Philadelphia, PAFA

My current address is as follows:

2200 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, apt. N1014

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130

A blog entry is in order. I wrapped up those two murals in Crystal River. I feel okay about them. Mom paid for a rental car, and I loaded it up and drove to Philadelphia over the course of two days. I stopped in Jacksonville to visit with Shaun. I checked out his new studio spot in Phoenix District in Springfield, where efforts are being made to beautify and lay groundwork for a creative arts highschool. I'd been invited to paint a section of wall there in October, however, after visiting, and seeing the cutty wall sections, and then having a two-day drive to think about it, and then signing up for eighteen hours of classes upon arriving at PAFA, I reneged. 

Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself. I stayed in a cheap hotel just south of Virginia. I slept on the floor in case of bedbugs, which I would not want to bring into a new apartment; plus, I’d gotten in the habit of sleeping on the floor at my parent's house over the summer anyway. I took off in the morning, got a flat tire just north of the Virginia border, (good timing if there ever was one). The sidewall totally blew out, but I heard it and pulled over with control thankfully. A Virginia road service worker pulled over behind me and put up a flashing sign (a pneumatic ordeal from the roof of his truck), and a run of traffic cones too. I had the tire changed in no time, and took a pit stop in a small town not long after to have the tire replaced at a professional tire center. The car rental company covered the cost. I arrived in Philly as we were losing light. Daniel met me at the door, handed me my keys, and helped me move in. I’d taken along painting and sculpting supplies basically, and some books, and clothes, and a skateboard. 

Daniel and I went out to meet some of Daniel’s friends that night. I expressed interest in one of the friend’s basement mural project- later to learn he drastically oversold the spot. We all drank, I had two beers at this garden bar spot. 

PAFA had three days of orientation, which was two and two-thirds days more than it needed to be. 

I made a run to Drexel University area, and salvaged two nice dressers and rode them a mile back to my apartment upside down on my skateboard (one at a time)- it was a small scene. Up the elevator, ten flights, into the apartment- they look nice, and I now have more than enough storage space; story of my apartment- it’s nice. It’s too much- It’s like living on a cruise ship. I’m eating it every month with the rent, but otherwise, I’m not getting weighed down by the upscal-ed-ness. I made a run to Ikea and bought a chair, which I ubered home and assembled. The spot is nice. I also bought a couple plants. 

Classes are cool. It’s more art school, but thing is, this is the best art school I’ve been to by far, and the city is legit. A lot of what I couldn't know for sure, has been granted with this program. How do the students produce such large (good) figure paintings?- There are more extended poses at PAFA than any other kind of pose. Gestures are near unheard of (thus far, from what I’ve seen). I have either two or three classes per day. The figure classes do two week, three week, four week, five week (30 hour) poses. In contrast, Ringling maxed at 12hour. I wonder what I’ll make with that kind of time- not really, I don’t wonder. Hmm. 

I’ve been getting into these marathon days, and I’ve looked up every figure drawing opportunity in Philly, in addition to our school’s curriculum, and made a schedule and posted it in the school elevators. 

I’ve brought along my mediation practice, which I’m very happy with. The worry seems to have gone away, though I understand it’s kind of one missed session away. . 

My cardio has been killer. I’ve been skateboarding usually about three to seven miles a day, hauling ass! It’s such a great city when You’ve got somewhere to be a fun way to get there, and smooth (yet delightfully choppy) roads! My legs have been sore since I moved here, but I imagine they’ll get used to the commutes. 

The dating scene seems healthy here! I’m on tinder still, and with great enthusiasm I’ll report that there is real possibility to transcend the app here! I’d been on one date (made the transition from app to rl once elsewhere), but here in Philly, within the week, twice! Both dates were friendly more than anything else. I really got along with this one young woman. I’ll not go further bc my mom suggested that I feel guilty for posting my exploits on a public blog. (It’s a writing excersise, mom). 

I went to a house show the other night. I went to a movie the other night at an independent theater. The movie was called Marjorie Prime. It was about loading sims of deceased family, and coping with the human condition in a climate of AI. It was dialogue dependent, and dark. I thought about my parents offing themselves the next morning in a worry-dream, deriving from the film. I talked to my parents on the phone yesterday. They seemed healthy. My mother’s voice was a little withery. I may be projecting. It’s another phase of empty nest I imagine. I owe them everything, especially for their hospitality over the summer. 

I didn’t eat for a few days, then picked it up with some lentils. Now my appetite is healthy. I’d been sick when I first arrived. I’m very inspired by my classmates, and the fellow PAFA students. I feel fully that this is the best art school in the world! 

Beginning tomorrow I will have sat in at least one section of every class on my school schedule, so I’ll know a little clearer what I’m in for. 

If I were to recount the events of each day, I shouldn’t sleep, or heaven forbid paint. Serendipity that I thought to write even now.

While writing this section, I received an email from my tinder friend about another music show (though I’ve yet to open it and see what it says)! Also, my friend called my name and we said hi 
even here while I write at a Whole Foods. She was curious about my blog, so I gave her the website link. Hi Jules!