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Favorite Five; Day 71 – Miss Lossia’s Birthday Edition!

Thursday, January 21st, 2010 11:56 pm

Today’s fave five were:

  1. Today was Amanda’s birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMANDA! To celebrate we got warm beverages from her coffee bar of choice, The Italian Coffee Bar in the old Playboy Building. I have to say, it was the best REAL latte I’ve ever had…it was the closest thing to real COFFEE (I’m saying there was minimal sugar in this thing people) I’ve ever purposefully drank, and I must admit, I kinda enjoyed it more than I suspected. NO, I am not ready to make the leap over to real lattes, but it was a good one that deserved mentioning…
  2. Space heaters. They are the best, and total life savers. All I do is freeze at work all day long. My space heater saves me. Thank you, space heater. :)
  3. Art show cheese and fruit platters! Today was the closing of the little art exhibit at the hospital I had a piece in. They had a little reception for the artists and they had this UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME cheese platter…there was this horseradish mustard seed type cheese that made me think I had died and gone to heaven. Add in the raspberries that were on the same tray and I WAS in heaven. For the show the organizer wanted to take my picture next to my sculpture. I declined. Then I remembered I have to suck it up and do this stuff in the future so I might as well practice now. Amanda was awesome, the photographer asked her if she would get in the picture and “ask me questions about the piece”…I was laughing, but Amanda totally did what she needed to, it was hilarious. I’ll be interested to see how the photos come out. But in any case, I DID get Amanda to pose with my paper sculpture, body of work no. 1 – self love, and I think the picture is pretty cute!
  4. I got more goodies in the mail!!! YAY FOR GOODIES! Today I received my ATC that was themed “Ex Marks the Spot”. It was supposed to be about one of our exes…I thought it seemed like a fun first ATC swap and one that I have plenty of material to draw from so I signed up for it. My partner ended up sending me two cards because the first one she thought looked a little to “stickery”…I get what she was saying, especially when you compare it to her second attempt which I really love more and more with each glance I take. Look at the expression on the sleeping girls face, it’s really engaging. Anyway, thanks B Monster, or is it TheBigB?! ANYway…THANKS LADY!! The ATC’s are really fantastic and I totally love them both!!!
  5. I CLEANED UP MY STUDIO!!! It was starting to get a little too cluttered in there and out of control. I put things AWAY and I cannot stop expressing how awesome it is to have an art studio to call my own. Everything has a home, it all fits in the space so nicely and it’s cozy (though occasionally on the cold side). I love my studio. It makes me very very happy to be in there and be creative and then to be able to leave my “work space” to come home and have a “home” space. So.Nice!
  6. (sorry, there’s a sixth “fave five” today) I FINALLY finished my own Ex Marks the Spot ATC. I only made one, primarily because I spent a lot of time on this one and just don’t have a ton of extra time to spend…I think I probably take 100% longer to make something than most people. I’M SO SLOW MOVING! Ugh, but whatever, I completed it and I’m happy with it. (Click on the thumbnails below to see the photo enlarged.)

Posted in art, birthdays, crafty something, fave five | 3 Comments »

Snail mail and why it rocks!

Monday, December 7th, 2009 11:10 pm
everybody loves to recieve letters in the mail...here are 4 b-day cards I got all in one day!

everybody loves to recieve letters in the mail...here are 4 b-day cards I got all in one day!

You know, I’m one of those lucky people that has not one, not two but at least THREE wonderful close friends in my life who send me SNAIL MAIL. That’s right, the actual kind of mail you must go and get stamps for and hand off to a US Postal services person to be hand delivered to your door step. Yeah, totally awesome!

So I must address these three wonderful and amazing people (especially since they might be three of the six people I know actually READ this blog, ha ha). Ivan, you’ve been sending me snail mail the longest – I’ve got boxes full of hand written love from you. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING IT UP ALL THESE YEARS!!! Hillary, lady, you and the pen make magic happen on paper. Your words flow like honey from the comb – sweetly and liberally. I LOVE all the postcards and letters you’ve sent to me from various parts of the world over the past few years we’ve known each other!!! And last but not least to Lindy, my newest friend and incredible spirit – you have sent me more letters in recent months than any bill collector has – WHAT A GIFT!!! You’ve sent me inspirational reminders, overwhelming love and support and super girlie goodies that make me smile from ear to ear!! I love and appreciate that you each (and the others of you so kind to send the occasional written correspondence) have taken the time out of your days to send me something special.

