<3

Art: Max Ernst

[Rind by M.C Escher]

Why hello good friend! How do you do?

Well, well, well, I cannot grasp your idea between my hands,

yet I can somehow decipher it in my head.

How does that work?

I step foot into a dark room. All the lights are off. I sit there in darkness.

Complete and utter darkness...

Soon, one light flickers from beneath the floor board.

Wait! A transparent floor board?

Never mind that, never mind anything at that - I still sit here, in complete darkness except for the luminous light emitting from the [transparent] floor board.

One deep breath and things make sense. I begin to wonder how a room can seem so dark, yet can seem so bright.

I died that day... yet I am still here today. Jost Burgi, good fellow, can you please tell your project to slow down? Freeze it! Court it! Do something with that maddening thing, as I sit here and live.

Or die?

Oh Max, you know what I mean, don't you? You died once and you will die again. Well, you

actually did die again.

Regardless, sir, your ideas are uncanny. My heart is sold or stolen - you choose.

[Oedipus Rex]

[Ubu Imperator]

[The Blessed Virgin Chastises the Infant Jesus Before Three Witnesses] <3

[The Celestial Army]

[L'Ange du Foyer]

[The Elephant Celebes] <3

*Photos above are of Max Ernst's work, a surrealist of the 1900's. I first learned about his work during an art history course a few years ago and have always held a special place in my heart for his absurdity.

Where would we be in life without absurdity? From the words of a great man (which rightfully adorn my laptop screen), "The thing the world will never have enough of is the outrageous..." -Salvador Dalí

Over and out,

Mon

Activities: Santa Susana Pass Hike

Head west on Devonshire St. until Larwin Ave.

Make a left and park on the side street

Heading farther south on Larwin you will see an opening in the fence

Say hello?

The beauty was incomprehensible that day.

A need for an escape, a breath,

inhale; exhale...

My state of mind?

Analytical, cynical, all of the above.

Falling upwards and running downwards.

Reading backwards and thinking... forward?

The mountains are calling - calling my name and yours.

Can you hear them?

Listen... listen...

[Clear blue skies; thank you, weather karma]

[Rocks north of entrance]

[Rocks north of entrance]

[Trail northwest of rocks]

Rant: Reality vs. Fiction

When reality and fiction spar we're left to decipher one from the other;
our hearts race, minds flutter, and we, simultaneously, drive to weed the real from the "fake."

What happens when the fictitious is real; when the real fictitious?
I look up into the sky - what is real?
What we touch...
What we smell...
What we speak...

Human beings thrive in the worlds of unknown.
Unknown to you. Unknown to me.

What is real?

Is it you; is it I?

No. No. We are all figments of imagination (with beating hearts/functioning minds).

I am the unknown.

Até mais!
-Monica

*Photo credit: Flickr

Rant: Last Months in LA

Finally, the countdown has begun when I can [almost] taste the bittersweet feeling of independence. As this last month dwindles to the last weeks to the last days to the last hours we will all be granted the opportunity [by sheer force, mind you] to greet a new year! Excitement is an understatement, for me at least.
As I took a look at my cell phone bill last night [ahem, 236 dollars], I have come to realize I need to a) control my cell phone usage and b) stop hating on Los Angeles. Can anyone say New Year's Resolutions? I think I might have the potential to keep these as well!

Time to address point a. Good afternoon, Credo mobile! Now, what wonderful of an idea to use the $$ you spend on a monthly basis to support non profit organizations. Check out this website for more details

Point b: my ambivalence has led me to exploring the wonders [and woes] of Los Angeles. The first enjoyable experience? Climbing at Stoney Point at Chatsworth Park! The rocks were pleasant, with plenty of grip and pockets. My brother, an avid climber, also had nothing but positive comments about the spot. I highly recommend checking the space out - it's great for youngsters as well as the middle-aged.

[Meet my other half!]

[Before the climb]

[Great lookout after climbing a boulder 1/4 up Stoney Point]

[3/4 up Stoney Point]

[3/4 up Stoney Point]

[3/4 up Stoney Point]
[ :) ]

[Fin!]

Hello, hello, hello! Caffeine addict is over and out; enjoi!

Rant: Reading

...and words playfully frolic with one another in hopes of inspiring as well as enriching the soul of their reader. Don't stop. Never stop, my friend - my world of imaginative possibilities where reality, insanity and imagination conjure the best and worst of my character. I cannot stop.

In. Out. Out. In.

Wherever did my mind go? Out of the window? Into the bookcase? Yes. Both, if possible. Does that mean I have two minds? Ha! I am not surprised.

As each night nears to a magnificent close, my "minds" flutter into an untouchable realm. Each friend still requires the same amount of effort to maintain. Each land encompassing intangible brilliance. Each... each... each...

Ha! I choose out over in, but still cannot stop. STOP.

No. no. Impossible.

stop?

We are prisoners. Captive from creativity, and when convention finally drives us on an edge, the majority badgers us for embracing individuality.

Don't limit yourself to boxes, think outside of the world.

Time to jump back in, and frolic with the untouchable in lands that don't exist in your eyes (yet do in mine.)

[Photo credit: Flickr]

Over and out,
Monica

Rant: Posse Foundation

The clock quietly ticks as each second rapidly becomes a figment of my past. Stop! Just for one moment can the clock fucking stop? 72 hours to plan the next four years of my life. Three years from now, my goals still stood at a similar level; however, my mind screams for mercy with the mere thoughts of Monday. Insanity and time - fuck you both.

