all of my pictures for you to see

Just so you all know, I just got a Flickr account to store all my photos onto and so that everyone can see them easily.

The address is: www.flickr.com/photos/rachaelrudnik

I just finished uploading all of my pics from the Palio di Siena, which was AMAZING, so I definitely suggest you check those out.
If you want to save any of the pictures onto your computer all you have to do is click on the thumbnail of the one you want to see, then at the top left hand corner of the bigger picture you click on the icon that says "available sizes", which will give you a larger size, and if you want the original size, which is even bigger than that you just click on that link, which is on the right most side of the "Available sizes" list at the top of the page, then of course to save it you just right click on the image and select "save image to my computer"
hope this helps!

~rachael

So I'll Find a Cave

The other day I wanted to have some cereal that I had just gotten for dinner, it was Special K with peaches and apricots (do they have that in the states?). Anyways, I put some sugar on it because Special K usually needs at least a little bit of sweetener, and then then I take a bite. Realizing that I just put a mouthful of very salty milk and cereal in my mouth, I immediately run to the sink and spit it out, much to the pleasure of those lucky enough to witness my folly. I couldn't believe it! I had just put a spoonful of salt all over my cereal! The box wasn't labeled clearly enough, for sure, but at least I wont be making that mistake again. Thing is, I had been using that box of salt for the past month thinking that it was sugar! Putting it in tomato sauces and the like to try to bring down the acidity of the tomatoes, when in fact all I was really doing was increasing the iodine. Amazingly, I didn't even notice until this incident that what I was using was salt, I believe there was only one other time that I did that and thought that I had put too much salt in the dish, but in that case, not only did I add the "sugar", but I also gave it a few extra shakes from the salt shaker! LOL. How glorious it is when you realize that you are the most ridiculous person you know! Though I hate to think of how much salt I've actually consumed since I got here. I'll try to take it easy on the salt from now on.

I've been reading a lot about St. Francis lately and feel even more drawn to him than I was before. (pretty much only because I liked those statues of him talking to the birds)
He was devoted to the ideal of "Lady Poverty" and a oneness with the earth and the land, equality with all creatures and everything he considered to have a spirit of its own (i.e. "Brother Sun, Sister Moon") What Grace he had! A pure and simple heart, but an intelligent and humble mind. I hope that someday I too will be able to go out as a poor pilgrim and connect with God in the wilds of his creation. But the land is not as it once was in Francis' time. The wilderness has been mostly tamed, and it would be very difficult to find any significant amount of landscape leftover from what Francis traveled through, so I supposed that if there is any hope for me finding such a place, I'd better look now, before the wilds of Italy become extinct. Who knows? maybe I can even find myself a cave to sleep in while I'm there, just like the cave Francis went to to talk with God!

Not Much to say

Umm, I dont really have much to say with this one. This past week was pretty regular comparatively, so I'm going to try to make plans to travel somewhere next weekend, havent decided where yet though, there are so many places to choose from. top of the list though are Assisi, Pompeii, Venice, somewhere along the beach, or somewhere in the mountains where I can (hopefully) get back to nature, maybe go camping or something (yes I have a tent, but no sleeping bag) I have been saving my money for far too long and I feel like it's not getting me anywhere to do that so I'm just going to forget about being such a saver and just go out and have some grand ol' adventure.

"Just Because You Love Me" Wish list:
1. Food and a good pair of shoes for all the children of the world
2. a Walcom tablet, or a good sized Bamboo tablet

that is all

Day of the Assumption

I have been living here for about 3 weeks now and I have only just started to realize how Rome has captured my whole being, just as it does to the millions of people who come here every tourist season. For me at least, Rome is called the eternal city because time doesn't really seem to exist here. There is no on Roman history, but rather many histories, piled one on top of another just like the many layers of plaster and paint upon the walls of the ancient buildings, which seem as though they are all leaning against one another for support. In this place I feel as if I too could just live on forever, with everything staying as it has always been, and me never growing tired of it. One must always approach this city with a sense of adventure, plenty of time to spare, and a good pair of walking shoes. In the maze of these streets it is often best to just forget about a map (for they could never site all of Rome anyways) and just walk wherever the spirit leads you. There is perhaps no better surprise than that which you get by happening upon places such as Campo di Fiore, Porta Portese, the Pantheon, Largo Argentina, the Spanish steps or the Trevi Fountain quite by accident, as if it just appeared out of nowhere, and you begin to feel in your heart that you inherently knew the way all along and were led to these places by some magical force. Trying to plan routes around this place becomes obsolete once you finally realize that the shortest distance from one point to another is not really a straight line, but more of a figure 8. With all the times I've gotten lost in this city I have never once regretted a wrong turn, leading me down a new path of discovery. I hope that my ability to get completely lost in this city never fades, for I means that my time here is still quite young.

