Here are twoslide shows of our trip to Italy. Have a nice trip to photobucket:
Meet Rovereto
Slice of Life in Rovereto
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
buon giorno!
buon giorno!
I'm in Italia soaking up the good phenomenological rays. The International Human Science Research conference is here for four days. I have to admit, this is the best conference I've been to yet this year. For one, this is the place where my research is most at home, and where what I believe about research is most accepted. So, you could call it a choir conference. And, while on the one hand that may seem too easy and letting on off of the hook, it is a refreshing and uplifting confidence builder.
We have our stars in phenomenology, and I got to sit next to one of them at breakfast. So many of the people that I've read are here and that makes it all the more exciting. Tomorrow I will make my presentation on the idea of object knowledge, along with Kiersten and Mark--my partners in object knowledge knowledge.
Slowly but surely we are learning the ways of Italy. Of course by the time we have it down, we'll have to be on our way home. But, it will be a good experience nonetheless.
Ciao for now.
I'm in Italia soaking up the good phenomenological rays. The International Human Science Research conference is here for four days. I have to admit, this is the best conference I've been to yet this year. For one, this is the place where my research is most at home, and where what I believe about research is most accepted. So, you could call it a choir conference. And, while on the one hand that may seem too easy and letting on off of the hook, it is a refreshing and uplifting confidence builder.
We have our stars in phenomenology, and I got to sit next to one of them at breakfast. So many of the people that I've read are here and that makes it all the more exciting. Tomorrow I will make my presentation on the idea of object knowledge, along with Kiersten and Mark--my partners in object knowledge knowledge.
Slowly but surely we are learning the ways of Italy. Of course by the time we have it down, we'll have to be on our way home. But, it will be a good experience nonetheless.
Ciao for now.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
They Say It's My Birthday
Many happy returns of the day to my fellow June tenthians: Maurice Sendak, Judy Garland, Saul Bellow, Prince Phillip, Frederick Lowe (of Lerner and), and John Edwards. (There are others but these seem the most auspicious). And, a moment of silence for those whose lives were lost on this day: Alexander the Great, Marcus Garvey, Spencer Tracy, Louis L'Amour, and Ray Charles.
Some fascinating facts from the mind that likes to imagine vast quantities of bizarre items:
First, the basic calculations: 36 years = 432 months = 13,140 days = 315,360 hours = 18,921,600 minutes. (No I am not quoting Rent. Just doing math). I have known Erik for more than half my life at this point! I have been called Elee for 22 years. Been driving for 19 years and wearing glasses for 30.
Using Forks: Let us presume that I use an average of 1.8 forks per day, and adjusting for the earlier years of my life, let's presume that I have used this average of forkage since age 5. That would mean in my current life time, I have used 20, 367 forks.
Handling pieces of paper: A very challenging figure. Let's estimate that on average in an office-oriented position, such that I have had in my last twelve years of such work, I handle roughly 150 pieces of paper a day (including mail, articles, documents, etc.). When I was more of the student type this might have been roughly 50 pages more. As a younger person this was probably just about 50 pages, give or take.
I then calculate: Ages 5-18= 13 years at 50 pages per day = 237,250 pages
Ages 18-24= 7 years at 200 pages per day = 511,000
Ages 24-36 = 12 years at 150 pages per day=657,000
that would give a grand total of 1, 405,250 pieces of paper handled in my lifetime. It represents approximately 2,810.5 reams. Since one ream uses about 6% of total tree, it takes roughly 17 reams for one tree. That means that I've killed about 165 trees, roughly 4.5 trees per year of life. And in reality, I probably should add on about 5 more reams for the dissertation. Another half tree. That's a sobering concept. But, I am doing my part to use less paper and recycle it as much as I can.
So as not to end on a low note, here are some interesting random events in history for June 10:
June 10, 1971 44th National Spelling Bee: Jonathan Knisely wins spelling shalloon
June 10, 1902 Patent for window envelope granted to H F Callahan
June 10, 1752 Ben Franklin's kite is struck by lightning-what a shock!
Some fascinating facts from the mind that likes to imagine vast quantities of bizarre items:
First, the basic calculations: 36 years = 432 months = 13,140 days = 315,360 hours = 18,921,600 minutes. (No I am not quoting Rent. Just doing math). I have known Erik for more than half my life at this point! I have been called Elee for 22 years. Been driving for 19 years and wearing glasses for 30.
Using Forks: Let us presume that I use an average of 1.8 forks per day, and adjusting for the earlier years of my life, let's presume that I have used this average of forkage since age 5. That would mean in my current life time, I have used 20, 367 forks.
Handling pieces of paper: A very challenging figure. Let's estimate that on average in an office-oriented position, such that I have had in my last twelve years of such work, I handle roughly 150 pieces of paper a day (including mail, articles, documents, etc.). When I was more of the student type this might have been roughly 50 pages more. As a younger person this was probably just about 50 pages, give or take.
