Borealiso Beautiful: October 2010

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Flying Fall

I think this year, I actually look older in my school picture. Steve says it's the same (forced) smile, same eyes, same look, year after year. Just the hair changes. I think of Deuce and her 1000 different looks, beautiful or apish (this is a loving compliment if you know her cross-eyed monkey face), and think it would be nice to pull off something different. But that's the thing with formal photographs. You are expected to look into the camera and smile. The photographer prompts the kids to say "Slimy Monkey"and then changes it to "Money" or "Payday" for the adults. Ooh. I'm smiling now.

I'll include said photos later. They're at home and I'm in Winnipeg. It takes a trip away to get me to write a new post. That's cause fall is flying and we're sort of keeping up. We've been exchanging emails and house plans with a draftsman in Winnipeg. There's a December deadline hovering over our heads as draftsman flies south for the winter. So we're drawing and thinking, looking things up on the Internet, eyeballing every house we pass and learning to stop talking when the other person says "I don't like it." to your heartfelt "I love it." Go stir the soup, someone will come up with a new idea.

FYI, this is not what we are doing. Call it my Cro-Magnon plan.

And as October winds down, I'm thinking about Halloween costumes, report cards and the fact that there is less than 2 months before we fly to India. There is a paper star made in India, full of swirls and vibrant colours, hanging in my classroom. It's my reminder that I'll be heading there soon. I have the urge to henna up my kids one day, but henna is a fairly permanent dye (a week-2). I don't think our learning experience has to stretch itself that far. (Parents, breathe a sigh of relief right now.)

In a silly way, I spend a lot of time being excited about packing my new backpack for the trip. It is small and a sophistiqué grey-green. I will wear one set of clothes and carry another. This is a thrilling idea for a girl who chooses her clothing according to her morning moods. And then has to change due to the morning weather.

Speaking of morning weather, here's a glimpse of the evening sky up here, early October. Retirement Row is the place to be.

Steve's Sunset Photo # no-where-near-as-many-as-Judy-has

Be then patient, young grasshopper. In the quiet, in the dew, in the mixing and swirling of the stew, you will see things you did not realize were possible, you will recognize some answers were in front of you all along.

"When you follow your bliss...doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors; and where there wouldn't be a door for anyone else." Joseph Campbell 1904-1987

Saturday, October 9, 2010

a blessed day

September 5th, September long, it's the new fad.

I'd like to showcase, with some photos, the newest, bestest Me(a)ghan and husband to wed on this blessed day. And the ones who did it last year.

Meghan and Reid McDonald.

Bagpipe reels as table markers. Fitting, non? The face that only mother (and wife) could love, the look that father perfected (I see you, Don).

Dashing, oui? Parks. Steve Parks.

And lucky me. Got to drool over Meghan's self-knit shawl made of lavender seaweed-wool. She handed it over for me to wear during breakfast as soon as I started exclaiming over it. Just another talent of the new Mrs. McDonald.

Bedtime Stories

October 10: Mr. Fox (Helen Oyeyemi): Why say with a few words what this review says so well with a lot? Took me a while, but I've been busy. I may have told you. It's a book I floated on top of, dipping my toe in, not really sinking into. Maybe it was the violence against women dressed up in fables. But a couple of passages that I loved. Here's one: ""Let this enemy of progress tell you something," I said. "I'm never sad when a friend goes far away, because whichever city or country that friend goes to, they turn the place friendly. They turn a suspicious-looking name on the map into a place where a welcome can be found. Maybe the friend will talk about you sometimes, to other friends that live around him, and then that's almost as good as being there yourself. You're in several places at once! In fact, my daughter, I would even go so far as to say that the farther away your friends are, and the more spread out they are, the better your chances of going safely through the world..." "Ugh," my daughter said."
August 12: Be Different (John Elder Robison): Here's a view of life with Aspergers. An easy, informative and entertaining read. I like how he stresses that Asperger's does not necessarily mean you're disabled, or that there's something wrong with you; you're just different. Your brain is wired differently. A good insight into some of the behaviours linked with Aspergers. Robison stressed that these behaviours are not there to hurt, bother or defy other people; they are entirely self-serving. As the author points out, however, knowledge is power. Both the Aspergian and those who live and work with them benefit from knowing about Aspergers so that true growth can happen.
Early August: Fifty Shades of Grey and Fifty Shades Darker (ELJames): I don't know if I should be admitting to reading these. Annie-Claude called it mommy porn. I am a mommy. I would consider this porn. But the website says erotica. If there's a bandwagon, you should jump on it, right?
Mid-July: On the Outside Looking Indian (Rupinder Gill): This girl could definitely be a stand-up comic. As for a novelist or a "year-in-the-life-of-ist", she's a bit of a lightweight. Superficial goals that only briefly acknowledge their raison d'etre...this is a quest for happiness and self-acceptance, Rupinder, not just for Disney Land and a childhood denied. You'rein charge of your own destiny, rah rah rah.
Early July : The Dovekeepers (Alice Hoffman): She's a witch! Alice Hoffman has a good feel for the customs, speech and social expectations and taboos of these Roman times. Great strong female characters.
May 16: The Continuum Concept (Jean Liedloff): Felt like I was sitting in on my first-year anthropology class, listening to a very passionate teacher who adored her subject but who had to share it with an indifferent audience. What did I take away from this? I like to carry my baby, had her in a sling or carrier most of the time when she was young, let her feed on demand...but she sleeps in her crib (a no-no, according to Jean). I do like her description of the "in-arms phase", where "...the infant is always present but rarely the center of attention. He is simply there, in the midst of the caretaker's life, constantly experiencing things, safely being held." Until he starts exploring on his own, at which point he does so without interference ("protection"), but with mother nearby and available if he needs help. Ready, set, explore Clearwater Lake! Waldkind.
May 8: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Ransom Riggs...really?!): Great creepy, black-and-white photos of (real) peculiar children. The story is kind of contrived and spoon-fed, though. It is a beautiful looking book, found in the well-stocked children's lit section of Brighton's tiny bookstore.
May 3: On Writing (Stephen King): I like books on writing. Teaching writing, becoming a better writer. Essentially, it boils down to two things: you need to read a lot and write a lot. That's it. As a side note, did you know that Stephen King was an alcoholic and drug addict? Liked his memoirs and thoughts on his own stories. Am quite happy to steer very clear of said stories. I believe that they're good. Good enough for me.
April 27: I Love You, Beth Cooper (Larry Doyle): Steve's been wanting me to read this for a while. It is hilarious. I was actually grossed out in the first few pages and expected to gag on a description of exploding white puss-filled zits, but was soon flying through an epic grad night. Adventures in Babysitting style. I now want to see the movie.
April 22: I am Number Four (Pittacus Lore): Tee hee hee. Young-adult superhero book at its "best". Favourite line: "That's for my dad!" (as Sam uses a shotgun to blow away the Mogadorian, revenge for the abduction of his father).

Borealiso Beautiful

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Flying Fall

Saturday, October 9, 2010

a blessed day

Bedtime Stories

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