Blog 2.0

The Meema Files is now entering the terrible two's. Hang on, kiddies!
(Blogoversary event details coming soon...)

The Wright stuff

(I'm sorry - the title had to be writ.)

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959). My, but he was long-lived. And creative. And prolific. And genius. And durn clever at financing his grand architectural works of art (read: squeezing every penny and then some out of his customers).

I'm convinced I was born a century too late. Living in south Minneapolis I grew to adore the American Arts and Crafts movement, to the point where I have dreams about Stickley. I could (and have) spent hours pouring over tile and wallpaper friezes and light fixtures and did I mention furniture?

Wright took the A&C movement and married it to the "modernity" of the 20th century in a very organic and non-offensive way. (Can you tell je deteste International architecture? Blech.) The way the walls of windows in his Prairie School homes (Fallingwater, at left) embraced and framed the natural view as art, to the conch-like structure of the Guggenheim (right) - he totally does it for me.

Thanks, Frank.

Many mumbling choral singers

Today is the 105th birthday of Theodor Seuss "Dr. Seuss" Geisel!.

As a child, I fell in love with the inventive language in his books. Even today, I still have ample opportunity to enjoy his alliterative powers. Karle Erickson (a name I never thought I'd type into my blog, but that's another story) wrote an oft-used set of choral warmups using the text from Dr. Seuss's A-B-C. "Many mumbling mice" makes multiple manifestations in rehearsals at St. Paul's. I dare say this collection has become a choral classic.

(And a big thank you to Google for pointing this out - so informative, they are.)

He doesn't look a day over 183

Today was the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. Many people have written of his greatness, highlighting the way our recent election has drawn his work full circle. I'd like to share the end of his first inaugural address - one of my favorite Lincoln moments.

I am loth to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stre[t]ching from every battle-field, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.

The man could write.

Give me a W...

(Not THAT one - I thought you knew me better than that!)

... O... O...L! Yay, sheepies!

Were you aware, fellow knitters, that the General Assembly of the United Nations declared 2009 as The International Year of Natural Fibres? Apparently this was waaay back in '06. Remember '06? Deeply embedded we were in an Administration of shame... I digress; pardon me.

The year was officially launched today (22 Jan). I think everyone is hereby entitled to knit something very special from the natural fibre of their choice this year.

For. Yourself.

That's right - enough of this "I don't need to spend that much time on myself, yadda yadda yadda." Fuggedaboudit! Holidays are done, and it's time to appreciate your own craftiness.

After you give it a bit of thought, I encourage you to let us know what you're going to make for yourself. Leave a comment on this post with your project idea (including fibre details), and let the crafting commence.

And you thought that Tuesday was as good as it got!

Hope arrives

What a day.

What a fantastic, inspiring day! It's still a bit overwhelming; I vacillate between grinning like an idiot and getting all verklempt at the thought of what we witnessed today.

Kidlet, Papa and I watched the inauguration together. I held her as we listened to Obama take the oath of office, and we stood right along with the masses. I doubt the enormity of the day registered, but she will know she was there.

Oh, and the other moment I made sure she watched? The Bush-laden helicopter gettin' the heck outta Dodge. Fly, baby, fly.

42 years

Happy anniversary, Nana and Papa - I love you!

A well-travelled dream

On 28 August 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his most famous address on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

On 28 August 2008, Barack Obama will deliver his most historic speech (to date) on the stage constructed on Inesco Field in Denver, CO.

45 years and 1,688 miles; half of a lifetime, half of a continent. We have the privilege to witness an historical moment tonight.

Much has been gained, but there is much more work to do in uniting this nation. Georgia congressman John Lewis said it well on NPR this evening: Obama's acceptance of his party's nomination isn't the culmination of the dream, but "an enormous down payment on the dream".

Robert Kennedy was quoted in 1963 as saying he anticipated an African-American nominee in 50 years. His math was pretty damn good.

Just waffle

Read a little, learn a lot.

That's The Meema Files in a nutshell.

Friday the 13th

It's been quiet on the Meema front, I know. I could blame the many details I needed to wrap up as students headed out for the summer, but I choose to blame my frustration with uploading photos on Blogger. But that's a gripe for another day. We need to have a chat about today...

Friday the 13th - how did that day and date combination become foreboding? Many historians connect it to the Last Supper (13 men, a betrayal and the Good Friday crucifixion - can't get much worse). Another theory rests on the downfall of the Knights Templar (hundreds of religious knights executed in France on Friday, Oct. 13, 1307).

Superstitions are defined as a set of irrational beliefs in the supernatural that are based in the fear of the unknown, born from ignorance or exist due to contrary proof (dictionaries don't mince words). While some are sourced in paganism and witchcraft, many superstitions are drawn from Christianity, folklore and mythology. Some believe "knock on wood" (yup, my own previous post) comes from knocking on a wooden cross.

The number 13 itself has its own particular "bad juju". It's not just those with triskaidekaphobia who accept the fact that it's best to be without a floor numbered 13. Global differences abound; some Asian cultures fear the number four, and Italians don't like 17.

Pet a black cat, fold up your ladders when you're done, and have a good day!

End Times, and other things

from the editor: I'm a bad LYS employee. I've really done scant knitting this week, and thusly another fiberless post. Le sigh.

This is the last week of school for my studio singers. I know, everyone else under the sun is done but us. Graduation is on Friday (the 13th - don't think the irony is lost on some of these "adults"). And although most teachers spend the next three months travelling on vacation improving themselves at workshops, I teach a summer studio. As an independent contractor, if I want to be paid, lessons are taught.

