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Bezerkely and Bubbles

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Bezerkely and Bubbles

Ah, it’s Friday! And I’m not feeling too well, but it’ll pass.

I’m continuing where I left off, from my last post (sort of).

I decided not to follow in my older brother and sister’s footsteps and attend Santa Clara University. I was sick of private schools, priests, and mostly the Catholic religion. After high school, I wanted to attend a public university. My brother suggested Berkeley; he said I would fit right in. He was right.

On the day we drove up to the campus, he exited the freeway and drove up Telegraph Avenue. He kept saying, “Wait ‘til you see.” I wondered what he was talking abou,t as it looked like any other street, what was I supposed to be seeing?

And then it happened. We came across the main part of Telegraph near campus and People’s Park. There were college kids, punks, street vendors, and homeless loitering the streets. I was home; this is where I belonged. One image I’ll never forget is seeing “The Bubble Lady” hobbling down the street blowing soap bubbles. It was beautiful. I would later find out, that she was a poet; her real name is Julia Vinograd. I have kept two of her books, one of which is signed. The poetry is pure genius.

I didn’t consider majoring in Art and I chose English instead. I was sick of being a math wiz and I needed a challenge; English never came easy. Mostly, I wanted to read books and write poems (many even inspired by Julia). I thought I was going to be a writer. But here I am, I’m an artist and ‘maybe’ a writer. I never got to publish a book (as I had always dreamed of doing), but after 2 years of blogging I’m starting to think of myself as a writer. Growing up, I never thought I could be both; I either painted or I wrote. I painted when I was happy and I wrote when I felt sad. The two didn’t go hand in hand. Almost exactly 20 years since I left the Berkeley campus, I’m now an artist and a writer. OK, I said it; it’s official! And as for happy and sad, there are both still here. But mostly there is happiness.

The piece here is in honor of Julia Vinograd/ The Bubble Lady. It’s titled, “Save.” It’s part of my latest series, LITTLE Jesus. Somehow, though I never officially met Julia, I made a big life decision in seeing her and her soap bubbles. As I mentioned in my last post, she wrote of a poem called The Crucified Clown. Who knew that, without knowing, I’d be painting my versions of this poem. “Thank you Julia. Your words and bubbles inspired me.”

Cheers and Bubbles!

Suicide

Lick a stamp
and place it on
your forehead.
Seal your lips.
Send away with
no address,
no return address,
no letter, not
even a picture.