We, as human beings, always wonder: "if an opportunity knocks on the door should we take it?" When passion and heart coincide, the answer seems evident. In contrast, once these two vital aspects of life deviate, the world becomes an opportunity fueled by the nuisance of making "the right" decision. We, as human beings, never know what we want. What happens if I swallow the wrong opportunity and choke? What if I prevent myself from tasting the most decadent opportunity and sulk in regret? As you can tell, i'm utterly ambivalent, scared, confused, and the like...

Regardless, something about this absolutely

[New Orleans, LA]

bewildering decision captivates me. I might not know what I want, but I do know what brings me ultimate happiness. Chin up, hopes high, passions strong, and an open mind - I am ready to learn from this decision. Bring it on, New Orleans, I'm ready to experience a whole new realm of culture and history.

xxx

For everyone who still seems confused about this post, I'm slightly ranting about a scholarship I am working towards: Posse. Within this program, individuals who see "leadership potential" in students have the opportunity to nominate a select few students for an extensive interview process. The scholarship is a "full ride" to top universities: UCLA, UC Berkeley, Tulane, Bucknell, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Dickinson, Grinnell, etc. (A total of 9)

Extensive:

Interview One: Of the 2,000+ students nominated for the scholarship, multiple groups across Los Angeles are created fostering about 100-200 students. In this group interview, a variety of activities test each student's "leadership potential." After a 3-4 hour "interview," the students return home and wait 2-3 weeks for a response.

Interview Two: After cutting more than half of the original 2,000+, a personal interview must be scheduled where 2 posse administrators asses your "leadership potential" on a personal level. Here, you must choose your "top 3 schools."

Interview Three: Each school then has a batch of 20-25 students to asses for a final group interview. During this interview, the admissions officers from the school (as well as the Posse administrators) look to see which students "stand out" and "work the best" in hopes of forming the most diverse network of students to attend the said institution.

Each school then finishes this process with a group of ten students.

Why am I bickering? Over the past four years my heart has constantly thought of only Cal (Berkeley, for the individuals who don't know). However, yesterday a letter in the mail came opening with "Congratulations! This letter is your official notification that you have been chosen as a finalist for the Posse Scholarship to Tulane University"...

Yet, I am so remarkably flattered that they see me at Tulane (as well as heartbroken). Tulane, in New Orleans, relies on Posse to help rebuild the city after Hurricane Katrina. Making a difference throughout a state - setting an example for the nation. How can that not bring shivers down my spine and mold a smile on my face? It might not be Cal, but attending a school in New Orleans means the heart of culture becomes my backyard.

See the ambivalence?

3 days... 3 days... 3 days...

Over and out,
Monica

Book: The Most Beautiful Book In The World

"What he meant to imply was that the greatest playboys - like himself - are actually mystics in search of mystery, and they will always prefer that part of the female creature that is not given to the one that is readily abandoned." - Eric-Emanuel Schmitt

Rant: "I was hit by a car!"

Coffee, a book, decent weather, and an afternoon devoted to reading or writing - what an ideal. One page after another, I sank deeper and deeper into my written concoction only to finish it in an hour or so. Determining what else to do (considering my coffee cup was still half full), I began writing a different version to my personal statement. What better of a topic than cycling? (Ha!)

Eventually my creative streak plundered and I resorted to heading back home, enjoying the wind in my hair and my flannel shirt mimicking superman's cape. In less than ten minutes, I was on the floor, hit by a car. Lovely, I know.

"Are you okay?" the tiny lady squealed from her oversized Explorer.
"I'm fine"
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine, miss!"
Then I laughed at the whole ordeal. I was hit by a car! When the hell does that happen?

Of course, what better than a random guy picking up my bicycle, putting it in his trunk, and telling me to get in (granted, he didn't look like a creeper)? Lou only experienced a few broken spokes, squished pedals, and a busted cap. Myself? Well, I look like an abuse victim - go figure!

It's funny how the world works. One instant you're experiencing a rush of energy and happiness, and in less than a minute, the culprit of your happiness becomes the reason for your demise. As each experience, good or bad, becomes a mere memory, these instances shape our future decisions (for better or for worse - you take your pick).

Regardless, this situation did express a form of beauty - understanding. Even though this woman totally ran me over, I continued to laugh and smile. "You didn't take down her information!?!" No, I did not.

Why?

I'm alive. My bicycle has minor problems. Her car is fine. Why stress myself and this individual out when we both have the possibility of going on with our busy day? In a world of spite and greed, sometimes all we need is to breathe out. Why invoke more stress when our work-driven lives already take a toll on our precious sanity?

Fuck it, I want to enjoy life. Next time you get hit by a car (if you aren't hurt, of course) - breathe out, smile, and laugh. Sometimes the best remedy for an accident is just easing the situation. We aren't here for lawsuits, we're here to learn, inspire, succeed, and imagine.

Until next time,
Mon

An Attempt at Something New

As October soon comes to a close, my mind will step out the door come November - filled with deadlines, events, and my past being sealed (via the trustworthy internet) to "x" amount of institutions in order for them to determine my future. Joy...

Fortunately, my world has become enriched by the beauties of cycling and books where both activities somehow balance my insanity. This is my new outlet. Individuals, please enjoy this seemingly uninteresting individual.

This is my attempt!

Over and out,
Monica