It really IS something special to open up your mail box and find something intended only for you in there! And recently I have RECEIVED SO MUCH LOVE IN MY MAILBOX!!!

I don’t know HOW I missed it, but there was a box waiting for me downstairs towards the end of last week. Inside I found the LOVELIEST GREEN SCARF, hand picked for me, by my dear friend Lindy!!! OH HOW I LOVE THIS SCARF!!! Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU!

Then today, after picking up a package of goodies from FedEx (items I had ordered for a current project) I discovered FOUR cards in the mail for me for my birthday. THANK YOU IVAN! I never ever would have expected a paper pickle in the mail – but there it was, and it made me laugh!

It’s such a time consuming thing to hand write out a letter. In fact, in the past, when I HAVE sent snail mail, there were a few times I typed it up on the computer and then printed it out to send. There were always a few good reasons for this I thought. One, I am a horrible speller and I didn’t want it to have glaring mistakes throughout the letter. Two, my hand writing isn’t amazing. It’s not bad, it’s definitely legible, but it tends to change between three different styles of type by the time I’m done with two pages of text. Weird. Three, I just haven’t been good about making the TIME to send out letters as I should. I know how much I love them and am sure everyone else would love them just the same, yet I don’t send them. WHAT GIVES? Laziness be damned, those cards I’ve gotten with certain people in mind GO OUT THIS WEEK DAMMIT!

Anyway, all this makes me think about the whole idea of correspondence and how we all communicate today with one another. Electronic communications have become such a HUGE part of society, the old fashioned ways of communication have almost gone the way of the Dodo bird! Between phones, text messages, online chat rooms, message boards, blogs, facebook and twitter – we’re all so socially and electronically connected that we get bits and pieces here and there and think we’ve got the whole story, when really, with someone like me, you haven’t heard ANYTHING yet…well, ok, I DO facebook a lot, but still, I only offer up vague inclinations to what I’m thinking about. My status updates could be interpreted a hundred different ways depending on how much of my life you are really privy to.

And I find it almost a little bit sad in a way. I LOVE facebook, don’t get me wrong, it’s my constant friend and companion that keeps me sane sometimes when silly little things would like to do otherwise, but it’s also made me even more lazy about reaching out to those people I haven’t been in touch with as often as I’d like. I used to pick up the phone and call people at least. I’d send more emails, and yes, I even sent a few more cards and letters. I think while things like facebook and twitter DO connect us with those we have completely fallen out of touch with, they also keep things at this weird “status update” or 140 character count level, and no more.  They offer us a glimpse into something, but never really reveal much beyond that taste or snippet.

And they certainly do not offer the intimacy and special feeling provided by sending someone a personalized letter. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t open up my facebook homepage and get all twitterpated (sorry, had to) at the site of an “inbox message” or “wall comment”; at least not the same way I would from finding a handwritten letter addressed to me.

After this week of amazing treats in the mail, I think it imperative I do not further add to the loss of such a wonderful tradition and method of correspondence. I vow to send at least one card or letter to SOMEONE every two weeks. It’s a start at least. Once I ease into that, I’ll try to make it at least one handwritten item sent to someone once every week. I’ll do my part to keep the US Postal Service in business, and more importantly, to give the love and smile back to my wonderful friends and family who so generously keep me in mind when they think to send some love through the mail.

After all, isn’t giving back the only real way one can become open enough to truly receive the gifts life has to offer? I’m just sorry I haven’t been better about my correspondences these past few years; everyone I know deserves better than what I’ve sent out.

Again, I must reiterate thanks to my lovely friends who have (and continue to) send me real tangible letters…it absolutely makes my day to receive them!

Happy (hand)writing everyone!
Devin

Posted in birthdays, just 'cause, life, personal, the written word | No Comments »

HaPpY bIrThDaY to ME!!!

Friday, December 4th, 2009 5:36 pm

Hey all you local Chicagoans…do we know each other? Do you read this and are we friends?

