A (Year) In The Life 2013.

Travels:
New York, NY x5
Valley Forge Historical Site
St. Petersburg, FL x2
Ocala, FL
Phoenix, AZ
San Francisco, CA
Charlottesville, VA
Luray Caverns, VA
Hampton Roads, VA
Troy, NY x2
Pittsfield, MA
Chantilly, VA

Concerts:
White Ford Bronco
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
The Features
The Thermals
National Symphony Orchestra: Video Games Live!
Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake
Dismemberment Plan
Grace Potter

Theater:
Medieval Madness
Potted Potter

Weddings:
Dan & Mindy
Adriana & Joel
Todd & Val
Alana & Pete

For the only possible:
Mike moved from Brooklyn in March, we moved to a new apartment in November; I bought a new camera, and I'm starting graduate school at the end of January. So, that's a start.

2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

A (Year) in The Life 2012.

Travels:
St. Petersburg, FL
New York, NY x14
Minneapolis, MN
Seattle, WA
Portland, OR
San Francisco, CA
Wilmington, DE
Charlottesville, VA
Troy, NY x4
Rehoboth, DE x3
Trenton, ME
Pittsfield, MA

The Empire Builder:
I decided to take a trip. And I'd like to blame Eric and Betz Petersen since they're halfway across the country in Minneapolis. It was my If You Give a Mouse a Cookie moment: I'm already half-way, why not Go To There?  After staying with the Petersens for the long Presidents' Day weekend, I rode the Amtrak Empire Builder from St. Paul, MN to Seattle, WA passing through Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Washington. I travelled close to 1,800 miles in 36 hours with fantastic views and just being Away from It All. I met up with my friends Tracy and Max in Seattle for four days revisiting a city I love and even got to see an old high school friend, Josef. I hopped the Amtrak Coast Starlight down to Portland for the day and ended up exploring the Columbia River Gorge area with another of my Oklahoma-escapees, Will, until I had to catch my evening flight to San Francisco.

SF was a bit of a whirlwind of two-ish days-- why wouldn't it be with Dottie, Mik, and Cait-- but besides the ER visit, there were beers to be had, friends to be made (Hello, Chris at Joe's!), old haunts to revisit, and one last stop at the Gold Dust for Irish Coffee before she shut down. I boarded a Virgin America flight East, and landed at JFK five hours later just to get lost and frustrated on the Subway on a rainy night (I have a pass-- the stop I wanted was closed). The last four days of my trip I spent with friends living above a shitty bar in Williamsburg wondering if I could actually live above a shitty bar in Williamsburg. I came home to DC on the bus, which then completed my Richard Scarrey's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go tour of the United States.

I kept a journal of the entire trip, but need to scan the images as I shot all instant film.

Concerts:
White Ford Bronco
National Symphony Orchestra - The Planets

Theater:
None.

Weddings:
Brian and Emily, May 26


For the only possible:
Well, here we go.

2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

A (Year) in the Life 2011.

Travels:
Dryfork, WV
Winchester, VA
Rehoboth, DE
Charlottesville, VA
Austin, Killeen, and Waco, TX
Boston, MA
Winchester, VA
New York, NY
New York, NY
Pittsfield, MA
New York, NY
New York and Brooklyn, NY


Concerts:
White Ford Bronco
The Dismemberment Plan
Wild Flag
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Andalusian Dog
National Symphony Orchestra: Casablanca
Dolly Parton
Alkaline Trio
The Horrors
Wild Flag
White Ford Bronco
Beady Eye
Gogol Bordello


Theater:
The Blackwatch (Scottish National Theatre/Shakespeare Theatre Company)
Newsies (Papermill Playhouse)
Rent (University of Maryland)


Weddings:
Danny and Emily, March 5
John and Shane, September 10


For the only possible:
2011 brought on more responsibility and more confidence. I started ice hockey lessons in July and hope to join a league in Spring 2012. I tutor two wonderful 8th grade girls with Arlington Affordable Housing Corp, and I hope to continue working with them through this school year and the next and the next! I also got a new job this year; same office, but more responsiblilty and working with people I know and respect (not that I wasn't before, but this was a Good move for me).