In the mornings I wake up just before 7 to unlock the studio doors and prepare myself for the day ahead. I eat a light breakfast in the downstairs kitchen while listening to opera or classical music, relishing in the peace of the morning and the short period of cool fresh air that blows in from the large French windows before the sun gets high and hot. I then go outside for a morning stroll and inevitably find myself gravitating to Campo di Fiore, where there is a fresh fruit and vegetable market every morning. The sizable chunk of watermelon I get for a mere 1,15 euro is perfectly ripened and sweet this time of year, grown in patches just a short distance outside of Rome. Today I walk along the Tiber in Trastevere. Being the 15th of August, which was originally the Feast of Emperor Augustus, but is now celebrated as the the day of the Assumption of Mary, it is a national holiday, which consequently means that the entire city has been deserted and you would be hard-pressed to find a single shop or cafe' open. The only people I pass by are the lonely stragglers and lost tourists, who were left unaware of the day's significance, and now wander aimlessly around searching for some place that has remained open. I come to realize how there really is no need for a watch when walking around, first because there is bound to be a church or basilica nearby which will ring its bells every 15 minutes, and second because such tight schedules should never exist here. The serenity of this place and these people are enough to make even the most time-organized people forget where and when they are, further adding to the timelessness of Rome. Serenity. Yes, that is possibly the best way to describe it. Not just today but every day it can be felt. The Italian word for serenity is serene, which means to be completely contented with one's life and surroundings, no matter the situation. It would seem as though this is the collective mindset of all Roman people, and indeed, it is quite easy to become contented here. I don't have much here, and live quite simply with what I have, but all of those things which are not available to me seem to be luxuries now. I realize that they are quite unnesessary in living a full and beautiful life.
Truly I am blessed, and I pray that you may be blessed as well.
Love,
Rachael

My Independent Study Projects

Since I have been here I have felt inspired everyday for projects that I want to do during my time here. Before I got here I had been planning on working on product design for people who are blind or visually impaired, but the more that Rome influences me, the more I desire to step away from product design and pursue projects that I, till now, have not been able to experience within the confines of my major.

     For the first half of my independent study, I plan on working on combining animation and sound to create a video which shows what a person with complete blindness "sees" while traveling through the streets of Rome using a white cane. Using line, color and sound to represent all of the senses (except sight, of course), I aim to show how we can "see" the beauty and grandeur of Rome, without even using our eyes.

     For the second half, once I have had more experience being in Rome, I plan on making either an artist book or an exhibition display. Through the use of tactile representation, I aim to give a kind of "tale" about Rome and it's history. This will be a sort of "sighted guide" guide book, specifically for people with complete vision loss.

This is just a very short, rough trial clip showing the type of animation I could do. Though the final will hopefully look way more refined, and will be richer, visually.

Out of Context

Word for the day:
Enthusiasm
derived from the latin word "enthios"
"en"-meaning "in" or "with"
and "thios"-meaning "God"
Therefore, when we say we are enthusiastic, it means that we have the spirit of God in us.
I really like this definition. Thank you Ezio for your wisdom.

Today, for our art history tour we went to one of the branches of the Museo Nazional Romano, which is inside of an old power plant. It was quite strange to see these ancient sculptures in this industrial setting.



It makes for a very interesting relation, but I can't help feel that it is not really doing these works any justice by completely separating them from the context that they were made for and putting them in such a foreign environment. I know we couldn't truly get the real feeling for these pieces and it was hard to imagine what sort of world these relics originally belonged to, but I enjoyed it non-the-less, and I was actually somewhat even more interested in all the old machines that still remain in the building.

On another note:
Grapes here are huge! They are seeded, but its really easy to take the seeds out. And so very sweet and purple! what a difference it makes when you have native produce that has been grown in the same region it is sold in the outdoors farmer's markets, instead of being packaged and shipped hundreds, or even thousands of miles to a grocery store.

"Here was Rome indeed at last; and such a Rome as no one can imagine in its full and awful grandeur!" ~Mark Twain

Things change

But why do they change? That is the question.

Do things really have to change through some force of nature or the pull of the universe, or is it only through the discontented nature of human beings that we will always long for diversity. Shying away from true stability in the interest of "growth" or "adventure." But how much can a plant grow if it keeps on being moved from one garden to another? Truly, it is only when the plant is given a stable home and a permanent place in the ground that it can really take root and thrive, bearing fruit year after year. 

What will happen when stability is lost? 

If you take out a column from the piazza(house), will the apse and lintel(roof) fall?

Or will the remaining columns be sufficient in holding it?

Surely, the building remains stable, as it has always been, but if you were to look closely you would find cracks and strains, permanent scars on the structure which could not be mended even if the missing column were to be returned to the place it once stood.

Do you get what I am saying here?

You Are Beautiful

You are beautiful my dear.

I just wanted you to know.

You are beautiful in spirit,

You are beautiful in soul.

Adventurous and bold,

Courteous and kind,

Never one to fret,

You always keep your mind.

Always humble and gracious,

With your love for others showing through,

You never stray from God,

He is everything to you.

And you ask Him for guidance

In everything you do.

For this reason you are blessed,

I pray this always be true.

You are beautiful in body,

You are beautiful in mind.

Your eyes always sparkle,

While your heart always shines.

Your smile and your laughter

Affect all who are near.

For God made you who you are,

And you are beautiful my dear.

Nature and science,

Music and art.

Life is your venture!

Quick to learn and quick to start.

You are beautiful my dear.

I just wanted you to know.

For God made you who you are,

And from you he'll never go.

                    ~Rachael Rudnik

*this poem was written with a couple of people in mind, whom I hold so dear.

I thank God for you, my family, my friends