Well, if so, continue reading on! It’s super dooper late notice, but I’ll be continuing the birthday celebrating along with other December babies TOMORROW NIGHT (that’s Saturday Dec. 5th) with some rock’n good times. First stop: Diversey Rock’n Bowl at 9pm for some fun on the lanes! After a couple rounds of bowling we’ll be heading to Trader Todd’s for, you’ve guessed it, KARAOKE!!!! We expect to be getting there around 11pm!

I know it will be wildly busy there, but I always love me some drunken singing and of course, that wildly insane drink The Pain Killer! WOO HOO!

Don’t know what I’ll be wearing…might keep it “low key” or I might just rock something overly formal for the occasion – why not right? It IS for birthday celebrating isn’t it?

So come one and come all! Bring whom ever you’d like to bring with ya! If we haven’t met before, be sure to introduce yourself!

My appologies for such an informal and last minute invite, but I didn’t know the details till yesterday.

Cheers and make merry! Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GIRLS APRIL AND MEGHAN!!! WOO HOO!!!!

XOXO,
Devin

Posted in birthdays, life, music, personal | 1 Comment »

working hard, or hardly working?

Thursday, November 19th, 2009 12:07 am

Isn’t that always the question? Well, no, it isn’t actually, that was kind of a silly thing for me to ask. I apologize. ANYway…

Things have been busy people. Per usual right? I feel a little tiny bit disheartened right now and instead of wallowing in my tough of disheartenment, I thought I should get on here and update this here blog! No more feeling sorry for myself or what have you. POST! UPDATE! FILL THE PEOPLE IN!!!

So tonight I took a small break. In that break (that became a touch larger than small) I watched Swing Vote. I’d been excited about it when it came out in the theatre, but I’m pretty sure it didn’t do to well. I watched it online with netflix. Know what? I LIKED it! I thought it was great. I thought it brought up a LOT of good points. A lot of points that are really important RIGHT NOW.

Like how one persons vote, can and DOES make a difference! We are seeing just how much power the “popular vote” is getting right now, and if that isn’t proof enough of how important it is to stand up for what you believe in by voting on the issues, I don’t know what else is.

So yeah, Swing Vote. It was oozing with sentimentality and I loved every single drop of it! It made me smile, it made me tear up, it made me angry and happy…if you haven’t seen it, give it a go. It’s kind of one of those feel good American movies…kind of.

So what else…well, Sasha has been heavy on my mind. She’s still not doing very well. Not very well at all. I’ll be honest here, it’s breaking my heart a little. Recently, her mood has changed…she’s still eating (a little) and she isn’t hiding from me yet, but there is something in my heart/stomach that keeps warning me that I might not have much more time left with my baby. And that just kills me a little more every single minute of every day. Right now I’ve got her curled up on my lap as I type this and I think, what happens when there is no more Sasha to curl up on my lap when I update my blog?

It’s not a pretty or happy thought. She’s my little baby, I love her so. 5 1/2 years ago she came into my life, forever altering it (for the better) and I’m thankful for every moment I’ve had with her thus far. I continue to hope that I have much more time with her than I fear and that I’m just being silly thinking otherwise.

However, if you’re the praying type, I don’t think anyoone would be upset if you offered some up for my little pumpkin.

What else, what else? Well, things have been kinda weird and stressful for all my friends and family lately. My great aunt lost her step-son in the Fort Hood shootings, true tragedy. She’s absolutely heart sick about it (as we all are…) A few more people I know have lost their jobs. People are breaking up left and right around me… Last week they left 24 hours off my paycheck which was quite unnerving… And much more…

But it’s not ALL doom and gloom, man, listen to me! There has also been some great happiness too!!! I met some really great people last night at another friends birthday dinner! I picked up a fun hair piece that gives me long lovely locks that look pretty natural! Sasha IS still alive and wish us!!! I have incredible friends! School is steadily moving along… AND, today I actually got excited about my birthday!! I hadn’t really thought too much about it (I think once ya hit 30 there’s no major markers till 35 and 40 or so right?) but today I was sort of working out the details of what my special day will be and I really got excited about it. It will be a birthday like none I’ve had in a very long while! Just me and a sweetie for dinner and down time…oh yes, and a night cap (or three). Sounds absolutely perfect, and I cannot wait!

In the meanwhile, I’ve got Thanksgiving to look forward to, A Turkey Trot to run, an art grant to write, a volleyball game to win, some snuggles to be shared, hang out time with one of my besties, catch up time with others, holiday gifts to make and finish, holiday cards to write and send out and so much more, it’s hard to list it all out!

