Stressed
Part 1:
Last Tuesday, I evaluated my stress level at a five on the dice (that is, five out of six), six being totally beyond functioning, and 1 being a serene summer morning with an agenda waiting to be filled with Arnie Palmer's beachside. Well, being at five, I was quite stressed, and it is in part due to the fact that within two weeks time, I need to find a full time job to pay the bills and for the excess Haagen Dazs I have turned to settle the storminess that is my last semester. On the continuum of the entire semester, I would say its been relatively similar, although I do remember having one or two comfortable evenings way back when, not to be seen since.
So you can imagine that an hour of free contemplation time was a bit miraculous. So I began by sitting outside of the Bell Museum of Natural History in that adorable little pseudo-wild nature space. It was nice for while, I even made a little pinecone person, but it wasn't long before riotous frat boys across the street ruined the semi-quietness of it all. I figured there was no way I would be able to absorb myself in contemplation, so I decided to call a friend who I haven't seen in over a year and haven't had the time to call for a while. And I have to say, it was the best hour I have had in a long time.
The return to Nolte was nice as well, and the present moment project space was definitely like no other space I have experienced. For me, the rocks were the most soothing aspect of it, because I was one of those kids who used horde rocks in my pockets. Don't worry, I didn't steal any! I liked how they were all very smooth, and they reminded me of those worry stones that you're supposed to hold to release stress. So I guess it worked for me. I sat there for a little bit just staring at the wrinkles in the paper and feeling the uneven ground beneath my feet.
Part 2:
If I were asked to evaluate the Present Moment Project, I think I would just tell people that they should go if they want to see and experience somehting different, with the disclaimer that it was not an adventure like skydiving, but perhaps, in the spiritual sense it can be. I'm not sure what it means to evaluate this installation: how do you critique something that is both art and a usable public amenity. I think it is art in many different ways: It pushes the boundaries of how we use public space. It challenges us to give ourselves, if even just for a minute, a breath of fresh air and a clean screen to be able to think of the things we actually want to think about, if anything. It provides a space in which our spirituality can intermingle with our public life. It opens the door for more and different projects with a similar aim. If I were to propose a project, program or event to address stress on campus, I think I would try to organize a campuswide yoga event covering all the greenspace in the Mall.