Curiosity Journal: April 27, 2011

Curiosity Journal: a weekly recap of what I’ve been reading, playing and learning; what I’m reacting to and writing. Inspired by Monica of Paper Bridges, I’m occasionally recording a Curiosity Journal…or am I recording an occasional Curiosity Journal? Tag words are: reading, playing, learning, reacting…and writing.Reading: One of my sisters-in-law has a Ph.D. in philosophy, so I’ve been known to pepper her with questions about the meaning of life. While she’s considering how to answer the first question, I blurt out another that comes to mind, and next thing you know I’ve asked five of the biggest questions of the ages hoping my sister-in-law will be able to answer them simply and succinctly.Trouble is, we live on different continents. She can’t provide me with an overview of philosophy during the one or two hours we’re together every few years, so I asked if she knew of a “philosophy for dummies” kind of book that I could read. She recommended Sophie’s World, a Norwegian novel (translated into English, of course) about a 15-year-old girl who is presented with the history of philosophy. As a novel, it’s not that great; however, as a way to learn about philosophy without getting too confused or overwhelmed, it’s pretty good. I’m up to the chapter where Sophie learns about Aristotle.Playing: The Easter egg hunt on Sunday was a treat. The Easter bunny had fun finding nooks and crevices, and the kids had fun racing through the yard looking up and down for treasures.Meanwhile, the bracket holding our closet rod pulled out of the wall. Blame it on the six-compartment sweater organizer that weighed things down. Too much thick and heavy yarn. To make room for our handyman neighbor to fix the shelves and rods, we had to extract every piece of hanging clothing and every item on the shelves. But this mess gave us the opportunity to sort and bag things we don’t wear or use: three big bags await donation.Thankfully our neighbor is beginning the repair work tomorrow morning, so he might get the shelves and rod installed by tomorrow afternoon.The reason for all this closet-talk? We won’t be able to play until we get things put back together.Learning: I’m learning about the history of philosophy and the strength (or lack thereof) of certain bracket designs used in closet installations. My life is filled with the surprise of unrelated tasks and topics, one after another, always something new.Reacting: When the closet fell apart, I had to act, or react, and deal with the mess. We’re also continuing to react to the bad storms that keep rolling through the Midwest.Writing: We hosted out-of-town guests this weekend and then my family came over for Easter lunch and the egg hunt that a certain beloved Easter bunny spent hours assembling in plastic eggs for distribution upon arrival. Then the closet rod broke. I wish I could report that I’ve been productive and prolific, but I’m afraid I must simply confess that I haven’t had much time for writing.There you have it. A Curiosity Journal that reveals what I’m reading, playing, learning, reacting to and writing.

Image Credits: All photos by Ann Kroeker.