Written On the Body

2007-09-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

I ran into Erika at the opening for the Mexican American Cultural Center here in Austin. She was there with her mom.

"Hey girl - you never got me to write a word on you."

"My bad. Here you can still do it."

I pulled out a marker (miracle of miracles that I actually had a marker on me) and handed it to her. She wrote "mami" in the crease of my arm.

The Color Full 100

2007-08-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

LOVED your Word centuriothon! I also love occasional immersion in color galaxies, so I am offering you, in kind, the first 100 words of color association descriptives that i could freely extract from my brain (mostly right side), in 100 minutes, without mention or attachment of a primary or secondary color name. In atonement for sneaking in a few double words, I offer a few more words past the 100 mark. SCROLL DOWN BELOW, PLEASE.

Was fun on a lazy Saturday afternoon! Somehow, it made me hungry, too...

Love,

jeneric Jerry (Lyons)

THE COLOR FULL 100:

___________________

01-ivory

fire engine

cardinal

gold

silver

snow

charcoal

puce

aquamarine

10-bice

ochre

sienna

apple

caramel

chartreuse

fuscia

shrimp

lobster

oyster shell

20-coal

umber

sulphur

jade

pearl

jasper

moss

cream

cranberry

aquamarine

30-grape

cadium

carmine

alizarin

ultramarine

cerulean

paynes gray

umber

lemon

lime

40-naples

cobalt

beige

flesh

blonde

cantalope

margarine

amber

rose

scarlet

50-peach

walnut

hayfield

cucumber

dusk

azure

blood

clover

iron

rust

60-bamboo

camel

raven

ruby

cranberry

persimmon

flame

soot

pewter

canary

70-slate

cherry

bone

coral

turquoise

ebony

vermillion

smoke

mustard

bronze

80-tea

mint

rhododedrun

basalt

onyx

molten

limestone

avacado

sepia

fawn

90-emerald

turquoise

leather

brunette

hazel

tangerine

mustard

grass

corn

lava

100-robin egg

rouge

chocolate

coffee

midnight

Gerald Lyons

2007-08-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

100

for Ana-Maurine Lara

La tarde que beo caer sobre mi rostro

wraps you in serpentine prayer.

The Body, luminous Palimpsest

of the Divine, struggles for

peace, surprise, possibility.

Family. Joy.

Epicurean site of faith,

enigmatic Temple of the Conjurer

summoning patience from summer’s

sleeping sombras (! Hola Neko!)

Effusive with hope, I go to you,

believe the prestidigitation of vespers:

Oh, pulse of the alma,

organic candle of The Beloved,

transmogrify me,

lost in omphaloskepsis.

Forget delay: Look for grace,

transcendence. Gratitude.

Acceptance. Transition from pride,

Weakness to remember reverence,

labor, the Inquisitive ideal.

Drink in health, hope, unity.

Move toward

Home.

Namaste

Reginald Harris, 2007

Ways to participate

2007-08-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

If you want you can send me your stuff - zorashorse@yahoo.com and I'll post it!

1. Ask a stranger to write a word on you. Take a photo.
2. Pick a word out of a book. Write a poem using it.
3. Take five words from the 98 I have received, and write a poem with any combination of them.
4. Take three words from the 98 I have received, and re-arrange their letters to create a new word - completely invented.
5. Take a word that particularly strikes you and write a poem describing why.
6. Cut and paste any of the photos to create an image collage or art piece.
7. Make visual art out of the words.

The 100 words (well, 98 really)

2007-08-23T19:57:00.001-07:00

Àbújà

brachiate

effusive

serpentine

prayer

Ran-anim hi

plegaria

weakness

carro

remember

believe

Hey how are you

patience

possibility

munkah

cooperate

gratitude

love

pride

summer

la glace

luv

malt

a-na

sleeping

labor

sombras

grace

tervyn

transition

reverence

hope

delay

transcendence

love

palimpsest

prestidigitation

vesper

epicurean

site

enigmatic

orgasm

temple

conjurer

bake

acceptance

faith

loser

shaft

beloved

possibilities

home

[dog’s paw print]

summon

Gezla

cancer

alligator

unity

divine

abalone

look

peace

transmogrify

joy

oremi

divine

family

omphaloskepsis

Mexica

ideal

namaste

inquisitive

forget

drink

joy

move

health

fuerza

nerf

struggle

malaika

wahalla

organic

la tarde que beo caer sobre mi rostro

candle

surprise

MADD

pulse

alma

love

Vick

luminous

Hola!

Mo bá Hánnàh pàde nínú yàrá kòmpútà

2007-08-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

I wrote a note to myself: GET A WORD!!! And so, as I sat in the computer room at the Center for African & African American Studies at UT, I jumped to do it. I turned to the woman sitting next to me. She was quietly placing an electronic clock back in her bag. Bunmi is her name. I sat with marker in hand.

"Hi...I'm doing a writing project."

She looked at me inquisitively - as an odd sort of specimen that somehow brought the landscape into focus. She smiled and agreed to write something. With pen in hand, she asked me my name, and then proceeded to write a phrase out on paper.

"Well, actually, if you could write a word on me. On my arm, if you'd like."

"On you? Oh dear."

She thought again and then rolled her chair closer to me.

"Mo bá Hánnàh pàde nínú yàrá kòmpútà" she wrote, in Yoruba.

"It means `I met Ana in the computer lab' in Yoruba." I couldn't believe it!

"The very first word I received was in Yoruba. Where are you from?"

"I'm from Oshun state, in Nigeria. Who wrote the word?"

"Wura Ogunji. Her family's from Abeokuta."

And so I pulled the blog up on the computer and showed her. Bunmi smiled. Gave me her name and thanked me.

Thank you, Bunmi.

Today's the last day of this project. That means that tomorrow, I will not run around trying to get a word. I will not have to carry a marker in my pocket. My bag. My car. Just in case. I will not be taking a photo and then scanning it in. I will not be approaching a stranger with my stock quote.

Though I'm not routine in any sort of way in any aspect of my life, I did have somewhat of a "ritual" with this project. The ritual of uttering a phrase, collecting a word, capturing it in visual form, transferring that form into something virtual, kinesthetic.

I think I'm going to miss this. Though I have traces of words everywhere in my life: the photos I've collected in a composition notebook (which by the way was supposed to have 100 sheets of paper and only had 98), words that rubbed off onto the walls of my house, my pillow cases, bed sheets, clothes. Words that echo when I run into people and we recall each other through language.

Okay - I'm getting nostalgic. It's time to quit.

I thank everyone who dared to write on me and everyone who didn't, too. I thank all the witnesses who have followed this project to its completion, and have laughed with me at some of my follies. I don't know yet know how this project has changed me, but I know I'm feeling a lot less shy these days. I'm excited to see what people do with the words I have collected. And to watch the project expand in its own sort of way.

The next posting is all of the words that have come into my life in the past 100 days. All of them. Let's see where they go.

Peace. And Love. And Hola. And Possibilities.

Ana-Maurine Lara

2007-08-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

The first guy I asked was completely skeptical. He looked over my head and said, "Nah - I've got to go do something." I was like, "Are you sure you don't want to write ONE word? It's day 99 of 100." "Nah."

So then I went up to a woman walking in my direction. She was holding about three different bottles in her hands. Note to self - don't ask people carrying a bunch of things if they're willing to juggle them in one hand to give you a word. But, surprisingly, Melissa was open to considering it.

"Will you write a word? It's the 99th day."

"What is this for?"

"It's just a writing project. Just one word. Tomorrow's the last day." I was begging.

She looked at Wu who was standing to my right.

"Is she serious? Is it true?"

Wu nodded emphatically - "Yeah it's true!"

"Okay."

"So, she took the pen and wrote "Hola!"

Thank you Melissa, for making my 99th day!

2007-08-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

It's kind of amazing to be in the presence of someone you admire, and it's quite another when that person (in this case, Daniel) writes "luminous" on your neck and says, "Because that's what you are."

What do I say to that?!

"Thank you." And I smile. Big.

P.S. - That's Wu in the background - she's taken many photos when I can't get the angle right or the auto-photo function to work. Thanks Wu!

2007-08-20T18:05:00.001-07:00

I approached these two guys and Obi agreed to write a word. He wrote Vick - his friend's name. Hmm...unless it has some secret meaning, it's the first name (besides Yvette's dog name) that I've gotten. But I don't think it does. Have a secret meaning, I mean.

2007-08-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

"Cause I like to keep it positive." Sarah said.

2007-08-18T20:53:00.000-07:00

We were sitting out by the railroad track, waiting for the videos to start. It was the opening for the DiverseArts show "Facing East" - photos of East Austin taken in a 48 hour period. Her friend was in the show. I had heard about it and wanted to know who was taking photos and what they were seeing. Sitting on the train tracks, I turned to Vanessa, and she was totally there. Without hesitation she wrote "alma". We talked a little bit then, about the show. About where we're from. And then watched the videos on the outdoor screen.

2007-08-17T23:46:00.000-07:00

What an awesome time I had tonight. Sarah Sofia, at all of age 3, was off by the fireplace making art. Her mother, Whitney, Wura, Amanda and I were at Shia's enjoying wine and Tiramisu (off the hook, Shia!) when I asked Whitney if she would write a word on me. She wrote `pulse'. I then ran over and asked the budding artist if she would take my photo. I showed her the Polaroid and how to use it. She immediately suggested

"We should take five photos and then arrange them on the wall."

