Yummy!

Yesterday’s two interviews went exceptionally well. As I said yesterday, I expected the second guy to be good looking. He was gorgeous and had the bluest eyes.

The highlight of my day though was dinner. I started out with a nice Prosecco Bollicini and an insalate Tricolore (Baby arugula, Radicchio, and Endive with olive oil and balsamic). Then with my meal of risotto frutti di mare, I had Vermentino Banfi La Pettegoia, a wonderful Tuscan white wine. For dessert I had the Tiramisu with an aperitif of lemoncello. I haven’t had a meal this good since I was in Italy itself.

A Room with a View

As I said yesterday, I’m in Boston for work until Thursday. I’m staying in Cambridge, and I have a beautiful view from my 7th floor room. My room overlooks the Charles River, and it also as a view of downtown Boston. The Charles River is my favorite view because of the boats going down the river and the hot men running or bicycling by the river. The last time I was in Boston for any length of time for 10-12 years ago when I was in graduate school and came to Boston for dissertation research. Back then I also stayed in Cambridge near the Charles River, though I was closer to Harvard then. Also, it was February and the river was frozen over. I remember just how cold it was that year.

Today, I have an interview scheduled with a prominent business man in Boston who is an alumni of the university where I work. I then have another interview this evening with a young teacher who is also an alumni. I was able to look the younger guy up in the yearbooks and back when he graduated a few years ago, he was quite good looking. I hope both of these interviews go well.  Then on Thursday, I will head home, though I may do a little sightseeing before I go.

Boston

Boston 

Aaron Smith

 I’ve been meaning to tell

you how the sky is pink

here sometimes like the roof

of a mouth that’s about to chomp

down on the crooked steel teeth

of the city,

I remember the desperate 

things we did

                and that I stumble

down sidewalks listening

to the buzz of street lamps

at dusk and the crush

of leaves on the pavement,

Without you here I’m viciously lonely

and I can’t remember 

the last time I felt holy,

the last time I offered

myself as sanctuary

*

I watched two men 

press hard into

each other, their bodies

caught in the club’s

bass drum swell,

and I couldn’t remember

when I knew I’d never

be beautiful, but it must 

have been quick

and subtle, the way

the holy ghost can pass

in and out of a room.

I want so desperately

to be finished with desire,

the rushing wind, the still

small voice.

I will be in Boston most of this week for work, and I thought this was an appropriate poem to use. The imagery in this poem is quite interesting to me, especially the last stanza about the two men and the poets perception of self beauty, or lack there of.

Memorial Day

Let us never forget the sacrifices of the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.

A Quiet Place

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. (KJV) ( Mark 6:31 ) 

This is always a busy time of year with graduations, visiting family, and working hard. We get focused, hustling and bustling about with little time for eating that we exhaust ourselves. It's important to go off to a quiet place to recharge yourself and rest awhile. Such a time is necessary to find rest in Jesus. When you sneak away, bring a verse with you to meditate and mull over. Perhaps it's only 15 minutes, but the peace you will find is like none other. Come and find rest in Him. 

Moment of Zen: Snuggling

Pretty Picture

Sometimes, we just need a pretty picture to get us through the day. I have a dental appointment this afternoon, and a doctor’s appointment tomorrow afternoon. I’m not looking forward to either one. So, I just need a pretty picture to get me through the day, and the picture above is just pretty to me. It remind me of a dear friend I lost, but instead of crying now when I think of him, I have fond memories. I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Tired

I don’t mind being a perpetual student. I like learning new things, and I am constantly learning new things in my museum studies class. I enjoy the class, the readings, and the museum visits. My teaching class, however, is a different story. While I am learning a few new things, most of the reading and work is tedious. I guess they want to see just how willing we are to work. Thank goodness, it’s only a three week class. I don’t think I could take much more of it. Currently, we are in week two, and it has gotten even more tedious. I have taken classes on teaching before, but none of them taught me how to conduct an online class. In a way, I guess this class is good for me, but I just wish it wasn’t so...tedious.

Fire and Sleet and Candlelight

Fire and Sleet and Candlelight

 by Elinor Wylie

For this you’ve striven

    Daring, to fail:

Your sky is riven

    Like a tearing veil.

 

For this, you’ve wasted

    Wings of your youth;

Divined, and tasted

    Bitter springs of truth.

 

From sand unslakèd

    Twisted strong cords,

And wandered naked

    Among trysted swords.

 

There’s a word unspoken,

    A knot untied.

Whatever is broken

    The earth may hide.

 

The road was jagged

    Over sharp stones:

Your body’s too ragged

    To cover your bones.

 

The wind scatters

    Tears upon dust;

Your soul’s in tatters

    Where the spears thrust.

 

Your race is ended—

    See, it is run:

Nothing is mended

    Under the sun.

 

Straight as an arrow

    You fall to a sleep

Not too narrow

    And not too deep.

Ohio

I slept much of yesterday, trying to recover from my whirlwind travels. It was a good trip though. The ladies at my conference were very nice (I was one of about a half dozen men there), and my paper was well received. I was worried it might not be “scholarly” enough, but apparently it was.

Saturday, I got to meet one of my blog followers in Columbus. That was a real treat. He was a very nice guy. We went to lunch and he took me to the Wexner Museum. I was glad not to be alone. First, I never would have found the  place since my GPS took me to the hospital. Second, I’m not a big fan of contemporary art, and was happy to have someone to discuss it with. I can’t thank him enough for showing me around.

By the way, Ohio University in Athens is a beautiful campus. Ohio State University is a huge campus. Both though have some cute boys. It’s refreshing to see them run around without their shirts. You rarely see that in Vermont.