I also have NEW MOON to look forward to, and Pirate Radio…and Precious! GREAT MOVIES TO WATCH (finally) and of course holiday standbys to get excited about like Pieces of April, A Christmas Story and Love Actually!!! Oh, I’m quite excited about this holiday season too. I’m really sure why, but I am. It will be a good one, I just know it. Can’t wait to pick up my little tree and decorate it! OH YAY FOR HOLIDAY CHEER!!!

Sorry this post is kinda boring and lame. Didn’t know what to write about, but wanted to get on here and post SOMETHING.

Hope everyone out there is better than well. Remeber that today is a gift and try to treat it as such. Love thy neighbor, and LOVE THY SELF!!!

Cheers,
Devin

Posted in animals, birthdays, film, food for thought, grateful for..., just 'cause, life, personal, politic'n | No Comments »

I *heart* google

Friday, March 20th, 2009 7:54 am

And here is another reason why…

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" themed Google home page

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" themed Google home page

Also, today is Mr. Rogers birthday! I loooooved Mr. Rogers, his sinnging, his cardigan sweaters and the Neighborhood of Makebelieve…he was the man!!! If you think of it, be sure to wear a sweater (preferably, a cardigan) today in his honor, and remember to say hi to your neighbor. :)

“Soooo, let’s make the most of this beautiful day
Since we’re together we might as well say
Would you be mine, could you be mine
Won’t you be my neighbor

Won’t you please…won’t you please
Please, won’t you be, my neighbor”

“Won’t you be my neighbor” song & lyrics by Fred Rogers

HI NEIGHBOR!!!

Posted in birthdays, google, just 'cause, life, music, rogers park | No Comments »

googling yourself can be weird…

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008 11:54 pm

I haven’t “googled” myself in a while…I don’t know why I chose tonight, in the midst of being dead tired and shaky from lack of sleep to do so, but I did.

The first two pages are all links to me. The third page is almost all links to me and then you start to see R Devin Schuyler or something like that…CRAZY!!! There is still some link or connection to ME until page 10 or something…

And THAT my friends, is what we call eye opening! A lot of my races show up, but the first two page results that come back are stuff blog related mostly. Wow…it was sort of nice to see that the top 4 results for me are pretty relevant to who I am: blog, facebook, myspace film reel and blog (I think).

Anyway…google yourself and tell me what you see! I went on to google my closest friends and thought it was interesting how some of them really didn’t show up unless you leafed through. I bet they want it that way…it’s strange to google yourself and SEE yourself coming back in the results.

But then again, when I started my blog years ago, I’m pretty sure it was my goal to have it be accessed from people.

I don’t know who or how many people read this here little bloggy blog, but let me just say, I appreciate it. Thank you for helping me hold down the number one search spot for Devin Schuyler in google.

YOU.ALL. ROCK!

Now, it’s waaaaay past time for bed…google fascination or no, I’ve GOT to go…

PS- It’s Meghan’s birthday in a minute…let’s all wish her a collective HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGION!!!

Posted in birthdays, commentary, just 'cause, life, personal | No Comments »

I think I’m a little bit in love

Thursday, November 20th, 2008 11:25 pm

So last night, one of my classmates did a presentation on Miranda July. I’ve heard this name of course, but it didn’t mean anything to me at the time. She wrote and direct (I believe, but haven’t yet confirmed for myself) You, Me and Everyone We Know which is a movie I am sure I will adore.

Anyway, Christina was talking about Miranda…and shows us a picture while she spoke a little…and immediately I was drawn to Miranda’s eyes…the way she looks…the expression on her face…man…I knew I was captivated by her!

And of course, it’s all for good reason. In little reading I’ve done so far on her, I’ve come to see just how incredibly talented and giving and caring and WONDERFUL a person and an artist she is.

Yeah, I’m in love. It’s true. It’s not a little bit…it’s a lot bit. WOW.