While I was tempted, I decided two was probably good. I kept one photo and gave her the other so that she could do whatever she wanted with it.

"Pulse."

2007-08-16T19:15:00.001-07:00

MADD - for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

"I know it's an acronym, but it's what I'm doing right now."

She was working on making an 8am presentation on buying motor vehicles when I asked her. I was only up at 8am because I had taken my car in for a brake check. Cars, cars, cars. And MADD.

2007-08-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

She was tired, I was tired, but I managed to get a word from Mrs Barnett:

Surprise!

2007-08-14T21:28:00.001-07:00

"Candle" is the word today. Which of course makes me think of the Elton John song "Candle in the Wind" which W. sang at dinner. Michelle had just been contemplating candles before I asked her. She was appropriately cynical, though oddly so for folks in Austin - more like what I would expect from East Coasters. She asked me why the word had to be written on my arm. I responded by saying that she could write on my neck or legs if she preferred, that is, if she was interested in writing at all. She agreed - yay!

It's always a tenuous moment when I ask someone to write a word. There's sometimes a slight hesitation, and I'm never sure what it's about. But then people let out their breath, and either agree or disagree. Some folks never betray their emotions in the process. Others beam them.

With only 9 days left, I'm starting to get a little nostalgic - already.

2007-08-13T20:45:00.001-07:00

Manuel August 13, 2007

The local laundromat was pumping with activity tonight at 8.30. Several dozen families and men were washing their clothes. I was leaning against the washer, and one guy was looking in my direction. So I decided to ask him. But he was unconvinced. Though curious about the project he was unwilling to write on me. And so was his brother, who was folding all the clothes.

"Estan seguros? Are you sure?"

"No. I don't want to write on you."

Okay.

So I walked outside and Manuel was there, sitting in his pick up truck talking to a friend. I walked up to the truck.

"Hola. Buenas noches. Mira. Soy artista." [Hi - good evening. Look, I'm an artist."]

"Yo tambien." [Me, too.]

"De veras?" [Yeah?]

"Si. Que tipo de artista eres?" [Yes. What kind of artist are you?]

"Escritora. Y usted?" [A writer. How about you?]

"Constructor." [A construction worker]

"Ah pues - sus materiales incluyen madera, cemento..." [Oh - so you're materials are wood, cement...]

"Y foam." [And foam.]

"Que bien. Mis materiales son las palabras, no mas." [Cool. Mine are words. Only words.]

"Ah pues. Y entonces, que esta haciendo ahora?" [Well. So, what are you doing right now?]

"Un proyecto en que le pido a una persona que escribe en mi brazo. Una persona cada dia por cien dias. He completado 90 dias hasta ahora." [A project in which I ask one person to write on my arm. One person each day for 100 days. Today's the 90th day.]

"Pues faltan diez." [You only have 10 days left.]

"Si." [Yes.]

"Y que haces con las palabras?" [What do you do with the words?]

"Pues, despues de que alguien escribe una palabra, tomo una foto." [After someone writes the word, I take a photo of it.]

"Soy alergico a las fotos." [I'm allergic to photos.]

"Yo tambien. Pero no le tomo fotos a las personas. No mas las palabras. Yo tambien soy alergica." [So am I! But I don't take photos of the people. Only the words. I'm also allergic to photos.]

We laughed.

"Y que haces con las fotos?" [What do you do with the photos?]

"Bueno hasta ahora no he hecho nada. Pero pienso hacer algo. Escribir poesia o pedir que las otras personas escriben algo." [Un until now,nothing. But I'm thinking of doing something with them. Write poetry or ask other people to write poetry.]

"Y que palabra escriben?" [What words do people write?]

"Lo que quieren. Puede ser hola o cualquier otra palabra." [Whatever they want. It could be "hola" or any other word.]

"Deja ver...que escribirias con la palabra hola." [Let's see. What would you write with the word "hola"]

"Pues no se...quizas `hola a la noche...'" [I don't know. Maybe "Hola a la noche..."]

"No! Tienes que escribir algo como `Hola al mar, que saluda la arena en la tarde de mis olvidos.'" [No - you have to write something like `Hola al mar..."]

"Eres poeta tambien, pues?! Ven - escribame una palabra." [So you're a poet, too! Come on, write a word on me.]

"Como no." [Sure, why not.]

And so he wrote "La tarde que beo (veo) caer sobre mi rostro." [The afternoon that falls over my face]

"Deveras que eres poeta." [You really are a poet.]

"Bueno..." [Well...]

He then asked me what else I was working on. I told him I'd written a novel. He asked me the title and laughed when I told him.

"Porque la falda? Tiene que ser algo como `Las Mujeres Traiccionadas.' o algo asi. Yo tengo un libro que dice `El Amor Eterno'." [Why skirt? It should be something like "Women Betrayed" or something like that. I have a book titled "Eternal Love".]

"Bueno - quizas la proxima sera una novela de amor." [Well, maybe the next book will be a romance novel.]

"Si. Asi es mejor, no?" [It's better that way, no?]

"De acuerdo." [Sure.]

We introduced ourselves to each other and bid each other good bye. And I have this amazing line of poetry on my arm.

Not a bad way to start the count down to the final 10 days.

2007-08-12T20:25:00.001-07:00

Freddie August 12, 2007

Freddie and I were at the club - "Sundays in Paradise" - when I asked him to write a word on me. I danced for a couple of songs before he chose one.

"I had a couple of words in mind." But he chose "organic".

Yay.

2007-08-11T16:55:00.000-07:00

"Wahalla!" is a Yoruban word meaning `whatever' or `that's too much bother', according to Ruth - who grew up in Nigeria. We were at the Salon I coordinate here in Austin today, and she asked me how it works - this project - and so I showed her. She wrote "wahalla" on my arm. In the Yoruba dictionary it says, "trouble".

Yesterday, Kiswahili. Today, Yoruba. Very nice. My favorite moment, though, was the hand gesture that goes with "wahalla":

2007-08-10T21:19:00.000-07:00

So, today's word has a really, really good story.

About a week ago, Wu received a call for a "grand prize". After we hung up about 10 times, we finally agreed to listen to the phone call that was not a solicitation. Now, keep in mind, my many random jobs over the past 15 years have included phone solicitation (umm yeah - telemarketing) so I have sympathy. But ten times? Anyway, we were finally SUCKERED into going to this "grand prize" event tonight...which the rest of the world knows is a time share sell. Manda had suggested it was a prison round up, but we don't have any warrants out for our arrest, so we weren't too worried `bout that (the state is GANGSTA in Texas). In any case, here we are filling out paperwork for this "grand prize"/time share sales pitch when Carmen Mullen walks up to me and says,

"Are you Ana Lara? From the Dominican Republic? You went to school in..."

and I finished the sentence:

"...Nairobi. Carmen? Carmen?!!"

I have not seen Carmen since we were 10 years old, maybe 11 years old and we were living in Nairobi, Kenya. Last time she saw me I had an unkempt afro and wore really dorky shorts and jellies. I completely recognized her. And, more amazingly - she recognized me.

So, OF COURSE, I had to get a word from her. That is, after we spent 3o minutes yapping about people we knew from back then, and how we both ended up in Austin, Texas. She lives right here in Austin. Where I live. 8868 miles from where we last were when we saw each other. 21 years ago.

And the word? "Malaika" (meaning Angel in Kiswahili) from the song "Nakupenda Malaika" by Fadhili William in 1950s and sung later by Miriam Makeba and most recently by Angelique Kidjo. It was really popular in Nairobi in 1985.

"Malaika, nakupenda Malaika." How fitting that the photo seems to capture it in a heart.

And no, we did not get the time share and no, Carmen isn't in sales, either.

2007-08-09T22:24:00.001-07:00

We were playing theatre games for change all night. And then...well, Tyrone and I first met by email over six months ago, but we hadn't met in person. We met on Tuesday night and then tonight I asked Tyrone to write a word on me. The word was "struggle". Fitting in discussions about social justice. I have a t-shirt that reads "Greetings from the struggle." And now, I have it on my neck, too. I didn't get to see the word or know what it was until a friend of mine said it outloud, and now, in the picture.

2007-08-08T21:41:00.001-07:00

I walked into Ventana del Soul where David was playing a computer game.

"Umm. We're closed. I'm only here because there's a meeting upstairs."

"Oh. Well, would you like to give me a word?"

"Sure." He said, leaning over the counter.

"Nerf. It's the first word that came to mind."

I smiled, knowing that he and I are of the same generation. Nerf rhymes with Smurf. And is squeezable. Immediate images of Nerf footballs come to mind. Flashing orange and green. Where there ever Nerf Smurfs?

I promptly left the cafe, word on arm, and waited for my friend to arrive. Alas, we were headed elsewhere.

2007-08-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

It's another hard to see word, but Adam wrote "fuerza!" on my neck. I didn't see it until the photo came out. I met him at a Theatre Action Project audition. He was wearing a Mechista T-shirt and talked about some great things. I went up to him afterwards and he wrote "Fuerza".
Gracias.

2007-08-06T18:47:00.000-07:00

She was handing out coupons for Kotex and Viva paper towels. I took one and asked her to write on my arm.

