"Hail, Our Alma Mater..."
Wednesday late afternoon (after our Jeopardy! class for Introduction to Arts and Sciences) Jenny CD and Linda I arrived from the airport and from Cleveland, respectively. After dropping off Jenny's luggage, we headed to Victor's new restaurant, where we enjoyed 2 lamb dishes, a shrimp dish, a salmon dish, and a vegetarian dish with Amanda MS and Charles. It was great to see everyone again, and to have a photo....
We all stood outside, Jenny and I in thin sweaters as the temperatures had dipped from the 60s Fahrenheit to the 40s to 50s as the sun went down. Jenny drove Linda and I back to my parking lot, where we bid Linda a fond goodbye and safe trip. Jenny and I tucked into our respective beds by 23.30, and I awoke about 6.30 Thursday.
Thursday Jenny and I visited St. Paul Cathedral and my workplace. We walked to get eggs over easy, Lyonnaise potatoes, bacon, and wheat toast as well as croissant French toast (and coffee for Jenny). We then headed to the Cathedral of Learning, touring the higher floors before the lower floors of Nationality Rooms first. We then toured the Frick Arts Building (the library, the Jello courtyard exhibit, and the U Pitt Museum Studies Class's exhibit SLAG: What's left after industry?), and the Carnegie Library and Institute. As we left the Carnegie, we opened the door for Marissa and Solomon, and Beatrice and Les.
After loading Jenny's bag into the car, we departed; I for work and she for lunch with her husband's former intern.
Labels: art, Beatrice, biology, Carnegie, dining, international culture, library, Marietta, mountains, organ, organizing, painting, photos, Pittsburgh, reunion, school, sleep, St. Paul Cathedral, work
Themes
Painting (Oil and Watercolor)
Art
Hot Weather
Music--Bernstein's Requiem, My favorite movement of all Vivaldi pieces, sacred acclamations from the Mass
making muesli from grain
Hornflakes
Panoramic Paintings
Hot weather
Meeting Jehovah's Witnesses
NOT climbing tower/s
Good food
Good Thai food
Seeking relief from the heat at a pool
seeing political leaders
Good company, throughout
Good homemade food
Good homemade Thai food
Good Indonesian rice table
assistive technology for exercising
Labels: accessibility, art, dining, exercise, health, list, love, music, painting, shopping, water exercise, weather
Art All NIght 2010
I met up with Regina and John for Art All Night. We also met up with Charles and Susan. The encaustic wax was useful for our little group, as both Victoria and Susan, Charles and I discussed separately and together. I spotted an Icelandic work by Stacy, and we all found favorites.
Saw K & Theresa there, Chris W (a former coworker) there. As of 11.00 Sunday, Stacy said she spotted me there, as well, at a distance. (Definitely a place to see and be seen!)
A fun--albeit rainy---ending to a productive day!
Labels: art, BAD, music, painting, photography, seasons, weather
Friday in the Third week of Ordinary Time 2010, Coco
Today I lectored at the morning Mass. Fr. Breier celebrated Mass, John served, and Don provided the music ministry. The first reading was from 2 Samuel, the passage about David's asking to put Bathsheba's husband in danger during wartime. There was at least one audible "tsk" that I heard from the congregation when reading that key phrase. Fr. Breier delivered a homily primarily about God's grace.
As the temperature this morning was six degrees Fahrenheit (well below freezing), and windy and sunny, I took my breakfast then proceeded to take a long winter hibernation for the good part of the morning. Karina and I had lunch at the Japanese-Korean restaurant in Oakland, stopped at the post office to pick up stamps and to mail Jonathan's birthday card, and stopped at the campus and public libraries for computer lab work and for Karina's items on hold. I stopped by at home to check my messages, send a fax, and then met up at Karina's to produce the first in my earth-water-wind-sea necklace and matching bracelet series. Karina had prepared a cup of spiced chai for my enjoyment when I had arrived out of the cold. Maureen arrived when I had completed stringing about two-thirds of my necklace. I felt a great sense of accomplishment, and Karina shored us up with her homemade soup for the long evening.
We stopped at the bookstore in Shadyside to run an errand, then proceeded to the Mall in West Mifflin for the MaxiSaver movie, Coco before Chanel. We decided on a stop for fast Mexican food first, then watched the movie in a practically empty theater.
