Fate intervenes

On Tuesday, I had a G-chat conversation with my friend, Sydney, that went something like this.
Approximately 9:30am
Kate: Good Morning!
Syd: Ugh! [Syd hates mornings]
Kate: Do you have lunch plans?
Syd: um no why
Kate: Want to go to an exhibit at clark with me and then to lunch today?
Syd: sounds good, I have no food at my house so yeah
Kate: Awesome! I'm blogging about their toy exhibit this week and I want company.  I'll pick you up at 12:30
Syd: k see you then

Approx. 11:50 am
Kate: Hey, is it okay if I come early?
Syd: Sure.
Kate: Cool, be there in 15

I leave my desk, grab my keys and walk to the parking lot. I look around for my car... it's not there. Then I remember, I didn't drive to work today.  Jackson has the car.  I'm trapped.  Dejectedly, I walk back to my office and call Syd. "Hey, I don't have my car. Same time tomorrow?" She laughs at me as she should, but agrees. I reply, "Cool, thanks, I'm an idiot. See you tomorrow."

So let's fast forward to Wednesday, when I have my car and I'm on time to pick up Syd. We head to the Traina Center for the Arts which is actually housed in an old Worcester elementary school. They get points for adaptive reuse! After a more than a little embarrassing moment when I ask someone where the Toy exhibit is, while standing next to a sign that says "Toy exhibit upstairs" we enter the exhibition space.  Here's a link to someone else's blog that uses pictures and kind -well informed- words to describe this exhibit. Other Blog Now here are my thoughts.

"The Show About Toys" was supposed to present pieces of art that invoke a sense on nostalgia that often accompanies our interaction with long forgotten childhood toys.  These artists choose different methods of reinterpreting the toys, some with photos, some manipulating the toys themselves.  On a whole, there were some really interesting pieces.  The photographs tended to be the most successful, but I believe that is because the artist is entirely manipulating the viewer's perspective.  You are seeing the piece exactly through the scope they intend and that really impacts the experience.

For example: We met "Ruffles" by Molly Burman - someone's childhood stuffed dog, placed among sheets and reminiscent of anyone's security blanket or favorite teddy bear.

It just so happens that when you are viewing some of the pieces without the viewpoint of the artist, your interpretation can differ from what they intend.  Take for example the piece entitled "Gifted Children," someone's hobby horse that was altered to embrace all things "girly" ie. little girls want their own ponies...

I saw SCARY. Honestly, I might have nightmares. But, it isn't the artist's fault that the fleshy-looking stuff on the face of the horse makes me think of Buffalo Bill's skin suit from Silence of the Lambs and that I envisioned the pony neighing "it puts the lotion in the basket."  It's really all a matter of perspective.

All in all, I'm always happy to visit local galleries and support student art.  This exhibit closes tomorrow, but it's a unique take on toys and nostalgia and I give them a B+ for effort. (They lost a grade because I might have squeaked in terror over the demon horse).

After our museum visit, Syd and I had lunch at Peppercorn's.  I'm not reviewing Peppercorn's because I really don't like Peppercorn's, but it was next door to the exhibit and I only have so much time on lunch break.  To be fair, only half of my dislike for Peppercorn's is their fault, but that's for a different blog.

At this point I bet you are wondering at the title of this post.  You might be thinking something along the lines of, "Kate, I don't understand, how does fate intervening have anything to do with creepy toys."  You are about to be enlightened.

Because of my epic car fail on Tuesday, I was forced to put off posting until Wednesday afternoon when I returned from lunch, but when I got back to work, I actually had a lot to do. The post was then again delayed.  I thought that I might try to post after work and before trivia, but Jackson announced that one of our trivia teammates suggested a team name that referenced this week's How I Met Your Mother, so we had to use our early evening to watch that - which was hilarious. So, it looked like a Thursday post was inevitable and thank god for that because...

WE WON!

That's right... we won trivia. FIRST PLACE WHOOOO HOOOO
I'd like to thank my teammates : Emily, Jackson, Chris, Maria & the Professor (Mr. Morrissey- Maria's dad who should get most of the credit).  Honestly, I am still glowing from our win.  It was beautiful and came down to the last question. Sweet victory.  Just in case you don't believe me... I've brought proof.

So the explanation for the post name is as follows: because fate intervened and I didn't have a car on Tuesday and my Wednesday was so busy that I couldn't blog, I was able to post the day following our BIG WIN!!The Legen-daddy team kicked trivia ass!

So, while The Show About Toys didn't really add points in Worcester's favor, I'm incapable of being negative and I'm giving Worcester a thumbs up for the week.

Until next week!!!

<3 K