Class of 2000 - i salute you.

Friday night AND Saturday were super eventful.

Friday night i got all dolled up, took the wrong bus, watch drunk frat boys get kicked off by the police from the bus, got on another bus, and finally got to the Opening of the Visual Arts Center on campus.  It is a brand new space for art and tremendously talented student and non-UT student art.  Tons of little spaces next to huge open ones.  i think the set up make a truly fluid walk thru for the beholder.

After than i went out w/  a co-worker to the Ghost Room.  I met a guy who knew the band.  His name was Waldo.  I then asked what the bass players name was, but Waldo refused to tell me and all he kept doing was giving me his number in lieu of truthfulness.  I later found out - his name was Lamar.

After that we went to Lovejoy's.  One of my absolute FAVorite bars in Austin.  I think it is the wild hipster gypsy vibe that i like about it.  Or maybe the really good local beer.  As much as Austinite are prideful of their "weird" unique qualities, I've yet to find a microbrew I like as much as the ones back home.  I suspect there are some really good ones in New Braunfels, but i have not car so that will be for another time.

Saturday i went to a study group at a cafe in SoCo (South Congress). We met at a cafe, so i didn't think much partying would ensue. But my, how i was wrong!!! the night had only begun.  

Congress is similar to Woodward.  It runs very far and tons of amazing things are located around it.  Congress stretches from the Capital (go figure) in the North to all the way past Lady Bird Lake in the south. The citizens of SoCo are yuppies, Boys' town social lites, the "original" hippies and hipsters.  More hipsters live on the East side than anywhere else right now due to gentrification of that area.    SoCo is filled with fun boutiques and quirky endearing bars.  There was also this fun outdoor plot with a good cover band we listened to. After SoCo, are group seemed to udergo a diaspora all over SoCo.  Some people left to go home and sleep (yes, the bad effects of grad school), others went to study (another side effect).  of course it was a Saturday night so i couldn't go back to my apartment. 

After SoCo-ing around, me and my two hot MLIS buddies went Downtown.  We all agreed that 4th street would be a good start.  4th street is far less "college-y" and mostly hot people who are not in college. I saw "The Belmont" across the street.  I've walked past it before.  Great place, kind of retro w/ and open top, garden surrounded entrance.  It's like the solarium in the movie Sabrina.  Does that help?

We got in and i immediately headed for the rooftop. Uh-oh.  A sign, "Closed event, no entrance." I proceeded up the stairs.  Looking around everyone had name tags on and no one had stopped me.  I saw a name tag on a nearby table.  Written on it in black sharpie was "Elizabeth".  Well whomever Elizabeth was, she wasn't here so I decided to be her for the next hour.

Turns out we were at a high school reunion! Class of 2000 - rock on. I'm glad to say Elizabeth got free booze, food and numbers.  Elizabeth had a great time at her high school reunion.  And to think she is 28!! still looking young.....

After crashing we went to find a Communist themed bar, Molotov.  it was a little farther than we thought.  heh.  So when we got there and there was this huge line, i had to get in somehow!!!  Couldn't walk away that easy.  So i ran across the street, walked up to the doorman, said will you let us in in my sweetest tone and get this - HE DID. i mean it prolly helped that some VIP guy was in front of me and continuously pointed at us, but hey. we got in!!! 

The whole night reaffirmed the idea to me that you are whoever you say you are.  If you can walk the talk then i guess rules do not apply. :)  how fun.

A True Cyclist

I’ve become a true Austinite Cyclist. I was honked at, rode on the actual road w/ my bike - not the side walk and ... My bike was stolen. I am now a true Austin Cyclist !!!

This past weekend my bike was stolen. I was far more pissed than surprised.  Some of it was my fault, I’ll admit, but I didn’t think the bandits would go to the lengths of SAWING off two of the railings next to my precious $250 bike to take it away from me forever. Bike theft is a big problem here. Everyone needs and wants bikes!!!   looks like i should think about different lockup locales....

The irony is that I was planning on going to an Art Landmark Bike tour the next day and found my bike was stolen while on my way to borrow a helmet for said tour de Austin.  I was looking forward to 6 miles of biking w/ a docent and looking at beautiful things that cover the city.   My friend Eric offered to let me borrow his helmet.  Descending down the stairway, I saw my front bike tire and “trusty” U-Lock attached to the sawed off railing. I mean, at least the little darling was sweet enough to leave me my front tire. THAT WAS CONSIDERATE. 

It sucks when someone does something mean and they don’t even know you!!!

As one of my friends recently told me –“ it’s okay cuz no one can steal your feet!” Lol.  The transportation isn’t bad here so I shall be a nomadic bus and foot wanderer until I find a new (cheap) bike. 

Last week was crazy fun!  I saw a cult screening  of “Serenity” on Saturday w/ a sexy dude.

   Monday I went to a Local Literati fiction/poetry reading, met some great writers.  Wednesday I went w/ new friends to participate in a 90s sing-along at the famous Alamo Drafthouse.  At one point I was moshing on the theatre stage w/ pom-pons in my hand belting out, “a mosquito, my libido”.

Also – “Glycerine” is a great video and song, but what a BUZZ kill.  They redeemed themselves w/ “No Rain” by Blind Melon.  The Alamo shows awesome movies from every genre.  Every seat has a bar top and personal server who comes bringing you booze and food at all the right times. 

 

Thursday I went out and saw a new local singer/songwriter and drank a healthy amount of whiskey!!! :)

This past Friday I went to two bars, The PourHouse and LaLa’s.  I think LaLa’s was my fave.  It is an amazing dive bar (beer is only served in cans) that is Christmas themed.  Lights, trees, the works.  Even the ceiling is a winter wonderland paint job.  The Juke Box plays 40-70s non-Christmas music. Anything from Dean Martin to Al Green.  I chose “Love & Happiness” as the dance floor opener.  

