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Diva Lesson #6: Make It Work.

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My, my, my, readers. It’s been quite the week! Even though it was a short one, I felt like so much was crammed in all at once, in just a couple of days. Thankfully the four day weekend has arrived just in time. I certainly plan on taking advantage of it and doing some much needed relaxing. So, as I’m sure many of you know, things do not always work out the way that you plan them to. In times such as these, this next Diva Lesson becomes the most important! Yes, we all know that Tim Gunn uses the phrase all the time, which alone qualifies it as a key diva lesson, but “Make it Work!” means so much more.To be a true diva is to be adaptable, and able to think on your toes. This week was a perfect example of this lesson, which is why I figured this week would be the perfect one to bestow this lesson upon all of you!  So, without further adue, let class begin. Open your notebooks, and be prepared to take some notes! Now here we go: “Diva Lesson #6: Make It Work.”

Towards the end of last week, things already started to get a little wacky. I was casually using my computer, when all of a sudden, I heard this weird noise coming from the charger, and suddenly it stopped working. It was very weird, and I started freaking out because I had no idea what was going on. I tried unplugging and plugging the charger back into the computer, or into different outlets, but nothing worked. So, my computer charger had died. At first, I didn’t think was going to be a problem. But then I remembered that I had to facilitate a meeting with the advocacy committee on Sunday via AIM chat, and I also had a short paper due early in the week. Well snap. I called my dad right away and let him know, and he found a new charger very quickly. However, it was going to be the weekend and the mail room isn’t open, and I still had many things I needed to get done! What was a diva to do? Well of course, make it work! But more on that as the rest of my week unfolds.

As I mentioned previously, this week I had a short paper due. That paper was for my Feminist Art and Culture class. For the paper, we had to go and see feminist art work, and write a reaction paper to it. But, it can be hard to find feminist art work in general, and then on top of that, traveling around without a car also raised some worries for me. But of course, other divas come through and once again, it was another “make it work” moment! On Sunday, Jen, Jaz, Lil Fabez, and I all took a road trip! Lil Fabez was kind enough to drive, so she brought all of us to this museum our professor had told us about, called Dia: Beacon, located in the town of Beacon. Basically, Beacon is a center for modern art in the region. It was a beautiful day, and we drove over a bridge at one point blasting music from Hercules which was really hilarious and yet very cool at the same time. Dia was amazing. As soon as I walked inside, I fell in love with the place. There’s art work located both outside and inside of the main building, which is an old warehouse made of brick and painted mostly white on the inside. The large open areas make you feel so small, but it was such an inspiring space and when you walk in, you see these large colored shapes hanging on the wall. The array of shapes and colors was phenomenal. It’s hard to even describe the feeling that being inside of Dia gave me. As we walked further in, I saw other works that were just as flawless. One of my favorites in particular was a pile of shattered glass, which had shards pointing out at tons of different angles. It was so unique, and it was part of a series of similar pieces, one of which was seemingly a mound of dirt with shiny flecks in it. It was so simplistic, yet I could just stare at them forever. I wanted to just walk around for a while, but we were in a bit of a rush because it was a busy day. So we went upstairs and looked at the work of Louise Bourgeois, a feminist sculpture artist. Her work had a lot to do with natural shelters, and biomorphic shapes, while also using ideas of feminist and masculine themes. It was pretty interesting, especially because it was presented in a very secluded, quiet space. She had one sculpture in particular, a giant spider piece, which was very striking. We spent a while there, and when we had to leave, I wasn’t ready to. Dia:Beacon is definitely one of my new favorite places, and it reminded me of why I want to go into higher education, either in student affairs or admissions, at an art school. I loved the surroundings and the atmosphere. It was all excellent.