Coco Avant Chanel was about the rise of the phenomenon of Coco Chanel from personal setbacks and tragedies. It focusses on her personal life, as the title suggests, before she made a household name for herself; before Jackie Kennedy wore a signature Chanel suit to meet the President of France. Her personal life and ensuing decision to focus on her career in a time when a typical French woman was expected to become a wife was touching. Coco Chanel was a woman with a particularly striking visage who entered the fashion field when it was still dominated by men. She made a name on simple, practically austere looks and elegant, simple lines. She changed women's fashion from binding Victorian corsets and rules to flowing, comfortable lines. The music in the movie was particularly moving.
After the movie we went to a large superstore and went grocery shopping. Boy, it's late.
I'm pleased to have received an email verifying that the health emergency Thursday afternoon has resolved itself.
Labels: art, Carnegie, cinema, cold, dine, dining, health, jewelry, lector, library, Mass, painting, shopping, sleep, St. Paul Cathedral, tea, walking, weather
Ukraine's Got Talent: Sandpainting
Check out this link to a show called Ukraine's Got Talent, with Kseniya Simonova sandpainting. Quite moving.
Labels: international culture, painting, talent
Red Skies at Night...
I look west toward St. Paul Cathedral and the spires are framed by a soft, red, orange, and pale violet light off cumulus clouds. I know my camera tells me "battery exhausted," but I polish the contacts on the batteries before giving up to the beautiful changing sky.
What a lovely way to end a lovely day.
~~~
Nancy and I visited Ornella at the gallery of her art class's show. We enjoyed Ornella's pieces and those of her class. Ornella's Western US landscape was painterly and colorful. I also enjoyed her piece entitled "Message in a Bottle," reminiscent of Paul Klee.
We spent quite a bit of time chatting about Europe (I'm planning a trip...) and we decided to dine together at the Belgian restaurant for dinner. Ornella and I shared the moules frites and the salmon dinner with risotto and steamed spinach. Nancy enjoyed tofu, mango, and the beer cheese soup.
~~~
20:45
The sky is pale steel indigo-violet with certain clouds tinged/rimmed in red.
~~~~~
Nancy and I made two grocery runs: One before dinner while waiting for our table, and one after dinner for dairy products.
Labels: art, dine, friends, light, moving, mystery, painting, photography, photos, rain, shopping, St. Paul Cathedral, travel, weather
Fenton Art Glass on QVC
Just less than a quarter hour ago Mom, Dad, and I watched the QVC special on Fenton Art Glass. It turns out Debby C., a former classmate of Joyce, and a ballet classmate, is a handpainter of glass for Fenton now.
~~~
Now, they are watching the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating contest (eeww).
Labels: dine, glass, painting
The Road to Impressionism: Barbizon Landscapes from the Walters Art Museum
This morning I ran errands at the Waterfront and in Squirrel Hill.
After lunch/smoothies at Craig Street, Christina P. and I went to the Frick Museum to see The Road to Impressionism: Barbizon Landscapes from the Walters Art Museum exhibit. We were just in time for the 14:00 tour. We passed by the French tables, replete with French natives conversing whilst in costume, to enter the exhibit.
Many of the tableaux in the exhibit were from the Frick and Walters collections. Most were landscapes, or landscapes with figures in it. Having read Hans Jenny's paper on Soil in Landscape Art this past week, I was taken by the erosive soil elements on the hillcuts in certain pieces. Namely two pieces: "Le Puy du Dome" (circa 1866-1868, Jean-Francois Millet) and "Landscape with Wild Buffalo" (circa 1865, Jean-Achille Benouville), of a Roman campagna.
We applied gold leaf to a picture frame. We met Benedicte, her former Spanish teacher, who is now director of Alliance Francaise. Then she dropped me off, and I took a nap.
Helped out with dinner preparations at Mom & Dad's place. Tina, Leila, Dr. Pat, Tessie and Ernie, and Dr. Larry arrived to have dinner of ground beef torta, kare-kare, rice, baked calamari, lo mein noodles, watermelon, (corn on the cob), and homemade pineapple upside-down cake. Dad popped the cork on the champagne. They are now watching Manny Pacquiao via pay-per-view. Tina brought my birthday gift of eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, and Hippy Fizz fragrance. MMmmm.
Labels: art, dining, excited, friends, gift, glass, international culture, museum, Pacquiao, painting, surprise, water
Spring Break 2009 II
Spent the morning going through old slides, catching up on correspondence, eating breakfast, and going to physical therapy. Stopped by on campus to get a little work done, and added my photo to my professional blog. Had a croque monsieur on half of a sun-dried tomato bagel, and green salad for lunch with mom and dad. What fun! Just watched a WQED special, Masters of Glass, about the Pittsburgh Glass Center.
~~~
After tuna noodle casserole and greens salad for dinner, I completed the necklace Dad and I started from the glass rosette/floral piece (which I bought with Karina). Dad helped me to get the jump rings onto the chain to attach the magnetic clasps, and I worked on the pendant.