"Oh. Okay."

Connie wrote "Dios es amor"

She returned the marker with a huge grin. I thanked her and moved on, coupons in hand. Words on my arm.

2007-08-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

I was standing in line...at the check out. I swear I don't always go to the supermarket to get a word, but I just happened to be there yesterday getting the ingredients for a sancocho. Sancocho is a stew - I make it with lots of roots and meats and seasonings. Mark was standing behind me and so I asked him if he'd like to write a word.

"Okay."

and he wrote "Health".

"Thank you." I said.

"Yes. So you're a writer?"

"Umhmm. Fiction and poetry."

"That's very nice."

"I enjoy it."

I paused to look at the Star headline. Supposedly Brad Pitt is suggesting to Angelina that she go to rehab for her weight loss problem? What? Mark was checking me out from head to toe - I'm sure because I have this mohawk and have just asked him to write on my arm. So, I turned to him and asked:

"Where are you from?"

"I'm from here, but I grew up in West Africa."

"Oh - I grew up in Nairobi."

"I hear Nairobi is very nice."

"I enjoyed it, but you know I was growing up there."

"Yes. I've wanted to go to Nairobi but haven't had the opportunity."

"I've wanted to go to West Africa, but haven't had the opportunity either."

"Yes."

The woman behind the check out was finished ringing up all the ingredients.

"Have a nice night."

"You, too."

2007-08-04T20:53:00.001-07:00

Czarina's in town visiting. I asked her to write a word on me this morning and she asked if she could have a minute to think.

10 hours later, we got back to business. I asked her again.

"Yes! It's a simple word."

"That's cool."

"I want to write it on your waist."

I got the correct side of my shirt up and she wrote "MOVE" in big letters. Right on my waist.

Very cool. She's into dancing and movement and movements...Then she said

"It felt so familiar to write that word. And then I realized I used to make posters with that word all the time."

Cellular memory. Translated. Onto the body

2007-08-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was at the Macondo reading at the Esperanza Center. A great group of Macondo writers read their stuff. Joy Harjo played her sax and read her poems and the world looked new again. I have her book "A Map to the Next World", which I read. A lot. And so I went up to her and asked her to sign it. And then, I asked her if she wanted to write a word on me. She looked at me kinda like "is that really what's going on?", but agreed to do it after I showed her "drink" on my right arm. I mean - I just met her. Just like I meet people on the street. Only the set up is different:

Young author/Joy Harjo
Random person coming up to author's table/Author sitting behind table
Writing in books/Writing on bodies

I'm not one who is usually star struck. Half the time I'm sticking my foot way into my mouth and don't even realize that I'm supposed to be star struck. But...I have to admit...I was a little star struck. I mean, really, all I wanted to do was kick back and have some cold water and a great conversation. But it was a reading (refer back to set up discussion above).

So anyway. She agrees to write a word, and she rights "joy" on my left arm.

"Kinda obvious, I know. But hey."

"Yeah - that's awesome. Thanks!"

Awkward moment.

"It was great to meet you. Thanks again."

"Sure."

And onto the next person. I wandered into the crowd, watched from afar for a minute and then Wura and I wandered downstairs to the exhibit where she had spotted this really great piece titled "Willie Ninja (Hot)" by J. Garrett Marmando. And I knew. This was where the photo had to take place. Hot.

Oh - yeah - I also finally went out and bought some Polaroid film. FINALLY.

2007-08-02T23:59:00.000-07:00

Andy August 2, 2007

So, I came home early and was resting. I figured I would go out into the street and find someone by the bus stop or in the neighborhood. But I was so rested, that I didn't get out until 2.30am when my friend L. called - locked out of her apartment and needing a place to stay. So, I hauled my butt out of bed and drove over to pick her up, sharpie in hand.

And, how incredible is this, just as I pulled up to get her, Andy was walking by. We don't know where Andy was going or coming from at that hour, but that's irrelevant. He was perfectly content to walk up the hill by himself at 2.30 in the morning. And I mean - what was I doing? So, I stopped him.

"Excuse me!" my voice boomed through the dark.

He turned and stared.

"Would you like to write a word on my arm?" No introduction, no "Hi, I'm a writer..." It was 2.30am, people.

"Sure. Hmm..." He took the sharpie from my hand.

"What word shall I write? I know - drink. Like what it says on your T-shirt."

My T-shirt, which is well broken in, says `Drink Cultura'. You know how those T-shirts riffing off of commercial brands were HUGE in the 90s and early 00s. Yup. That's mine (I also used to have one that read "All Temperature Queer" but I got rid of it when it faded); old, worn in and still one of my faves.

So we stood in the half light of the street lamp and Andy wrote "drink" on my arm. I thanked him and he smiled.

"Sure!" and stridently disappeared into the night.

Meanwhile, L. was working on getting her bike into the trunk of the car. Eventually, she did. It all worked out perfectly.

2007-08-01T20:15:00.001-07:00

Derek August 1, 2007

"Cause I always forget things." Awesome word, Derek.

I needed to forget a few things today. You know when you have those days? Today was one. I needed to forget that moment when I leaned down under a metal bin and then stood straight up and bumped my head. And I needed to forget a couple of really awful comments that I heard floating in the air.

A word like forget makes me feel philisophical. Like what do we choose to forget and remember? As a people, cultures and societies, what do we forget and remember? What has been forgotten and what does our memory hold despite what's been omitted?

I remember (ha! see - memory in process) this sub-plot in Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver, when the main character (I forgot her name and have had to go look it up) Codi Noline remembers having seen her mother's death. But everyone, all the adults in her life, insist on telling her that she was not there that day. Because I don't want to ruin the story, I won't say what happens, but let's just say: her memory of her mother's death becomes critical to revealing truths about her life that she had been unaware of.

And how do we quantify or qualify memory? Where does truth really lie?

See - it does make me feel philisophical. And, I need to go sleep some more. So, I'm off to dream - and hopefully, remember my dreams.

2007-07-31T21:41:00.000-07:00

I was at Cafe Mundi, meeting a friend for poetry (as opposed to coffee - who says you can't live off poems?) and I went up to Doug and asked him for a word.

"Just a minute, I'm thinking." he insisted as he turned and ordered his beer.

When he was ready, he wrote "inquisitive" on my arm. He said it was the first word that came to mind.

Doug July 31, 2007

2007-07-30T06:36:00.000-07:00

Amanda Johnston July 30, 2007

"Namaste" she said, "So you can walk with an open hand and an open heart."

See - Amanda Johnston's always keeping it real and walking with love. This is an incredible, powerful woman. And she's reminding me to walk with an open hand. Thank you Manda!

Amanda said, "Now, no one else has written that word, right? You aren't going to come to me tomorrow and be like - oh so and so also wrote namaste, right?"

Naw - this is a first. But I might have to do it again sometime. "Namaste."

2007-07-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

C. and Scott July 29, 2007

We were all there for one thing: Pizza. East Side Pies rests on a shabby corner in East Austin, a screen door the only thing between it and the world. They arrived at the same time that we did. And so I took out my pen while W. went inside to pick up our order (curry base pizza with potatoes, broccoli and sausage....it was OFF THE CHAIN); she waited on the porch while her friend/partner went inside.

"Hi. I'm doing this word project...yadda yadda."

"Sure." and "I feel like if I'm going to write one word, it has to be..."

She sat with pen in hand. I was standing. It was almost a little awkward. I felt like I was staring intently, so I looked away. Back at the car, up at the ceiling. I didn't want to put her on the spot like that. I just wanted to get a word. But alas, the full weight of my request was weighing on me. Her friend/partner walked out.

"Can you give me a word?" she asked him.

"One word."

"Yeah."

"Uh - I don't know. Go!"

At which point she smiled.

"I thought of one."

So, she wrote "ideal" on my arm. And then offered her friend/partner the pen.

"You wanna write go on her arm?"

At which point, I could have taken authority and said "Nope, sorry - just one of you." but I was curious about the sense of licence and participation. And that she had invited him in to participate as a natural flow to the interaction. Now that's kinda cool.

"Sure."

And he wrote, too.

I introduced myself at the end. And what happened? I forgot her name - it's something great like Claudette or Celeste. Her friend/partner's name is Scott.

So, C and Scott thank you for my words!

2007-07-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

This morning I stumbled out of bed, late to meet my friend for breakfast. I don't know what I was thinking, partying until 4am and then thinking I'd be up at 8.30AM for breakfast. I didn't make it on time. I woke up at 9.15am and called my friend, begging her to wait for me. Which she did. And we had a delicious breakfast (if you're wondering I had the Plato Centroamericano which comes with eggs, black beans, sweet plantain and crema) at Las Manitas. And then we walked outside. I made it all the way to the car before realizing that I wanted to get my word right then and there. So as my friend wandered around the corner and I realized I wasn't going to chase her down, I meandered back to the restaurant in the hopes of finding someone to give me a word. And there they were.

There were three women furiously sifting through materials spread out on the bench in front of Las Manitas. More precisely, two women furiously sifting and another woman was watching, lending moral support as she stood with her parasol to the side of the commotion. Naturally, I was going to approach her.

