It's Always a Good Time for a Harry Potter Reference

Greetings from the Columbia College Chicago Computer Lab.

33 E. Congress Street

Chicago, IL 60605

Computer 11

or

the cupboard under the stairs

....

I'm an absolute high today.

I had a great night of sleep, I got a proverbial "gold star" from my teacher, had lunch with some of my favorite people, and I'm cranking out homework assignments left and right.

Whatever internal stigma I have against being produtive seems to have faded for now. It's like a ban on productivity has been lifted.

Thank goodness for that.

If it was ever important to pass a semester, it has never been more important than now. Graduation looms in the tangible distance, and I need all the help I can get. Portfolios, reels, resumes, networking. This is the time for that.

However, I feel as though I've somewhat deviated from the primary goal of this site. I clearly have rambling down to a science, but I need to get back on the travelling bandwagon.

Chicago is the homestead for an extended duration, but perhaps I should share more of this incredible city with the interweb. Not that you need one more Chi-city fan club, but I'm hoping that you all have faith that my Chi-ventures will only be the top story as long as I'm here.

I'm going back to the Hometown (New Smyrna Beach, FL) for ten days of spring break. I will make a concerted effort to share in all of those adventures on a daily basis.

Does anyone know what city i'm in? Do I know what city I'm in?

I'm home. safe and sound.

brenna and simon's wedding was easily the best nights of my life. top five, at least. I have never felt so loved by any one group of people in my entire life. a lot of times i thought that they couldn't possibly have been missing me as much as i missed them. i was wrong. so very wrong. i love, love, love them more than they can possibly imagine.

and yet here i am. at home. doing everything and nothing with my life. i promise i'm coming home as soon as i can. i just need a few more months of reckless college life. it's all about to get so serious, so demanding. goodbye freedom, hello textbooks. there are a few weighty decisions to be made regarding my future.

all i can hear are my dad's words, "one day it's going to be the 'have' and the 'have nots'. where will you be?"

where will i be? practicing law? chasing down leads? writing my sitcom? acting a sitcom? telling 20+ fashionistas how to look ten pounds slimmer in the latest de la renta frock? running around the globe putting out political fires? running around the globe starting political fires?

at this point i'm square with marrying an investment banker, and spending my days teaching my children how to make the perfect dirty martini for mommy.

No, i'm too restless for suburbia. too nomadic and determined to do something great.

what is great? It's so subjective. Maybe this summer I'll write something "great" and live off the royalties. No more shrimp baskets flying at me, no more lemons to dice, no more sunburnt tourists upset about the sun (because i can make THAT go away).

I want my Chicago back. Summer nights in the park, with cheap beers and wines coursing through my system. great music and even greater conversation invading every corner of my mind. All this in presence of people i care too much about.

3o days. my goal. my limit. give me 30 days to get my life settled, and then i'll come home just so that i can sleep on your couch and drink all of your coffee.

it's happening because i say so.

i'll get to it.

make it work.
ashley.

love.

Though I've been warned to live day by day, there's something taking over.

Tonight is the night. My last night on the island. Tomorrow at 7:30pm I head back to Athens for the first time since February.

Three long months, and it's coming to a close. Am I happy or sad? Both I suppose. Parts of me never want to leave this tiny paradise, but there is another part of me that wants to get back to the paradise I've created for myself back home. There is a lot about home that I have missed, but on the same note this place has become a home, and so there will be no escaping an emotional goodbye. Goodbye for now.

The people will be the hardest to leave behind. The artists, the writers, the teachers. We've all pushed each other, and encouraged each other. These relationships have become important, so important. I know for many this is not a goodbye, just a 'see you later'. I still can't help but wonder which of these people will become lost in the transition.

The show is tonight. In a few hours actually. I'm reading my script, and it's a nervous feeling. That's expected though. I'll take pictures of the artwork. I'm impressed, I really am.

This is my last night in this little bedroom. My little greek studio apartment. So much writing has happened here. I'll remember the nights that turned into mornings, the writing parties, the parties in general. The fridge that only ever had milk and ouzo in it. The bathwater that rarely got warm. The little balcony that gave me a place to read and invited various insects into my room.

Too soon for goodbyes?
One night. One more time.

ashley.

in production

I don't know if i could handle being the person who selects movie soundtracks. There are just too many amazing songs out there, and I take it a little too personally when people don't like the songs I pick out, even for my tiny little montages.

I'm working on the latest "soundtrack", and I can't decide on just three or four songs. Can someone get Zach Braff on the phone? He's good at this stuff.

if only.

I promise I'll post the video upon its completion.

I hope everyone's day is wonderful.

peace.
ashley

why am i such a mess?

I'm trying to figure out why this trip has included more bodily dysfunction, and personal injury than any other in my life. How have I singlehandedly managed to deplete several First Aid kits worth of supplies? Am I paying back some huge karmic debt by way of bodily harm? Perhaps it's a mixture of clumsiness and bad luck.

A look back at the trip's misfortunes

1. Two days before my departure I catch a horrific cold that torments me from the sandy shores of Florida all the way to ancient Athens (where I inevitably share my sickness with my new friends).