We're watching Dancing with the Stars tonight.
~~~~
Tuesday 10 March 2009
I sent my City Tax Form (2008) out today. After lunch, Marissa, William, Beatrice, Solomon, and I went to the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library. Neither William nor I had been there before, and upon entering, Beatrice headed directly for the far end of the room and the castle. We played in the room with the balls and with various items there, including a car and gas pump. We also watched Beatrice paint in the art room, and she and I cleaned up together afterwards. Solomon and Marissa moved toys from the top floor of the doll house throughout the house, whilst William, Beatrice, and I had fun with the various hats (astronaut helmet, construction worker, etc.) We were certain to use the hand sanitizer on the way out. I thanked Beatrice for inviting me to join them today.
I found the talented picture of me "and a balloon" Beatrice drew for me. She is very observant and talented when it comes to faces. Maybe she will be like Lolo, whose high school classmates dubbed "the next Michelangelo."
I stopped by Lolo and Lola's place to share the picture with them, and have made earrings for the floating glass mirror necklace I made first. I will work on designing another necklace this afternoon.
~~~~~
Wednesday 12 March 2009
Yesterday evening I went to the PNR meeting---it was a small group that night. We spoke mainly about questions Maxine Bruhns had about design issues, and how we would address them. The meeting lasted about 2-3 hours.
Today, Karina and I dined with Maureen at Victor's restaurant. The buffet was great, then we walked to the public library for Karina to drop off some books. A stop in the bead shop was in order, and Karina repaired the clasp part of a bracelet I had purchased.
A nap followed, until choir practice.
Labels: art, blogs, Choir, citizenship, cleaning, dance, dining, email, exercise, family, games, glass, jewelry, library, painting, photography, photos, PNR, TV, water exercise
Hungarian Dinner
Mom, Dad, William, Marissa, Beatrice, and I (with Solomon, of course) were treated to a home-cooked Hungarian dinner tonight. There were antipasti/hors d'oeuvres, chicken noodle soup, langos (Hungarian fire bread), haluska (noodles and cabbage), tomatoes on noodles, cucumber salad, chicken paprikas, Transylvanian gulyas, homemade braided bread, and palacsinta (crepe, ours with apricot filling and whipped topping). Water was our drink of choice. Beatrice liked to play the piano, and asked the proprietor, "man," who we told her was named Alex, if he liked her music. Solomon fed on his bottle the whole time. Alex's daughter helped out, and both of them were attentive to our group members' dietary needs.
I particularly enjoyed the dance music and artwork by Alex. Some of the music was played on a Hungarian dulcimer. Beatrice produced ink pen artwork (embellished with stickers) throughout dinner, and presented me with a card at the end of dinner.
Labels: art, Beatrice, dance, dining, international culture, music, niece and nephew, painting
The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Faith Sharing, List VII
Dad and I started watching a Hallmark movie borrowed from the public library entitled The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I finished watching the movie this afternoon. Quite remarkable, actually. Parts reminded me of It's a Wonderful Life.
Maureen and I went to faith sharing late this afternoon/early evening. I led the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. Andy led the discussion of John 3:16+. I made a comment that hearkened back to the Scripture that we "must be[come] like little children (Matthew 18:3)," and that children love structure...religion provides a structure. If we are to create, many writers, artists, and musicians create by having a structure daily: They write/paint/create music daily. Maybe they only get 20 good days out of a year, but every day they sit down and create...they are like little children in that they have daily structured creative time.
We decided after 6:35 to continue the discussion next week. Maureen and I decided to pick up Karina and dine at the nice Thai restaurant that my friend Debbie likes. Our discussion turned to meeting our life partner. Maureen asked me what was on my list of qualities I was looking for. I listed:
normal BMI
nice
good credit record (in more ways than one)
tolerant and tolerable
similar sense of humor as I
available (geographically and emotionally and otherwise)
[willing to humor me] i.e.--is a "seashell boy"
passionate about at least one thing in life
does not have to be as hypereducated as I
N.B.--I bring to the table what I expect, too. This off-the-top-of-my-head list echoes my original list.
Our discussion turned interesting, and we ended up talking until 10:20pm.
