what is an antipode?
two places diametrically opposite each other on the earth’s surface.
they are very rare.
what is the shortest route between them?
a straight line through the center of the earth.
i recently saw ‘vivan las antipodas’
released in 2011
directed by russian documentary maker
victor kossakovsky
who had a radical idea
to visit these places
and shoot four antipodal pairs:
argentina/china
spain/new zealand
chile/russia
botswana/hawaii
he filmed it in a way
that literally
turned the world
upside down
and back again
for 108 meandering minutes
i was blown away
by the beauty
of
the landscapes
the people
the animals
the music
the colors
the contrasts
the connections
some things are universal
life
death
money
sex
family
friends
community
survival
love
it was
quietly
stunning
and
it was
dizzying.
all ages, all genders, all comers kickball
we brought
the shades
the kids
the headbands
the colors
the kicks
the neighbors
the knee socks
the diapers
the power
can’t touch this
time for a rematch
bring it
—
the playing adult steps sideward into another reality;
the playing child advances forward to new stages of mastery.
~ erik h. erikson
my friend
kind
funny
energetic
and
mother of
five wonderful
small children
including
a set of twins
posted this picture
today
along with this message:
“Yep, So, this just happened. Another adventure for the M family!! So much for the other chores that have been piling up. I got this beautiful heart from my scout troop as a thank you at the end of this year. I had it on a shelf above the toilet. I think a cat knocked it off and into the toilet. I guess the heart is made of concrete, because it is completely unscathed . The toilet on the other hand….” – n.m.
i have to admit
i laughed until i cried
when i saw this
she was okay with that
i’m so happy
to know her
and
i blame
the girl scouts
—-
“i love people who make me laugh. i honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh.
it cures a multitude of ills. it’s probably the most important thing in a person.”
― audrey hepburn
primary election here yesterday
just me and a few thinkers of all kinds
not too long a wait in line
though i wish there had been one
stretching all around the building
and way down the street
“Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote
except the American people themselves
and the only way they could do this is by not voting.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt
—
image credits: getty images, humanesociety.org
someone stopped by
for a bit of mischief
fairy dust
roses
glue
glitter paint
not a clue
who could have done this
luckily
these three
baby r, baby v, nacho the cat
all had gone inside
the cottage
just
minutes before
i wonder
if they saw anyone
or
know anything
—
“they were becoming like a little mafia. if one committed a mischief, the others would not tell.”
– franco diligenti
sunny sunday
spent
kayaking
and
floating
and
sharing
the water
with
blue herons
ducks
geese
swallows
bass
lily pads
and
a quiet breeze
on
a lazy river
a river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure — oliver wendell holmes
international futball took over the city for the weekend
it started with a lively party on main street the night before
with rockers like flint eastwood entertaining the masses
and became more sedate when the sun came up
with ornamatik
an acoustic balkan band
and the outdoor outfitters got into the fun
and even the young tailgaters enjoyed the excitement
and it was a good weekend
to be on foot.
oh, and there was a match at the stadium.
she called it
her butterfly dress
my mother
a young girl
in italy
twirling
carefree
spreading her wings
all the world before her
and
at her
happiest
before life
got challenging
and things
were
never the same
for her
and she
lost her wish to fly
and this is how
i want
to remember her
on this date
that was
both
the day
she was born
and
the day
that she died
and
i still want
to think of her
twirling
and
carefree
at her happiest
in her
butterfly dress
—
the thing that interests me most about family history is the gap
between the things we think we know about our families and the realities.
– jeremy hardy
I didn't have my glasses on.... 