Jun27
children hope for peace.
Jun26
they are us.
“Soul” by Ugo Rondinone, 2013
“Stick-to-itiveness” is now included in the dictionary. It’s about perseverance — whether we’re born with it or learn it. It’s about continuing to show up and doing what matters, even when you don’t feel like it, and especially when the world is yelling that you don’t matter, that you’re crazy, that who you think you are and what you have to say doesn’t matter. I’ve been thinking a lot about what matters and why I care so much when someone feels what I think doesn’t matter. Why do we keep having to learn, again and again, that we get to choose what we care about? Today, as I listened to Erin Brockovich tell her story, I was reminded that thinking differently is beautiful, and whatever we think, feel, and care about is valid and matters. It is our responsibility to amplify what we care about. There is no special reward for conformity of thought or action, but there is an internal reward for expressing the uniqueness of who we are.
Ugo Rondinone made a series of stone figures in a variety of sizes for his exhibition Soul in 2013. Each one is different, but they have a visual uniformity, as if they’re all from the same humanity. When you look closely, though, their heads sit slightly differently on their bodies, their legs are longer or shorter, their torsos are thin or thick. They are us. And we are them.
-Heidi Zuckerman, CEO and director of the Orange County Museum of Art and author of Why Art Matters: The Bearable Lightness of Being.
—
Installation view, Ugo Rondinone, soul, Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Maag Areal, Zurich, 2013. Courtesy of the artist.
Photo: Stefan Altenburger
Jun25
petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid.
tiny bird builds her tiny nest, tiny piece by tiny piece
—
when the world feels heavy
keep going
help someone
make baby steps
do what you can
take little actions
share your thoughts
do small kindnesses
notice hidden beauties
in places you do not expect
it will make all the difference.
—
Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid.
(Little by little, the bird makes its nest.)
this lovely french expression reminds us that big results come from consistent, small actions.
— THE PARIS LESSONS
—
photo credit: rufous hummingbird by penny hall/Birdshare
Jun24
nightlife.
out walking in my neighborhood
when the 100+ degree day
finally cools down
seeing people out
doing what it’s too hot to do
under the blazing sun of the day
as dusk falls
gardeners are digging
pets are walking
people are strolling
neighbors are talking
fireflies are flashing
the town is quietly abuzz.
—
‘life is like butter, when it cools down, it can be reshaped.’
-alan sheinwald
Jun23
peace drawing.
peace drawing – h.k., age 5
—
“peace is the only battle worth waging.”
— Albert Camus, France, 1913–1960
*Albert Camus was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, journalist, world federalist, and political activist.
He was the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history.
Jun22
free to go slow.
capturing
that very last second
as the sun slips
over the trees
floating on a boat
laying back
looking up
as day turns to night
soon
sky to stars
hot day to breeze
water lapping
so very slowly
sleep tempting
quiet calling.
—
‘there is absolutely no reason for bring rushed along with the rush.
everybody should be free to go slow.’
-robert frost
—
irish hills, mi, usa, june 2025
Jun21
summer music.
on the first day of summer and make music day –
when music and summer are one.
–
Make Music Day is a free celebration of music around the world on June 21st. Launched in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique, it is now held on the same day in more than 1,000 cities in 120 countries. Make Music returns to Ann Arbor for another wonderful day of music in 2025.
Completely different from a typical music festival, Make Music is open to anyone who wants to take part. Every kind of musician — young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion — pours onto streets, parks, plazas, and porches to share their music with friends, neighbors, and strangers. All of it is free and open to the public.
—
“in summer, the song sings itself.”
― William Carlos Williams
Jun20
on world refugee day.
Sin-documento 483 – Imyra (Brasil)
caravans where people are forced to leave their homes with almost no belongings
and to walk to other places without any certainty of what they will find
on the way or if they will get to a better place.
—
“it is the obligation of every person born in a safer room
to open the door when someone in danger knocks.”
* Dina Nayeri
*At age eight, Dina Nayeri fled Iran along with her mother and brother and lived in the crumbling shell of an Italian hotel-turned-refugee-camp. Eventually she was granted asylum in America. She settled in Oklahoma, then made her way to Princeton University and Harvard. Dina is an novelist, essayist, memoirist, and short story writer. She wrote the novels A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea and Refuge, along with The Ungrateful Refugee, The Waiting Place, and Who Gets Believed
Jun19
Juneteenth – a story of progress.
Alonzo Adams – A Griot’s Vision (Courtesy of ArtPride New Jersey)
—
“What I love about Juneteenth is that even in that extended wait, we still find something to celebrate. Even though the story has never been tidy, and Black folks have had to march and fight for every inch of our freedom, our story is nonetheless one of progress.”
– Michelle Obama | Lawyer, Writer, & Former First Lady of the United States
Jun18
ready to roll.
now that’s what I call being ready.
—
‘preparation is everything.’
-david robinson
—
David Robinson ( born in 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA from 1989 to 2003, and a minority owner of the Spurs. Nicknamed “the Admiral” for his time spent in the U.S. Navy, Robinson was a 10-time NBA All-Star, an NBA MVP, a two-time NBA Champion, a two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner, and a two-time Hall of Fame inductee. He was honored as one of the league’s all-time best players by being named to the NBA 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. He is widely considered one of the greatest centers in both college basketball and NBA history.
He was definitely prepared.
I didn't have my glasses on.... 