Turns out Anonymous word writer is Japanese, and I believe is only visiting Austin. I explained what I was doing and she looked around, scared and nervous for a second (who is this person? why is she asking me to write on her?), so she called to the woman she was with, and Ring Leader turned around and demanded to know what I was doing (kindly, of course). So, I explained to her and she said, "Cool." and took the cap off the marker. Then she turned to Anonymous and said, "But you can write in another language. You should do it." So, Anonymous very quickly scrawled a word on my arm. And then the frenetic panic kicked in. Ring Leader explained, "We're on a scavenger hunt." "Yes," said Anonymous, "I thought you were also on the scavenger hunt."

No. Just getting a word. Just being little old me getting a word. I introduced myself to Anonymous and she nodded and said, "Yes." and I figured that was all that was going to happen today. I was going to get the word "cat" in Japanese, and frenetic nods. No names, no "maybe I'll see you around town."

I don't even know what they were looking for. But I found a cat, people. It's on my arm. In Japanese lettering.

I think next time I'll aim to leave my house for brunch.

Anonymous July 28, 2007

2007-07-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

Laura Rios July 27, 2007

Tonight I got the word "Mexica" from b-girl Laura Rios. She tagged it onto my neck and it's beautiful. We were at a party, so the resulting photograph is blurry and hard to see (especially after a very delicious strawberry daiquiri), but you can still see traces of the word. The photo actually looks like an image from 110 millimeter film - does anyone remember using 110 cameras? They would take really grainy photographs. And remember when they used to develop film with round edges? If you've never used a 110 speed camera, you'd best watch out. It's so retro it came and left before we realized it was ever here!

But, back to the word. Laura has these amazing tattoos on her shoulders of the Mayan Moon Goddess(es), and she was telling me about her recent life-changing trip to Mexico. So, with pride, she wrote "Mexica". I feel proud just wearing it.

2007-07-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

Today, I used my third lifeline. I forgot to get a word. It's not that I didn't have opportunity. I went to an art talk at the Jones Center. I went to a party at a friend's house. Forgot to get a word. And it's not like I didn't think about it. I actually did. I thought about the fact that I have less than 30 days left. And I looked at my calendar where I marked the last day of the project. But I forgot. Somewhere between images from the Hirschorn and viewing Elizabeth Axtman's video "American Classics", I forgot. Oops. Somehow, though, I don't feel bad about it. I think omphaloskepsis kept me going for a couple of days. Let's see what the word is tomorrow.

2007-07-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

Graber July 25, 2007

Omphaloskepsis - it's Graber's favorite word. Of course, I had to try and figure out what it meant. So, I thought about the "skepsis" and guessed "a skeptical man"? No. Not at all. That is not even close. Though, you could make a case for it, I suppose.

It means the contemplation of one's navel as a form of meditation. Or navel gazing, but in a mystical sort of way.

It's a cool word - and it's on my arm. So, I'm off to skep my omphalo peeps.

Oompaloompa Oompaloompa Oompaloompa...

2007-07-24T17:21:00.001-07:00

Jose Lara July 24, 2007

Only 30 days left! Today is Day 70 of the Written Word. I can't believe it. Well...30 days is still 30 days.

Today's word is "family". Jose told me that family is the most important thing to him. Absolutely the most important. He had just also told me how his 11 year old niece is coming to live with him. He took out his red marker and wrote the word, which to me was absolutely perfect - what with all the connotations of family/blood, etc. And the synchronicity is pretty fantastic since I spent the past weekend creating family with RedBone folks. And not to mention that Jose and I share the same last name. Family.

I like how the green tones of the photo offset the red. I'm still not such a great photographer, but I'm definitely having fun.

2007-07-23T16:53:00.000-07:00

Did somebody say BBQ - yes. Well, we went to Ruby's BBQ for lunch so that folks leaving Texas today could say that they had BBQ while visiting. And Sherri Ross, word alchemist extraordinaire, was sitting across from me.

Now, this is the thing. Sherri's life work is about how we use language to shape our realities. In fact, she's coming out with a book soon all about this. About how we use language, and words, and how we can tap into their complete divine meanings. So, OF COURSE, I'm going to ask her for a word. And she wrote, on my right arm, "Divine". She told me that sometimes she writes the word "love" over her heart when she needs a little in her own life.

Sherri Ross July 23, 2007

It gets better. Ernest, who was sitting to Sherri's left, says, "I want a word!" and so Sherri agreed. After a moment of contemplation, she leaned over and wrote "evolution" on Ernest's arm. He asked her for the meaning, and the word alchemist replied, "Because a lot of times we speak of revolution, but revolution is all about going in circles. Evolution is always about moving forward." Go on, then.

Sherri Ross on Ernest Hardy July 23, 2007

And THEN Wura, sitting to my right, got really excited and wanted a word, too. Sherri became quiet, and hmmmed. "I don't know why, but this is the word that's coming to me for you." Sherri gave Wura the option of chosing where she wanted the word and so Wura chose her hand ("oh, but it will wash off!" she said and then shrugged and put out her hand).

So, today is the first day in this project where the word formed a circle: divine evolution tenderness.

Sherri Ross on Wura Ogunji July 23, 2007

2007-07-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

"First," Jafari said, "in Yoruba "oremi" means friend. In Cuba, in the Lucumi tradition, it refers to women who don't engage sexually with men. And in the streets, during festivals, you see the oremi selling their food, slapping their hands to chase people away or bring them closer - like the sign language for "tortillera". And then in the past couple of years a group of women in Cuba has formed a group called Oremi."

Thank you Dr. Allen.

Jafari Allen July 22, 2007

2007-07-21T16:48:00.001-07:00

Reggie Harris July 21, 2007

We were outside where I had fired up the grill. A circle of us stood around absorbing the heat from the fire. I asked Reggie to write a word on me. He got down on his knee and wrote "joy" on my foot. What better place to look to be reminded but the foot that steps forward first?

2007-07-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

We were getting ready to head into town and do a reading when I asked Samiya if she would write a word on me.

Now, I have to note that since beginning this project I have had the privilege of being at two retreats with other writers. So it is in this context that I have gleaned words to grace my body. Samiya wrote "transmogrify" - which means, simply stated, to change in appearance or form. Which is a beautiful play on the change visualized on my body by the mere presence of words. Which I then had to illustrate in the act of taking the photograph.

Very cool.

2007-07-19T16:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight we were sitting around after our journey to the lake. We have been gathered for the RedBone Press retreat. Ernest was sitting to my right and so I asked him if he'd write a word on me. He agreed and wrote "peace" on my neck. Samiya Bashir agreed to take a photo of me and so I wandered over to the corner and as she took my photo, realized I was staring directly into the ancestor's face. The image is from a series of German ethnographic prints from the 19th century. I, of course, forgot to write down where the prints are from and which print this is, since after the photo I was so taken aback that this man's face and mine were at eye level.

I am fascinated by the words on my neck. Does the neck, like in Yoruba mythology, seat the soul?

2007-07-18T20:59:00.001-07:00

Jason July 18, 2007

I finally got a word from one of my neighbors! Amazing. He and another man walked out of their apartment just as I was in the parking lot. I went up to them and the other man immediately pointed up the stairs and before I had a word out said, "Ask her upstairs."

But Jason was really into it. He was like "Yeah - I'll do it! This is a heck of a project." And he wrote `look'. Before sidling off behind the other man.

2007-07-17T19:59:00.001-07:00

So the picture's a little blurry, but Mike (aka MR.) wrote "me" on my fourth finger. He wanted to write it in ball point pen first, but then I pointed out it wouldn't be visible. So he wrote it in permanenet marker. He said, "Because you should always take care of yourself first."

And no, it's not a Queen Latifah reference. Though it could be if I wanted it to be, really.

2007-07-16T20:51:00.001-07:00

Monday. I think Mondays are my low point with this project. Thank goodness there are people like Ivan to make things right. I went to HEB to get a movie at the $1 rental thing they have there. Ivan was leaning back on the toy machine (you know the ones with the CLAW that never works). I asked him if he was in line and when he said no, I responded, "Well actually..." yadda yadda..

Ivan asked me what other words people had written on me. I recalled the ones that were first on my mind.

"Possibility. Hi. Luv. Love." W. piped in with "Divine."

"Yes, divine was from yesterday!"

He said, "Well, I had thought of a word earlier. I'll do it." and he leaned over and wrote "abalone on my right arm. Abalone. Amazing.

And then, when I told him about this website he told me he would definitely follow this up. That's awesome. Thanks Ivan. Thanks for making Monday marvelous.

2007-07-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

Okay - I could have sworn I posted this, but I came to my blog and it wasn't here. Twilight zone...or maybe it's the word "divine" that Senalka wrote on me. Or maybe I was just really tired on Sunday and just thought I posted it. Anyway, though this is dated for July 15th, I'm actually posting it on July 17th. Thus the ramble.

Senalka wrote "divine" on my neck. How beautiful is that?

It's amazing how my neck has been the repository for so many divine words:

prayer, gratitude, graceful wind, homeland, cancer, divine

I'm liking this. I'm really liking this.

2007-07-14T13:32:00.001-07:00

So this morning, pre-caffeine, post-spilling tea all over myself (as I got out of the car, which was parked on an angle, I placed my open mug of tea on the roof of the car where it promptly slipped off, onto me and then under the truck right behind me), I trudged to the post office. Tea on my white pants and everything. There are only two post offices in Austin that are open on Saturday and I had to mail off a grant, so I was going to do it despite being a walking disaster.

