Year That Answered

Glad it's through.

B.A.
I finally graduated. I celebrated on the beach, a mojito in one hand, conch fritters in the other.

Always the Exhibitionist
Ms. Baker has always been a dancing figure in my conscious. The bulk of my senior thesis was a letter to her. Photos of her pop up in little collages around my apartment. When I visited DC over Thanksgiving break, it was a nice surprise to see an exhibit glamourizing her life. It's was almost like a back alley exhibit, set in a small space that links two larger galleries, something most people stumbled into unexpectedly. It was beautiful all the same, capturing the her complicated art of being a modern minstrel/political activist.

Summertime Road Trip through Maine
First the purple mountains majesty scenery. Then a huge porcupine in the middle of the night. Then kayaking and sailing alongside dolphins and seals. And finally, a bonfire under the Milky Way.

$300 shoes
A couple months before finally admitting that I'm a compulsive shopper, I bought some of the most beautiful shoes I own. But I soon realized they were just leather and that $300 could have easily afforded me a round trip ticket to the Bay.

music #1: Yemaya by Sin Palabras
Heard it first at Sin Sin in July and let go of every fucking worry and insecurity, closed my eyes and danced. A chant, a step, a movement - something ran through me. This song carried me through the rest of the year..

music #2: I ♥Aloe
So I've had a serious crush on this man for six years. And when I met him during Winter Music Conference, I thought I might faint. To Luz's chagrin, I had no game, just stood there grinning like an asshole. I didn't even mind that he was wearing sunglasses inside the club. Nai and I both felt kinda proud watching him perform. Shine Through has the exact same effect on me as the Emanon stuff did years ago: sit, listen, nod, smile, sit, listen, nod, smile.

music #3: "Musical Medicine"
My favorite day of this entire year was stumbling out of the Union Square station and ending up right in front of the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble killin it outside of Whole Foods.

Lost Ones
On the morning of February 11th, I lost someone very, very close to me. That afternoon, I found out Jay Dee died. Spent that day real shook up, silent, shocked.
Seven months later, my aunt passed unexpectedly. A few days after that, the white orchids I'd bought over the summer (because I was missing auntie's laugh - white orchids were her favorite) began to bloom. And they are still blooming.

The Break-Up
Why would you stay if it's killing us both just to be here?
There's no more room to grow and you won't find yourself til you leave me.
It's a beautiful world outside these walls and I love you too much to hold you down...
Esthero sang it and it sums up everything. He and I handled it with grace. It's a blessing for both ends to realize they can do better for themselves.

Apt 4
Dream come true. Views of sunrise and sunset, the museum three blocks away, and not a single roommate to deal with. Thank you universe.

"Yo miss!"
Re-teaching myself algebra so that I could teach it to the nastiest kids in Bed Stuy is the craziest shit I have ever done. Trying to not take their insults personally is like trying to walk on water. I cry every day and question this decision (and it is so difficult to question a decision you set in stone when you were 6), but I keep on.

*
What to do with it all?
I've learned to pack the essentials and kiss the rest goodbye.