2. While in Athens I slip not once, but twice on the same portion of sidewalk resulting in blood stained jeans and a bruised ego.

3. Later on in Athens I am the victim of two cigarette burns. One is still healing.

4. During a hike across the island I nearly fall off of a narrow mountain ledge while ripping my jeans and receiving several new scrapes.

5. The same hike leaves me with memories in the form of splinters and blisters.

6. My first night in Turkey is met with a volatile case of food poisoning that brings me down and keeps me down for almost half the trip.

7. An unidentified, yet very sharp object at the beach makes its home as a fresh splinter in my foot.

8. A slip on some stairs bruises my lower back, and again chips away at any ego left.

9. Renting cheap four wheelers almost always has it's consequences. Mid ride there is a mechanical dysfunction that leads to a mutual agreement between the bike and I that I will no longer be riding it. This leads to a darkly comical hospital trip, and my darkly comical take on this too-long list of maladies.

What is up with the universe? What is up with my universe? I'm going with the karma thing, personally. Don't get me wrong, the trip has been great, but I will certainly be bringing home some battle wounds.

Oh goodness, i'm such a mess.

With an end in sight.

My last week on the island. I can hardly believe it. Where does the time go?

On the one hand I'm excited to see friends and family. I'm thrilled that Brenna's wedding is just around the corner, and I'm very excited to be making money instead of spending it (the Euro is no friend of mine). On the other I'm really going to miss this place, and the people I've met. I'll be back though, I have to come back. Maybe next time you all can join me. :)

I'm in the process of putting together another video of my time here. It'll be a picture slide show, with a few very short student interviews. It should be great. I'll post it here as well as you tube when it's finished. So..around Tuesday.

I've finished a pilot episode for a yet-to-be-named sit com. It's about a bunch of college students at an art school in downtown Chicago. Write what you know, right? It's fun, and I hope people like it.

Other than that I've just been trying to stay out of trouble. That includes staying away from all motor vehicles. For those of you who don't know I was involved in quite the accident on Thursday. I have some pretty intense battle wounds, but everything is healing nicely. I don't really want to go into detail here, so let's just say--everything is going to be fine. I'll blog about it later, because my Greek hospital story is hysterical (now).

For now, I have plenty of homework that needs getting to.

much love.
peace.
Ashley

Turkey and a video.

SCROLL DOWN. THERE IS A LINK TO A VIDEO POST.

I know I've been an awful blogger. This is me begging for forgiveness.

Turkey was an absolute blast. I've put together a video clip, just a few pictures I took during the week. You should know that there are not as many pictures as I'd like. I was taken down in my prime by a nasty case of food poisoning, so I missed out on a few of the day trips--and, well, lost the urge to take pictures for a few days after. I hope that you can empathize.

To all you viewers (mostly my Film& Video friends): This my first time using any sort of video editing software, so be kind in your criticisms. The video is a first attempt, a sort of rough draft. If I feel like it, I may continue to edit--however, there are other projects that are desperately in need of my undivided attention.

Note also that there may be a few inside jokes along the way. Laugh if you feel the inclination, but don't bother yourself with their true meanings--it's less interesting than you may think. Or you may not think they're interesting at all, in which case you are freed from the burden of curiosity (temporarily, of course).

Also note (all you attentive adults) that the drinking age in Greece and in Turkey is 18--so any presence of alcohol is perfectly legal.

Just Copy and Paste THIS link:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=L-MR1ZIk7ik

This is the only way I could get it to work.

Songs:
Track 1: Corner of Your Heart -- Ingrid Michaelson
Track 2: Displaced -- Azure Ray

Thanks to the various HISA Students who appear in this clip:

Robyn Gordon
Chelsea Andes
Sarah Whitling
Ashley Peck
Nikki Kallas
Carl Corder
Alex Holey
Colby Lane J.
Jessica Ressler
Sandra Roorda
Casey Farrington
Holley Rolland
Micheal (Student)

And a Special Thanks to our fearless leaders:
George Crane
Barry and Yuko Tagrin
Sarah (Teacher)


Once again, I had an amazing time on this trip. If you EVER have the chance to go to Turkey--DO IT. I know that the situation there may seem unstable, but I urge you to look past the bombastic, ratings obsessed news feeds. The people are kinder than you can imagine, and no one runs up and down the street shouting passages from the Koran, attempting to convert. There is no detectable anti-American sentiment.

Turkey is a beautiful. The Turkish are beautiful people.

My next post will be (a video clip?) Santorini oriented. GREAT island. Best Chinese food I think i've ever had. Yeah...I know that's a weird compliment for a greek island. Trust me, I was a tad disconcerted myself. The next night was even stranger; Mexican food on a Greek Island, Russian music playing in the background, a sign pointing towards Tokyo in my line of vision. Why? Santorini has a nice.....assortment going on.

Crete may be this weekend. It's either Crete or a Mykonos/Delos excursion.

25 days left. Too much or too little? I can't decide, so that must mean that it's the perfect amount.

guh. This video took a small forever to upload. I hope you appreciate it. If you don't....a plague on all your houses. That's right. I went there.