so,
after working on
a few holiday projects last night
i noticed at breakfast
that i may still have a bit of collateral glitter around the house.
—
“take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!”
— Ms. Frizzle, “The Magic School Bus”
Dec17
Author Archives: beth
Dec16
make way for the answer.
when you
arrive at work in the dark
leave work in the light
go to get in your car
noticing that you’ve parked
in front of a cool old rusty thing and a bone
and you wonder what the story is.
—
“to respect a mystery is to make way for the answer.”
― c
Dec15
unicorn license.
A girl named Madeline, with a vivid imagination and remarkable awareness of how bureaucracy can dash dreams, got her wish when she asked Los Angeles animal control authorities for a license to own a unicorn — if she’s able to find one.
The first-of-its-kind permit came with strings attached, however: The mythical creature must be provided ample exposure to sunlight, moonbeams and rainbows and have its horn polished at least once a month with a soft cloth.
Director Marcia Mayeda of the county Department of Animal Care and Control sent the girl a heart-shaped, rose-colored metal tag with “Permanent Unicorn License” emblazoned on it, along with a white fuzzy unicorn doll with pink ears, purple hooves and a silver horn.
The department’s response came after the girl wrote it a brief letter last month: “Dear LA County, I would like your approval if I can have a unicorn in my backyard if I can find one.”
Mayeda commended the girl for her “sense of responsible pet ownership to seek permission in advance” and for thoughtfully considering “the requirements of providing a loving home to animals.”
Its five conditions for unicorn ownership also require that any sparkles or glitter sprinkled on the animal be nontoxic and biodegradable, and that it be fed watermelon at least once a week.
—
“reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.”
-C. S. Lewis
—
credits: los angeles county animal care and control, AP
Dec14
a day.
it was a 2 ice-pack kind of day
a bandaid, temperature check, coughing kind of day
but all in all a great day
we learned about the winter solstice
saw part of the big kids’ play
danced and sang in spanish
shared books
had an outdoor adventure
(add in a couple of scratches, a few sticky burrs,a clothing change, and lots of bravery)
but at the end of the day
we all had both mittens
and headed on home.
—
“there is no such thing in anyone’s life as an unimportant day.”
-alexander woollcott
Dec13
most just happen.
this is pretty much me on any given day
for the next few weeks
as we head into the new year
all activities and adventures are on the table
some planned and most just happen.
—
“it’s the mishaps that make if fun, and brings you the surprise.”
-anna wintour
Dec12
left behind.
what a wonderfully kind gesture
for someone to leave a gallon of milk and bread behind
to be discovered by someone else who may need it more.
—
“let us temper our criticism with kindness. none of us comes fully equipped.”
-carl sagan
Dec11
not small things.
what a wonderful 90 minutes
spent (online) with one of my all-time favorite authors
*fredrik backman.
public libraries in 37 states hosted this live chat with fredrik
as he continued on a worldwide book tour
for his latest work, ‘the winners.’
he spoke openly about his struggles with anxiety
being on the autism spectrum
the pressures of a success which he never expected
his wife as his partner and support in all things
her important roles
organizing his promotional side of being an author
helping him to stay grounded
encouraging him taking as many breaks as needed.
i first became acquainted with his writing with the arrival of his book (and later, film),
‘a man called ove’
and there was no going back.
when he was asked about his writing process in today’s chat,
i found that we have a somewhat similar process.
his reply:
“my process is just chaos. all of these ideas are just in my head, like horses in a burning barn, trying to get out. my brain is always working, hearing a bit of conversation, crossing paths with a stranger, a place i happen into, anything is fair game, and i think, i would love to include those words or that person in my writing. i am always observing, listening, taking it all in, my brain never stops. i have to write an idea down on whatever i can find, an envelope, a scrap of paper, a receipt….then 3 weeks later i’ll make my family insane by asking, “where is that envelope i wrote my idea on a few weeks ago?” i have to scour our whole apartment looking for it and make everyone crazy. i suppose that is my process.”
amazing.
“words are not small things.”
-fredrik backman, beartown
—
*Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, and Anxious People, as well as two novellas and one work of nonfiction. His books are published in more than forty countries. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children. Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter @BackmanLand or on Instagram @BackmanSK.
Dec10
glowing.
with my tiny home
loaded up
with bushels of nuts and piles of books
ready for the coming season
you’ll often find me sitting
in the quiet of the early morning
with a steaming cup of coffee
tapping away at my blog
telling the day’s story
reading others’ stories
smiling by the light of the screen.
—
“i blog because i’m not a good rapper.”
-gerry l’crow
Dec9
cooking by committee.
we worked hard making
butter
and
savory monkey bread
and
gingerbread cookies
it took a team
lots of
shaking ,stirring, rolling. cutting, chopping, spilling, melting, cooking, waiting, cleaning up
loads of fun
little bits of magic
and
a few mishaps
thrown in for good measure
to make
a perfect day of cooking
tomorrow
we set our fancy table
and
sit down together
to share our feast.
—
“no one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.”
-julia child
Dec8
in synch.
The scientific power of live music
We’re all familiar with the sense of wonder and joy we experience when we hear a song or piece of music we love, but there’s something even more magical about hearing that song performed live. Although many artists offered streamed performances online during the pandemic, these didn’t quite leave us with the same enchanted feelings as concerts. So what makes live music different? Columbia associate music professor, Mariusz Kozak explains why live music is so powerful.
Live music allows us to experience what philosopher Alfred Schütz called a “mutual tuning in” This term refers to the phenomenon where we experience the passage of time and emotions with others. This is part of the reason humans need social interaction to thrive. When we attend a concert, we’re experiencing the tone of the music—fast, slow, happy, sad—with others around us. This creates a sense of intimacy with the crowd around us. This is also why babies who are bounced in time to music with an adult display more altruism towards that person.
This pleasurable effect gained from synchronizing with those around us is what makes live music and dance so powerful. Although most people probably relate to this feeling when remembering their favorite concert, this feeling is not limited to conventional music. It can also be experienced through collective visual synchronization. In the deaf community, facial gestures and movements are to convey emotions in music performance. The collective interpretation of the emotions behind these facial gestures also promotes a sense of unity.
The Blackfeet in North America use the same word to refer to music, dance, and ceremony, indicating the essential role of gathering to fully appreciate the benefits of music. Close friends can even experience this synchronization when walking or talking together.
Experiencing music in the presence of others cultivates a feeling of unity and empathy within us which exceeds anything we could experience by ourselves. As we head back to in-person concerts and relish this feeling once again, know that the true power of the music you’re hearing might not come from the artist, but in fact your fellow concert goers.
—
“There is a high that comes from live shows,
a collective energy in a large group of people all gathered for one reason.
The beat slices through the melodies and then drops;
the crowd bounces and undulates like ripples of water.”
- -christina lauren, roomies
—
credits: the conversation, beth daly, Columbia University Mariusz Kozak
I didn't have my glasses on.... 