After taping my grant envelope shut - mind you, the address was INSIDE the envelope, thereby requiring that I untape it to retrieve the address - I went to my place in line. Standing behind me was a young woman to whom I turned and promptly asked if she'd like to write on me.

"Sure!"

Her enthusiasm made me enthusiastic, too. I suddenly felt myself waking up.

"A word, huh? Any word? Hmm. Let me think about this."

"Sure."

"Do people usually think awhile before writing a word?"

"Not always. It can really be anything. Anything at all."

"Okay." Her gaze took in the post office in an attempt to receive inspiration. She decided, "I'll write something nice." and wrote "unity" on my left arm.

We continued to wait in line, made small talk. And when all was over, we introduced ourselves twice to each other and waved goodbye about five times. It was great.

I then went outside, W. took my photo. Do not be confused by the word on my t-shirt "Mariposa" which means butterfly in Spanish. Today's word is really on my arm. Frankly, I think I look like one of those models from the Modell's catalogues. And no, that's not a pained expression on my face, it's a decaffeinated smile.

2007-07-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

Ronny July 13, 2007

Today was a hot day in Austin. Apparently as hot as 100 degrees...I couldn't tell you if it was in the shade, cause I was under a hot metal roof all day.

I got the word "alligator" from Ronny. He was passing through and asked me what was on my neck (the word from last night). So I told him about the project and he wrote for me. He told me alligator is his favorite word.

2007-07-12T21:55:00.000-07:00

At first I didn't know what she'd written. And then she said, "Can I tell you?" We were at a local Mexican restaurant. There was West African music blasting overhead and so we were shouting at each other. I said, "Okay."

"Cancer. I wrote cancer."

It was the first time someone wrote something on me where I was totally mortified. I'm terrified of cancer and all that it brings, and have people close to me who are living and battling cancer. Florinda did not know this about me, though.

"Grrl - why did you write cancer on me?"

"Because this nine-year-old boy in my class told me today that he has cancer. Leukemia. I didn't realize he had cancer until he told me. It's been on my mind all day."

And then, I thanked her. For humbling me with this word. For inviting me to share something that moved her so deeply. And for allowing all of us at that table to share the weight of our struggles.

2007-07-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

Gezla - the name of Yvonne's dog. Which was cool, cause Wura and I had just been talking about dogs. About how we become attached to our pets.

2007-07-10T20:57:00.001-07:00

This evening Jen and I were sitting under the amazing Crape Myrtles at Cafe Mundi. The flowers were bright pink, and the leaves formed a gorgeous canopy over our heads. I asked Jen to write a word on me and she wrote "summon". Ooh la la. That's a Crape Myrtle trunk in my hand. I've been repeating the name of the tree because I just learned it. Isn't that a great name? Summon the Crape Myrtle! Sounds like magic.

2007-07-09T21:27:00.000-07:00

W. was talking me about the fact that every artist has a moment of deep vulnerability - where they just don't get what they want. I guess that's true. I might spend an entire day working on one poem or chapter and not get what I want out of the process. Or just have something be flawed in a small or not so small way.

Well, today, I was not feeling well and not feeling like asking anyone for a word. I was laid up, and the thought of having to interact with anyone just made me nauseous. So there you have it. I didn't get a word today. I did, however, lie on the floor after inking my dog's paw after which he ran it across my back in his meager resistance to participating in this project. That's him, in the photo. That's my hand reaching to clean his paw. That's me on the floor, where I lay for like 5 minutes following this photo. Trying to find a way up.

I know it looks like he scratched me, but in a way, isn't that the most authentic dog word there could be (besides a paw print)?

2007-07-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

Camille DuPrang July 8, 2007

Today, Camille, Wura and I met up for a celebratory drink. It was the perfect occasion to ask Camille to write a word on me. She was psyched. I was, too. She asked if she could write it on my chest. I agreed. She wrote home, complete with heart. Now that's a nicely layered idiom.

2007-07-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

The setting: A backyard party at Yvette's in North Austin.
The players: Lots of people, including Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano and Ana-Maurine Lara.

There was this cute party where I learned how to make micheladas (thanks to Orlando) and where a small group of us got into a very passionate discussion on Latin@ LGBT politics, family, land, art and the role of artists in social change. In the midst of this, Lorenzo asked how the writing project was going. I asked him if he'd write a word. He said yes.

He wrote "possibilities" - and said, "That's the closest thing I have to religion. The idea that all is possible. " It was a very (meta) physical discussion there for a moment. Including the idea that our language, and our frameworks limit what we can imagine. How's that for a philosophical question?

How cool is that? And, then I ask, does the word become a possibility? The moment? The ink left on skin? At what level does possibility break down between time and space? And what does this all have to do with art? And being an artist? Everything, dahling. Everything.

2007-07-06T20:42:00.001-07:00

Note the cool blue sharpie color. It's the same color Yosenio used to write the word on my arm. Note this right now: I didn't know his rationale for the word before choosing this color. He's passing through town, and this morning, standing in the sunlight by the side of his car, pen in hand, he explained to me the rationale behind the word:

"I've been thinking about this word for awhile. I was thinking about the branding of slaves, and how in the Holocaust, peoples' arms were marked by numbers tattoed on the skin. And I wanted to choose a word that is respectful of your history and that also shows that I have a relationship to you and your body, but not one of colonization or ownership in the way that our bodies have been owned."

Breath.

"And did you know that Auschwitz was the only camp that used numbers? And they had different colors that might have indicated the location from which people were snatched. And..."

"And you looked all this up?"

"Yes. I did some research, because I wanted the word to be a reclamation. To turn something negative into positive. A way to show love and companionship and to turn this history on its head."

And so he chose, "beloved".

2007-07-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

Today's word is "shaft". That is such a malleable word. It also signifies a million different things in my mind, none of which I'll go into now - with the exception of that 70s on-screen lothario - Shaft. Replayed by Samuel Jackson in 2000.

Still the man?

2007-07-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

I am on DAY 50 of this project. If you weren't ever an athlete this metaphor might not make sense. But if you were, I know you'll feel. And I used to be an athlete - a long, long long time ago as Andre 3000 says. And I used to swim the 500 yard freestyle. And right around halfway, I would be staring at the bottom of the pool cursing myself and my coach for this race. But also knowing I couldn't give up either.

I'm at the halfway point people. And I'm feeling lazy about it. Today, I went through the various rationales - "I'm feeling kinda under the weather." "Well, 50's pretty good." "Word. Photo. Scan. Blog. Word. Photo. Scan. Blog. Word. Photo." you get the idea.

But no - I think it's that I hadn't gotten my word of the day yet. Today I got "loser". Yeah baby! Someone brave enough to put down the first word that came to their head.

Now, loser is one of those words that we always toss around so casually. "He's such a loser." "I feel like a loser." "Loser." "Don't be such a loser." But words hurt, people. Afterall, it's not like we also go around saying: "She's such a winner." "I feel like a winner today." "Winner." "Don't be such a winner." If someone went around saying that, we'd all be like "What a freaking loser."

2007-07-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

It was a rainy day...

and i was at the library once again. When I went up to Meghan and asked her if she wanted to write on me. I felt kinda bad since she was sitting minding her own business, when I accosted her, really, but she was game. She wrote "faith" on my arm.

Girl - I hear it's what you have when there's no hope left. A cynic told me that one.

Oh - and that funky spirit in the picture/polaroid getting stuck on the roller thing happened again. It's bright pink when it first happens. But then it turns black. It's pretty both ways.

2007-07-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

Dulani and I met up at Mary's Ice Cream Shoppe on W 4th Street for a quick minute - well, it as more like 60 minutes. Thanks for the word "acceptance" D! (BTW - Isn't it crazy how the sign for Jones Street is 100 times clearer than the word? go photo skills)

2007-07-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

Myronn and I were on the train together for about 9 hours. We were heading back to NYC from the Cave Canem retreat. Oh we were having a good time. Sharing stories from our travels and stories from the subway. Talking about poetry and teaching. At one moment - I think it's when we pulled into Newark, I turned to Myronn and asked him if he wanted to write a word on me. He was shocked. Cause of course, I forgot I hadn't told him about the project until that moment. But, he said he'd do it anyway. So, as the train rumbled up the tracks to NYC, Myronn skillfully wrote "bake" on my arm.

Myronn Hardy July 1, 2007

That's skills, Myronn - to write on a moving train. Now, if you see the wiggles, it's cause the train was moving and bumping.

And I love that word - "bake". Effectively mysterious.

2007-06-30T11:00:00.001-07:00

Amber Thomas June 30, 2007

Nuff said.

2007-06-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning and set my goal for the day. This is not something I do often. Usually, I wake up, stumble through brushing my teeth and drinking some juice and then the rest of the day is up for grabs. But today, I woke up with a goal: I'm going to ask Yusef Komanyakaa to write a word on me.

Now, it's not that Yusef is an intimidating man. He is...cool. I mean cool like pine tree shade in the middle of a hot meadow cool. I mean cool like miles davis jazz at the blue note cool. I mean cool like blades of grass sprout dew in his wake cool. I've been hanging with the man for a week. Took a workshop with him on Monday. But - it's another thing altogether to ask him to write on me.

