Love Buzz

Ahh, Facebook. A great place to muse about love in a public sphere. An amendment or addition to blogging. Facebook and blogging are venues where the very private and the public collide. In my recent post, above, I was seeking clarity about a new friendship. I am still seeking clarity, and getting closer. 

Thanks, Andrew!

In 2005, I spent a month in a studio program at the School of Visual Arts. Since I never actually went to art school, this experience helped give me insight into peer reviews as well as critiques from professional artists.

I ended up meeting some terrific friends who continue to be a part of my artist network. Andrew Thornton was in the same cohort as me. Since we met, he has been an unofficial press agent for me, promoting my artwork and exhibits on his blog. I can't thank you enough, Andrew, for your support and encouragement and generosity.

I learned recently that Andrew is about to leave New York for a new adventure. In an email he described to me his relationship with New York, and I instantly fell in love with what he'd written:

"My relationship with New York is like an abusive one... it beats me up, takes all my money, and I run away vowing never to return... but oddly enough come crawling back, begging for more."

Andrew, this piece here is for you. Thanks so much!

Ambiguity: when you are sick of "maybe"

In my last post, I included an image of "Always I return to you." There are two streams of thought in this piece. The first, "hold onto me or let me go; darling hold onto me," is embedded in my hair. The second appears alongside my sneakers: "Loving you is like running uphill..."

In the first bit of text, I am asking for some certainty. In the second, I am claiming that I love even though it is difficult and uncertain.

This piece is about ambiguity. At what point does ambiguity overpower your enjoyment of another person? Do you ever get fed up and decide you need to "know where you stand" or you will move on? How long will you wait for someone to make up his/her mind?

Ambiguity is a necessary part of forming bonds. There are subtle shifts in all relationships, whether they are friendships, or relationships with coworkers or family members. Even in the most committed romantic relationships, there may be times when one person gives more than another. For any relationship to last, there needs to be a balance in the work and the care. In these times of extreme economic uncertainty and job insecurity, is ambiguity in our personal relationships too much to bear? Is a lack of clarity with a lover a reflection of a stormy economy?