We are in the plateau of fall quarter--this seems to be a stressful time for everyone, trying to cram work in before Thanksgiving. Just as a reminder, you should fill out the IDA questionnare when you can, so that we can do strategic recruitment if we don't have say, enough musicians or actors.

One of my favorite parts of IDA is the kind of people the workshops attract. Musically inclined, culturally aware, globally conscious, the kind of kids that have tapped into the beat of life. Besides gregarious discussions, IDA  provides a really valuable lesson that many other Stanford classes don't teach--collaboration.

I've really enjoyed the rituals that characterized the apex of the fall season--Halloween, or dias de los muertos. Stanford's diverse communities have opened me up to the power of sharing experiences as a way to purge the overwhelming emotions that come in tandem.

I was able to attend the MassQuerade Ball in East Palo Alto, an event dedicated to the remembrance of the past and bridging the gap between generations, ethnicities and spiritual traditions. 

There was so much to absorb, and it was all wonderful! I got my face painted by an old and dear friend, and we talked about how humanity is just a mask, and that we're really all just animals. Animals with spirits, that is.

We started the night's festivities by standing in a big circle, and were instructed to break it and snake around so that we should hands and made eye contact with everyone in the room. I loved that, for once I wasn't just standing in an anonymous crowd at a party, but I felt like I had connection with everyone, even if it was just for a few seconds. It felt like the attendees were really present and engaged, which reminded me of what IDA was like, especially when we combined all the workshops together at the Thursday luncheons.

The next spiritual event I went to was a Dias De Los Muertos ceremony in Casa Zapata. There was AWESOME Aztec drumming and dance. Then we did a ceremony where we put gifts on an altar for loved ones who had passed away.

Today is the fortieth day of the (Muslim) mourning period for my grandmother. I just talked to my mom and sister, who got together with the rest of the kin and commemorated her journey.  Although religious rites don't hold a very tight grasp on my appreciation for life, I do think that this marking point is good for me.

My family lives in Kuwait so I haven't been able to share my grief in true empathy. This forty day period is like a  nice substantiation of my strength--to hold this period of time like it is a tangible weight that my body has had to carry. Forty days and a spirit should have made it all the way to a spirit world if it is not embittered. 

And now she has been fully released from any vices of sadness. 

I'm glad for the rituals that Stanford has offered me to say goodbye. At Casa Zapata we sang to an acoustic guitar and drum, and the "abuelito, abuelita" song was particularly relevant.

Gina Hernandez, my boss here at IDA, was singing right behind me. I felt protected by her somehow, like no matter where in the world one is, there are compassionate people with sympathy :)

We are blessed by the expressiveness of Stanford, even if it feels stressed out and closed off sometimes.

That leads me to something that's exciting and has been taking up of my brain space.

My class with Jerry Quickley! Next quarter I will be the TA for a class that involves making art with incarcerated youth.

Quickley and I will go to Juvenile Centers and find a nuanced pool of peeps to collaborate with.

The beginning of our class will begin by getting to know your classmates, and asking questions about what is important information to know about someone.

We will then tell you the name of your jail pal. You will write first impressions based only on name.

Then, we will give you a few autobiographical sentences. You will write a piece based on what you think this person is like.

We will then give your headshot to your partner and vice versa. You will write another draft based on the photograph you receive!

Finally, we will have face to face visits and have writing exchanges! You will write a final draft based on these interactions.

And then! Jerry and I will have the delicate task of piecing everyone's work together to present it to an audience.

He has the idea of using machinima, or machine cinema, which is like a performative video game to present our material. We'll see how that goes and what everyone as a group feels is the most effective vehicle for sharing!

I am signing off now, and I hope you:

Open yourself to life, love, conversation, art, creation, IDA.

Don't forget to fill in our app!

May you all be blessed,

Liane