Each Wednesday I’m recording a Curiosity Journal, a recap of the past week. Tag words are: reading, playing, learning, reacting and writing.
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Some of you have mentioned that you’re keeping a Curiosity Journal, as well. Leave your link in the comments so that we can visit and enjoy your weekly review.
Reading
I’ve got to finish organizing the class I’m facilitating, which has me reading books like The Lively Art of Writing
, Essays & Term Papers
, and that little classic I always enjoy re-reading, The Elements of Style
.A recent distraction arrived in the form of a philosophy book. My sister-in-law with the PhD in philosophy, whom I frequently pester with questions, recommended a nice, simple, mentally digestible overview called, What Does It All Mean?: A Very Short Introduction to Philosophy
, which I requested through our inter-library loan system. I kind of forgot about it until I opened the notification that it arrived. Because I requested it, I was obligated to pick it up. Now I’m tempted to leaf through that slim volume and read a few paragraphs, but I really must focus on class preparations.Fortunately I have three weeks to read and return the book, and it is truly very short. Maybe I’ll take a break over the weekend and zoom through it. Then over fall break I could try to finish Sophie’s World
and then, throughout winter, surprise you by slipping into my posts an assortment of deep thoughts and philosophical musings.But first I must ask…what is the meaning of thought?(Just trying out some philosopher-speak.)
Playing
Remember the PhotoPlay assignment I told you about? The one that The High Calling Photo Editor Claire Burge put together?
I didn’t finish it.I only have four out of five photos.Claire asked participants to upload five images that represent their history. Her assignment?Each image must answer a question below, one question per image:
- Who made up your DNA?
- Where do you come from?
- What object is precious to your past?
- What memory resonates most deeply?
- What moment in history marks your childhood?
She said to find symbols to portray the memories.I couldn’t find five symbols or images. Only four. I’ve highlighted them in the list above.I am connecting this shot of a gate with “Where do you come from?”
I featured this photo in yesterday’s post but have chosen to share it here, as well, in connection with that question. Perhaps one day I can put words to why it answers “Where do I come from?” For now, the image alone must suffice.Though I suspect that eventually the more symbolic gate will generate deeper memories, I’m submitting the following photo for “What memory resonates most deeply?” To read about the memory that spontaneously came to the surface, see yesterday’s post.
For the precious object, I’m cheating a little. I didn’t really think of anything that was precious to my past, but I did love to climb to the top of our metal play set and overlook the farm fields. And I would pump the see-saw so that it reached its full extension, with or without a companion on the other seat. I kept it up for years until wasps took up residence in the hollow frame.
“Who made up your DNA?”Here’s a shot of some hands I’m related to:
Or maybe these would work:
Learning
I’m learning that reflecting on the past and thinking in symbols is hard.
Reacting
It seems I get a lot of my early news flashes through social media. For example, I saw that Chris Cree, founder of EmmanuelPress, mentioned on Facebook and Twitter that an earthquake had shaken Colorado. Today, I heard via e-mail about the earthquake in Virginia.I’m sorry to hear that some spires on the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., were damaged, and the Washington Monument appears cracked. But it sounds like people were spared and no major catastrophes resulted from the shaking.I know it must be disconcerting to experience an earthquake in a place that is rarely hit (our state felt a minor rumble last year and talked about it all day), but this made me laugh.
Writing
Mostly writing lesson plans.
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Credits:Question mark image: “Question Proposed” photo by Ethan Lofton. Used under a Creative Commons license via Flickr.com.All other photos copyright 2011 by Ann Kroeker.Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
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LOVE the photos Ann! I have a post with mine going up shortly today too. That was a really challenging project, and I learned a lot about myself in looking back like I did.
I couldn’t even fulfill the assignment…sigh.
Looking forward to your selections!
Love these pictures, and I laughed, too, at the link about the earthquake “devastation.” All afternoon yesterday I was trying to learn what actually happened, but instead, our local newscasters kept interviewing people here who felt it. That seemed so much less newsworthy than talking about the actual earthquake and the real affects!
Did you feel it? I didn’t. That is so local newsy of those stations…as you saw in my journal above, I followed links that were posted via Twitter with much better results than television.
I love the photos of hands. I’ve been collecting pictures of my family members’ hands, stories of hands, poems about hands, quotes about hands, blog posts about hands, thoughts about God’s hands. I think–think–the topic of hands could serve as a framework for a memoir of sorts. What do you think?
Linda
Yes, I believe you’re right.
Good morning! Thought I’d stop by and say hello… it’s nice to meet you. Loved looking at your photos of the barn and such. There’s something about an old farm, isn’t there? I’d seen the HC photoplay challenge and was so drawn to it, but didn’t have the time this week. Moving my sons into college is slightly time consuming. Maybe she’ll run that challenge again someday. I’ve enjoyed reading your work. Your candidness is refreshing and your faithful, sweet spirit shines through! Have a beautiful day Ann =)
Patricia, it’s so nice to hear from you here. And the old, broken down things I found prowling around the found were beautiful and sad. Makes me think of how old the farm is, and how my parents can’t keep up with maintaining it, and, well, I guess how old I am, too!
Thank you very much for your encouraging words about my writing. It means a lot–I love being associated with “candid” “refreshing” and definitely “faithful, sweet spirit.” 🙂
What an enjoyable set of images and memories. My brother and I spent hours in the loft of my grandparent’s barn during the summers. Always with the warning … “be careful!”.
It’s so lovely to see you here–I love how this trip to the farm has awakened so many memories. Thank you for your visit here, and your kind comment.