And does anyone else think it is merely coincidental that she and I have a similar aesthetic going on right now??? With my hair looking the way it does, RIGHT NOW…curly…brown…growing it out…bangs…um, much like hers??? I think not. I mean, we know me…I change my look and update it all the freaking time…but right now, after dying it dark brown only a few days ago, Miranda July comes into my life in a strong way right now. OH…I’m so thrilled…I’m just looking for little connections between the two of us! ;)

Basically, I want to be more like this woman. Last night I got to speak with Jay and we were talking about all kinds of stuff when I was telling him about Miranda July’s collaborative work with another sure to be awesome artist called “Learning to love you more“…or something like this, really I should look it up before I talk, but I can’t…I’ve just got to get this out there!

Anyway, this project she did consists of 52 “assignments” that we are given to do as many of as we like. I decided, last night during Christina’s presentation, that I wanted to do all 52 assignments, and I wanted to start this project the week of my 30th birthday. Later last night I pitched the idea for Jay to join me in completing the assignments as well – he has accepted!

I’m SO FREAKING EXCITED I CAN’T EVEN STAND IT! I know it’s gonna be awesome! And I’m going to document it here! Each week I will present the assignment I competed with documentation of it for you to see (if you care to look). I cannot wait. Maybe Jay will start a blog or something so he can document his work as well and I’ll link to it here!!!

Seriously, my birthday year is shaping up to be super incredibly AWESOME!!! I have amazing classes lined up for next semester…I’m continuing with my “grateful for” lists, I’ve got amazing people in my life and one in particular that I’m just terribly excited about, I’ve got 52 assignemtns to look forward to and the list goes on…Holy SH*T! I can hardly wait!!! I feel so energized and glorious. It’s gonna be a good year! I’ve decided it to be so!!!

OK, so you can see the absolute ADORABLENESS that is Miranda July…I leave you with this video by Blonde Redhead – “Top Ranking”

Please, to enjoy…

Posted in art, birthdays, commentary, film, just 'cause, life, music, personal, video, works in progress | 2 Comments »

It’s been a year…look how far we’ve come…

Thursday, November 13th, 2008 8:14 am

A year ago, the world as I knew it shattered (again) into a thousand fragmented pieces. Something I had invested a lot of time, love, care and energy into completely went belly up on me. And I felt sort of blind sided by it. I felt lost and hurt and confused and moments of anger, but mostly sadness and sorrow.

Deep in my heart I knew what had happened…I guess, been happening…obviously was inevitable to happen. Trust a snake, and you are bound to get bit. Actually, I take that back…because I think snakes are cool and I trust animals way more then I trust most humans (unless you are Barack Obama in which case I just think you are one of the closest things to the second coming we have…I think he can probably walk on water…). But besides President Elect Barack Obama, I don’t really trust human nature since we live in such a self indulgent world where boys are being raised to be selfish boys and never forced to grow up, and girls are still unaware that they deserve better. No, let’s say something like, if you trust someone who has yet to prove them self trustworthy, you are bound to get shit on – like they’ve done to everyone else in their life before you.

That’s better than dragging some poor snake into it, let’s just be real about it right?!

And so, a year ago that’s exactly what happened. I got shit on by someone I should never have trusted or even exposed myself to. But at the time, when it all went to pot, I turned it all on me…again. What did I do wrong this time? What didn’t I do enough of? How can I be better? How can I make things better?

Oh god, too much to even think about and recall…I was in a bad place and I felt worse about myself than I had felt in SEVERAL YEARS. The road to recover was one hell of an uphill, crater ridden, obstacle laden, poison ivied mess! It didn’t help that I was working full time and had just started grad school full time. I felt like I was being beaten down by everything and everyone.

OK, not everyone. I knew I had the support and love of my friends, and they buoyed me when I really couldn’t keep myself afloat, but sometimes even their love couldn’t prevent me from slipping into the blackness of prickly, splintery, aggressively negative and all consuming sorrow I would get lost in. I definitely visited that terrible pit of despair…and a serious depression followed.

It wasn’t the first time I had found myself in such an awful place, but it was the first time where I had felt I truly, on all counts, didn’t deserve it. I really felt like I had done damn near my best. No, I wasn’t perfect, of course their needed to be things about myself I changed and continued to make better, but I really felt like I had given a LOT of myself to this *thing* and having learned from all my failed attempts in the pasts and all my mistakes, I was doing so much better. I just didn’t understand how it all fell apart. But that was because I was looking at it through jaded eyes in a reflecting glass.

