Far Far Far and Away Away Away

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be an astronaut.  Actually, I wanted to be the first woman to go to Mars.  (I figured that men would already be there, and I already knew, even at five years old, that women had less privilege than men, and I thought it was that much more important that I go.)

In my imagination, the furthest I’ve traveled from home is into space, into a black hole. They are fascinating to a nerd like me, devoid of time, gravity pulling everything to it.  Nothing can escape; not even light. I used to like to draw a black hole and the event horizon surrounding it, the point at which you can’t turn back.

Why haven’t we been sucked into one, yet? Like, why haven’t all the black holes been sucking all the matter in space so much that there is no matter? And where is the center?  There has to be a point of, like, zero gravity, if you will, the point at which the sucking stops.  Where is that? What’s that like? Is there a vacuum bag? Where do all the rocks go, the rocks that are sucked in?

For realz, physically, the farthest I’ve been from home is Krakow, Poland. It was gorgeous and fun.  The Krakovian members of the travel community couchsurfing.com organized a weekend of events, and I went a few days early.  Poland had not originally been on my list of places to visit, but it was totally worth it

Emotionally, the farthest I’ve been from home was probably August 3rd, 1997, a little town in the boot heel of Missouri. The darkest night of my life.

Love Lovie

When I was a kid in St. Louis, my first grade teacher was the daughter of one of the coaches of the (then) St. Louis Cardinal football team (now in AZ).  The coaches would come to my school regularly and read to us, the students.  Lovie Smith read to me when I was seven.

I come from an IL family, a Bears family, but a part of my allegiance will shift to wherever Lovie is.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

I’ve been thinking a lot about Bastille Day lately, perhaps because I’ve been rereading a Tale of Two Cities, which I haven’t cracked since high school. At the time, though, I remember being engrossed with it, though I didn’t expect to be.

Also, Bastille Day approacheth on the 14th, so close to the US’ own Independence Day and so related to it.

I also like the way it’s pronounced in a beautiful native French accent – “Bastee.”

claude-monet-rue-montorgueil-paris-festival-of-june-30-1878

Claude Monet, Rue Montorgueil, Paris, Festival of 30 June 1878.

Look at this painting, the movement in it. You can almost feel the wind that’s ruffling the flags. Love it.

To the point of snorting

This entry is courtesy of today’s Daily Prompt about the last time I had a good hearty belly laugh. I am lucky enough to be able to laugh like that when I’m with my fiance.  We’ve known each other since we were kids, and he was always kind and intelligent (out of my league, honestly). We went our separate ways after high school, but found me after 13 years and we reconnected, quicky fell in love.

We are the best of best friends, and since he’s really smart, his humor is quick and often ironic, which I like.  No poop humor here.  Sometimes he makes me laugh so hard that I snort, and the last time I did that was probably last week.  I don’t remember when or why, but he makes me laugh that hard often, so we were probably just hanging around, being with each other.

 

Ali told me I’M the greatest

Today’s prompt about what makes a good blog gives great tips to newbies!  I’m still sort of new to this, and I also started a new blog over the weekend, (http://nerdflowering.wordpress.com/) and I realized, as I read over other’s thoughts on what makes a good blog, that I’m guilty of poor blogging by their standards, even by my own standards.

Something I’m interested in.

Something that’s well-written.

Something that’s funny (or otherwise engaging).

I also like the story that’s told in a blog. I don’t mean fiction, but the way a tale is told.

Here are other thoughts on what  other people appreciate in a blog.  Glean from them what you will:

  1. Daily Prompt: Great or greatest – Teach me something or make me laugh | mindurspirit
  2. 1 July Daily Prompt: Great or Greatest? | family photos food & craft
  3. Daily Prompt: Great or Greatest? | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
  4. Recipe for a great blog. | The untold, the unsaid…
  5. One of the ‘Great’ or ‘Big’ *smile | Chicomallorca’s Blog
  6. Daily Prompt: Great or Greatest? | Faraziyya
  7. Daily Prompt: Great or Greatest? – show us GREATNESS. | masadiso79’s Blog
  8. A Ten-Minute Poem | just another outlet
  9. Give a little bit of yourself to me | Random Encounters of an Inquisitive Mind
  10. The Greatest? | Musings of a Suburban Creampuff
  11. Daily Prompt: Great or Greatest? « Mama Bear Musings
  12. Daily Prompt: Great or Greatest? | Postcards from
  13. Why Do You Like This? [Daily Prompt: Great or Greatest?] | unknowinglee
  14. What Makes A Good Blog? – I Want Blood, Not Catsup | The Jittery Goat
  15. why follow? | Prayers and Promises
  16. The Greatest… | The Rider
  17. Daily Prompt: Great or Greatest? | Quirky Brunette
  18. Daily Prompt: Great or Greatest? | Under the Monkey Tree
  19. Phoneography Weekly: Not exactly timber |
  20. Daily Prompt: Great or Greatest? | بيسان
  21. Why am I following? | New Visions
  22. Blogging Does Not Make One Great | Stuphblog
  23. Great or Greatest? | bheehappy
  24. Daily Post: Great or Greatest? | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
  25. Compelling | Maine Forest Cafe
  26. How to Brew a GREAT Blog (or not) | Iam Who Iam
  27. downtownnokomis
  28. To Promote, or Not to Promote. | The Silver Lining of the Optimistic Pessimist
  29. Not so great | Rob’s Surf Report
  30. What Made Hers Work for Me | clarior e tenebris

Art, bless her soul

Cohiba and I are getting married next year, and he and I were talking about our plans this morning.  He doesn’t want to see the dress beforehand; doesn’t even want to see an idea of it, but I realized that his choice of wardrobe may change according to the dress, and I don’t want him to have regret.

We’re getting married at Disney, and I told him that one of the dresses I tried on, with surprising success, was a ball gown.  That is just so Disney and princessy, and I said “That is totally not me.” He said, “What are you talking about? That is you. You love imagination and play – why do you think we have so much fun there?”

That warmed my cheeks and my heart, and it is in the spirit of love and imagination that I indulge my thoughts and seek out the pieces of art that speak to me.

Continue reading “Art, bless her soul”

Imagination fodder

A daily prompt about history, asking to which period of human history I think I belong, if not the present one. I think I do belong to right now because right now is the summation of all those “agos,” and something I like the most about being part of now is being able to imagine those agos.  I like to imagine history; I like to pretend that I’m in a certain place and time, that my life is other than it is (especially when I’m on the road).

I have also thought about past lives, if I have had them.  There are certain ages and peoples to whom I feel a particular pull, and I wonder if it’s because my past selves have interacted with them. Holy people in India, or at least my imagining of them as I’ve read. Native American tribes tribes before the Europeans. An academic in England. A family is the Russian tundra. In Andalucia during Moorish Spain. A daughter to Mary Magdelene, to hear stories at her feet.

I can easily learn about all of these things in the 21st century and, for the most part, visit the different places. Which only supplies and feeds further imaginings.