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Feb. 13th, 2007
To everyone who had to be out in the nasty weather -- my sympathies . However, I have to say I really enjoyed my unexpected downtime. I spent the morning grading exams and engagement activities for my gender class. I was through by noon which means that I have an entire 24 hour period where I am COMPLETELY caught up with grading. It has snowed steadily here all day but only in the last hour or so has it been windy enough to look like a blizzard outside. Had they not cancelled classes I would be driving home in the worst of it so far today. I would guess that we are nearing 8 inches or so of snow from this storm. It has fallen steadily enough that I have had to put out food for the birds several times because the snow kept burying it. I wouldn't be surprised if many things are also shut down tomorrow as well as winds will continue and system snow will be replaced by lake effect snows.
After the grading was done, I turned my attention to how chores. I also started a roast cooking in the crockpot.
I also spent some time savoring a book I picked up last Friday. The book is Kaleidoscope: ideas + projects to spark your creativity by Suzanne Simanaitis. The book if filled with rich colors, a variety of images and interesting prose as well as the actual ideas.
The title Kaleidoscope is actually a reference to one of my favorite concepts. In the introduction the author says this "Kaleidoscope, translates from the original Greek as "beautiful form" and is defined as "a series of changing phases. . . . a kaleidoscope uses mirrors inside a tube to reflect constantly shifting patterns of colors and shapes." Simanaitis compares this to zines which grow and change over their lifespans as their creators acquires new tools and new interests. She notes that through these changes the audience develops new skills and an expanded creative vocabulary." That imagery is a metaphor for several things that are important to me including: teaching, community activism, the role I wish to have as a minister and counselor/coach.
When I dream about owning a combination coffee shop, bakery, bookstore, herb shop, "new age" sort of place (candles, jewelery, art items, music, etc.), the name of the store is Kaleidoscope. That was before I new this bit of information about the word itself. Kaleidoscope also represents that which could be the title for a biography of the life I wish to live. At various times I have seen museum piece kaleidoscopes; I think that is something that want to consider as a gift to myself for turning 41 in several months (for those who don't realize the significance of that birthday to me, my mother died at 40 so 41 will be a major milestone for me).
Ideas from this book are adding to a growing tapestry created of ideas from diverse sources and interactions; the interesting part is that the design of the tapestry is not yet clear but I am enjoying watching it develop.
( More tidbits from the book and related thoughts: )
After the grading was done, I turned my attention to how chores. I also started a roast cooking in the crockpot.
I also spent some time savoring a book I picked up last Friday. The book is Kaleidoscope: ideas + projects to spark your creativity by Suzanne Simanaitis. The book if filled with rich colors, a variety of images and interesting prose as well as the actual ideas.
The title Kaleidoscope is actually a reference to one of my favorite concepts. In the introduction the author says this "Kaleidoscope, translates from the original Greek as "beautiful form" and is defined as "a series of changing phases. . . . a kaleidoscope uses mirrors inside a tube to reflect constantly shifting patterns of colors and shapes." Simanaitis compares this to zines which grow and change over their lifespans as their creators acquires new tools and new interests. She notes that through these changes the audience develops new skills and an expanded creative vocabulary." That imagery is a metaphor for several things that are important to me including: teaching, community activism, the role I wish to have as a minister and counselor/coach.
When I dream about owning a combination coffee shop, bakery, bookstore, herb shop, "new age" sort of place (candles, jewelery, art items, music, etc.), the name of the store is Kaleidoscope. That was before I new this bit of information about the word itself. Kaleidoscope also represents that which could be the title for a biography of the life I wish to live. At various times I have seen museum piece kaleidoscopes; I think that is something that want to consider as a gift to myself for turning 41 in several months (for those who don't realize the significance of that birthday to me, my mother died at 40 so 41 will be a major milestone for me).
Ideas from this book are adding to a growing tapestry created of ideas from diverse sources and interactions; the interesting part is that the design of the tapestry is not yet clear but I am enjoying watching it develop.
( More tidbits from the book and related thoughts: )