Labels: Carnegie, children, cinema, dining, Faith, library, list, love, music, painting, philosophical, school, writing
"First" Campfire and Mountain Pie Party 2008
Last night Jen, Brian, and I drove to Houston to partake of Ken, Maggie, and Drew's First Third of July Campfire and Mountain Pie Party. Ken has been doing campfire/mountain pie parties since then-Pittsburgh Mayor Sophie Maslov announced Third of July celebrations back in the day. In fact, two years ago Jen, Bri, and I attended their campfire engagement party...but this is the first one for him and Maggie and eight-month-old Drew. There was the usual fare at their new home: Hot Dawgs, S'mores, dough boys, and the ubiquitous mountain pies. Jen kindly made a chocolate/cherry one for me. The rain rain rain came down down down, and the rain rain rain came down down down....It was great to chat with Ken and Maggie, and to see Drew; since I had not seen their family since the beginning of January 2008. Drew is a big eight-month-old, in the 75 percentile, and at 22 pounds plus, he is about the length and weight of my twenty-month old niece Beatrice! He is also not a slender child, being somewhat chunky and long. As we departed, we noted that he looked so sweet slumbering in Maggie's arms.
I described the view of the fireworks to the west of I 79 as we drove past the cars pulled over on both sides of the highway. Jen appreciated the described view as we whizzed north on the wet pavement. I am thankful for my friends from CAC. When they suggested that I join the Club again, I insisted that I have become too busy with the Church....
~~~
What to do about me? Jen has decided to set me up with an acquaintance of hers. Her last attempt to set me up failed, as the other party was "afraid of getting hurt again." I told them the story of my declination of a proposal when I was younger, citing our irreconcilable difference, a difference that our friend Anjali wholeheartedly agreed was fully irreconcilable and that she agreed would elicit a denial from her, too.
Despite all this, I remain open to possibilities...I also am prepared resign myself to a life of teaching, alone, as I am fully happy and feel fulfilled as a mentor to young people in this capacity.
Labels: Beatrice, Blind, CAC, career, celebration, children, Christmas, Church, dreams, friends, list, love, outside, painting, science, transportation, weather, work
Flowers
I received a large bunch/double handful of flowers---two dozen roses---today from Christina's mom, Ellen. They are delicately scented, peachy/nectarine-colored roses. What a delight!
I have received many prayers, well wishes, visits, e-mails, phone calls, cards, magazines, a balloon, a small miniature rose shrub, a painting by Beatrice (one of two she has done, so far); DARK chocolate, filled DARK chocolates, Khatta Meetha, a little stuffed toy bird that sings, a bookstore giftcard, and many more giftings by my friends and family. I am sooo appreciative of the people who love me.
I can't start to thank everyone on my health care team. My parents have been phenomenal through all this: From taking me into their home to helping me with daily chores such as bathing, donning TED hose, and administering my blood thinning medication. They have been keeping me nutritionally and soulfully/spiritually well-fed, and have welcomed my varied juice mixes into their home.
Labels: BAD, cleaning, dining, dolls, email, friends, garden, health, painting, surgery, thankfulness
Waiting at the Airport, May 2008
I cleaned up yesterday, prepared my paintings for storage, did some organizing of my encyclopedia article, caught up on correspondence, and napped deeply!
I met Mom and Dad at the airport at about 10pm---waited next to the Lallys, who were waiting for Michelle's return from the continent and Dublin. We chatted about travelling, cell phones, and my imminent surgery.
Mom and Dad were glad to be back from Las Vegas, and glad to see me bearing fresh fruit. Dad was chatty, and mom was fighting a cold, caught at the casinos' air-conditioned and smoke-laden air.
Labels: BAD, cleaning, encyclopedia, friends, Ireland, organizing, painting, surgery, surprise, travel
Ottoman Empire in my Living Room
I had three storage ottomans (ottomen?) delivered to my home yesterday. I unpacked them, and initially loaded items into two of them yesterday. Today, I finished loading and organizing current files and photos into two of the ottomen. One stands empty. I am uncertain as to how I will use that space. Perhaps I will use it as my "buffer zone" for mess in the house, standing ready and empty to have me "toss 'n' hide" any unsightly messes before company comes over.
I need to further clean my living room of papers. Sooo many papers. If I wanted to, I could paper my walls with them...my floors with them...I already sleep with them! Eeep. Again, the true reason that I haven't a husband rears its ugly head: No room in the bed for him, next to me and all the papers and books!
And my project for my paintings...Must get the [rolled] paintings off my living room floor, maybe tuck them away to the place they were before...
Labels: list, love, organizing, painting, photography, photos, sleep, work
Cheshire smile
Upon leaving Wawa, Marissa, Beatrice and Jujube's home about twenty minutes ago, I spied a Cheshire cat smile in the sky--just a thin sliver of fingernail in the night sky. I had stopped by to pick up the video cam for this week.