Following that, the four of us wanted to go and get something to eat since we all hadn’t eaten yet that day. We tried to go to Panera, but it was packed because it was a Sunday I suppose. Once again, it was another “Make it work” moment. So, we went next door to Coldstone Creamery and ate ice cream. Sure it was weird to eat ice cream first, but that’s what we did and it was perfect. After that, we went into town once we were back in New Paltz and we got Chinese food. Then, we made our way back to campus and I tried to get some work done. I had to rush to the print lab since my computer wasn’t working and I couldn’t use my printer, then I wrote my Japanese composition, and then it was off to the magazine meeting to plan the launch party which would take place the following day. After that was my next “make it work” moment. I had to rush back to Dubois, where a bunch of my friends live to use Lindsay’s computer for my chat with the NACURH Advocacy Committee. The chat was very successful. We were able to get everyone going on a couple of project ideas, and it’s nice to finally have that forward momentum. As the Vice-Chair, I was even able to take control and lead the discussion for a couple topics which was also very cool. I love working with the Advocacy Committee because all of the members come from all over the nation, and it’s really interesting to see all of these people come together in one setting, working towards a common goal or idea.
Monday finally arrived and I went to my classes. In Japanese, my professor surprised all of us and said we would be having a test on Wednesday, along with a guest speaker who would talk about studying abroad in Japan. None of us were expecting to have a test on Wednesday, so it turned into another “make it work” moment. The rest of the day went by pretty smoothly, but my professor for Intro to Law sprung another surprise on us, letting us know we would have to type up the briefing of a case and hand it in on Wednesday. Yet again, I couldn’t believe I didn’t have a working computer for this week. This was truly a week to end all weeks. Later that day, I yet again returned to my friend’s room in Dubois to use her computer to type up my paper for Feminist Art and Culture, and then I spray painted a pair of glasses gold because it just felt needed, and I prepared myself for the magazine launch party. The party went surprisingly well. It was a lot of fun and it was great to have the whole staff all together. A lot of people came which was also very exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Tuesday morning came around and I headed off to Feminist Art and Culture, my only class of the day. It was time for class to begin, yet my professor hadn’t shown up. Sure enough, she called one of the students in my class and let her know there was an emergency so she wouldn’t be in. Instead, we would hold class ourselves. We were told to talk about the work of a particular artist and relate it to the Slut Walk (which it taking place this Saturday, conveniently enough!) So, as you can probably guess, this turned into another “Make it work” moment. My week was really full of them through and through, I wasn’t kidding. It was actually a very interesting discussion filled class and it was really awesome that we were able to operate without the professor. It was a unique class to say the least. For the rest of the day, I took care of little business things that needed to be done, and did some more computer hopping. My charger arrived that day, but it was the wrong one so I needed to have my dad order yet another computer charger for me. So, I used Jordan’s computer to type up my Law homework, and then studied for my test the next day.

Wednesday came quickly, thankfully, and I went to my morning classes, the second of which was Japanese. We listened to the guest speaker, and then took the test which was kind of difficult, but short. I think it went pretty well overall. After that, I had my staff meeting for OL, and went to lunch with Stephen, Soraya, Christie, Jon, and Marissa. The rest of the day was spent waiting for my last class so that my four day weekend could begin. When I went to class, there were only twelve people there. This was expected because it was a late afternoon class right before a long weekend. We had class anyway, because even my professor knows the “make it work” rule and held a smaller, more intimate class. Once it was over, I was relieved that I had weathered my way through the week, and I went to reward myself with a caramel latte. It was my second latte of the day, but don’t judge! It’s National Coffee Week! What else would you expect?

So with that, the weekend began. Last night, I went to dinner with Jen and Stephen, and then we met up with Allison and hung around Espous before going to Stewart’s for ice cream. Our favorite worker, Robin, was there and I had pumpkin pie ice cream in a waffle cone. It had crust in it and everything! Then I returned to Capen and had a sleepover with Jordan in Sam’s bed since she went home for the weekend. Today, I got up at 12, and I had an e-mail from mail services. I had a package and it was my lap top charger! At last, I could use my own lap top once again. Clearly, this was a sign that the “make it work” week was coming to an end. Later on, I went to the mall with Stephen and Jen and we just walked around from store to store. We went to a Halloween costume store and a teacher’s store where I bough cute French stickers too. Then we went to dinner and Panera and closed out the evening with Starbs where I bought a pumpkin spice latte, despite ridiculous rain and lightening. Hey, it’s National Coffee Week! Sometimes coffee is just that important and clearly, this is one of those weeks. It’s been a great and relaxing day, and I’m looking forward to enjoying the remaining days of my long weekend.