So, I worked up the nerve. 2pm followed him to workshop.

"Yusef - I'm doing this project...I'm..yadda yadda"

He laughed. "I'll think about it."

So, I took the man at his word. I went back to him after dinner.

"Yusef - did ya think of a word?"

He laughed some more. His wonderful front porch laugh.

"Yeah - alright."

And he wrote "temple" on my left arm. Now that, my friends, is a blessing like I've never known before.

Then the wonderful sistah Aya de Leon took the photo from me. Isn't it gorgeous?

2007-06-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

Today's word was given to me by L'Oreal Snell at the reading in Pittsburgh. We drove down there in the big bus, Paris is Burning on the televisions, and ate some sushi and down-home cooking before parking our butts in the Hillside Center auditorium/gym to listen to Carl Phillips, Cornelius Eady, Toi Dericotte and Yusef Komanyakaa speak the good word. And by good I mean the humorous, poetic, deviant word.

So, in accordance with the mood, L'Oreal wrote "orgasm" on my wrist (picture to come shortly when the scanner is once again available). I said, "Oh - okay. Nobody's written that one yet. That's hot." and she said, "I don't mean it in a sexual way?" You don't? Oh - that's right. Orgasm in the sensual intellectually stimulating way, right?

Cool.

2007-06-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, as we drove to the store to get some things, Vivee said, "I have a word for you tomorrow." I said, alright. So, today I found her in workshop, and she wrote "enigmatic" on the back of my neck. What I love is that the photo is also slightly enigmatic. Slightly mimetic/conceptual...Cornelius Eady is hanging out in the back. Talking to somebody about their brilliance.

2007-06-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

Today's word is "site" - as in the site of major activities and events. As in the site of memory and moments.

2007-06-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

As I walked by yesterday, Dante asked me about the word "vesper" on my arm. I told him about the writing project. He said, "Find me tomorrow. I have a word for you."

So that's what I did. This morning, as I finished breakfast, I saw him trying to find out which sausages were meat and which ones were vegan.

"The flat ones are vegan." I said, as I handed him the sharpie. Without another word, he pulled my sleeve up and wrote `epicurean' on my arm. The left one. My deltoid/bicep area.

Epicurean: having luxurious tastes, sensuality...perhaps - a hedonist.

2007-06-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

I have yet to locate a scanner today. I'm at Cave Canem in Pennsylvania, with a group of amazing people. Today, Simone White wrote "vesper" on my right arm. I barely met her, she had been taking a nap, when I asked her. She asked me how long she had to think about it. I replied, "You can think, but not too long."

Here's to hoping I locate a scanner!

Note on June 25th: I located a scanner. Here's the photo. That's the view from my dorm room window.

2007-06-23T21:58:00.000-07:00

In case it's hard to read, my mom wrote "prestidigitation". A little magic for a Saturday.

She turned to me, as I wrote this blog and said, "It's like conjuring." Well yes - I suppose it is.

2007-06-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

I went to D'Lo's show - Ramblations - tonight. And afterwards a group of us went to go get something to eat and to hang out. Tisa, who was not able to make the show, joined us. I asked her to write on me. She contemplated the word for a half hour. Wrote it out on a napkin. Checked in with Erica, sitting next to her, as to the correct spelling, and then very graciously spelled out "palimpsest" along my collarbone - following the curve of my undershirt no less. Brilliant.

First off, I love Tisa's writing. It's almost Victorian. Second of all, I love that she wrote it out on a napkin first. Third of all, we contemplated for quite a while as to where the word would fit. And lastly, she measured it out along my collarbone before writing it. Amazing.

We were sitting at this restaurant, eating really good food in the midst of an avant-garde picture show: trees and landscapes flashing in LCD screens around us (you can see branches in the top right hand corner of the picture).

Then we all posed for pictures. D'Lo's friend (whose name I'm forgetting - but she was really cool), took this photo. That's why you get the face - my face that is. And D'Lo, too (D'Lo - you are too FUNNY!! What you doin' checkin' out my palimpsest?) and I had had a Brooklyn Lager - thus the HUGE grin on my face.

Finally, we wandered outside into the cool mid-summer air, and realized that none of us knew what palimpsest meant. At which point, Erica - word genius - defined it for us. "Words layered upon words." Rona chimed in "It's basically dirty laundry."

Ha.

Well, if this is dirty laundry, give me more baby. Give me more! It's occasions like this that I feel that little word addiction coming back. Like I can't wait until tomorrow to get another word. But alas, I shall.

2007-06-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

I finally went and got some film. I went to B&H on 34th Street, which is always so much fun. I always get a mild sugar high walking through there because of course I can't resist eating all the little candies set out on the counter-tops. Grape. Strawberry. Banana.

On my way there it had started raining a little bit. It was totally surprising. I get on the subway at Columbus Circle and the sun is shining and the air is cool - a perfect furst day of summer. I get off at 34th and it's drizzling. Umbrellas are popping up everywhere. I just got wet. I don't know why I'm surprised. I'm sure if I'd bothered to look at the weather this morning, I would have seen it coming.

But anyway, I slipped my way into B&H, bought my film and slipped out. I did what a lot of people do: I waited at the bust stop for the rain to pass and then, I mosied on back to the 1 line station. On the way, I stopped and asked Danny if he'd write a word on me. I had this feeling, you know, like he'd have great handwriting, and so I turned around and asked him. He was sweet. Shy. Like the guys I dated in high school. And he wrote "love" - saying, "People have probably written this one before."

Yeah. But it's never a bad thing. To have love. We parted ways when his cell phone trilled with a call. I made my way down to the subway.

p.s. - I inadvertently got a photo of my fam. in the corner of this shot. Oops. They look nice, though. They're dressed up.

2007-06-20T16:27:00.001-07:00

Firesong June 20, 2007

I've (re)discovered the joy of my cellphone camera. Yes, I've been known to obsessively photograph my dog when he's looking too cute for words. And to photograph myself in odd ridiculous poses, too. Or with my eyes crossed. And yes, I've been known to actually SEND these photos to friends. But now here's where photographing my arms for a writing project becomes...well, that's almost serious. I'll be back to Polaroids soon. Though this phone thing....

The truth is, I was stuck at the airport all day yesterday, when I was all excited about putting the photo up at the internet port (refer to: delay), and ended up going home at 9pm to start all over again today. Firesong gave me ride to the airport, trudging through the flash floods of yet another Texas thunderstorm (this one was actually reported on the weather channel) to get me to the terminal for what would hopefully be my on-time flight. And it was. THANK GOODNESS!!! Nothing like getting stuck in the airport vortex.

So, now I'm in NYC. And I have the beautiful word, "transcendence" on my arm (note- I'm impressed with the spelling skills here, people). A guy on the subway was staring at me. Cause the words "delay" and "hope" are still there, too. Although he could have just been staring.

2007-06-19T16:21:00.001-07:00

Tony June 19, 2007

from the austin airport where i was waiting for my flight to take off..a couple hours "delay"-ed

i love technology. i took the photo with my phone, pixed it to myself and then uploaded it at the internet site at the airport.

rock on. tony

2007-06-18T21:50:00.001-07:00

Jeannette July 18, 2007

Today Jeannette gave me `hope'. It's awesome. At one moment, her friend was going to write the word, but when Jeannette said "hope" her friend her "ho" and said, "what? I'm not gonna write that." At which point, J. took control of the marker and wrote it herself.

I was making a print of my grandmother's photo for my mom - you know - one of those machines at CVS? Well, while the thing scanned the photo, I walked up to the group of young women and they were obviously not a shy crowd.

Hope is a great word to hold onto on a Monday night. I hope everyone's week goes well.

p.s. - I keep trying to come up with new poses for my arm. It's like arm modeling. How many different positions can an arm take for the artist? Hmm...

2007-06-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

I danced with Shia today and then asked her to write a word on me. She was so lovingly focused on finding the right word. She said, "This is what came through me." Reverence. It made me think about what it means to revere something/someone/sometime...what does it really mean? We can walk with reverence, or without. We can be reverent in certain moments or most of the time. What does it mean? It's such a powerful word. Thank you, Shia.

2007-06-16T19:14:00.000-07:00

Lisa's in town. I got a word from her tonight and she chose `transitions' - "cause it's on my mind" she said. Yeah - lots of transitions going on.

2007-06-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

Rasa Hollander June 15, 2006

I ran into Rasa Hollander at the Jones Center opening for New American Talent. In the middle of the crowded floor, I asked her to write a word on me, and she picked "tevyne" which is homeland in Lithuanian. She chose it cause she thought I could totally understand. Since she hasn't been to Lithuania for awhile and is feeling the hankering (I was talking about missing Santo Domingo).

Shortly after, I went to the bar and got a glass of wine. As Rasa was saying goodbye the wine crashed into her elbow and then down onto the floor, splattering across her pants and shoes. Mazel tov! Marco (her friend) said. I echoed the cheer. Annette, who it just so happened that the last time she saw me, my wine was also knocked onto the floor, just laughed. Maybe it was for her ancestors?

A few hours and many bad 80s songs later (remixed for the dance club), I stumbled into my apartment and realized my Polaroid camera was in the guest room, where my guest was quietly sleeping. So W. got her digital out and took the photo - before the pillow would have a chance to wipe the word away for ever.

