My Sanity

This has been the BEST quarter I've ever had here at UCI and it's all because of these brilliant people:

(No, I'm not in a sorority, don't ask why I'm sorority-squatting in both pictures...thanks Sean-Patrick!)

ugh....UGH. This department has done more for me than just give me an education. It gave me a home, a family, a support system...a network of minds and bodies that work together and push each other to achieve GREATNESS. We are a prime example of what your undergraduate education SHOULD do for you. Thank you - being $24,000 in debt after graduation is worth every penny. Just thinking about the end of spring quarter makes me depressed. I will miss you guys SO MUCH.

SPOP.

this feeling. i don't want it to leave me....feelings of excitement, hope, wonder, anxiety, inspiration, passion, uncertainty, LOVE. all wrapped up in a 4 letter word which, from the outside, no one understands and from the inside, everyone embraces.

i keep starting sentences of what i'm trying to say but end up pressing backspace every time because this shit is just UNEXPLAINABLE. for how twisted my mind is....i'm fucking BLESSED to be able to experience this again, from a new perspective. thank you coords for whatever it is you saw in me. all i can say is that i'm ready to dive in and ride this wave as best i can! :)

mamaaaa, my inspiration. it's all for you!!!

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klMP0SSIBLE (9:48:23 PM): congrats
klMP0SSIBLE (9:48:33 PM): i fucking KNEW you would get it
alifeepidemix (9:53:29 PM): yayyy thanks!
alifeepidemix (9:53:30 PM): lol
alifeepidemix (9:53:32 PM): nahh
klMP0SSIBLE (9:55:35 PM): no seriously! your interview was so amazing
klMP0SSIBLE (9:55:53 PM): i wish i recorded it so you could hear your answers ahaha
alifeepidemix (9:56:00 PM): hahaha i think it was the dutch oven
klMP0SSIBLE (9:57:53 PM): lol
klMP0SSIBLE (9:57:55 PM): probably
alifeepidemix (9:58:21 PM): are you gonna be around during the summer?
klMP0SSIBLE (9:58:55 PM): yea i think i'll be around
klMP0SSIBLE (9:59:22 PM): ..doing this program called spop
alifeepidemix (9:59:24 PM): nice nice
alifeepidemix (9:59:28 PM): wait
alifeepidemix (9:59:30 PM): WAIT
alifeepidemix (9:59:36 PM): yes?
klMP0SSIBLE (9:59:40 PM): LOL
klMP0SSIBLE (9:59:43 PM): yesssssssssss
alifeepidemix (9:59:47 PM): YESSSSS!!!!
klMP0SSIBLE (9:59:51 PM): YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!
alifeepidemix (9:59:53 PM): duuuuuudeeee!!!
alifeepidemix (9:59:56 PM): good fucking shit!!!

Fusion Film Festival

I went to my first film festival this past Saturday with Jenny :)

Fusion: LGBT People of Color Film Festival. It's put on by Outfest (who also does the oldest film fest in socal...the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival).

First we went to the conference at the Village and sat on the panel that Cheryl Dunye curated about the history of queer people of color in cinema. It was interesting to hear all this talk about Richard Fung and Marlon Riggs since I've seen/read their work in class but didn't really know how much of a legend they are! The Q&A section at the end got a little problematic (both Jenny and I agree) because they kept talking about how difficult it is for people in the industry to make the shift from underground culture to mainstream culture..

1) As if they are these 2 mutually exclusive "cultures" that don't have any influence over each other OR:

2) As if the goal of every filmmaker is to MAKE IT in mainstream culture OR:

3) As if there is this universal understanding of what the "underground" and "mainstream" culture is (when I think the internet definitely blurs those lines)OR/ESPECIALLY:

4) As if everyone has the same ability/resources/privileges to make that shift.

Cheryl was smart with her closing remark to all the other pseudo queer cinema legends on the panel....that it always comes back to a question of COLOR.

Anyway..After name dropping JENNIFER TERRY a couple times (hahaha) we got to talk to Cheryl after the conference and she SPIT KNOWLEDGE at us for a good 10min on the significance of having a conference tied to the festival, and the direction that she thinks the film festival is going in the future. I wish I could take one of her classes at UCLA she just radiates knowledge....amazing amazing woman!



So the film screenings were shown at the Egyptian Theater. We watched 2 documentaries on transmen:
1. In My Skin
AWESOME documentary of a latino butch lesbian who takes t shots to transition into being a man. He grows up in a very Catholic family and the film documents his struggles going through this transition mentally, physically, and spiritually
2. Still Black: A Portrait of a Black Transmen
Documentary of 6 black transmen just trying to make it through life

...And we watched the 5:00 shorts.
1. Queerer Than Thou
2. Souljah
3. Laundromat
4. Wig
5. When I become Silent (MY FAVORITE!)
6. Dish (Second favorite! Main character was definitely a more scenester version of Sean Patrick HAHAH)

I feel like I'm not really entitled to do a full blown film critique because that's not my specialty, and besides that wasn't the main reason we went to the conference anyway. I do have a thing or two to say about the messages the films carried about queer life....and I won't bore my audience now, so if you're wondering just ask me.

What I took out of it was how the environment and space shaped interactions. It was interesting because it seemed like everyone who was at the festival was just as interested in meeting people as they were in watching the films. I don't know if that's how all film festivals are, or because this was a queer film festival (the queer community is generally more inviting, at least in my experience)...but I felt this sense of belonging and support for each other that's definitely not found in most public spaces. We even got invited to the gala that night, which is their huge after party event. Everyone was just SO WILLNG to talk to us and find out our story and share ideas. I wish that happened with everyday interactions!

But maybe it's because we were hot girls at a queer event...who knows. hahahah

Newps

This is why I love my beach house (and my roomie!)-

XoxOitsmejessica: I woke up had a cigarette and watched a surfer get naked

BE JEALOUS.

MUSIC update!

Songs that have been on repeat:

1. Kaskade - Its You Its Me
2. Deadmau5 - Faxing Berlin
3. Glenn Morrison - Contact
4. Deadmau5 - Arguru
5. Kaskade - Sweet Love
6. Deadmau5 & Kaskade - Move For Me

I've had a hard on for kaskade and deadmau5 the past couple weeks...deadmau5 especially! I'm convinced he'll be one of the top 5 DJs in 2009.

Deadmau5 live DJ sets in 2008. You can thank me later :)

PS. In about a week people will be obsessively checking their email for that GOLDEN ticket.....wahhhhhashkdkhajsd! It's been a year already? What a TRIP.