Despite the fact that oddities or curveballs may arise in any given week, it’s always possible to handle them and navigate accordingly. Dealing with not having a computer was certainly a challange this week, especially when I had so many things going on which I needed it for, and then a kind of surprise test was another unexpected element, along with of course, probably the finest example of this week’s lesson, holding class without a professor. The key is to always remain calm and in control. A true Diva is one who does not crack under pressure, but finds a new path, and navigates anew in her own way. Although this should be saved for another lesson, and probably will be its on at some point, this lesson is similar to my favorite saying, “Fake it till ya make it!” Always remember that you can accomplish whatever tasks lie ahead of you, just remember what you’ve been taught here in this lesson, and the next time you have to deal with some sort of strange, random, or seemingly daunting situation, turn it around, make it fun, make it you, and take control. In closing, I want you to close your eyes and picture Tim Gunn standing before you, saying his favorite phrase (no, not “What’s all this flotsam and jetsam?” or “It looks like faux-bois.”), and then repeat after him, this week’s lesson, Diva Lesson #6 “Make it work!”

 

Extra Credit:  Upon reviewing my life choices since coming to New Paltz, I decided that I am more than likely going to add an Asian Studies minor onto my double major. I’m already a decent way into the program, so it would make sense to take advantage of that. I also really enjoy Japanese, so it would make sense for that reason as well. Political Science, Women’s Studies, and Asian Studies. What a combination.

Also, one of my best friends from home is coming up this weekend to take a look at New Paltz and get a feel for it to see if he wants to apply or possibly come here next year! I’m very excited to show him around because he’s never been here before and I also haven’t seen him in some time.

Finally, I really want to go to the Deadmau5 concert next weekend, but I still don’t have tickets, a way to get there, or someone to go with. This is a situation. Oh well, I guess we’ll just see how everything ends up playing out.

Diva Lesson #5: Indulge

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Heyhey my Divas-in-training! If you’re like me, you’ve been hard at work day in and day out, and you’re probably looking for some kind of a break. Hey, I don’t blame you! We all want some time to relax and enjoy some free time. Well…you’re probably wondering “But wait Brendan, what exactly does a Diva do with spare time?” Obviously the number one answer any Master Diva would tell you: “Get that heel training in!” High heels aren’t easy, but practice makes perfect! Well anyway, that’s not what this lesson is about. Actually, this lesson is about something different…probably the number two answer to that question…and the answer is: Indulge. Hey, you work HARD for the money and everyone is entitled to a break. So lemme tell ya ’bout it. So here we go, strap on those training tiaras and get ready, cause this week’s lesson is “Diva Lesson #5: Indulge.”

All last week, I was counting down the days to the weekend. It was our first feel week of classes and you KNOW I was feelin’ it. But hey, we’re here in college to work, and that’s what we do. So anyway, last week was a big week in my family. It was my parent’s anniversary, my dad’s birthday, and my sisters birthday. All of these events within one week of each other! Cray-cray, I know. But life works in mysterious ways. As part of this extravagant celebration, my parents decided that they would come up to visit me, along with my sister, for the weekend. So, on Saturday morning, my parents came and picked me up from New Paltz. We had a small debacle where we all ended up running circles around Parker Quad looking for each other, and it was kind of hilarious. Eventually, we all met up and I went with them to the neighboring town of Gardiner where we would be staying for the night.

The place where were staying was an apartment above someone’s garage. It was a giant room with a bed, futon, and couch, along with a TV set, refrigerator, and a small but nice bathroom. The home was gorgeous and it even had a heated pool, a hot tub, and a sauna along with a mountain view. It was wonderful. After we dropped our things off, we drove down the road and got some sandwiches and other food to have a picnic in the mountains. We then drove down to an area of the Mohonk Preserve where there was a little waterfall and we ate our lunch. Then, we drove further down the road to a second area of Mohonk and took to the trails! We did some hiking through the mountain trails, and then some serious rock climbing as well. As you can imagine, I wasn’t particularly prepared for this, and wasn’t exactly thrilled about this rock climbing situation. Still, I went along with it, and after I did it, I felt pretty accomplished. It ended up being really cool and the view was spectacular from the top of that area up high on the rocks. Also while we were hiking, we ran into a woman and her family. Funny enough, the woman recognized me. She was one of the people in charge of International Orientation and she recognized me from working with me since I was an Orientation Leader this summer. This just furthered the lesson that you will be recognized as an Orientation Leader wherever you are…even on the side of a mountain. We chatted with her family and ended up descending the mountain with them as well. It was a charming afternoon.