My birthday started off great---I lectored for an early Mass, with Fr. Brian W. celebrating, Ed S. serving, and J.R. providing music ministry on the Wickes organ. The reading was from Acts 6:8-15, with the psalm 119:Iab. I then had breakfast, dropped off graded papers for my students (who are having lab away from their lab classroom this week); headed to the computer lab for recording grades electronically; ran into my supervisor, Carole, who made a request of me for the end of this week; attempted to take two online quizzes for my work at UPMC (they didn't work); and stopped at the Main branch of the library to pick up a video on hip replacement, and spoke with Mary Ellen. I had lunch (mostly leftovers at M&D's), headed to RIS to read a show (which inadvertently was taped over another episode--darn!), stopped by the UPMC office to retrieve some paperwork. I then met Marissa, Beatrice, Chere, Les, and later William for ice cream at Ben and Jerry's in Squirrel Hill. I had a cupcake of New York Super Fudge Chunk topped by a layer of brownie, ONE Cheesecake Brownie, icing, and Oreo MMMMM! William, Marissa, Beatrice, and I stopped by the Squirrel Hill branch of the library. I saw some great luminous paintings by Yuriy Mudrenko there. Then we were off to meet Les and Chere for dinner at Aladdin's. I had the Baba garden wrap with a side salad. All were delicious. Chere particularly enjoyed her meal. We then met up at William and Marissa's, where Beatrice shared some of her flashcards with me. We then shared a banana, and it was time for Beatrice to retire. Charles called to sing me a happy birthday, and then I departed shortly thereafter for home.
What a wonderful way to start another year. I hope to live a long life--as long as some of the sentences in this particular posting.
Labels: art, BAD, biology, Birthday, cinema, dining, family, family-Marissa, ice cream, lector, library, Mass, painting, read, RIS, science, St. Paul Cathedral, work
Elephant Self-Portrait
Check out the video of the elephant making a self-portrait. Quite amazing.
Labels: art, painting
Ruminations on Painting 2008
My former coworker and friend from the Carnegie, Lisa R., sent me this video of Michael Israel painting. It reminded me of when I used to work on several oil canvases on a daily basis.
I still have the canvases, and a future project will be restretching them and hanging them. I have already started with one, "Entering Open Fields," done when I still lived in California. I've put a detail from the image on my cell phone, too.
I miss painting. I've not kept up recently, as I have no appropriate studio space. I still have some paint, and some stretcher bars, too. (I barely have time to go to the gym on a regular basis. What am I thinking of taking up painting in the near future?)
My love of the arts has been expressed most in the past few years in the form of choral music. I truly enjoy singing in my church choir. It is a different sensation than the creative impulse of painting a painting. But, when we all sing as a choir, there are moments--no, movements--of glory that emote core emotions.
Labels: American history, art, Choir, excited, exercise, love, music, painting, singing, St. Paul Cathedral
The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat
Oliver Sacks, the physician who wrote the books The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat and Awakenings, was interviewed on Fresh Air by Terry Gross. I have read some of his work, and my neighbors Joe and Tina and I had a lively discussion a couple of days ago about the interview, which aired this week. I understood from our discussion that there is a profound difference that (either) listening to music (or) composing music has on the activity in the human brain...The interview seemed to indicate that the difference is most pronounced for music than for art, or writing, or any one of a number of other activities.
Joe and Tina also indicated that Terry Gross was good at asking probing questions, asking about Dr. Sacks's personal history. We spoke about the difference audible in good interviewers with responsive interviewees.
I think about our good friend and neighbor from Ohio, H., who loved his collection of classical music recordings and who, over holiday dinner with our families, stated clearly that he would prefer to lose the faculty of sight first before that of hearing. He has started to lose his hearing the past few years, and I pray that he still enjoys some of the activities he enjoyed when his children and we grew up on our street.
I think about our other neighbor, the Ns. Mrs. N taught us piano when we were younger. With my poor eyesight, I find it amazing that I didn't drive the poor woman (more) crazier than I probably did.
The human brain--an amazing thing!
Joe and Tina and I had discussed the difference between hearing music in one's head and hearing voices in one's head. I'm sad to say that I've never been lucky enough to hear voices. It must be exciting.
Labels: art, biology, music, neighbors, painting, poetry, prayer
Chihuly
Volunteered for the Chihuly exhibit at Phipps again tonight. I saw Rachel, a former student who took my class in the Fall of 2005. She's now a double science major, and we talked about that. I'm still entranced by the colors and shapes of Chihuly. Evy, another volunteer, saw a detail from one of my paintings on my cell phone and commented that I like "Chihuly colors."
Labels: art, Chihuly, glass, painting, Phipps, teaching, work