I've never really been a get-the-heck-outta-Dodge vacationer - nor have my people - but this summer is proving to be different. The third week of July will be a Genuine Road Trip Vacation, the likes of which haven't been experienced by my family for over 20 years (ahem).

Destination: The Big Apple :-D
Motivation: seeing the MN Twins play at Yankee Stadium before they tear it down
Participation: mom, dad, sis, and moi

Driving halfway across the country.
In July.
Watching outdoor baseball (here's the view from our slice of Yankee heaven):No me gusta the potential heat/sweat/humidity factor with this itinerary, but I will shut my yap and deal with it.

OK, one question: I am certainly not the most sportly-minded lesbian to walk the face of the earth (though I have been known to cheer on a championship whatever in a social context), but shouldn't it be illegal or unethical or something to tear down Yankee Freakin' Stadium? It's like the Mecca of baseball, isn't it? Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and all? (Heh, I didn't even google those names. Pretty impressed right about now, aren't you?)

side note: On this day in 1969 the Yankees retired Mickey Mantle's number, 7. Ironical. (This factoid was looked up after I wrote his name above, thus the ironicalness. And yes, I know it's not a real word.)

Lay it on me, readers. What should I petition the fam to see whilst in Nueva York? Leave me a comment with your favorite tourist-y spot, off-the-beaten-path eatery, or whatever. You're going to be listening to me blog about it, so the sights might as well be something we'll all enjoy.

D-Day

On 6 June 1944 the Allied invasion of Europe took place on the beaches of Normandy, France; 400,000 American, British and Canadian troops were involved.

Ironically enough, on the same day 'way back in 1813, the US invasion (?!?) of Canada was halted at Stoney Creek, Ontario.

Props to the Canadians for not holding a grudge.

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

May is a big month of cultural celebration for La Meema. First, a nod to the 1/4 Mexican heritage de mi mama.

Cinco de Mayo is a regional festival day marking the Mexican defeat of French forces in 1862. It's not a countrywide fiesta in Mexico, nor is it Mexican Independence Day (that's in September); in the U.S., the day is similar to the cultural observation and revelry found on St. Patrick's Day.

This festive posting brought to you by Cinco de May Barbie! Yes, that's right - your favorite plasticine freak o' nature goes South of the Border and returns with a Coppertone tan. (Truth be told, I totally wanted a costume very similar to this as a young girl. For myself. Really.)

And in two weeks, another familial day of glory will descend upon us - [duhn, duhn, DUHN...] (ominous chords of doomydoomdoom).

Don't eat the worm!

B is for Blogiversary

Today is my one-year blogiversary. I wasn't sure then what direction things would go; still don't, but hey, it's been an entertaining trip so far.

B is also for Beads, another of my crafty endeavors. "Why would Meema mention this?" you may query...

The B is for Blogiversary Beads Contest!

To enter: simply leave a message on this post before 11:59PM CDT on Friday 25 April with a link to your first blog post and a way for me to contact you (blatant usage of Mari's blogiversry contest idea - hope you don't mind!).

If you place a link to my contest post on your blog, your name gets put in the hat a second time. For every entry by another person who mentions your link, your name goes in another time. You get the idea. The lucky winner will be drawn at random by a non-literate 3-year-old next weekend.

The prize: a custom-crafted set of beaded stitch markers in two sizes (Medium to US#10, and Mega to US#17). Each set has six "regular" markers and one glamour "beginning of round" marker. We will consult about what color/type of beads you'd like. If you are a non-knitter or have a strange loyalty to markers already in your possession, take heart - we will come up with an equivalent prize just for you.

Thanks for reading, as always!

The bard in my pocket

In honor of April's National Poetry Month, today is the 6th annual Poem in Your Pocket Day in NYC. So slip a little something in your pocket to share with coworkers, family, friends...

I meant a poem, people. Sheesh. ;-D

Feel free to leave your favorite gem in the comments for today's post.

Iambic pentameter ROCKS!

Prada loafers not pictured

I thought this might be appropriate on His Holiness Papa Ratzinger's arrival in the U.S. today.

nataliedee.com

p.s. Happy Tax Day.

April arrives in Antarctica

The Ides of St. Patrick

I feel like my calendar has been pillaged. Were you aware that the Catholic Church moved St. Patty's Day festivities this year to today? I must have been removed from The Holy See's distribution list. They don't want all that revelry mucking up the last week of a perfectly good Lenten observance.

Google has saved my 21st century arse hundreds and hundreds of times - most recently, in figuring out the meaning of The Ides of March. Apparently before Caesar's assassination on the Senate steps, the term ides was used in the Roman calendar for the 15th day of the months of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of the other 8 months. Julius and Brutus brought to it the definition of impending doom.

A contemplative Holy Week to all. Knit somberly.

Anticipation

Tonight is the night we "spring ahead," according to the new energy-conscious way of doing such things. I generally associate the resetting of clocks to more seasonal change, so this just seems wrong; it's way early, and not very spring-like outside. Sigh.

For tomorrow we fast

Day 36 (28) of Blog365.

The liturgical geek in me has come out to post....

Today is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day or Fat Tuesday (and in French, Mardi Gras); it is the day preceding the Christian liturgical season of Lent, forty days of fasting and repentance before the celebration of Easter.

Pancake Day, you may ask? Yup. As Lent centered around fasting and giving up rich foods, people would use up their supplies of eggs, sugar, jams, and milk by making and eating pancakes (crêpes for the French, mais oui?).

Shrove Tuesday comes from the past tense of the word "shrive" (to obtain absolution for sins by confession and penance), and is more predominant in Great Britain, Canada, and Australia. It is the last day to receive the expected absolutions before the beginning of Lent.

And you thought it was just a big party in New Orleans. Get your alleluias in now, y'all!