After we left the Mohonk Preserve, we went back to the house to compose ourselves and get super classy for our evening ahead of us. We ended up going to dinner at the French restaurant inside of the Culinary Institute of America. The campus there was so beautiful and when looking at the map, I realized that all of their residence halls were named after different spices which I thought was hilarious. The restaurant was phenomenal. I had a seafood crepe, aged pan seared beef, and flour-less chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream. The food was all so wonderful, and the atmosphere was great as well. While at dinner, my family had time to relax and catch up with each other. We talked about all kinds of things, and I updated them on what’s been going on in my life lately in more detail, since it can be hard to do so over the phone. Once we were done there, we went back outside and the campus was beautifully illuminated, and there was a gorgeous fountain right outside of the main doors. We drove back to the house for the night, and we all just relaxed for the evening. My mom and sister even took advantage of the facilities and took a dip in the hot tub! I was super tired though, so I just hung around the room and went to sleep.

The next day, we packed up all of our things since we would be leaving that day. It was my sister’s birthday too! She turned 21. We started out the morning watching reality TV (Top Chef: Just Desserts, in case you were wondering) and we ate cookies that my dad bought downtown. Then, we got the car all loaded up and headed out to breakfast at the Plaza Diner. It was weird being there during the day, because generally Stephen, Jen, and I go there really late at night. But hey, a little change up never hurts. While we were there, my sister opened her birthday gifts. My parents bought her a Nook Color, and I got her a gift card that she could buy things for her Nook with. I placed it inside of a Little Mermaid card. I figured it was fitting. After that, we went down to a nearby apple orchard and we picked apples for a while. I was picking all of the biggest one and had a really heavy bucket. We walked all over that orchard looking for the best apples. Fruit selection should be taken very seriously! I picked about 19 pounds, and my sister got about 14-15 pounds. That’s a ton of apples. Once we left there, we made a stop at my sister’s friend’s place. She just transferred to New Paltz and lives off campus, so she invited us over to take a look. The place was very small, put perfect for her needs and very cute too. Still though, it made me think about how glad I was to still be living on campus. I don’t think I’ll ever move off.

Finally, it was time for them to leave. They dropped me off back on campus with all of my things, including a ridiculous amount of apples, and my magazines. Magazines are essential. You need to keep yourself updated! Mark Sanchez is on the cover of GQ, Armie Hammer is on the cover of Details, and Kate Moss is on the cover of the phenomenal and over the top 758 page tome that is the Vogue September Issue. I live for this. Once I was back on campus, it was right back into the regular routine. Homework, Avant-Garde staff meeting, and then straight into the week with interviews (more on that in Extra Credit!), club meetings, homework, classes, quizzes, and other such things. This week, I had nine of my students all with birthdays within ten days of each other. Insanity I say! The week actually went by very quickly though, and I can’t believe it’s Thursday night already.
As I sit here typing, awaiting my 8:00 meeting with the Chairs of the NACURH Advocacy Committee, and then the first A Capella show of the semester at 10:00, I can’t help thinking and reflecting upon the fact of how important it is to treat yourself. You need to take care of yourself above all else. It can really help you get into a better frame of mind just to take a step back and do something that is either a lot of fun, or that you really enjoy. Sometimes, an escape can be the perfect remedy when you’re feeling stressed, sad, or just need a serious time out. This past weekend was the perfect example of this principle….and believe me, I indulged enough for all of you! Do not ever hesitate to enjoy yourself and indulge because hey, let’s face it! You’re a Diva, you deserve it! That’s why the lesson for this week is “Indulge.” You are now free to engage in your own person guilty pleasure. Enjoy!

Extra Credit: Earlier this week, Jen, Rose (also known as Lil Fabz), and I were sitting in our Feminist Art and Culture Class, and suddenly we heard “Only Girl in the World” playing from someone’s phone before class started. It was hilarious.
Also: This week, I had my interview for a spot as a delegate to go to NEACURH later this year. It went very well and I found out today that I got the spot as a delegate! I’m very excited and can’t wait for all of the preparation to begin for the conference.
Finally, New York Fashion Week has been going on. The lines from all of the designers have been pretty flawless. Spring 2012 looks very promising. Be sure to check them out on the Vogue website or something! They’ll leave you gagging on eleganza!

Diva Lesson #3: Balance is Key.

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Hello hello my students of sass! Here we are once again, for your weekly lesson to help you reach your true potential as the Ultimate Diva. So give your hair a quick flip (or whip…yes, I’m talking to you, Willow Smith) and get ready, because class is now in session. This week, I bring you Diva Lesson #3: “Balance is Key.”

