring.  I took a bus to Dublin, arrived there at about 11:30.  Took a taxi to the airport.  Found the only open seat which happened to be by the only tv that was playing a soccer game and had two guys sitting by it talking.  Thus, no sleep.  And my ipod was dieing and I wanted to save it for later.  So, 5:45 came around which is when I could check in.  I did that and then wandered the airport for two hours before my flight left.  Stood in line for a half hour and watched a 40 year old women cut in line, pathetic really.  But then we got on the plane and she was no better off anyways.  I felt good about my window seat.  : )  I arrived in Nice, France which is on the frence riviera.  It was gorgeous when I stepped off the plane.  Beautiful, warm, sunny, south of France weather.  At that moment I realized that in 20 some odd days I would have to leave this lovely place that is incredible.  That thought kind of sucked.  Not gonna lie.  But I also thought that I miss my family and friends and I get to see them and spend time with them all again in 20 some odd days.  That was a positive thought.  Balance.  It's nice.  Well,  my train wasn't supposed to leave for another four hours and I was so exhausted that I didn't want to wait that long so I checked to see if there was another train earlier.  There was!  2 1/2 hours sooner for only 15 euro more.  That was nice.  So, four train ride later I was back in Montpellier.  I bought some bread, cheese, and yogurt and headed "home."  Called my mom and sister (and my dad but he doesn't pick up his cell phone too often), checked my e-mail and then fell asleep for 13 straight hours.  Oh my... I felt incredible the next day.  I spent the day washing clothes, writing people, looking up recipes, loading photos, not doing anything but drink tea for awhile, and going for a walk.  It's beautiful here right now. 

Today, I went into town to get some groceries because I am having a dinner party with friends on Wednesday night to welcome everyone back here.  I'm cooking for them!  I have this new found desire to cook all the time.  I've found a lot of great recipes so when I return you all will hopefully get a chance to try some.  I'm making flatbread seasoned chicken sandwiches with a homeade dressing/sauce on it and an lettuce/spinach/avocado salad with a lemon viniagrette.  It's all really simple actually, not too expensive, especially when you split it between 7 people.  My friends are bringing dessert, wine, and bread.  I'm looking forward to it a lot!

Well.. That felt good.  To type all that.  Hope you enjoy.  I need to do a little studying now.  Get back into that for the next couple weeks.  Hope all is well with you all!  Peace and Love and keep your head up even with all that snow you keep getting.  Ridiculous. 

- Mariah Sky

Oh, and dad, sorry again.  I felt bad after the phone call when I realized.  Talk to you soon and love you!

My last few days on the island of Inish Mor was fantastic.  Beautiful place.  I really loved the scenery there and had beautiful weather both of the days that I was there.  Quite happy about that.  I rented a bike both days and road around the island.  I took my time and stopped and took photos and ate lunch and saw the large, ancient ring fort that is at the edge of the cliffs on the island.  Beautiful.  I had a really great time.  The second day, yesterday, two friends joined me for the day on the island and we had lunch and saw the ring fort again.  It was a good time.  Later on I watched Amelie at the hostel and drank hot chocolate.  What an excellent way to end the trip?  French and chocolate.. hehe.  Yeah, but today I made it back to Galway and am going to meet some friends later for dinner and then head to Dublin which is about a four hour trip.  I plan on sleeping in the airport if I can and then I get on a plane to go to Nice in the morning.  I'm pretty tired right now and the day is going by slowly so I hope it goes quickly and that I will be in France soon.  I just really want a nice, hot shower, some tea and to call my family.  And then sleep in a comfortable familiar place.  But I'm really happy about my trip.  Fantastic.  I'll get my photos up Sunday or Monday.  So check for those.  I hope all is well with everyone and that the weather is getting good.  It's almost May!  That means it is almost time for me to come home.  Crazy.  I'm excited to see everyone though.  Love you all!

Peace - Mariah Sky

Hello all!  I am off to the Aran Islands this afternoon.  I take a bus to a small town further west and then a ferry from there and then... I am on the island!  I am hopefully meeting some friends there on thursday but my one friends phone died or something so we aren't sure if we will be able to get in contact with each other... hopefully though!  I was worried about registering for fall semester while on vacation because it was at 2:30 Minnesota time but I found an internet place that was open and I am all registered.  As always, I am crazy excited for my classes this fall.  Crazy excited.  : )  Intermediate digital photography, Intermediate drawing, Intro to French Litterature, French phonetics, and 19th & 20th Century Art history.  !  I can't wait.  And this summer I am going to be taking an independent class to fulfill my Math requirement, Philosophy Intro to Logic.  Anyways, hope all is well.  It's sunny here today finally so I am in a fantastic mood and ready to see the islands! 

