Early November in CT

It's like a blogging extravaganza! Actually I'm cleaning my hard drive, and I have time to kill while DVDs burn. Enjoy it while it lasts.
This is the japanese maple in the front yard. The canopy is at eye level from our living room, so it was a great view. Then one day we got up and all the leaves were on the ground.

Now the leaves are covered with a few inches of snow and sealed with ice. >.<

"i'll keep you, my dirty little secret"

Not the most flattering of endearments, hmm? PostSecret is a blog that I first learned of when Banik linked me the video for All American Regects' "Dirty Little Secret."

For some reason I keep going back. It's not that I read it religously, but rather that I find myself rediscovering it when I'm alone. I tend to watch the song and read the blog simultaneously; they are perpetually linked in my mind. I would imagine that there are a lot of reasons people read it- for the shock value, to know that there is always someone more messed up than they are, for the reassurance that other people feel the way they do, to see if their cards will be posted.

From what I can tell, however, once they leave the mainpage the posts are gone; to read more postcards you have to keep up because there are no labeled groups or older posts to visit. In the PostSecret Community there are video secrets and such, but it's not the same as the graphic clarity of the postcards. (If your internet is less than wonderful watching the videos is also rather painful.) For those who prefer the overdose instead of the IV drip, there are four books released in 2005, 2006, and January and October of 2007.

One day I may have to aquire them.

Go Forth and Hug (really!)

For as long as I can remember there has been this old newspaper clipping stuck on my parents' fridge titled "Hugging is Healthy." I've read it many times over the years and believe it to be completely true, probably because I come from a relatively large and extended family with French and Celtic heritage. They're very physically friendly from my understanding, and also the likely source of our "everyone is family" attitude.

So in a country where hugging is apparently for hippies, imagine my surprise to keep reading articles around how important and healthy hugging and other forms of physical contact are. Hugging is the favourite of course, being the most platonic and universal, but in fact it's contact in general that seems to be essential to our physical and emotional well-being. An article I ran across that focuses on how India is changing is particularly interesting; it seems our way of life may be bleeding out and damaging other cultures in addition to our own. But the benefits of a good hug are obvious, even without the science to back it up. Women especially seem to benefit from the effects of hugging, and I wonder if that has anything to do with women seeming more naturally inclined to touch than men.

This webpage for a burn survival group has a nice list of rather common sense reasons why hugging is good for you. A few of my personal favourites? They're free, returnable and recyclable. The duration can be adjusted for any situation, and they even keep working after they're over. They help with stress, share happiness, and generally tell people you care. So go hug someone, and at least two people will be happy you did.

(a) Volunteer for Life

As one may or may not be aware, I have a history of volunteer work. I assisted my mom with PTA when she was president, did tech for community theatre, and helped with my high school band even after my little sister had graduated (and until my band director retired). I enjoy doing the thankless behind the scenes jobs merely for the satisfaction of knowing I helped someone or did something of interest to my esoteric sensibilites.

I feel fortunate that my school feels a commitment to its community and to communities in general and that during my eduation I've been 'required' to volunteer my time and skills to help people who cannot do what I've learned to do or think the way in which I've been trained. Honestly, if personally asked to perform a task by someone I respected I'd likely volunteer my time anyway (ungodly college schedule permitting). Apparently I'm too nice. I also know that it's a good experience.

Some among us who shall remain nameless probably experience ego inflation; after all, these poor souls view us as experts and call us Architects though we are years from becoming such.

I always find it humbling. I know enough to know that there is more to learn that I ever possibly could and that I don't have all the answers, only suggestions and ideas (and admittedly short patience in some arenas). I will happily give drawings and explanations for any who ask and are open-minded enough to listen, and I oft find myself interpretting and explaining the work of my colleagues in their absences. At 22:15 I was undoubtly the last student out tonight, and I'll go ahead and apologize now for anything I got wrong while interpretting and/or BSing about the drawings of others for the last three or so people I talked with tonight.

It's also humbling because these people thank me for my work and tell me that my drawings are beautiful. I know that I'm not all that good, mediocre at best. I've always judged myself by my failings and by the skill of my classmates. Over three years together for most of us, and I know that I can never measure up to His drawings (JM), Her renderings (EM), His observations and insights (NM), or Her designs (SN). I have a little pride in my models, but I also have equals, betters, and the ability to see the faults in my work more than anything.

Even so, I know that I'll continue to volunteer when asked, especially if my rather specialized abilities, such as they are, can be useful to someone. I'm sure there's an organization with such a need wherever my boyfriend and I end up after graduation, and if I drag him along with me he might finally have to learn something about design, too.