As school slowly but surely gets into full swing for the fall semester, I find myself trying to juggle  responsibilities of being a student, as well as finding the time to have a social life while also doing homework and being a good student. This can be hard to maintain, especially in some classes where teachers have aggressive regiments of reading planned. However, that’s college life and the key to success is being able to find a balance between all of these things. This past week, as I found myself reading the history of the Peloponnesian War, written by ancient Athenian citizen Thucydides, for my Classical and Medieval Political Theory class, and different articles about myths and cultural images surrounding mothers for my Mothering and Motherhood class (I know, it’s an interesting mix. But such is the life of a Women’s Studies and Political Science major.), I found myself asking a deep, philosophical question. How exactly does Angelina Jolie find the time to be in a relationship, take care of children, while also being an amazing and flawless actress? I’m sure many people have thought of this before, and have asked similar questions. You could probably just ask SJP (Sarah Jessica Parker for all you non- Sex and the City fans.), since she just starred in that new movie I Don’t Know How She Does It, in which she portrays the role of a mother juggling all sorts of responsibilities at once. But then of course, I realized that the answer was quite simple. They’re both divas with balance. So now, I impart this knowledge to you, which I have gained in the past week.

It actually occurred to me this week, that I had been practicing balance for quite some time. In fact, balance is just another term for time management, really. That’s the key. As I reflected upon Labor Day weekend, this also became very clear. To start things off, on Friday, I took some time for myself. I took a nap in the afternoon, enjoyed dinner with friends Jen and Stephen, and then I went to visit Kyleen and Jordan who were both working the First-Year Friday event (aimed at first year students) which was a late night ice cream social in the student union, along with Jen. After that, I spent some time just hanging out with Allison and Jen just hanging out. It was very nice.

The next day, I started out by doing some laundry, and then going to see my friend Sharyce (aka Little Old) go and play tennis with Joey and Cat. She was only playing exhibition matches, but it was still a lot of fun to watch her do something she enjoys. Following that, I went to Starbucks to celebrate the return of fall beverages with my friend Jen (I know, again with all the Jens). We both got pumpkin spice frapps from Starbs. It was the greatest. Later that day, Jordan and I got dinner together at the Hawk Street Station, and then I spent the night in Bevier Hall with my friends Kyleen, Joey (the second), and Shaynee, all Resident Assistants in that hall. We spent the night listening to music and watching Criminal Minds. It was a very enjoyable and relaxing evening.

On Sunday, I got brunch with Joey (the first…I know, I should try to make friends with different names) which was great. I don’t get to see him as much as I did last year, so it’s nice to spend time together when we can. After we were done, I went back to my room and got some work done. I did my Japanese homework, and spent some time reading and taking care of things that needed to get done. I spent most of the day doing that, until later on when Jen, Stephen and I went to Stewart’s (our favorite gas station/ice cream place) to get ice cream and celebrate Beyonce’s 30th birthday. Obviously, this was a big deal and needed to be celebrated accordingly. Following that, we spent the night just hanging out.

Finally on Monday, a bunch of the Orientation Leaders and I went to a Chinese buffet in Newburgh. Since we all have different schedules, we don’t get to see each other that much anymore. Therefore, we all try to organize times or events when we can spend time with one another and catch up on everything that has been going on in our lives. I love the Newburgh buffet so much. It’s probably one of the best places to eat. It never disappoints. We all had a blast, and then on our way back we went to Starbs (twice in one weekend!!) where I enjoyed a pumpkin spice latte (I’m really into the fall drinks of late), and then headed back to campus where I returned to get some more work done, and enjoy the remainder of my weekend before the busy schedule of the week picked up once again.
As I reflected upon this story of my weekend, I thought about the balance I had used  to not only have time to spend with my friends, but also to get homework done, and remain on top of my studies. That’s why balance is so key. It’s all about finding the proper amount of time so that the work gets done and isn’t overwhelming, as well as remembering that it’s important to take breaks, take some time to enjoy being social, and enjoy friends. It is so important to remember because while work or tasks at hand may seem daunting, there’s always a way to navigate through, and achieve success while having fun at the same time. Just ask SJP or Angelina Jolie. I’m sure they would tell you balance is essential. That’s why this week’s Diva Lesson is “Balance is Key.” Class dismissed.