2007-06-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

It's not too hard to bring out the gay boy in me, but Kristen did it with astounding skill. She wrote "grace" on my lower back. It was lovely. I didn't even see it until I got home. I was going to resist the temptation to look in the mirror (I wanted to wait until the photograph came out), but I couldn't! I looked and saw it backwards.

And then, it came out so great in the photo. I love the fish swimming just below. You see the fish?There're two of them.

This is my writer's outfit. A sarong and a tank top. If I could walk around like this ALL the time, I would. And I do. As often as possible. Now that I know how gay I actually look, I'm even more excited.

And thank you for the gift of grace!

2007-06-13T21:46:00.001-07:00

Ji-Hye was very disappointed. She had imagined her day in the word light as an occasion to serve strawberries and chocolate, champagne and Billie. Holiday. Not Bragg. But no. It was the opposite of gracious or intimate.

We were parked in the sweltering heat of the afternoon Austin sun, a bunch of pre-freshman orientees swarming the sidewalks on the right. Cars in the beginning afternoon rush hour inching along Guadalupe St on the left. We were parked in front of some store. And I asked her to give me a word. After the shock of it all, she decided she wanted to write on my foot. I reached under the steering wheel and in some form of contained acrobatics, managed to pull my shoe and sock off which, by the way, I had only been wearing because I knew I was going to be inside most of the day. Normally, I'm a sandal/flip-flop kinda gal.

So, here I am stretching my wrinkly foot over the gear shift (hoping my feet don't stink) and Ji-Hye ponders for a minute. "What shall I write? This is not how I pictured it."

sombra

"For three reasons. One, because you helped me find Chavela Vargas. I had been searching for her for ten years. Ever since I heard her voice in the Flower of My Secret [a film by Pedro Almodovar]. Two, because it is your first language. And three, because it is so hot where we are sitting right now, I wish we were sitting in the sombra."

After we cracked up, I re-started the car and drove her the block and a half to where she was going. I didn't bother to put my sock or shoe back on until a bit later. When I knew the ink had dried.

2007-06-12T20:01:00.001-07:00

So KT and I spent about 4 hours today putting up projectors in the theatre. Yes - they are suspended from the rafters. So, after all of this, I asked KT to put a word on me. She chose "labor" - not so much for the fact that we had been labor-ing, but because it's part of her alma mater's motto. I asked her what she thought it was in latin. Then I got really nerdy and looked it up myself. Her school's motto: Learning & Labor. In Latin: Perceptum et Laboris

I like how I kinda look badass with my sleeve rolled up. You would never guess that 2 hours earlier my arms had been shaking from holding a projector over my head at the top of a ladder. No. I don't lift weights. I lift pens. Thus, the shaking. Thus - I love how I look like a badass.

2007-06-11T20:34:00.000-07:00

I was surrounded by people ALL day. I'm not just talking 9-5. I'm talking 8am - 9.30pm. But, something in me was not fully in the world. For good reasons. There's a lot on my mind. And I couldn't bring myself to ask anybody. I just felt...introspective.

So what a surprise, 10.30pm rolls around and no word. Yet another day of dilemma! Do I

a) leave my house - which smells like paint fumes cause they just painted today so it might not be a bad idea but do I really feel like it or
b) skip the word (and then what kind of artist am I?) or
c) have a repeat and ask Wura (Day 1) to write another word (again, what the heck) or
d) the dog print option (that is not my final answer but it might be my final lifeline - i've got 75 days to go people) or
e) think of something new.

hmm..

well, wura was the one who suggested i give myself a word. I took her up on her suggestion. So, I consulted with Audre Lorde, her book - Zami: A New Spelling of My Name and picked out the word "sleeping". Wrote it on my foot with my shaky hyperactive hand and photographed it right here in my own house.

And it felt good to give myself a word today. Yeah.

2007-06-10T18:06:00.001-07:00

Yenchao, who I also know as Steve, was really excited to write my name in Mandarin. I was excited, too. Apparently, my name means "Where are the peaceful graces?" I know I'm messing that translation up. But, part of "A-Na" means `peace/grace' and the other part means `where is'. Yenchao was impressive. He was not only earnest about the word itself, he called his mom to get the correct spelling. Amazing.

I wasn't the only one to take a photo, either. Yenchao also took one. How awesome is that?!!

2007-06-09T12:49:00.000-07:00

I'd like to note that today is DAY 25 of my 100 Day project - thats 1/4 of the way through. I can't believe it.

Just a reflection. There have been days where I barely make it - where I'm rushing to find a word. Days where I've forgotten that I'm getting a word. Days when I forget the date/time/place. Days when asking someone seems like a grueling prospect.

But not one day has passed where I'm not psyched about getting a word.

Today, it is the suggestion of a word on film, perhaps, though it's definitely on my arm.

I went to the library today, as I do when as often as possible, and Melissa, who is one of the many wonderful librarians here in Austin, wrote "malt". I had forgotten my marker at home, so she graciously used a fine point sharpie. Sadly, it doesn't come out strongly in the photo, but know dear readers that it is there. Malt "Cause I just had one", she said.

It's only 96 degrees here in Austin today, though it feels like 112 degrees. Not a bad day to get a word written on my arm.

2007-06-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

La Vicki wrote LUV on my leg. Yes! We were chillin' following the open mic/poetry event at the Bolm Street Studio where W. works. Talking about her upcoming project in Rwanda - A Farm for Meme - and gettin' all kinds of excited and nervous. And I flashed my leg (with the disclaimer that I hadn't shaved in a week, so if she didn't care, neither did I), and she wrote on it.

Yeah. Loving luv.

2007-06-07T19:18:00.000-07:00

Ice cream/Ice in French: La Glace

I could use some ice cream. Matter of fact, think I'ma gonna go and get some banana walnut or butter pecan or chocolate fudge ice cream RIGHT NOW. Cause it's hot.

Yum. I could lick my arm the thought is so good.

2007-06-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah - "Summer" it is definitely here. Jessica was making her way to the drained Barton Springs when I stopped her. She nodded in assent when I asked her if she wanted to write a word.

Summer.

2007-06-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

Before I say anything, I should ask you if you can spot the difference between these two photos.

So Amanda rightly stated, the first photo I posted on here had the wrong date. The actual date is June 5, 2007. I used some of that spiffy dry line liquid paper stuff to correct it. It actually works nicely on polaroid film. I find that working with a camera, I'm actually thinking about technical stuff in a new way. Different kind of appreciation for camera artists aka photographers.
Today's word, barely visible: Pride.

Nuff said.

For now at least.

2007-06-04T18:04:00.001-07:00

It's been an intense word day. I got "love" today. That is awesome. But what trips me out is how the photo came out. I know that happens with Polaroids sometimes, but I still think it's trippy - the face coming down from the corner to kiss my arm.

A friend of mine called me earlier today to tell me she had dreamt of writing the word `zohar' across my left breast. She's out of town, or I would have loved to have that word on me. It's such a powerful word - as powerful as love. If not one and the same.

I didn't share any of this with Caroline when she chose to write `love' on me. She was very sweet. "Nobody's asked me to do this before." she said. I smiled.

2007-06-03T19:40:00.001-07:00

This is how ridiculous I am sometimes. I've been home ALL day. Reading. Talking to friends on the phone. All of a sudden, I realized it was 8.30pm- and I had no word. I was desperate. Thinking - "maybe I'll knock on the neighbor's door. Ask her for a word. "(except, as W. pointed out, it was almost 9pm on a Sunday in Texas, which is probably the wrong thing to do to stay peaceful with my neighbor) or "well, maybe the neighbor downstairs." (cause I know them and we run into each other at crazy times) I even thought, "I'll have my dog Flower give me a paw print." Des-per-ate! Yes. I see the approaching lightning overhead, the tremble of thunder that signals a Texas thunderstorm. So, what did I do? I went to the grocery store.

It was all fine leaving my house. The rain had not yet started. I'm wandering through the vegetable aisle - pick up some carrots, broccoli. A couple of green plums. Wander over to the frozen food section. And that's where I find him. Dongjae. He was super cool, his hair tucked back, also wandering through the frozen food aisle. Did the standard intro, and he was like, "sure." so he wrote: on my write arm. It's "hello" in Korean.

And then, it hits me. There is a raging Texas thunderstorm that is shaking the grocery store roof. And I have to get home. And not only that. I have to protect the word. Alas, I had not brought my camera with me. I wrapped a fruit bag around my arm and darted through the rain, just barely making it. Everything was soaked. My T-shirt. My pants. My shoes. There was a waterfall by my front door. My dog refused to have anything to do with me. But,

I had the word.

And, not just that, but it was written in a diagnol so that I had to take two photos to capture it. Okay - I know. You can barely see the words in the photo, but still, isn't it cool just to know that it's there?

By the way - those dots you see in the photo - it's not your eyes - it's the rain.

2007-06-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

Today Sharon was the featured artist for the Salon I coordinate here in Austin. At the end, I asked her to write a word. She wrote `gratitude'. I didn't even see it until Zayna Green, a young woman at the workshop, took the photo. Here it is, gratitude in some of its glory:

2007-06-01T20:23:00.001-07:00

Hey Steven - I don't know if you lost the paper I gave you in the river, but here's the photo! I was at the river today, in Zilker Park. It was hot, and the river was rushing. Went there with W and our dog Flower. Those are his black ears sticking out just behind my arm. I don't think the guy with the tug boat knew he was going to be in the photo - I didn't know either. But hey.