Peace and love to you all - Mariah Sky

This is just a little tidbit to let you all know I am alive and well in Galway at the present moment.  Galway is on the west coast of Ireland for everyone who isn't aware.  I flew into Dublin on Thursday spent a couple days there with some friends.  We toured the Guiness storehouse, had a pint (fantastic... really), went out and listened to some traditional music at the pub and saw some art.  Cool.  Now I am in Galway and today I went on a walking tour of The Burren and then toured the Cliffs of Moher and the area.  Breathtakingly beautiful and I adore this place.  So beautiful.  I am here for another day and then I am heading to the Aran Islands for a couple of days to chill and relax.  Hopefully the weather isn't too bad.  It's been gray and cloudy here for the last two days.  I'm hoping for a little sun and not much wind.  Maybe.  Anways, the trip is half over and I head back to the sunny south of France on Saturday morning from Dublin.  Dublin to Nice!  Nice... (pun intended!)  Hope all is well with you all and I hope Midwestern weather is fantastic.  Love you all and Miss you all!

Peace from your world traveling friend, daughter, sister, employee, etc. -  Mariah Sky   : )

Well, this is Day 3 I believe.  I'll start with day 1.  Train ride went well to Carcassone.  A little antsy the whole time but a little music helped with that.  Caught a bus to the airport and got through security.  Backpack was underweight which was nice.  Only 16 pounds or so.  Flight was good.  Slept for part of it.  The guy sitting behind me snored the entire flight so I turned my music up loud and tried to drown it out.  Caught a bus from the airport to central London, Victoria Station.  It rained the whole bus ride but stopped once I arrived there.  The bus driver called me "Love" in a british accent.  Completely great.  : )  Got lost looking for the hostel.  Took a wrong turn.  And, I needed Belgrave Rd. not Belgrave St.  They are both in same area and that messed me.  Either way I got a nice little tour of the area right away.  Got checked in and everything and then went and checked out Big Ben and The House of Parliment and walked the Thames River for awhile and saw the London Eye and then came back and went to bed.  Yesterday, Day 2, I decided I didn't want to buy tube tickets at all so I walked up to Westminster Abbey right away in the morning, probably got there around 9 am.  Was the first one in and got an audio guide and toured it.  Fantastic place.  So fascinating.  Loved it.  One of my favorite places so far in the city.  Another favorite place of mine that also happens to be my new favorite art museum is The National Gallery.  Amazing and I might go back either today or tomorrow.  Van Gogh's sunflowers, Seurat, Renoir, J.M.W. Turner... Amazing place.  I had been looking forward to the National Portrait Gallery and although it was nice I was disappointed because the big Vanity fair photo exhibit was free like I had thought but rather really expensive... and I decided I didn't want to spend the money on it.  Too bad too... Would have been pretty great.  I did a lot of walking yesterday I think about 10 miles at least, maybe more.  Walked up Bond Street which has Gucci, Dolce and Gabana, Emporio Armani, etc.  Crazy expensive places.  Then I found cheap fashion heaven called Primark.  Bought a dress, sunglasses and a cardigan/shawl.  Wearing them as I type.  : )  Today I got up and walked to the Tate Britain which is fantastic as well and went to the Peter Doig exhibit.  He is an excellent painter and one of my favorite artists.  Check him oput.  The fire alarms went off while I was there though so we all had to wait outside for about 20 mins. but it wasn't too bad.  Interesting at least.  After that i came back here to the hostel and now I am going to go walk up to Hyde Park I think, get some lunch, and read Emma and relax.  Might go to the Natural History Museum.  Later!  

Peace - Mariah Sky

Almost at least.  I catch a train in the morning at 9:00.  I am so ready for this trip.  Really excited.  Art museums, photography galleries, history, beautiful landscapes.  My goodness... It's just so great for it to be here finally.  I've been thinking about it everyday for monthes.  Lots of photos to be taken.  I'm going to try and get to an internet cafe a couple of times so I will try and write a post if I can otherwise I will update it when I get back to Montpellier which will be Saturday the 26th.  I think everything is all packed and ready to go.  Jean is dropping me off at the train station in the morning which is really nice of him.  I can take the tram but he offered to take me so that is nice.  I can sleep a bit longer.  I just got a letter in the mail today from my good friend Paul who is studying in Kenya this semester.  He wrote about how he swam with wild dolphins in the Indian Ocean and how he was teaching some kids there how to play tennis.  It sounds like he is have an incredible time there.  It is really great that he is studying there.  I can't wait for us to get together and chat about our time abroad.  In the mean time I think I will focus on going to London and Ireland!!  : )

I wish you all a wonderful two weeks and feel free to leave me some messages on here.  Thinking of you all!  Peace - Mariah Sky