Manifesto: Decay in time...

“We plan our lives according to a dream that came to us in our childhood, and we find that life alters our plans. And yet, at the end, from a rare height, we also see that our dream was our fate. It's just that providence had other ideas as to how we would get there. Destiny plans a different route, or turns the dream around, as if it were a riddle, and fulfills the dream in ways we couldn't have expected.”

Apart from the colorful baloons and the smiling teddy bear, there is nothing about our site that brings the warm and fuzzy feeling of childhood. The building now stands abandoned by the decay of urbanization & time. The chatter of children and the daily routine of a class is going to be "re-created" by our team members on April 29, 2009.

We are going to let people in our "Day care" facility by "screening" them throught their Rutgers I.D. The "students" will then, follow a daily routine of any school which, would be activities such as 'Circle Time', 'Art time', 'Snack time' and 'Free play'. The strict rules of entry and exit of a Heterotopia will be seen when the I.d's are checked. The Urban decay of the day care due to lack of funding and other reasons, will be seen from the article "A Different City for a Different Life" and the issues of an 'ideal neighborhood' and the environment that would be suitable for one's own kids can be then questioned.

The difference between public and private space is seen as it gets invaded by people cutting through the site, to get to the train station. The decay of childhood is thus seen and it brings to mind a quote by Bill Cosby, “The essence of childhood, of course, is play, which my friends and I did endlessly on streets that we reluctantly shared with traffic.”

Hyper linking

You have to make sure that something is highlighted while you link

Map

Here is my map

Class Discussion Questions.

Discussion
1. Why do people tend to suppress that which, they cannot express?
2.Why does space have to be confined within boundaries?
3. What is the nature of experience and the experimental perspective?
4. Why is one attached to space?

Images from a Dream....Miscarriage.

"White light blinding a woman's eyes(Is that me, I wonder?), Sounds of wailing sirens and screeching tires. The smell of disinfectant permeating the air. Hearing someone shout “Somebody bring her a stretcher, she is bleeding.” The loud buzzing noises somewhere in the distance and people moaning. Metal tires clanking on tiles as she is being rushed to the Intensive Care Unit. Slipping in and out of consciousness, a familiar face is smiling warmly at her. He is finally here. “Now that you are here, the spark is back in my life. Now that you are here, there is a willingness to live again; the world had seemed dark and lonely without you.”
Love, betrayal, and loss...

My Backpack...can objects tell stories?

As I open my grey/orange Nike backpack, I find things some of which, are long forgotten! Every little object has a little story to tell.

The plastic blue Clinique cosmetic bag which, is now my pencil box, holds several objects from a stapler to pens to highlighters and so much more! I had bought it almost eight years ago. It was of one of those days at the mall that I was shopping around when I liked this little complimentary pouch that had blue and yellow flowers on the clear plastic and so, I just HAD to complete the $28.00 purchase!

The front pocket has a very pretty cell phone cover in bright red cotton, bought in India a few years ago. The visit was short and yet has fond memories! The busy streets with the persistent hawkers, trying to sell anything from glass bangles to (fake) Nike shoes spelled "NIEK"! The little ethnic cell phone case, has yellow threadwork and tiny round mirrors all over and patches of colored cotton. It holds my cellphone, coins and also, a prayer stone. The stone is circular, made of clay and just resting my head on it after a long day at school, gives me so much peace! The clay is smooth and cool and smells of earth after a first shower of rain!

My B&B Works lotion in Brown Sugar & Fig is in the other little front pocket.It is something that I cannot survive without, especially in winter.

My folders and notebooks take up much room as I am a tireless note taker. Somehow, the thought of typing all my notes does not appeal to me.I would much rater doodle something on the side that I can look at later and smile rather than play a game of solitaire in between note-taking! One notebook with a floral cover is my 'Dream Journal' that I have to write in, for another class. This is an interesting activity for me as I dream a lot! My dreams are vivid and move slowly and clearly, like a movie on HD screen! The next morning, I try and remember the images and I quickly jot them down, pondering over the if's, why's and when's...

Another book that I carry these days is 'The Omnivore's Dilemma' which, is quite an eye-opener. (It is a slow moving one though, as I'm still in the third chapter!).

The little floral umbrella in the back pocket has saved me from getting drenched many a times in the unpredictable weather that New Jersey has!

I wonder what these posessions of mine would have to say about me, if they were given a chance! I will miss them all when I'll be done with my college in May, but for now....."And miles to go before I sleep....and miles to go before I sleep!"