When I finally learned the truth about the major events that lead to my surprise loss, I was finally able to start healing…slowly. Knowing the truth I was able to recognize that it wasn’t so much about me this time. Or things I had or had not done. It really wasn’t. And that was important for me to recognize and learn because I was beating myself up over something that was never really worth my time, love and support in the first place.

I can’t really say much about what “it” was specifically, but I can describe it as selfish, childish, negative, malicious, having complete disregard for others, ruthless, stupid, deceitful, angst, lonely, sneaky, hungry, tacky, classless, lazy, cowardly, weak, careless, envious, thoughtless, pathetic, jealous and ultimately – typical.

Now, this isn’t to imply that I was 100% faultless in the matter; but I’m pretty sure my part in it’s demise was much smaller and far less NEGATIVE than all that listed above. My biggest part was insecurity – but seeing as how I was not wrong to feel that way since the deceit had been happening, slowly, for over months, I’m sure that’s why I felt it in the first place.

Wow…I haven’t visited this thought in a while, but today marks one year, and it’s important for me to reflect upon it all, remember it, write about it for posterity’s sake and then be completely done with it for good.

Ahh…it’s almost refreshing. That weird mourning period is over. It’s been over for a long while now (thank goodness), but I feel like today marks that glorious spot where I can say “fuck it, I’m done with this shit!”. And guess what people – I AM done with that kind of shit.

In the past year I have learned so much about my own inner strength and will to not only survive but to better myself and move forward. To progress in life with POSITIVITY and grace. And to help create and make my own happiness. I’ve done so by remembering the joys in the little things…reminding myself daily (grateful for lists anyone?) of everything that I do have to be happy and feel lucky about and making a concerted effort to be the best version of ME I can be.

And I have to say this, I really like who I am. I have so many “flaws” and “faults”, but I’ve even grown to love those. Holy shit people, what I’m saying here is that I’ve grown to love myself! This is not an easy thing for people to do…especially if you grew up surrounded by negativity constantly attacking you (as I did). But how wonderful to recognize that yes, indeed, I do love myself, along with all my shortcomings…

There are days, of course, where I look in the mirror and think, “Dammit Devin, get your shit together!” but those days are normal for any self reflective, open minded person. I’m not stopping here people! I want to grow and continue to change and better myself for the rest of my life! I have gone to great lengths to remove the negativity that had been collecting in my world. I continue to fight the urges to say things that do not promote positivity. Yes, I lapse from time to time, I fall off the wagon, but instead of beating myself up about it or taking a defeatist attitude about it, I dust myself back off and get the fuck back on that train to happiness. Ain’t no stopping me now people.

When times get tough, I always think of three things (and I think Obama has helped to add a fourth):

  1. Never give up. Never surrender!
  2. I’ve got the bestest of best friends in the entire world!!
  3. I CAN love, I DO love and I AM love!!!
  4. And baby, YES WE (I) CAN!!!

On this major day of reflection before this strange chapter of my life gets put away, I sit at my desk smiling to myself for the gratefulness I feel for all the blessings I have in my life. All the people, all the joys, all the trials and tribulations, all the challenges and challengers, all the simples things and the BIG things, all that is good and even those things that are less than so…

I feel stronger and ready and happy for the days ahead of me. I’m even looking forward to my 30th birthday which I would have never thought possible moths/years before now.

I’ve got this happy, thrilled, solid, strong, pulsing, beaming, POSITIVE yet quiet contentment with where I am in my life and what I am doing. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who’s played a major role in this place of happiness I find myself and to all my positive, loving, strong beautiful and magical friends that I have; without you all, I doubt I would have made it here so quickly – today, YOU all are my champions and I honor YOU!

Thank you all…

With love,
Devin

Now, I will celebrate this point in my life with a list (and possible links) to songs that I feel represent the many emotions and thoughts that I’m thinking and feeling…

Please, to enjoy…

Recovery – New Buffalo (thanks Ivan, for finding me this song…)

All These Things That’s I’ve Done – The Killers (I do think I’m a soldier, but this song makes me dance…)
Link to the music video

Stronger – Britney Spears (we share the same birthday!)
Link to music video

Paper Planes – M.I.A. (this one also makes me dance, and I like to shoot air guns…)

Fidelity – Regina Spektor

What Goes Around…Comes Around – Justin Timberlake (oh yeah…it’s just soooo right, and JT is sooooo sexy…I forgive him for using ScarJo for this video since she does play the perfect cheating slut ;)
Link to music video

Desert – Emilie Simon (this makes me think of someone lovely…and that someone makes me smile)

Believe – Cher (I can’t wait to sing this on my b-day)

Le Disko – Shiny Toy Guns (love to dance, love the lyrics, love the hot chic singing…)
Link to music video

…and now, I’m gonna figure out where to get my celebratory cake from!

