Dr. Suess Rap with a surprise at the end!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gTxqsZfsk5o#!
The topic I have chosen to explore is the nature of “cracks”. I will be looking at what they mean when they’re in the ground or in shells, how they affect the surface and composition of materials. I will probably begin with small scale cracks and then widen the scope. I would like to include a picture of the San Andreas Fault and dip into earth quakes.
I want the overall message or ending theme to be how cracks can indicate the beginning of something, movement, continuation or growth and even the end of usefulness like maybe in a cup or plastic plate.
I want to use a variety of sources for my text. There will be some academic facts regarding concrete and the fault and maybe procedures on when to patch cracks in the ground. I also want to include maybe quotes or words from poems or books.
On Flickr, I was drawn to this group because of its title: “Things that… Make You Go Hmm”. Indeed they do. The first immediately curious photo is of a pale-pink natural foam of sorts oozing out of a tree, complete with pores of darker pink. Weird right? It is followed, not disappointingly, by a photo of Old Man Cactus (Cephalocereus Senilis), which unmistakably resembles the back of a scraggly white-haired head.
Interestingly, there are a couple of photos that spoof on religion. In one image, a woman is carrying a sign that says “You have to be Roman Catholic to go to heaven”. Others make absolutely no sense, not even to make the “hmm” of “no-sense”. The titles are often crucial parts of the message in each image, conveying irony or rhymes.
This group of 252 photos proves to be even more entertaining and diverse, when you see other pictures that make you go “hmm” in yet a different tone. A smirk/laugh “hmm” is produced with a photo of a miniature soccer goal in a urinal. A picture of two grown people with tighty whities outside of their clothes labeled “diaper sex” draws out the “chuckle-frown hmm”. Others go for the cute angle, with pictures of dogs touching noses and grown men with their babies.
I like this group because it is very subjective. It is not limited to any one physical object. The collection has breadth because its humor comes from the contributors and their own humor. The pictures can be odd, touching or just wrong. They are of people, animals, objects and technology and they all seek a reaction from you.
The group has 37 members and was started in 2004. The last and lonely reply was 77 months ago, but it’s okay because the dialogue is held within the collection.
This is our heater. No, I’m joking, its our toaster. But to be warm is a damn good reason to make some toast. We don’t use the heater in our house, because even though it’s reallly cold in here, we are not all in a agreement of paying for heat… and no, this is not normal.
Laura sitting in our salon.
Meet my washing machine. Only for usage during the day.
since finals has been all consuming these past three weeks. First off, there’s been a lot of baking goin on and I quite like it.. although it is a bit expensive when you never bake and don’t know where to find baking supplies.
First feat: Leah’s birthday cake and perhaps the inspiration to the following wonderful sweets. Double layers of fun fetti cake (shipped from the original los estados unidos) with a layer of strawberries in the middle, handmade strawberry frosting and a handful of rainbow sprinkles. We cut berries, frosted and whisked eggs on a sunny sunday after noon, a day later than Leah’s actual birthday since she was busy doing other things.. like throwing up.
Scrumptious.
Valentine’s Day prompted the next baking project. Laura made homemade tiramisu!! Ahh it was so delicious. With materials easily found in Italy and difficult to find in Spain and a more than little help from the vieja in the piso across from ours, Laura whipped up the most perfect dessert. Creamy marscarpone, fluffed egg whites, expresso soaked lady fingers and, well, hot chocolate powder for lack of real dark chocolate on top. Mom, I’m making this for your next birthday.
I made two mini strawberry pies. First time using the oven. Not too bad. Definitely needed more time and lower heat. But the strawberries were great.
Just another night for the spanish sweettooths. Palmitas are what we call butterfly cookies. These ones are miniature and covered in chocolate and sprinkles. They never stay in the kitchen for very long.
I can see the light! THE END IS NEAR! Tomorrow is my last final and then begins extensive planning, cooking, baking and decorating for our valentines day party!
So we went to the spanish Sierra Nevadas! Located in Pradollano, it is the only mountain in southern Spain that is tall enough to maintain enough snow (or perhaps snow at all). And for this, it offers a spectacular view. Hannah, Adam and I went on a friday and it was basically empty. I rented everything for including gloves, helmet (yes I like helmets), boots everything for 23 euro. And then the ticket was probably a little more than I would have liked to pay because it’s the only resort in the area. Apparently in the north it’s around 30 a day. The rental clothes were great looking (I looked like a very tacky thug), but they worked perfectly fine and the boots and bindings were newer and more comfortable than my own.
Hannah and I both came to the agreement that we actually like California mountains better because we like the scenery and diversion of trees. This place was too high up for trees to survive and soon I was feeling a little light-headed. But, no other mountain (that I’ve been on at least) has a view like this one. Since we were on the highest mountain, we were pretty much at eye level with the peaks of all the other mountains, and two our left was the mediterranean and in back of it, Morocco. So stunning.
There were these crazy lift thingys. The idea is that a bar attached to a string pulls you up the mountain with you standing on your skiis, or in my case, board. Hannah found it completely enthralling and so much fun. And as much entertainment as it was the first time, it was just not very comfortable. There weren’t that many other snowboarders that we saw and maybe that’s why they have this lift (telesilla en espanol). I didn’t fall much at all during the trip except for about four times getting on and off this thing. It’s actually ridiculously easy once you watch other people (getting off that is, not getting on -I asked for help every time after the first embarrassing attempt).
We ended the day trying to cram in as many runs as we could and relaxing to a glass of wine as we waited for the bus to come pick us up.
It was a full day. I went to bed early so that I could wake up for my 8:30 am field trip.
Today the Federal Court of Northern California ruled Proposition 8 a violation of constitutional rights. I cannot imagine another outcome and to me this success is a reminder that I am so incredibly lucky to live in a country where, with steadfast determination and support, we people can make a difference in our governments and in prevailing social mentalities.
This triumph is also put into persepctive for me since just yesterday Leah and I were watching a documentary on the Devadasis, a practice in India where young girls are dedicated as sex slaves to a god. Trapped by structural discrimination, poverty, absence of education and the caste system, there is nothing else to do and/or nothing else they want to do than to feed their families and live.
Let us be thankful for every opportunity and decision and privilege and right that we can call our own.
So we’re having a cold spell here in Grana. It was zero degrees all day yesterday but at least still with clear clear blue skies! It’s enough for me. I am so happy for the under armour my mom sent me. I wore it to the club last night for Leah’s 21st Birthday! (and took it off once i got in of course) We made not very delicious mixed drinks with muddled strawberries and headed to Camborio. It was a fun night and made for a very sllooowww start at studying this morning (aka breakfast at 4).
Right now I am currently sifting through my broken and many times, nonsensical, notes (partly in spanish partly in english naturally) of my history class. Machiavelo, Erasmus, Lock, Spinoza, Bodino y Thoma Moro sprawled out on the table in the forms of english and spanish print outs, little abstract drawings, new spanish vocabulary and pink highlighter. And of course, the indispensable Google translator sitting on my desktop.
Longest finals “week” of my life. Two examens and one presentation down. Two more exams and a project to go.
