A Reflection, 1/3 of the Way Done
With the idea of identity handed to us on a silver platter, unable to be scraped off, I suppose I will follow up on these identity themes in both of my posts I write while abroad.
On a purely personal level, my identity has unfolded to reveal newer and unexpected goals; goals that somehow appear to be more attainable, and more relevant to my interest and values. Although I am an art history major and studio art minor, music makes up most of who I am. I work at Park Ave CDs, I have a radio show, I visit Rough Trade once a week, and am a religious member of the Facebook group Music World, which was created by my friend Elyse. I was sitting on the tube, thinking about the various zines I wanted to create, as I do, and I had this epiphany that should have realized long ago – I will create a zine that documents my gig attendance, and I will use these photos as a portfolio to pursue a photographer position. Jen Cray, gig photographer for the Orlando Weekly, is the hometown hero that inspires me. One day, I will be doing what she does, but somehow it will be different.
My accent has gotten me in loads of trouble – because Donald Trump is the moldy face of our country, and because Americans have always been considered obnoxious, I am usually not well-liked right off the bat. I went to talk to the lead singer of a London post-punk band called Rodents after their set, and he pretty much walked away as soon as I started to speak. He also could have not heard me, and was fairly kind over e-mail. But what I say is true! Many of my roommates are not allowed into clubs on the basis that they are “too drunk,” but they are sober and merely bear the least desirable accent in the country.
There are also a few terms that differ between the US and the UK, and I would be lying if I said I was shocked. Really, it was sort of a confusion that amused me: “Take away? What a fancy way to say to go.” The most fun of slangs to learn about, obviously, is Cockney, and it has come up many times in my Post War British Pop Culture class (where we actually learn about subcultures). In the ‘60s, the Mods were notorious for wearing Italian or French, custom-made suits, riding mopeds, listening to Miles Davis, throwing noodles, and popping their mother’s diet pills. We learned that they would take some Haley’s. Haley Mills was a popular actress at the time, and her last name rhymed with pills – thus, Haley Mills were simply pills, and it was often shortened to Haley’s. They would also be very sexist and say something like, “Look at that bird’s boat.” A bird was a girl, which led to the association of girls with the pronoun “it”. On top of this, her “boat” referred to her face, which can be deduced from the fact that boat was short for boat race.
I’ve been learning a lot, not only about myself and my role in my surroundings, but also about British culture as I experience it and as I learn about it in within the general post-war context. I am having a fab time, and you (readers) will be updated fairly soon. In my next update, these ideas will become more incorporated in my abroad zine, Identité. Until then, ta.