Posted in birthdays, commentary, grateful for..., just 'cause, life, my friends are talented, personal, the written word, works in progress | No Comments »

i’m gonna sound like a crazy person!

Thursday, September 18th, 2008 10:23 pm

But I don’t care!

So, I really should be in bed…I need as much sleep as I can get these days, but that doesn’t usually amount to more than 5, maybe 5 and a half hours a night…but somehow I’m surviving and it’s not just caffeine.

It’s everything…it’s this over all amazing feeling I have welling up deep inside of me. As derailed as I felt a few months ago, I feel now more on track than I ever have…in my entire life! There are so many things happening in my life right now that really could get me down if I let them, and yet I feel very strongly that it will all work out in a positive manner and I’m going to end up better off than I was to begin with. There is such an incredible calm taking over my being that I feel close to unstoppable.

In three weeks plus a few days I will tackle my third Chicago marathon. Last year I didn’t get to finish, this year I will. My goal is to get under a 4:10:00 marathon time, but I’d prefer that I got below a 4:05:00 marathon and IDEALLY speaking, I would like a sub 4 marathon. I know this probably won’t happen, but I’m really ok with that as well…just so long as I do my best.

The weekend after Chicago, I will be completing my fourth major marathon in the sunny hillsides of San Francisco. This race is more about the experience and the event than my time. I’m planning on doing a 5 hour marathon or so…and absorbing some amazing art and food and culture.

5 weeks from San Francisco, I will be running my fifth marathon in Sparks Maryland. It will be the Saturday after Thanksgiving and just three days before my 30th birthday.

Why three marathons this season? Because I wanted to do something kind of crazy before I turned 30 – and because I CAN. How lucky am I? Really…very very lucky. I have almost NO cartilage protecting my knees, my knee caps rub the wrong way and my left hip is totally messed up. My back is out of sorts and doesn’t curve the way it should and I’m prone to nasty nasty migraines. Despite this and everything else, I’ve been able to run serious distances with little to no pain these past few weeks…the reason? I believe it’s a combo of attitude adjustment, strong will, belief in myself and trusting myself…all of this combined with the miracle that is acupuncture…and then the help of my gifted chiropractor. And of course my friends and family who love me and share their positive energies with me.

I’ve been taking Chinese herbs to help heal my, body and soul, and cleanse my body of the silliness going on inside of it lately. I feel healthier and happier than I’ve felt in ages, and it’s not going away. The stress at school is mounting high and heavy, yet I still feel happier than a clam in high tide.

I feel like I could run around squealing with delight just about how HAPPY I am. I have a renewed sense of “faith” and spirituality and a connectedness to the earth and my surroundings that had been lost a long time ago.

I feel free.

I feel powerful.

I feel courageous and strong and beautiful and happy and HEALTHY and on freak’n FIRE. I feel like I can do anything, yet I’m keeping focused on the tasks at hand and working on getting THEM done first.

I smile more, I’m more serious, I’m more childish, I’m more innocent and yet wiser beyond my years. I’ve recently tapped into the divinity of the world but am still protecting myself from the negativity people still choose to put out there, even specifically directed at me.

I feel invincible to all that crap. I feel renewed. I feel whole…at least as whole as I can feel being the keeper of just myself. I sometimes think in moments that I’m not really so physically pretty, and yet, I’m not bothered or upset by this…because I know I’m a good person and pretty on the inside (which really is what matters most) and I’m just so happy to be alive and be doing what I’m doing and learning what I’m learning and sharing what I’m sharing – most importantly, taking the steps to take me to the next level of where I am supposed to and want to be! That knowledge, feeling and belief makes me not care about the stupid crap I used to worry myself with! How awesome is that?!