I then calculate: Ages 5-18= 13 years at 50 pages per day = 237,250 pages
Ages 18-24= 7 years at 200 pages per day = 511,000
Ages 24-36 = 12 years at 150 pages per day=657,000
that would give a grand total of 1, 405,250 pieces of paper handled in my lifetime. It represents approximately 2,810.5 reams. Since one ream uses about 6% of total tree, it takes roughly 17 reams for one tree. That means that I've killed about 165 trees, roughly 4.5 trees per year of life. And in reality, I probably should add on about 5 more reams for the dissertation. Another half tree. That's a sobering concept. But, I am doing my part to use less paper and recycle it as much as I can.
So as not to end on a low note, here are some interesting random events in history for June 10:
June 10, 1971 44th National Spelling Bee: Jonathan Knisely wins spelling shalloon
June 10, 1902 Patent for window envelope granted to H F Callahan
June 10, 1752 Ben Franklin's kite is struck by lightning-what a shock!
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Realizing where you are
It dawned on me the other day, that I'm living in Indianapolis. Perhaps you are thinking, "yes, that's where you live, do you know your name and phone number?" But I don't mean I haven't recognized this fact in two years. What I mean is that I am quite surprisingly making my life happen here. Why surprising? While I did technically choose to live here, it wasn't because I wanted to be in Indianapolis. It was for the job. I love the job. I like the people I work with. I'm just surprised that I can put up with the way of life here. Okay, now, before you native types get all up in arms, let me have my say.
I was listening to the radio and heard a story about a senate bill advancing the idea of the carbon footprint taxing. One of the proponents of the bill is Amy Klobuchar, the senator from Minnesota. While I didn't get to vote her into office, I surely would have. The problem was when I both smiled at the thought of how progressive Minnesota is, I also snickered to myself, "only the Minnesotans" (well the other author is from Oregon, so there you go). But then I thought "NO! Did I just disparage the progressive, Scandanavian influenced way of life I so desperately wish to reclaim?" What has happend to me!
I want what I cannot have at the moment. I miss the diversity of cultures and excitement of knowing the difference between a Thai restaurant run by Hmong and a Thai restaurant run by Thais. (And on top of that, missing the options for Thai food). I miss the vast amounts of green sensibilities--the CSAs the community farms, the hippies, people who recycle. I miss the vibrancy of arts like Heart of the Beast, the Cedar Cultural Center, and big rivers and tiny lakes. I miss the accents. Sure Indianapolis has all this, to an extent. But I don't think that it is as evident to me, as I haven't found my way into it yet.
So what is important in this realization is not unlike Erik's favorite motto--no matter where you go, there you are. So here I am. This is not the Minneapolis, but the Indianapolis. It has what I need--Erik, a great job, a job for Erik, a nice house, and good friends. More people stop and visit now because we are much more on the way than out of the way. So why am I complaining? Perhaps I'm just having 2nd year culture shock. In July we'll have been here 2 years. It seems hardly possible. And yet in that time we've settled in. So there must be something that is worth celebrating and owning. And maybe that is what is important. It is less tentative now, our being here. I've got a good sense of that and place can be made into something worthwhile. It just takes a person to make it so.
I was listening to the radio and heard a story about a senate bill advancing the idea of the carbon footprint taxing. One of the proponents of the bill is Amy Klobuchar, the senator from Minnesota. While I didn't get to vote her into office, I surely would have. The problem was when I both smiled at the thought of how progressive Minnesota is, I also snickered to myself, "only the Minnesotans" (well the other author is from Oregon, so there you go). But then I thought "NO! Did I just disparage the progressive, Scandanavian influenced way of life I so desperately wish to reclaim?" What has happend to me!
I want what I cannot have at the moment. I miss the diversity of cultures and excitement of knowing the difference between a Thai restaurant run by Hmong and a Thai restaurant run by Thais. (And on top of that, missing the options for Thai food). I miss the vast amounts of green sensibilities--the CSAs the community farms, the hippies, people who recycle. I miss the vibrancy of arts like Heart of the Beast, the Cedar Cultural Center, and big rivers and tiny lakes. I miss the accents. Sure Indianapolis has all this, to an extent. But I don't think that it is as evident to me, as I haven't found my way into it yet.
So what is important in this realization is not unlike Erik's favorite motto--no matter where you go, there you are. So here I am. This is not the Minneapolis, but the Indianapolis. It has what I need--Erik, a great job, a job for Erik, a nice house, and good friends. More people stop and visit now because we are much more on the way than out of the way. So why am I complaining? Perhaps I'm just having 2nd year culture shock. In July we'll have been here 2 years. It seems hardly possible. And yet in that time we've settled in. So there must be something that is worth celebrating and owning. And maybe that is what is important. It is less tentative now, our being here. I've got a good sense of that and place can be made into something worthwhile. It just takes a person to make it so.
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