Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Shocked ostrich has now been shocked for 3000+ years



went to the morgan library, loved this

A Winged Hero Pursuing Two Ostriches
Cylinder seal and impression
Inscription abraded in antiquity.
Mesopotamia, Middle Assyrian period
ca. 1250–1150 B.C.
Marble
31 x 14 mm
Seal no. 606
Item description: 
In one of the most striking of the Morgan's Middle Assyrian seals, a hero pursues an adult ostrich, possibly representing the earthly equivalent of the griffin, the conveyor of death. The fleeing ostrich, with its head turned back in fear and fury and its feathers bristling, ranks among the greatest Mesopotamian depictions of animals. In the biblical Book of Job (39:13–17), the ostrich is considered a malevolent creature because it disdains its young, which may account for the presence of the young ostrich and enhances our understanding of this extraordinary seal.

Monday, January 23, 2017

EDIE WINDSOR!


look who marched where I marched!
edie windsor! 

longtime blog readers understand my star struckedness - here's a post from 2012


Women's march NYC




















marched in NYC with the kids and it was great! here's one of my favorite signs from the day:

Working out with Americans













I'm getting Spy fit with the help of The Americans.

script is good but the styling? SO GOOD

found myself googling

" Where to find everything Nina wears on the Americans;  everything: boots, dresses, coats, blouses tutti "

No spoilers please, am just a few episodes into SEASON 1.

Pope on POTUS

wait and see?

how about what we can conclude after just the first half week?

http://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-pope-idUSKBN1560NU

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

It's Tuesday, my good news day

We're moving back home to Stockholm in July.
I love New York but Stockholm is my home. My real home.

Now: finding a new home (we sold the house last year), finding schools for the kids, finding a job for me. It will be an interesting year.




Friday, January 13, 2017

Camera shy


I'm taking a photography class for many reasons. First out, I want to master my camera beyond auto settings. But I also want to curb my shyness - I constantly see people and situations I'd love to capture but then don't because I don't want to step on anyone's integrity. Which is certainly a virtuous standpoint but is it true or am I just too chicken? 

This is a typical picture of a stranger by me. I don't think the man here could complain about having his privacy invaded? His identity is hidden by his looming work. But he is there. THough this would have been a much better picture with more of him revealed, don't you think? 

I often walk past this office. I feel a little bit better every time I do, though I feel for the people inside. But it gives me hope about doing my taxes. My paper work shrinks by comparison.

Happy to be alive!


The other day was inches from death as a school bus swerved into my walking though I had a clear go-light. 

I cried out (in Swedish, as that's my emergency language it seems) 

The driver did not notice or care. But just so you know, I'm happy to be here! It was close and what a ridiculous way to go, run over by school bus as you're carrying home crackers and kiwis. 



Lately



Wednesday, I went to have coffee with Josh, an old college friend. Perhaps I should write "Wednesday, I went to have coffee with the one friend I still have from college".  It's almost true, though I have Jenny too!

Anyways, it was great to see Josh. He lives only half an hour away (by foot, as that is how I measure distances, like the medieval peasant I often identify with), but I hadn't seen him for over a year as that's very often how life works once you have kids. Plans have gotten cancelled because of lice, fevers and yes, my half year stint on another continent. 

Anyways, he's a great writer and will soon have a new book out. Besides that he also writes stories for various publications.

Here's a great article he wrote recently, about a crack addict who dreamt big and went even bigger - coming up with the perfect pillow. This is my favorite quote:


---
the pic above has nothing to do with any of this, it's just a view the medieval peasant saw on her way to meet her old friend. 



Will reveal important news here on Tuesday

Stay tuned.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

The only good thing that will happen on Jan 20

Dreading, dreading, dreading the awful day when a willful, hateful, impulsive, racist male bully will become the leader of the United States.

But one good thing does happen that day. An exhibition celebrating a brilliant unique woman opens:

I’m Nobody! Who are you? The Life and Poetry of Emily Dickinson





Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Friday, January 6, 2017

Jan 6th so far


Woke up, made lunch for Joel, saw him off. Saw Anders take ferry to work.


Saw Vanja finish her application for a youth program at the Whitney. 


Took Niki to school, met Ella on the shuttle, wearing her panda hat with matching gloves. 



Dropped Niki off, saw a T-Rex singing in a window. 


Have walked past Veselka a thousand times. Decided to try it. 
It was ok. Liked the place and the staff, though.


Went to the writers room and worked for hours, had lunch as so often from Sweetgreen. Heard about horrible Fort Lauderdale shootings. 
Contemplated future and as always, feeling uneasy about the president to come. 
 About to walk home over bridge soon. Going out tonight, if only for a little while.



Where would you go?

I'm in New York City now but would need to get away for a week to really focus on a book project. Where should I go?  Preferably traveling by bus cause trying to be eco-friendly. Looked into Vancouver but 3 days and 4 hours seems a bit steep.

Just looking for clean, affordable with great walking and perhaps swimming prospects.

Any suggestions welcome.

 

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Shopping instinct trigger

Reading about yet another book on writing (do I need more of those? yes, please), I see the book was banned because the author urged the wannabe-writer to make the "characters suffer". I instantly need this book.

http://www.gailcarsonlevine.com/wm.html

What if?

What if America really runs on donuts? That would explain so much - shortsighted solutions etc.
Bildresultat för america runs on dunkin

I often think about

how similar these words are

appealing

appalling