3 posts tagged “community”

some magical things happened on the vacation drive home. I was talking with some of the residents (molly, rachelle, and eliza, the esteemed riders in my car) about elsewhere and i could all of a sudden see outside of myself. They talked about how amazed they were to step into this community, one which was so incredibly generous, so enthusiastic, so positive and excited. How they'd never seen a group be so much of a group, so intensely together and dedicated to doing things together, to taking care of each other, to welcoming the new residents in and making them feel a part of the family. How they'd overhear a meeting in the kitchen, and realize that we actually were having a 45 minute conversation and debate about whether or not to cook frozen pizzas on friday (public event) night dinners -- were they easier to make? easier to clean up? easier to eat? cheaper? or just as much trouble as other food? do we even like pizza? They said how amazed they were to see that actually happening with such dedication and seriousness.

And eliza said how seeing that, and seeing everyone jump in so whole-heartedly into molly's performance last friday (which involved all of us performing as some body-system-part --- i was the mouth chomping in the digestive system! it was an incredibly sweaty costume and a really bizzarre experience interacting with people in body-sacks as a chomping/bowing mouth...) inspired her to make bathing suits for everyone in the community, even though it would be a lot of work. that she was totally willing to give as much as we were because she knew it would be reciprocated.

I'm trying to figure out what it is about elsewhere that i have fallen in love with -- and get frustrated by and confused by and discombobulated and inspired and lost in. what is the essence that i am so drawn to, that makes this place -- certainly not greensboro of which i know very very little about -- feel like home? how can this be entirely beautiful, rewarding, real, visceral, tangible as i can reach out and touch my roommate's foot, sweaty and stinking, bubbling and delicious, but also entirely removed, in a world of its own, un-real and imagined. temporary but forever?

i'm not a poet, but i'm an artist so i can say these things. also, i mean them. i am learning to bathe in my confusion and thoughts, instead of continuing to struggle and drown in them.

ELSEWHERE FAMILY VACATION.
to the beach, the outer banks, 4.5 hours from Elsewhere.
leaving saturday morning, 6am. returning sunday evening, 2am (after being rain-swamped out at 8pm and realizing, after some brainstorms, calls to dan's dad, and magic-phone searches that we just had to go home)
an intense personal thinking time in my head, thinking about groups, how we form groups, why we move together so easily and so confusingly at the same time, how much work it is to mobilize a group of 11 people, and how incredible it is to create and be a collective.

inspiration from eliza, community, hott butts, swimming, friends, beaches, road-trips, teams, the color red.

(while dry and theoretically still as-designed)
(after going swimming -- some loosing their "outer panty", some suspenders loosing their stretch and hold, most all becoming much more revealing, while still remaining surprisingly decent)

eliza fernand designed and constructed most of these, i made my own based on her example and guidance.  

there are a lot of people using the bathroom around here.