A Sonnet

Well true to form, another year has past

without an entry posted on this page
But now I'm fin'lly writing here at last,
to summarize the year; I'll set the stage:

When last I wrote, I spoke of my new job
the tasks I do and my commute by train.
Another year of my life it did rob,
but my dear friends have helped to keep me sane.

My boyfriend Robb is now a major star,
He rocks the house in two bands on his bass.
A master engineer with a guitar,
and when he plays, man, you should see his face!

This Fall to Asia, Robb and I will go,
to visit towns and monuments alike.
Two weeks we'll spend with Chortles -- he's a pro.
Through China and then Thailand we will hike.

Next year we plan to trek the whole AT,
Six months or more, the journey it may take.
Of tech and time we'll get to be set free,
And in the Wild is where we'll rest and wake.

Another year in sum has now been penned,
And so my friends that brings us to the end.

Challenge Accepted

One of my biggest hold-ups about blogging more frequently is that I really don't think I have a lot of meaningful, substantial things to say. I don't want to bore my readers ( I say that like I actually have a following)-- but I also don't want to let so much time go by without adding anything. This time around, I'm not going to purport any lofty goals-- I just want to keep writing.

I've never identified myself as a writer. I've enjoyed writing my whole life, but I've never felt that I was worthy of the title. Just looking at the name I chose to give my blog, you can see how little weight I give to the work I produce.

However, I feel like challenging myself. I am going to propose an experiment. If you have stumbled upon my blog or are my one devout reader, please send me suggestions of what you'd enjoy reading here. Let me know what piques your curiosity and I'll be happy to do some digging and go from there. You can send suggestions on format as well (ie. if you like my poetry, I'll post on your topic in verse). This could be fun, right? Who knows, next post could be an in-depth analysis of the quantum mechanical derivation of the nonlinear susceptibility tensor including second, third, and fourth order hyperpolarizabilities and the transformation to molecular coordinates told through Haiku. :-)

So send in those ideas and I'll write again soon!

Wishful Thinking

Well, another few months have gone by without those weekly posts I had been hoping to write. So, it seems it is time for another poetic interpretation of the events that have come to pass!

I'd like to say I tried to write as often as I could.
But, looking back I had the time, but didn't when I should.

So bear with me as I attempt to bring you up to date,
through poetry (you'll find I tend to overcompensate).

November was the last month that I posted on my site,
I saw my fam in Springfield and my neice came in the night.

December brought the holidays and I began to stew,
considering my options, and what I'd like to pursue.

In January I found work along the windy lake,
to Chi-town I'd commute, the 6am train I would take.

What's that, you ask, you work downtown? What is it that you do?
Could you work at a museum? Do you zookeep at the zoo?

No, no, my friends despite my past and focus on research--
that's not at all the place in which you'll find me hard at work.

Oh twisted fate! Oh how bizarre! Of all the things for me--
You'd never guess that I'd end up in Private Equity!

February, March, and April, May June now July--
a flourish of activity the months passed swiftly by.

May marked graduation for my Dad, the architect,
after years of preparation and a massive end project.

Robb and I'd been in our home for almost one full year,
so we brought our families over for some food and home-brewed beer.

On the morning of my birthday I ran a race by lake shore drive,
getting doused in colored powder each kilometer of five.

Now that you are up-to-date it's obvious to see,
That life can seem much cooler when it's told poetically.

:-)

I just want to thank you for being patient-- I really do hope to write more frequently from here on out, but in case I don't-- I'll see you again in 6 months with another poetic update!

Artistic Trajectory

In the next several weeks I will be posting my artwork on this blog. I feel it is important to fill the vacuous gaps in my writing ability with more complex artistic thoughts; in other words, I am getting a little lazy about posting regularly, and think that adding my artwork will help make this site a little more interesting. Check back soon, I intend to add more posts as well-- as soon as inspiration strikes.

The Circle of Life (and film audiences) as experienced through the Re-Release of The Lion King in 3D

Yesterday was the opening day for the special presentation of The Lion King 3D. It will only be in theaters for two weeks, so after mentioning it to Robb several hundred times, he surprised me by taking me to see it after work. Holy smokes... it was like watching it for the first time. It was quite refreshing to go to a movie, knowing full-well that you will love it. The only question in my mind, however, was how the experience would affect me. Would the 3D ruin the already beautiful animation? Would it be too distracting? Would the audience be filled with unappreciative viewers? Would the story and style still resonate with younger audiences who have grown up watching animation like Shrek and Cars?

All these worries aside, the previews finally ended and the screen went black. Suddenly, in full surround sound the first note of "Circle of Life" hits you and, let me tell you, chills ran down my spine. The colors, the sounds, the memories that the film invokes of my own childhood--all of these things were larger than life on that giant screen and penetrating deep into my heart. Within minutes, I was sniveling like a child.

The movie was unchanged, and yet I felt like I was seeing it with fresh eyes. The jokes were funnier, fueled by the roar of the audience's laughter; the songs were catchier, the scenes more captivating. I felt like both a child and a critic, waiting for a mistake or a misstep to discredit Disney for re-releasing a movie that was perfect in it's original form. But all I came away with was a renewed spirit, and a child-like joy that I haven't felt for quite a while.

It was funny, when I looked around the theater before the show started, there were only a few children in the audience; it was filled primarily with adults in their 20s and 30s. I suppose that could be a combination of the movie and the hour we chose to see it. I had asked the 5-year-old for whom I nanny if he was going to go see The Lion King, and he told me he wasn't allowed. I'm not sure if his parents are just worried about 3D technology or what, but I am sorry he wont get to see the movie on the big screen. I know I saw it in theaters when I was very young, but my clearest memories were watching it over and over again on VHS tape. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I saw a hand-drawn animated film in the theater-- it was probably back when Hercules or Mulan came out.

It was so sweet to hear the kids that were in the theater laughing at the jokes, gasping in surprise at the action, and weeping at Simba's misfortune. In some way, seeing that the film was still relevant to a young audience who was unexposed to some of the early-nineties-style Disney animation warmed my heart, and probably contributed to my crying fits just as much as the film itself.

Anyway, there is really no point to this post-- no overarching moral and life lesson. Really, I just wanted to rave about The Lion King 3D and encourage others to go see it, regardless of your sentiment for 3D. Just seeing the film in that venue really allows you to reflect on your own childhood and experience the thrill of seeing it for the first-time through the energy of the audience around you. Go see it!!