2012 is already shaping up to be a year of travel, reconnecting with old friends, and trying new things. Like brewing beer.


2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

To Breathe, to write.

So, let's play a game. During which I learn to write again and often and to many.

Project 36, 1: Laundromat.

Project 36, 1: Laundromat from Katy Ray on Vimeo.

A (Year) in the Life 2010.

Travels:
St. Petersburg, FL
Orlando, FL
Ocala, FL
Rehoboth, DE
Maine
Lexington, VA
Maine
New York, NY
San Francisco, CA
St. Petersburg, FL

Concerts:
I had a bad habit of buying concert tickets and not going, but I made these:
Editors
She & Him
Dropkick Murphys
Drive-by Truckers
Belle & Sebastian

Did not attend:
Justin Townes Earle (but he got cancelled the first time)
The Thermals
Andrew Bird (whoops.)
Bob Schneider (the time he's actually playing State Theatre and not Birchmere)
All's Well That Ends Well (I actually showed up at Shakespeare Theatre and changed my mind.)
The Little Prince at FlashPoint (There was a dad and his little boy on the standby list, so, yeah.)

Weddings:
Heather and Chris got married in Milwaukee in April, and I was pretty bummed I couldn't get out there for it.

Lindsay and Kevin had a small, adorable service and reception in Washington in Capitol Hill.

Jason and Theresa had a beautiful wedding in Fairfax, Virginia. The reception was in Leesburg and we shut the town down.

John and Shane- simple and personal. So happy for you two.

Other:
DC had a blizzard (or three) in 2010. Got a whole week off of work while Maryland, Virginia, and the District tried to clean up.

Moved into a bigger, brighter, well-managed apartment in the Spring. Living closer to the City, work, and friends and it's pretty great.

Realized that maybe, just maybe, it's not always healthy to have a life on-line and moved to make more personal connections with people and make my circles smaller.

Got into a funk and did not take any photos until I forced myself to in NYC. I still have to develop it.

Family:
The Ray family is about to welcome a new member in March, 2011. My baby brother is getting married! I will have a sister for the first time!

I love my family. It's really hard to explain, let alone comprehend unless you see us all together.


So, what's new for 2011?
I plan on being happy. For the only possible.

2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

I went away this Fall.

Fall 2010 capped a rough year for me. By November, I knew I needed to get as far away from the East Coast as I could and get out of my comfort zone. I went to San Francisco, where my great-grandfather was born, and visted my Very Good Friend, Dottie.

It was good to be turned around; my North was my South, there was ocean and flora and fauna I'd never seen before. Even the air was different.

One thing, though: No matter where I've travelled in the United States-- People are the same. I spend a lot of time observing, watching, waiting, looking and it's one thing that makes me smile. We're all not that different.

Instant San Francisco from Katy Ray on Vimeo.

That's the Spirit of V-M-I

My brother James graduated from VMI last weekend. He has a Bachelors in Physics and is looking forward to what lies ahead. We are all very proud.

A (Year) in The Life 2009.

My annual, So What the Hell Did I Do?

Travels:
Dryfork, WV
Columbus, GA
Minneapolis, MN
Charlottesville, VA
Phoenix, AZ
Rehoboth, DE
Cleveland, OH
Salisbury, MD

ROADTRIP!
Arizona
New Mexico
Texas
Oklahoma
Missouri
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Ohio
Pennsylvania
West Virginia
Maryland
Virginia


Other:
I moved back to Arlington!

Concerts:
Rebirth Brass Band
The Horrors
Andalusian Dog

Photography:
Attended LOOK3 in June
Took more photos than really ever before

Shows:
First on 1st Art + Music Walk (August 1-30, 2009)
Artomatic (June 6-July 20, 2009)
Critical Mass (May 15, 2009)

Writing:
I left my Moleskine with about 40 pages of prompts and notes somewhere along our route home from Arizona. Sometimes, I still reach for it.
Started <100 this summer. Haven't updated in a while, but I have stories. So many stories.

