fanciful devices: BACK BABY

A Stone Is Nobody's

A man ambushed a stone. Caught it.
Made it a prisoner.
Put it in a dark room and stood guard over it for the rest of his life.

His mother asked why.

He said, because it's held captive, because it is captured.

Look, the stone is asleep, she said, it does not know whether it's in a garden or not. Eternity and the stone
are mother and daughter; it is you who are getting old. The stone is only sleeping.

But I caught it, mother, it is mine by conquest, he said.

A stone is nobody's, not even its own. It is you who are conquered; you are minding the prisoner, which is yourself,
because you are afraid to go out, she said.

Yes yes, I am afraid, because you have never loved me, he said.

Which is true, because you have always been to me as the stone is to you, she said.

Russell Edson

FAQs

1. Are you a Southeast Asian dancing girl from the 1800s?

No, sorry to disappoint. My avatar and banner images are from an ancient book I found in the depths of my grandmother's cabinets. More on that here.

2. How do you make everything look so old?

First, you need a good oxidizer to brush on every bit of metal you can reach. I'll tell you all about it here.

Then there's this wax. I first mentioned it here. You'll have to scroll down a lot.

3. How can you be so productive?

I'm insanely obsessed and I have no offspring. I do nothing else- I don't have a day job, I don't clean my house or cook, I spend all day in pjs, often completely abandoning personal hygiene... I only interact with other humans when I walk my dog. And I like people! But I prefer dogs.

And I'm sloppy- but I make that sloppiness work for me.

4. Any tips you'd like to share?

No! Except for these 16 posts about techniques and this one about how to find your aesthetic.

5. Would you be offended if I took some inspiration from your designs?

Well, I'd be happier if you outright copied them.

No really, imitation is how we learn. I have enough ideas to go around. And even if I don't- please. No one's going to do this obsessively enough to threaten my business. (Probably.) I learned by copying others and I've seen others copy me as a step toward developing their own voice. So feel free. (I'd love if you tossed me a link in my comments, so I can feel like a proud momma.)

6. What do you look like?

Why, what have you heard? Really? Wow.

6/25/14

BACK BABY

omygodimsoexhaustedimgettingtoooldforthisshitohmygod...
Wait, what was I saying?

I love this stupid little Victorianrocketship building it's the central antenna of all things Uruguay to me.

Oh, hai!!! How you all been? I so missed my lovely blog ladies always telling me how awesome I am, I swear I'm such a validation whore.

Random street veg.

What have you been up to, same old? Me? Oh I just went to another hemisphere is all....

Here's a dude.

I swear the biggest revelation of this trip has been that if you're ever feeling like such shit you're sure you need to go to the doctor just for a total system overhaul...

(Am I just stealing pix of the web cuz I'm too lazy to find my own? No... what? What makes you say that?)

...turns out what you need to do is trudge your ass across the city and just walk for three hours until you're all better. You'll be better in like two hours so the third is just to make sure or something? Ok, walk at a brisk pace and you'll only need two and you can go back to sitting on your flat ass in front of your computer sooner.

Like here's a picture of me just hanging out doing typical Uruguayan things. Exercising, you know.

I know people always say exercise will make you feel better and I've exercised just never actually personally experienced feeling better from it. Usually just grumpier and more tired.

My grungy little country.

More.

Also after playing with my cousin's ipad I realized my computer is a decade out of date and I'm asking for an ipad for my 40th B-day coming up in August (!!!!) cuz this is ridic. And also cuz I'm still a baby who asks her parents for birthday gifts she's too lazy to get herself. Soon I'll be glued to you guys and all my fave time-sucks 24/7 and it'll be awesome. Um. I'm sure there's more to report but... idk.... I need to brush my teeth now. With my fancy electric toothbrush!!!

Oh also my little country's idol and hero is some kind of vampire:

(link)

You know, World Cup things...

(link)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...: Yay Uruguay! Enjoying watching them do well, even blood-thirsty Suarez. This is the Cup for underdogs.
Hey- nice costume.
Welcome back!!; 6/25/14, 2:23 PM
Jiorji said...: oh good. you're back. you haven't been eaten by zombies.

uhhh yeah.........that was my uber lame Suarez joke.

so much clouds and rain my brain just can't even. CAN'T EVEN!!

that is all.; 6/25/14, 2:41 PM
Alessandra said...: LOL, Welcome back Marina, your blog always makes me giggle... I have to go to Europe every friggin' week for my job...I feel like a used mop when I get back, but it's fun, after all.
mmm...I should start sharing pics of where I go on my blog...yours inspires me...

Uruguay is beautimous btw, I really need to make it down there one of these days...I hope you'll share pics of you goodies, I'm so curious.

Italy sucked this year and went home...I'm so upset with my team! They've been sucking for the past decade and 1/2...sheesh!

Well I hope Uruguay wins now...
Thanks for sharing your trip.; 6/25/14, 3:50 PM
Vintajia Adornments said...: Welcome Back!! We are all hanging out so..... showusyastash; 6/25/14, 8:01 PM
Heidi said...: ha! good to have you back in the fold, can't wait to hear of your adventures. While you were gone I expanded my journey of sites I visit but I must admit reading yours brings me much joy. so go away, have fun and welcome back.; 6/25/14, 10:42 PM
CraftyHope said...: Glad you're back, hoping you had fun and have gotten some rest.; 7/5/14, 3:51 PM