Today was also my first all staff meeting. It started well because I got a shot-out from big J to formally introduce me to the staff in person. But basically we just talked about how poor the school is right now, but we should be glad because we have a lot more money than most colleges or art centers. Which is true, we fortunately are in the situation where all our cushion and extra money is gone, but we can still survive. Most places don't have that luxury, and when the money doesn't come in the lights, water and heat turn off. The first number being kicked around for this years cut in my area of the college is $210,000. And the numbers for the subsequent years can go past $600,000. Even the modest number of 210 is no longer just looking at ordering less paper and paperclips, now we are seriously talking cutting jobs either by a round of layoffs or by decreasing a large group of people to part-time. This is really scary because you get to know all the people in the office and wonder who can afford to take that kind of cut. Everyone has families or are struggling singles myself included in the ladder. No one went into arts administration for the money, but now the money isn't even there. So many of these people have two jobs and are just trying really hard.
I think just rehashing this story has made me realize I wasn't bored before but sad and worried for the start of the arts in general. We talked today so much about how many theater companies and arts centers are just folding. And yes we have seen many banks fold or get eaten up by other banks, but I haven't heard of many serious pay cuts for people making lots of money, or fewer stays in luxury hotels, or general conservative spending. I just wonder on the scale of good how these companies stack up with the little personal business that are dying and waitress who are noticing a 50% drop in tips. PS world, if you can't afford to tip you can't afford to eat out, so maybe you should re-think that decision to walk into the restaurant. I can survive on pasta and turkey, but you can't raise a family on that. And thats where it hits you hard when you realize that people who lived fairly modestly with their children are now going to cut out a lot or get into serious debt to survive the next year/s.
I typically don't feel bad for middle class america, yes I know I am a terrible person but I know that is like to aspire to be middle class america, so my understanding is different. But now seeing the extent of the economy in the last week and my current reality, or rather the reality of my coworkers freaking out after our meeting has made me feel really bad.
One positive for this current state and the arts is that it is giving lots of people including myself lots of material to work from. I was looking at a slide show on the NY times site that showed a Brooklyn artist who is painting the major players in the economic crisis and bring the canvases to Wall St. for people to write on. Talk about interactive art. And I had only toyed with the idea of creating mattress money bags, but now I am contemplating making it for my own use. I plan on weathering this storm either in grad school or in brazil, hell maybe in both places. I think I am going to get back to being productive.
But first, I am going to share some of how I spent my sunday and monday off days, by watching the following.
Is it me or is that just too much thigh to put on TV? And crotch too, I felt a little uncomfortable when watching it. I haven't seen a music video in so long and then I was confronted by Beyonce's stuff. I mean I can't think of a single person who can do what she is doing better, but I don't know how I feel about this video. I thought I didn't like the song, but i heard it today without the video and enjoyed it. I could see myself totally dancing to this song in my room, but probably not the way she dances to it.
And on a happy note I think my new and improved airbed gets here tomorrow! Which is pretty big because now its just stupid that my butt is on the floor every morning.
and lets liven the mood with a little Lady gaga. I adore this song, but how is this person the same age as me. I guess lilo is the same age too, sometimes I wonder if I never was a teenager or something because apparently I never reached my sexual freedom. Don't worry I don't have any aspirations of wearing hot pants or showing my stuff to the world
2 comments:
i agree with the beyonce comments, i did like how they tried to class it up a bit with the b&w photography
i have to say i do love the song though
k I was ok with the song until she did some major shameless product placement. "in my dereon jeans" or whatever it is. please beyonce. and yes, if you need a brazilian to wax your cooter before the shoot than its definitely too much "thigh" to be showing.
j, thank god for you posting some pop because i havent listened to music on the radio since mid summer. i miss it. keep that up. i like hearing what hte kids are listening to these days.
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