TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Monday, February 14, 2005

10:06 AM
Posted by jodi rose

more or less.
there are pictures to go with all these but one day when I have a spare few hours will update them. for now though it's all about to get very intense again - aiming to get 10,000 words of masters thesis written in the next week before leaving the country. argh. I have many more words than that at my disposal - still a matter of order and editing and comprehension. what is it I wanted to say again? yes, all that.
time in melbourne was a little strange - before wed launch was hyper, anxious and strung out; during was a complete nervous wreck and after was so deflated and depressed could barely move or speak - someone referred to it as a holiday, and then in response to my look of blank amazement amended that to working holiday. yeah, without the holiday part....
had a great conversation with the erudite fabulous justin clemens, who gave a fantastically witty and poignant speech at my launch - talking about why it's not sound art, it's 'just' art - anyway he completely understood my feeling of deflation. Waking up the morning after his book launch, he told me the sense of complete humiliation and shame was overwhelming - why did all those trees die for me to release this into the world? Most people are all upbeat and positive when you do something like this, they tell you it's great, you're doing well - I totally cherish and need those rare voices who can say - yes, you are insane, this is utterly horrific and there's really no need for it! oh that's right, another one this week. I've learned my lesson and it's going to be very very low key. Hoping to feel a moment of joy and celebration in the process - hasn't quite materialised yet. Emer pointed out that any major project ending will have that sense of anti-climax - you're not special, she told me - which is also good to remember. Just another day at the office.

can't quite comprehend where life is at right now. It's a little insane.
from the outside all looks fun and exciting I'm sure.

there are huge prints of regular everyday women dressed in the wonder woman suit on display in the outside of melbourne town hall. every time I went past them it made me smile - yes, we are all wonder woman!
also very cool ads in the tram stops by state govt about fad dieting - lines like: 'since fad dieting, all my friends have commented on how much energy I've lost' and 'fad dieting helped me go from a size 14 to a 12 and back to a 16. thanks fad dieting'. Great to have some positive role model reinforcements for women in those very public spaces that usually advertise lollypop head gaunt celebrities and models which make the majority of women feel insecure and unhappy about themselves. no matter how much feminist training you have.