re: your discussion of the Piranesi quote...REAL! i have a quote on my web manifesto excerpted from Audre Lorde's A Burst of Light collection. all her work means SO much to me, but this piece in particular i try to hold close as a mantra. i try to remind myself that the first few lines (loving people and doing the work) are the prerequisites to any kind of feelings of fulfillment or accomplishment:

"I want to live the rest of my life, however long or short, with as much sweetness as I can decently manage, loving all the people I love, and doing as much as I can of the work I still have to do. I am going to write fire until it comes out of my ears, my eyes, my noseholes— everywhere. Until it's every breath I breathe. I'm going to go out like a fucking meteor!"

i too feel aimless sometimes about what is it that i'm going to /do/, what value will my work (whatever it may be) have, what am i going to share and be defined by, so it's nice to see this is common amongst my net peers! recently i'm taking comfort in being really present and active in communities i love and hoping by virtue of that i find the way towards whatever desires i need to fulfill ...

This is such a beautiful quote. I hate to say I haven't gotten to Audre Lorde's work(yet)! Luckily my feminist theory class will change that. It's nice to hear that my own preconceived anxious thoughts echoes within others. The more I struggle and go through the motions to find what's right, what's wrong or what I can change, I find myself enjoying that journey. It's been taking me to new terrains.