Last night I went to a SAA Chapter Potluck and won the Raffle.  I got a bumper sticker which reads, “Archivists make it last longer!!!” As soon as I get a new bike, I’m going to have to incorporate this sticker.

In Academic news, I am volunteering at a campus American History center.  As of now, I am archiving a collection dealing w/ the personal belongings of a famous 1960s civil rights activist/student of UT.  After University, he became a successful writer of many genres.  I keep on finding notes and poems he wrote to himself that have never seen the light of day till now.  Rummaging through a complete stranger’s personal records is fascinating.  You have the most intimate look inside a person’s life, and sometimes you get a glimpse of the soul.  Holding these artifacts is the ultimate proof that this person was there and made an impact however profound or not.  

 And yet, it is the little things that let me know more about him, not his profound art or writings: His love poems, his astrological charts, the pictures of his kids hanging from trees.  The note about Chemo treatments.  The divorce papers.  The typed telegrams and letters – no e-mails here.  The little things are what make me want to take care of a collection.  Your life remembered in sweet little words and pictures.  And I wonder if his kids know their pictures are in this repository.  They are in there 40's now.  Do they even remember him taking the picture of them, laughing in the sun, all but yay-tall, giggling for miles?  If they don’t, someone will.  I do every time I hold the picture in my hands.  

That’s what it comes down to in Archives.  No matter how big or small, everyone deserves to have left a footprint that will be protected.  They are the symbols on the inside of a cave that change someone’s life. All the good, bad and ugly, we must protect and preserve. If not to inspire to aid in positive evolution.

Lately I've been getting really into Advocacy and Archives.  Brainstorming on how the two can co-habitate for the better. I'm going to an academic conference regarding those two things this weekend, details to come after Saturday. I'm positive i'll be more inspired and directed.

My Brain, Sunny side up

This is your brain on Grad school.

These past few weeks, I've felt as though I've had to re-wire my brain. So much information is coming thru my ears that I sometimes feel completely overwhelmed by the "information about information." 

I'm thinking about information in a new way.  One that isn't confined to my lap top.  It's blowing my mind day by day by how much information is and will continue to change our world. 

so since i am wired to read about information all day long, I came across this article in the Economist. 

It talks about power and the Web.  Who holds that power is changing right at this very moment.  The Internet is now becoming something that societies feel they can control and manipulate, it's no longer as "open" as it used to be.  It's not about freedom any more as much as it is about who can control it. 

Today we learned about Digital Archiving.  Blew my mind.  So much stuff out there just sitting in a basement somewhere waiting to be adapted to the web, waiting to see the light of day once again.   Lots of emphasis has been given to paper documents, but people usually lack the funding and knowledge to transfer our Audio/Visual treasures to an online, public format.  I think you can only expect to see a lot more of this in the coming years and hopefully I can learn how to contribute. 

Now going to the Library more to sizzle my brain...........
 

The Ranuzzi Manuscript Collection

Today was normal.  You know, class, bike riding, reading thru 16th century manuscripts.....

Today after my first class, I headed over to the Harry Ransom Center.  The Center is a world class repository for - well pretty much anything in the world.  The HRC holds artifacts such as manuscripts (my current infatuation), music, oral histories, film, set designs, costumes (they recently saved Scarlett O'Hara's dress from further decline), screenplays, writings, some of Shakespeare's original work, art, rare books, photographs and whatever else you'd want to research to your little heart's content.

This semester I am taking a class where we analyze old (11th-19th Century) Manuscripts.  From our observations we hope to learn how to recognize what it is that makes the Manuscript, rare book or art book so important.We also have been learning how these books were constructed and repaired numerous times over their life span.  One interesting thing my professor said in class the other day was that, "If you are looking at such an old piece of work, chances are this book was stolen at least once during it's lifetime."  That's one of the ways such artifacts have survived human exposure.  They are treasured and keep us fascinated for ages.  Even after we're dead they're in the hands of a new eager reader, dealer or lover of books.

At the time of history we are looking at (10-16th Cen.) most Manuscripts were used as Hymn books, Genealogical References, and Records (be it Business or Medical).

The particular collection we're dealing with for our first assignment are the Ranuzzi Manuscripts.

Today the three 16th Century Italian Manuscripts i read dealt with Genealogical lines of various Venetian families from 419 AD - 1000 AD.  With the little Italian I remember i could verify some sentences like, "Graziano, has the fair love of his wife, Crispina."  One family's last name was listed as "HOMOBON".  I guess the last name of "Goodman" must be really old and most likely in some form of last name in every country.  But that is just speculation.  There were also "Amo" and "Amici". "I love" and "Friends" in Italian.  

When I hold these rarities in my young hands, I cannot get swept away by the idea that I am looking at someone's handwriting who has been away from this world since the 16th century.  What were they like and what did they do all day?  Who did they love or love to hate, and did they have a family?  Were they noble or an apprentice?  At this point you can close your eye lids and almost see a face coming to mind.

Did they think it would be in America, a land they knew little about and would never visit?  Did they think a young woman - of all people - would be handling this book, let alone know how to read it?

And who has owned this book?!  Was it ever stolen or sold or bought?

Looking at the 500 year old parchment the mind begins to wander.

Hopefully my fascination with history and antiquated items will never cease.  It is too thrilling to know the proof of where we have come from and where we are going.

Also! For the prophets of the electronic reformatting world that say EVERYTHING will go digital, I disagree.  Even if everything is converted to digital format we will always want the hard copy.  And paper will still be bought.  Not all writers can write on laptops.  Nor can you ever stop 4th grade girls from passing notes.  There are certain things that are too close to the heart to change with time.



Digitizing my diary would be a pain in the ass.