Bits of blue sky

This past year I've become an avid blog reader and I'm glad I've chosen to keep this blog alive, even if I'm finding it difficult to develop a blogging rhythm!  


Sadly Auburn has lost its homeness.  Despite my efforts and good intentions since coming back from Australia, it has become a waiting room, a departure lounge of sorts, and I don't feel like I do much of note.  But I'm not giving up! I'm very busy during the week with classes, work, and my newfound love of exercise.  (I left exercise out of my 2011 goals, which seems to have helped spur me on, oddly enough.)  And speaking of goals - it's not easy taking a photo every day!  Especially with my cell phone camera.  I go to the same places, at the same times, day after day and am lacking in inspiration, too.  This week I want to post a few photos I've taken and spend some time planning the next couple of weeks' worth of photos, so I'll have a specific idea each morning.  


This cool photography project incorporates two of my favorite things, travel and bubbles:  World Landmarks Reflected in Bubbles by Tom Storm. Check out all ten of the photos. City Hall in Philadelphia and Neptune's Fountain in Poland are amazing!

 Windmills - Copenhagen, Denmark

Auburn's Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is currently hosting a film series called Southern Outsiders.  The series consists of six films about what it means to be an outsider in the South.  This past week I saw the screening of "Cool Hand Luke" starring Gene Kelley - I'm sure some of you have seen it.  It's a prison movie, kind of a 1960s Shawshank Redemption.  I recommend it, as well as "True Grit," which I saw last night.  I love the soundtrack and the different arrangements of Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.


It's past 2am and I've finished my cinnamon toast and tea.  Mmmm.  Happy Monday!

Wednesday morning

1.  A boy offered me his seat on the transit, and it made my morning.  Especially because it was cold and rainy outside.

1a.  When will I start referring to male peers as men?  

2.  Auburn keeps sending me emails about study abroad programs.  Costa Rica, Shanghai, England, Tanzania, etc.  Study abroad opportunities have definitely increased since 2006.  And, this year the university introduced an alternative student break program.  These are both good things.

3.  Something nice I read by D.H. Lawrence:

Behind all the dancing was a vision, and even a science of life, a conception of the universe and man's place in the universe which made men live to the depth of their capacity.

4.  Regular blenders cannot crush chickpeas.  This weekend I'm buying a food processor.  

To be of use

by Marge Piercy

The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half submerged balls.


I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.


I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who stand in the line and haul in their places,
who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.


The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cried for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.

Whatever is lovely

Spring isn't my favorite season, and I enjoy wearing boots and scarves.  But today I'm looking forward to warmer weather.  And this photo is lovely and encouraging.

http://jyoujo.deviantart.com/art/falling-in-love-194397038

Serious family travel

First of all, I am tired.  Two hours in the classroom, thirty minutes at the grocery store, one hour in the kitchen (making pumpkin turkey chili, it was tasty), and nine hours at work.  Whew.  I had a nice chat with a doctor while I prepared his espresso beverage.  He kept asking me questions and finally discovered that my family had lived overseas for awhile.


Him: Aha!  I thought you seemed... like you had been places.


Me: Haha, really, what do you mean?    


Him:  Your accent is very neutral.  You also carry yourself differently.  


Me: Would you like whipped cream on your mocha?


In all seriousness, it was a good conversation.  The doctor had some wise and encouraging words re: careers and life.


Second of all, check out this brief interview with the Redpaths, a family of four who embarked on a year-long round the world adventure in 2009. 

http://www.fromheretouncertainty.com/photos/mostly-venice/

Traveling long term with kids must take unusual amounts of patience and guts.  But I'll bet it's extra rewarding... Read more about this family on their website.  The intro video makes me want to take my nonexistent kids across the world, too.

Try new things: Pilates

Today I tried a new thing:  Pilates.  


An unverified Wikipedia article says that "the Pilates method seeks to increase the strength, flexibility, and control of the body."  The "core" is emphasized a lot.  Basically your abs are continuously flexed throughout the workout.  I really enjoyed my first 50 minute session.  It was relaxing, different, and I could feel my body being worked.  (And I looked around during certain exercises... I wasn't alone in my inflexibility!)  

I found this image after searching for "pilates and outdoors."  This in Colorado.

MLK weekend

How was everyone's weekend?  I headed north with my parents to see some family and retrieve my piano from the Winfield house.  Our family's possessions are scattered across Alabama and Georgia and I'm trying to gather all my things in one place.  As I cleaned out my bedroom closet I found my favorite black shirt and a wall hanging from Tanzania!  It feels good to find things (and to get rid of things).


Today we had lunch in Birmingham at the Fish Market.  I had trout.  It was delicious.  I developed a love for trout in Wyoming this summer.  It may be my favorite fish.  On the way out I picked up Birmingham's free newspaper Black & White and found lots of good ideas for day trips around Alabama.  One of my unofficial goals this semester is to take advantage of Auburn and surrounding areas - to be a good traveler here.  The newspaper reminded me of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and the Crawfish Boil (hopefully I'll still be around for the latter).  And I was totally surprised to read about Tigers For Tomorrow.  Did you know there was a tiger reserve in the middle of Alabama?!  I certainly did not.


I've just discovered Tumblr, a micro-blogging site, and already love two or three photo blogs.  Today's favorite find:

I don't know where this is or who took the photo (maybe the author of The Cooling Twilight?), but I want this deck to be mine.  (If I had to guess, I'd say this is somewhere in Portgual.  But it looks like there's iced tea on the table.  Maybe a Southerner expat's house in Portugal?) 


Oh!  And PS - as I was cleaning out my closet I found an anthology of Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches and writings!  What great timing.  I've wanted to read more MLK for a long time.  I'm trying to read one chapter a night before bed.