The person I was a year ago is gone forever. The shadow that hung so low over my heart and soul has been removed. Heck, the person I was a month ago is no longer the person I am now.

I am me, and rock I do! I’m not trying to sound cocky here…I believe this positive feeling is what EVERYONE is supposed to feel about themselves! I think I can be amazing…do amazing things…

Man…I feel giddy. I feel electric…I feel like…Devin.

Hello!

My name is Devin Schuyler. Right now, I’m one of the happiest people I know. You might not know it from looking at me, or even just through casual conversations with me. Maybe you would never suspect this about me, but it’s true. I’m happy dammit. Really.truly.happy. It’s real. Its in me. Its part of me. It IS me! And I am it.

Happiness. It’s what I’ve always wanted…

Welcome to the new me. I still look like the old Devin, I still walk like her and kind of talk like her…but I’m different…totally and completely different at the metaphysical and spiritual levels man. I am grabbing life by the horns and steering it onward. I hear the voice of god/reason/right/love/happiness speak to me now, loud and clear. The message is this, “you’ve got it kid…keep doing what you’re doing because THIS is where you ought to be!”

I would say something like “watch out world, here comes Devin!” except that I don’t think that’s quite it…I think it should be something more like “Hey everybody…I’m going THIS way…come with me…let’s do this…LET’S BE GREAT! TOGETHER!!!”

I don’t know…this is such a total rant…but it’s because right now I felt it imperative to share that I am newly reborn into the person I was always meant to be.

I’m Devin, it’s nice to meet you. I really think I’ve got a lot to offer, I hope you stick around to see what it all is.

My one wish/prayer/hope for this evening is clear – May everyone in the world come to understand the same simple yet powerful truth and feeling I have found and feel right now – about themselves and their place in this world…preferably in this life time…preferably while they still have time to grow IN it. Thank you and amen.

Good night. Good day. Good everything…

Posted in birthdays, commentary, just 'cause, life | No Comments »

HaPpY BiRtHdaY jaMie!!!

Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 10:05 am

So today is another one of my favorite people’s birthday!!! YAY!
Jamie Lou, what would the world do, if you were not a part of it?

I met Jamie back in 2005, when she was teaching a class called “Senior Seminar” and the cosmos had stuck us together. Jamie is THE reason my artistic block in the fine arts arena started to get broken down…she single-handedly (literally) forced me out of my comfort zone and helped open my eyes to the artists around me and forms of art I was too scared or ashamed or nervous to try doing myself.

Jamie went off to Italy, I finished up my undergrad and then wrote her an email about how awesome the class had been and how awesome she was as a teacher and mentor. A few busy months would pass before we were in much contact again, when, as fate would have it, I received an email from Jamie about how she was training to run the Chicago Marathon in 2006 (which I was also training to run) with the AIDS Marathon Foundation.

I don’t recall how quickly it all went down, but suddenly I was spending time over at Jamie’s with her very newly born son, talking tales of schooling, art, movies, music and running…then we were running together and the rest, as they say, is history.

ACTUALLY, it’s not history unless we add “in the making” because Jamie’s a friendship I value more than any worldly good…her insights are truthful, her wisdom is freely shared and her smile makes you feel like you are a very special person. I feel blessed to have met Jamie (and subsequently her husband Doug and her ridiculously amazing/cute/smart/SMART/funny/engaging son, Oliver Bean!) and couldn’t imagine my life with out her (or them) in it.

Here is to the past few years of this planet with Jamie on it…and I can’t WAIT to witness the next many many MANY years to come of her smile, talent, grace and greatness!

Oh yeah, and a few more braggy things about Jamie you might not now…
She is a(n):

  • accomplished (AND PUBLISHED) writer
  • seriously gifted artist (painting, drawing, collage, encaustics, books…oh goodness, books to die for…)
  • SMART AS A TAC, quick witted intelect (but you knew that already)
  • speedy speedy runner (with all around athletic capabilities)
  • open hearted (and eared) mentor/friend/companion
  • awesome mother
  • bi-lingual (English & Italian)
  • awesome teacher

…and the list could go on and on for days…Instead, I’ll follow it up with some of my favorite Jamie Thome pictures (when I get home since I’m at work and don’t have them on my work computer…)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMIE! YOU ROCK!!!

Posted in birthdays, personal | 1 Comment »

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