Steven was on the path on his way up to the big rocks on the river. I stopped him and his friend who was lugging a small tube to float in. Steve had some really cool braids. I asked him if he wanted to write a word. So he started by responding, "Only one word?" and then, "What will you do with this word?" and then, "Are we the first?"

Yes.
Photograph it and put it on the blog.
No.

Those are my final answers Steven. Thanks for "cooperate". That's a theme today. And a good one for the river, too.

2007-05-31T20:55:00.001-07:00

How cool is this - Laurie made up a word: Munkah.

Very cool. She was carrying a TV to her car when I asked her, my dog in one hand, marker in the other. I had asked these two very shy men working on their car if they'd be interested, but they didn't feel up to the task. I saw Laurie coming out of the apartment and asked. She graciously put her TV down, asking "Just one word?"

Yes, just one word.

And what a cool word it is. Munkah. Now what would munkah mean? It could mean anything. Like - left arm. Or sunny day. Or hey there's a cool show at the bar tonight.

Very nice.

2007-05-30T17:13:00.001-07:00

The lovely Lisa L Moore wrote "possibility" on my chest today. Yes, my chest is usually off limits, but she's a dear one and I just loved the idea. She told me that it's from one of Emily Dickinson's poems which she was thinking about today (I Dwell in Possibility). How amazing! How lovely. And Lisa did not know that Emily Dickinson is one of my favourite poets of all time. I love her work. And now, I have a word inspired by one of her poems on my chest. Now isn't that something?

Notice the Polaroid camera's shadow against my T-shirt. Very cool. It's the new old polaroid camera after I lost the other one.

Here's the poem:

I dwell in Possibility--
A fairer House than Prose--
More numerous of Windows--
Superior--for Doors -

Of Chambers as the Cedars--
Impregnable of Eye--
And for an Everlasting Roof
The Gambrels of the Sky--

Of Visitors--the fairest--
For Occupation--This--
The spreading wide my narrow Hands
To gather Paradise--

2007-05-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

Morgan - you rock! The word of the day is patience... (I love the ellipses). I loved Morgan's though process. We were both in line at the post office. He said, "A word. Hmm, I'm in line at the post office. What shall I put down?" Thank you - I can always use more patience in my life. I like how the photo came out, too.

On a closing note - welcome to my world. I took the photo and then lost the camera. Duh. I think I left it on the stoop. Or maybe on top of my car before driving away. Luckily I have another polaroid camera here at home. But it was a sad moment to realize I had left the very cool yellow polaroid camera after I took the photo. Universe, if you should find it fit to find my camera, I'm here! In the meantime, I've got old missy 1985 polaroid to carry me along.

Rock on Austin.

2007-05-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma what are you doing to me?!!! So, after the rejection fiasco on the 25th (Day 10), from which I was rescued by the very kind and compelling Jim, I decided to give Oklahoma another try. This time, instead of asking travelers, I'd ask the folks working at the rest stops.

Dude - two rest stops, gas stations and six people (SIX!!) later, Whitney finally saved my behind. She wrote "Hi." on my hand. Whitney, I sense that you are naturally shy, and that you were just humoring me and I appreciate it. Feeling shocked, slighly dejected, too, I went up to Whitney at the Snak Shak counter. She had nowhere else to go but to the fryers. I said, "Would you like to write on my arm. You can write anything. Even hi. Or bye." So, yes, Whitney - faced with this stranger in your fried cheese midst, you took a risk and wrote "Hi." on my hand. I just want to say, thank you. That's the first hand word I've gotten, and it's great to look down and see it and remember that somewhere in Oklahoma, someone was willing to give this a shot.

But, before I'm done with this story - I have to tell you that the first woman I approached seemed mortified. Not by the fact of writing on my hand, but that I was doing it with a Sharpie. Here's the transcript.

"Hi. I'm a writer. I'm doing this writing project where I'm asking people to write one word on me. I'm writing one word each day for 100 days. Would you like to write a word."
"mmm."
"On my arms. I'm having folks write on my arms, legs or my neck."
"No."
"Really?"
"Yeah- no."
"Why?"
"Just something about it."
And then - she noticed the pen.

"And with THAT pen! That's terrible."
"Why? I'm okay with it."
"Yeah - no. I won't do it. I won't write on you."
"Okay. Thanks."

And I stumbled off, muttering to myself.

As an honor to Whitney and her bravery, I captured the sign in the background: Phillips 66 on I-35 in Oklahoma. Where the price of gas is not as outrageous as it is in Illinois. And where my arm, looking like a chicken drumstick flailing in the rain, reaches out to say: "Hi."

2007-05-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

Notice anything funny about the photo? Well, I'll just go ahead and tell you. I cheated. I forgot to take a photo yesterday. So I had to take two photos today. One of yesterday's word (Believe), and one of today's apparent phrase.

That's the other thing. Beverline was very into writing on my arm. She wrote an entire phrase. Hey how are you?

I'm fine. And you?

Ha

That's the hotel elevator in the background. It's that great 70s wood panelling effect.

2007-05-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

So the whole reason I'm on a road trip at all is to get to my brother's engagement party in Normal, Illinois. That just tickles me - Normal. Normal, Illinois. I don't why I find that so funny! But anyway...

Naturally, this being a very important day for my brother, I asked him if he'd like to honor me with a word.

He wrote `Believe' on my upper arm. First of all, this photo is hysterical. I feel like Jim Dean or something, with my sleeve rolled up. Then, I start getting this feeling of biker chic - like I have a tat on my upper arm or something.

Believe me. It's been fun.

2007-05-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

Here I am at a rest stop in Oklahoma - off of route I-44. It's the rest stop with "the largest McDonald's in the world". Or so they say. It's this huge glass monstrosity overlooking the highway. The great thing was - they had chai at the cafe attached to the McDonald's. Anyway - so I have my chai, and I'm sitting outside. I got my FIRST REJECTIONS today. Yes. The very first. And not just one, but three. I first went up to one guy and he listened to me very politely (got to hand it to Midwesterners on the polite tip), and then very firmly said, "No, thank you." I was shocked. Then, I went up to this other guy, a big bear of a guy and I asked him if he'd be interested in writing on my arm for a writing project. He responded with a clear, "No." At this point, I realized I was no longer in Austin, Texas. I was in...Oklahoma. So, I decided to try approaching a woman. But, as I called to this woman, she gently clutched her purse and walked briskly away. Sigh.

So, Jim, sweet Jim was standing by the door waiting for his friend/wife/partner? and I went up to him. He seemed kind of concerned with the seriousness of the project. He said, "It's got to be a word of some significance." "Sure." I responded. So, after I explained the project to his friend/wife/partner - no need to get someone riled up - he very pointedly wrote the word`Remember' on my arm.

Well, Jim, I will most certainly remember your kindness.

Walking away, I surmised that they were probably from Texas. Maybe even California. Who knows - maybe they were from Oklahoma. That would be a relief.

2007-05-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually literal. But I am today. I'm feeling very literal. Like, I'm going on a car trip to Illinois, so I went to rent a car. I asked Adrian to write a word on me. He wrote "carro" - car in Spanish. I took the photo in a car.

That's literal. Am I embodying the car today as I drive up I-35? Am I a car simply by association? Is my arm the vehicle? Does the photograph then become the car itself merely because it includes both the word and the image? Magritte might have something to say. Or not.

Enough. Folks, the word. The photo. The car.

2007-05-23T19:36:00.001-07:00

Day 8: Today I ran into Stephanie Lang at the supermarket today. We were going about grocery shopping. I'm buying food for the road trip I'm taking over the next couple of days on my way to Illinois. I was wandering around the supermarket, kinda doofy, you know. In my t-shirt and jeans. And I saw Stephanie walking out the door (I was asking the guy at the front about where I could find freezer packs for my cooler) and the sharpie leaped out of my back pocket. I called out:

"Hey Stephanie."
She, as always, gracefully turned in my direction.

"Will you write a word on me?"

She wrote weakness. weakness. That is a beautiful word.

I like how in the photo it's disappearing into the sky. weakness.

2007-05-22T17:12:00.001-07:00

Plegaria...there are at least four (punk) rock songs (at least) with the word plegaria in Spanish. And some boleros, etc. It's to plea, to plea before a spiritual G-d specifically. Yeah. I got plegaria on my arm today. A call for something?

Fresia wrote the word in huge beautiful capital letters. All across my forearm. Yeah! I love big letters.

I don't have any relationship to that word, except to think about people walking for miles on their knees in the hopes of having prayers answered. Or sitting before altars. All very Catholic and Latin American. Plegaria...

2007-05-21T06:35:00.000-07:00

Mercy at the newstand wrote on me:

RAN-ANIM
Hi.

And then something she scratched out.

From my fist you'd think I was feeling defiant. But no, I was trying to flex my muscles for a good photo.

I asked Mercy what Ran-Anim meant. She said it meant hello. I think the word is Micronesian. From Palau. Very cool to go home with a greeting on my arm.

Did I mention I am SO excited to be going back to Austin. No dis on Oregon, but the cold. Ooh. The cold.