It was recently the 5th anniversary of her untimely death, and I've been thinking about her a lot lately. About conversations we had in the last few weeks of her life. About the changes we were both going through at the time. And about the expectations of the future. One that didn't go as either of us planned.
And as I have embarked onto the world of online dating, I have been thinking about an art project that she had done in the early 2000s (I think it was around 2002/2003). It was called The Love Resume Project (you can still find it here online). In it, Kirsten listed all her ex-boyfriends and the experience that she had gained through their ups and downs (knowing a handful of the guys, I can attest to the truth of it!). I have been wondering, as I look for a job and as I look for a man, about resumes and how one represents themselves. I wonder about how my profile online represents me and if it's reaching the "right" kind of man. Perhaps if I made my profile more like a resume?Anyway. Kirsten was ahead of her time with the whole thing.
If you want to know more, you can read her obituary, donate to the scholarship fund that is in her name at MassArt, see an unfinished art project and some more art here.
As I think about her, and as I sometimes wallow in what I think of as my own crappy life, I realize that at least I am alive, to stumble through it all. And I will keep perfecting my own resume (my job resume and my love resume) until I figure it all out. And the last conversation I had with her, about all the real and hard stuff in our pre-30s lives, will always stay in my head (if I close my eyes, I am back in my kitchen in Allston, an after-party from a dance night, our mutual best girlfriend visiting from Cali, and just she and I in the kitchen, in the dark, drinking beer and talking about our next steps in life - she was killed exactly one week later). And that conversation, which seemed not so big at the time, will continue to push me forward and appreciate all the things that I do have, as opposed to all the things that are lacking.
I know it's a lot.
Hi there MatchGirl,
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog a few months ago, as I was embarking on my eighth month of unemployment, as a single female, also living Brooklyn, and kind of feeling like poop about the whole situation. I relate so much to what your are going through, to the point where I have forwarded the link of your page to my mother in hopes that she'll just "get it". It appears that you have lost a friend and I am sorry to hear that. As I continue my somewhat depressing job search, it seems that everyone else in my life has moved forward, as they should, but at time goes by, I notice the boundaries of my friends have also changed. It's tough and pretty much sucks. I am sorry you lost a friend. Just wanted you to know that someone out here has been there with ya. Chin up.
Hi-
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind comment. It definitely lifted my mood.
It's nice to know that there is someone out there who understands. And, it's nice to know that what I put out there into the internet world can help boost someone else's day.
Good luck with your job hunt, and with everything else that comes with it.
Wow. Small world. I went to high school in CT one town over from Kirsten in the early 1990's and she was a legend even in our school. :-) I met her only a few times at concerts and such and mostly remember that she wore a dog color and had purple hair. And, like everyone else has said, boundless energy and smiles for everyone. I had no idea about her passing until I stumbled upon your blog accidentally after doing a Google search about unemployment in NYC. Truly a great loss of a person with amazing energy. The worlds needs more people like her.
ReplyDeleteHi Fairfield-
ReplyDeleteYou probably won't be surprised to know that she kept the crazy hair and outfits up right until her untimely death in 2004.
If you are able to, please try to donate (or pass on the info to others that may have known her from high school) to the scholarship fund in her name at MassArt- she studied there after graduating from BU. It's a legacy to her spirit and talent.