I'm in Miami, B

As usual, I always find a way to go from lounging to high speed in less time than it takes to get a spray tan. Most of the time I don't even see it coming. All of a sudden there are paintings to paint, a show to hang, an upcoming grant deadline (that I've known about for months and haven't touched), and a new weekly column that I will be writing for Charm City Now (I'll let you know when the first post happens, I'll be writing it tomorrow). Some might hate to go from poolside to work overload, but it's something I thrive on. It lessens the blow of going from beach to Baltimore. Big time.

As a farewell to lounge life (at least for 3 more weeks until I head back to the beach <-- hard life) I spent the last week in Miami. I got tanned (freckled), burned, bruised, made friends and spent a little time with my family. I learned that I HAVE to get a Brazilian straightening treatment before my next visit (my hair loved Vegas...I cannot say the same for Miami), that I love the pool at the Raleigh, and that one can get a whole summer wardrobe at a cheesy boardwalk shop on South Beach (my purchases include, but are not limited to, these tiny tank tops: YOLO, Sexy And I Know It, and I Survived Spring Break Miami Beach 2012. They will be great jokes on my body in Baltimore.)

For this post I've decided to switch things up and use only my Instagram pics and tweets from BWI to MIA to narrate my vacation. Jeebus help you if you already follow me on all of of these. Also, keep in mind that A)a lot of alcohol was happening, B)there are whole segments that were completely left out when I was having a lot of fun (I can't document everything), C)sometimes I'm a little obnoxious (I know), and D)Obvi, not all of these photos actually go with the texts, but hopefully you figured that out.

xo, enjoy the show.

besos,

-Fitz 

Text: Adios Baltimore

Text: I'm in Miami B

Text: Kate and a cocktail

Text: Miami makes everything skinnier

Text: Aunt Erin and Maddie do Miami and we love aviators

Text: I'm at the Miami v Nats game in Miami. Who do I root for?

Text: My niece is mesmerized by the toplessness on this beach

Text: I just bought my whole summer wardrobe at a South Beach souvenir shop

Text: "are those my drink tickets? no that's a splenda" -me

***NOTE*** I was running out of photos. This didn't happen in Miami. You have already probably seen it on my Facebook, whatevs. Also, IMPORTANT: Joe's tattoo is (specifically) the 1985 Barbie horse.

Text: LOL at the mom w/ the anch tattoo

Text: Let me through. I'm carrying a big glass of red and I'm wearing all white

Text: I'm getting so fat sitting outside of this little bistro. Somebody stop me. #roselife

Text: I can't take a photo that does this Miami butt justice, but it brings a tear to a girl's eye

Text: Everything is so weird and I haven't even really gone out yet

Text: I mean there is a NASA rocket scientist doing the electric slide on the bar right now and my dad's coworker is rapping

Text: LOL at my dad's work friend who is trying to take a photo of the bartender w a butt like Ice T's Coco

Text: My sister is talking about skydiving. I'm talking about going to parties w strange boys in bad neighborhoods #extremesports 

Text: Getting a sunburn is so pedestrian. Somebody slap me.

Text: As he climbed in2 the front seat, my dad said to the cab driver "I don't want 2 sit on your banana" it was a very that's what she said moment

Text: Adios, Miami. I had fun. See you again sometime.

I Just Made Myself LOL @ Myself/ Or Maybe It's Just Me

Still LOLing. I'm not a poetry writer (thank Jebus, but no offense), at least not since creative writing in college... Anyhoo, I was working on some writing this morning and I flipped back a couple of pages in my notebook and saw A POEM that I wrote (and forgot I wrote) at like 4 in the morning the other night.

A) It's funny that I wrote a poem

and 

B) My poem is funny. It really says a lot about me. 

And since I am never afraid of laughing at myself in the name of the pleasure of others, I will share. No edits, btw. And I am still laughing. Maybe it's because I only slept 4 hours, whatever.

TGIF lovers,

-Fitz

It's a jungle out here
rats chirp
the lonely alley light shines
in lines when I squint
across telephone wires
weed trees climb higher
than the peach
tree drowned out not producing
but who cares?
I don't eat them anyway
maybe once in a Greek yogurt
the poison ivy vines
climb the wires and block the light
my garden dies
I'm not into nature anyway
I gave that up when the Grateful Dead died
I sit and drink a Corona Light

Summer Conundrum: A Tale Of A First World Problem

When I had jobs that I reported to summertime was simple. I deserved a break. Guilt-free, I'd pack a book and a mini-cooler full of low-cal alcoholic beverages and head to the pool. After a long year of teaching, or an 80 hour work week meeting a deadline, I had no qualms with spending my day in total lazy relaxation. Those jobs weren't what I wanted to be doing with my life, but their time consumption justified whatever downtime I chose.

Skip to now and I hardly go to the pool  because I feel guilty just hanging out when I have work to do. Work that I haven't figured out...I'm having creative block and some kind of ADD in my non-airconditioned studio (seriously, if you are a doctor and don't think I'm too old for Ritalin, we should talk).   I've been told that I have a higher level of adrenaline in my system than perhaps normal, and unless I know exactly what I want to be working on (a commission for example) I spend more time conjuring ideas and changing my mind than actually trying them out. Before I know it, the day is almost over, and maybe, I just should have gone to the pool.

New Commission

I'm not doing nothing. I'm writing a lot (which you may, or may not ever see) and these paintings are new, but when working for myself, towards a somewhat unidentified end goal, I'm not doing enough until I know it's enough. I get off on having an idea and a time constraint that has me drinking SF Red Bulls and working all but 6 or so hours of 24. And, my friends, right now, that's just not happening.


(Maybe this is totally boring to y'all, and instead of writing this as a blog post, it should just have been an email to someone like my friend Hilton asking, Is this part of the crazy creative process, or am I just wasting time? He spends so many hours in the studio that I know he'd have an answer...)

New Commission

I wouldn't trade the life I live now for my old one, although it was more financially stable, perhaps more respectable to "grown ups," and easier on my brain. I love my freedom and the flexibility in my life, and working is never boring. I'm basically just thinking out loud here, but more likely just procrastinating.

New Painting In-progress

Anyhoo, I'll be in Miami the week after next. Travel always inspires, so maybe I'll figure something out there. Or maybe ideas will flow while I'm at an OC bachelorette party in August (Seacrets, you have a wide-strawed pina colada w/ my name all over it). The later should at least provide some entertaining photos to share here.


Also, I'd kind of like to talk about summer reading if anyone is interested in that. I've been going through a stack of books and am open to suggestions. 


I'm really going to go get something done now. Really.


xando,
-Fitz