RAW

Today is the official start of Reed Arts Week. There'll be assorted events towards the weekend, but at the moment RAW means that there are dozens of little art projects scattered around campus. Anyone can apply to do their own artwork, and I think you can get a budget for materials. It just has to adhere to the theme, which this year is "Fight or Flight". There are a lot of things hanging from trees, things made from wood and fabric wafting in the wind, and walls filled with pictures. I'll try and borrow someone's camera and take some photos.

They all cause that effect of stumbling upon a weird object in an unexpected place and going "Hey, look at that charming unexpected art thing!" I'm rather enjoying it. Thing is, stuff at Reed very often works that way. You see some sort of odd gathering or weird sculpture or person in a strange costume pretty frequently, it is all part of the Reed effect. Did you ever see Gregory's Girl? It's a movie about some Scottish high school bloke trying to find his true love, but every now and again in the background of the main story there's a man dressed as a penguin, wandering around and trying to get to room 314 or something. Man dressed as a penguin, no reason at all. Reed reminds me of that aspect of Gregory's Girl, most of the time.

Tempus Fecking Fugit.

Walking back to Anna Mann from the Paradox, the sound of someone playing one of Cat Power's more miserable songs on the SU piano receding behind me, the rain getting heavier and splashing down into my cup of honeyed blackcurrant tea, I just kept thinking thinking about how Tim had just reminded me we have only three months and ten days left here, and that pathetic fallacy was fully in action for once, despite me having an actual real life rather than being a character in some cheesy movie. Because three months and ten days? Is not enough.

Culture! Education! Wrong Kind.

In aid of Black History month, Reed has various interesting speakers coming to campus over the next few weeks. This is a nice opportunity for us Reedies, and civilians come along to our well-appointed auditorium too. Last night was a speech and Q&A with Julian Bond, head of the NAACP and civil right activist since the 60s. Dude knew Martin Luthor King, y'all. He was a very compelling speaker, check charisma, humour and conviction, and he said some great things about race, politics, social justice, all that big stuff.

After the talk I went to a rather fabulous cocktail party organised by Alice and Griffen, had a fantastic time and promptly forgot all about social justice. I was feeling a little single-minded, actually.

This afternoon we went to the Portland Art Museum. There's a fancy Egyptian exhibit showing at the moment, but the thing was packed out, predictably for a Saturday. Went for General Admission instead, with the rest of the proles. Saw a photography exhibit and sketched a couple of ancient Chinese artifacts, including this real cool mythical creature tomb-guarder.

Garon and I went to the basketball again this evening. Portland Trailblazers vs. Chicago Bulls; the final score was Blazers 86, Bulls 88. How bloody irritating. It wasn't a bad game, and at least a close score equals tension. Tried out the classic "You're shit, aaaahh" football chant, but it didn't quite fit for a basketball game.