Good Classroom Quote

Of all lies, art is the least untrue.Gustave Flaubert(1821-1880) One element I really enjoy bringing into my class room teaching is the philosophical debate in the arts. Take this quote for example. What does it mean? It is implicating art as something that is not entirely true, though its wording doesn't seem to call it a lie outright. How does this affect our perception of art? Do we believe what he is saying or disagree with him? Why? (This makes me wish I could find my PHIL 214 book. I let someone borrow it and I'm pretty sure I never got it back. Lame.) I love art. I love the questions it makes us ask ourselves. Is art a lie? Maybe. Does art bring us closer to truth? I think so. Perhaps not every type of art, but the ones that resonate with us are generally so because of something they stir up within us.

Requesting your Comments

Dear friends,


I'm pretty certain that more than a few people read my blog from time to time. Sometimes I write on here just for myself, but if you're out there, I'd love your comments.


Life threw me a gift in disguise about 6 weeks ago. While I am very grateful now for that event, it doesn't mean life is all peaches and roses. Or strawberries and sunflowers. Happiness comes from inside, yes. My life will be changing in the next 7-8 months, regardless of anything else that happens from this day forward. I'm excited for all of that to happen. But right now it is winter... and not just literally. There are a few warm days, here and there. There are more sunny days, but just because there is sunshine doesn't mean it's warm. And... let's face it. Sometimes we just have down days. 


What do you to bring sunshine to your days? How do you maintain your internal happiness when you're just having an off day? 


Thanks for the help :)


Sincerely,
- Me

The Disadvantages of an Elite Education

The Disadvantages of an Elite Education

Skinny Minny (?)

We had a ward activity tonight and one of my friends in the ward (and my neighbor) said I looked like I had lost weight. Truth? I have. I lost 5-10 lbs during Fall semester, for reasons not entirely clear to me. (I ran more frequently and ate more protein, so I think those were the two main factors. I hope. I know I have bad eating habits sometimes, but I don't think those would cause me to shed the weight, as they haven't before.) Do I really look that different? I don't have a lot of current pictures for right now, but... you get a sense.

August 2010

October 2010

December 2010

 

Quote of The Day

Opportunities flit by while we sit regretting the chances we have lost, and the happiness that comes to us we heed not, because of the happiness that is gone.Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) I read this quote today and thought wow, how true is that. I need to remember not to let the present pass me by, because who knows what it can bring! For what it's worth, it's been an interesting and productive weekend. I'm still having an extremely difficult relationship with sleep, but instead of not sleeping I'm now sleeping too much (arguably). I hope I can get that under wraps soon. I'm also pretty sure that I want to start volunteering at the American Cancer Society.  I want to live a meaningful life. Meaningful to me and meaningful to others. I suppose I still need to work out some details of what that means, but part of that definitely includes serving others. Since seeing that opportunity (ACS) , I just feel compelled to participate and help. I don't know what it will be like, but hopefully I will be able to make a positive impact on someone's life.

Photoshoot Winter 2010

My top five picks from the December Photoshoot

Thanks to Chelsy @ chelsyannphotography.com for her wonderful photography skills! 

(And if anyone wants to shoot me, let me know! It's really fun being an amateur model for my friends)

Kindle-ing and Reading

First off, I LOVE my new Kindle. It's glorious! I wish I didn't have to write a thesis this semester because I would love to just sit in bed all morning and read my Kindle. And stay up late (3 am Friday night) and read my Kindle. Who cares about responsibility? 


Ok, before you get too concerned, I am planning to be better this week. Like get to campus before 10 am. Or 11 am. My goal is actually 8-8:30 am. And write a proposal for grant money for the conference I'm going to in March whereat I'll present a paper on Irish Dance. And grade the assignment my students turned in on Thursday. And prepare class for them for this unit. And write/research more for my thesis. Ugh. Do I really have to do all that this week?!? (That and more, of course.) 


Well, that went downhill fast. In brighter news, I have some pictures to share. Pictures of my amazing book-ness and reading ability. Between September and December (3rd), I read the following books. 

There's at least one book not pictured, although it eludes me right now which one it might be. Plus the one or two "fun" books I read. Those take a lot longer because they're usually my "soak in the tub" books and I don't do that often. 


I feel like my posts these days are random and disjointed. I guess maybe it's a reflection of the inner state of mind? Nah, because my inner state of mind is not disjointed. It very much wants to stay in bed and read my Kindle!! (Between that and my new mini-chopper, I had the best birthday EVER! Way to go parents on making the 25th birthday amazing!) I would stay and try to salvage this post, but I need to wake up tomorrow and be studious. And I'm pretty sure I can hear my Kindle beckoning me to come to the bedroom... oh so scandalous. Silky leopard-print PJs, Kindle... all I need is some chocolate and roses! 


I promise to try and be better (more coherent) in my blogging next time. 

Cool Art

This animated dance premiered at the Faculty Works Performance in October. I've realized that I'm something of a hopeless romantic, so I think the ending is rather interesting (I won't spoil it, but once you see it you can imagine what I might say). 

In other news, I have a really wonderful class to teach this semester. We just had our first-day overview and there were so many wonderful comments! I'm super excited to really dive into the material and have some great discussions. 

I'm also generally pretty excited about life! At moments it's not all rosy and beautiful, but thankfully those brief lapses pass. Admittedly, I am somewhat frustrated and fed up with the social pressures unique to Provo, but I'm converting that - and the knowledge that I'm leaving this particular scene in August - into energy and excitement to do all the cool things this area has to offer. For example, I'm going snow shoeing this Saturday. I'm so excited! I'm trying to let my excitement for my endeavours infuse my life. The excitement of teaching a with-it class makes me excited about writing my thesis, which makes me excited about helping students at my other job, which makes me excited to do social things which makes me excited to get through the days until the fun times arrive which... well you get the idea. Like I said, it's not a cycle of perfection and continuously happy moments, but I'm trying to improve, and I think that's a good step in the right direction.

Well, I really just wanted to share the video. So you watch the video and I'll go do something exciting.

(Did I mention I'm in love again? His name is Kindle. I've got him in the palm of my hand... and our love affair promises to be rewarding and long-lasting. Seriously, I LOVE my Kindle!!)

200th post!

(If you sort of look past the 3 or 4 posts I've started but never actually posted)

This is my 200th post! What a way to kick of 2011! I have many pictures and fun stories to tell from my lovely long vacation in Missouri, but I don't have them available right now. So... why am I posting? Because. I want to. 

:) 

Fresh courage taken, so watch out world - Erica's on the loose for 2011~