Friends:
New faces this year. Many I'd like to see stick around for a while.

Family:
Mom and Dad are semi-officially empty-nesters.

Work:
Yes, another new job started in August. But this time, I like it.

Grand.

Just some Kodachrome taken at the Grand Canyon this summer:

Today.

Today.
Originally uploaded by katyray.

Alive.

083109-04
Originally uploaded by akkleis.

Yes, still. I will update soon. Someday.

At the fair, people can fly.

At the fair, people can fly.
Originally uploaded by katyray.

Home.

Time to catch up with life.

Something new.

I take up my own pen again—the pen of all my old unforgettable efforts and sacred struggles. To myself—today—I need say no more. Large and full and high the future still opens. It is now indeed that I will do the work of my life. And I will.

Henry James
January, 1895

I started a new writing project. I will still update Kate Space occasionally with events and goings on, but I'm currently trying to focus more on my creative outlets. Please visit <100, for all your short story needs.

'Tis the Season.

Tonight is Critical Mass, a one-night exhibit and dance party hosted by DCist Heather Goss's Ten Miles Square and Civilian Art Projects . See work from over 20 area artists and then dance the night away with DJs KC and Nite Krawler. 9 p.m. $5.

Featured artists: Tim Tate, Michael Janis, Cory Oberndorfer, Billy Colbert, Erwin Timmers, Kristina Bilonick, Sean Hennessey, Rania Hassan, John Ulaszek, Kyle Gustafson, Brian Knight, Cesar Lujan, Pat Padua, Angela Kleis, Kerrin Kastorf, Drew McDermott, Jack Whitsitt, Paivi Solonen, Lynne Venart, Kelly Rand, Davin Tarr, and Katy Ray.

Civilian Art Projects
406 7th Street NW
9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Two Weeks Away...Artomatic 2009!

Prepare to celebrate Artomatic's 10th anniversary: The trademark,one-of-a-kind multimedia arts event will be at Half Street's 55 M Street, S.E., in Washington, D.C.'s Capitol Riverfront neighborhood. I'll be showing work with a group of very talented Ten Mile Square photographers.

May 29 through July 5
Half Street's 55 M Street, S.E.
Washington, D.C.
Artomatic is always free.

The Way Ahead.

MSY, 2008. (c) Katy Ray

Looking out and into the upcoming months, I found something strangely missing: I am still here. Granted, missing may not be the proper word to use, but in the usual "does-not-make-sense Katy-Ray way," it's perfectly logical.

I travel because I get claustrophobic; I become attached to a place for too long and I need to get out, away, detached. Yes, so far in 2009 I've been to both Georgia and Minnesota, but, I need more.

Where to go? What to do?

Flower Parts.

it's the little things

fresh lavender
waking up early
laughing loudly
playing scrabble
walking to the metro
the sunday paper
singing along
plain cheerios
walking though a creek bed
eye contact
the last page of a good book
standing on top of a mountain
the golden hour
sleeping with the windows open
seattle
that first morning together
coffee in a real mug
taking a good photograph
compliments
milk
the last three miles of a ride
the wind
the taconic state parkway
stone bridges
getting lost

I posted this to my old LJ blog on September 13, 2007. Nothing has changed.

Goings On.

Danny graduated Basic Training down at Ft. Benning in Columbus, Georgia on January 30th.


And this past weekend I was in Minneapolis visiting friends and having fun in the snow!

A (Year) in the Life 2008.

2008 abbreviated recap. And my 300th blogpost.

Travels:
New Orleans, LA (February and September)
St. Petersburg, FL (April, September, and December)
Cape Charles, VA
St. Georges Island, MD
Lexington, VA
Stuttgart, Germany

Concerts:
The Hives
Loretta Lynn
Oasis

Photography
Two things:
Ten Miles Square
FotoweekDC

Work
New job started in October. Again. Whoa.