HAPPY PENGUINS

One, Two, Three penguins
Jumping left, then to the right
Much fun at Wildlights

We did not see these happy jumping penguins last year.  It could be that the display was there but sort-of hidden, away from the main walking path.

This week the temperature is more like December weather.  Yesterday morning it was in the low 30s.  Today it gets up to mid 40s by the afternoon.  It is cold even when standing in the sun.  (I bookmark Gardiner, Montana on my iPad and it has been snowing there.)   My husband's workplace offers free blood test as part of the wellness program to employees and family members.  My appointment was this morning.  The nurse had a hard time trying to draw blood from my small veins.  She was surprised that I watched her moving the needle around.  "You are a brave woman," she said, "because most of the people look away."  I just smiled and did not tell her that I wanted to make sure she did not take more than needed ;>)

THE WAY IT WAS

I thought of "Da Qaptain" and wonder if the artist created the above sculpture with QQ in mind.  Enlarge the image and you would see all the recycled materials representing modern society.  I did not count all the pieces but these are a few items that are easily recognized such as cell phone, golf club/balls, Kodak camera, fishing pole, empty soda can, etc. 

The above item of a runner (probably from a trophy) and the chain from a bicycle represent what QQ enjoys and his current frequent activities - running and riding bicycle (not motorcycle) haa haa

The temperature continues to be unusually warm for December.  I am not really looking forward to the freezing weather but it would not feel right listening to Christmas songs while the thermometer showing 70s.

There yesterday trash
Together one piece of art
The Way It Was last

SMILE AND STANDING STILL

The above sign says it all - Smile! It's a great day to be alive!  Especially when it is sunny and in the high 60s, almost mid 70s in the sun when I was taking pictures of the sculptures that are on display around the campus.

I registered and paid for the courses I will be taking in the Spring.  I could have gotten the tasks done online but the "geek" in me love the feeling of being on campus, talking to another human and watching students going to/from classrooms.  I will be taking Trial Procedures, Legal Research and Law Office Administration.  I decided to wait and get the textbook later because the cost might ruin the day and I probably will be crying instead of smiling! 

Just for these moments, I will be happy to be alive, to be able to see the world around me, to walk around in the sun, to be thankful for my family and those who are truly my friends over the years.  Just for today, I will forget about my fruitless job search, the "incident" that left a deep scar and at time feel like an open wound, the uncertainty of what will happen with the "cliff" and the possibility that the world will end on the 21st !!!!!!!!!

It always makes me feel good when I learn something new.  I learned that kore (plural korai) is the type of freestanding statue of a maiden that appeared with the beginning of Greek monumental sculpture in about 660 B.C. to 500 B.C.  Basically, the kore is a draped female figure carved from marble and originally painted, standing with feet together or with one foot slightly advanced and the arms are down at the sides (as below piece).

I am pretty sure this is not the ancient statue that the Greek police found in a goat pen near Athens.  The goat herder was arrested for illegally excavated when he tried to sell the 520 B.C. kore type marble statue of a young woman.  I learned another word, "pillaging" which comes from the verb "pillage" meaning looting, stealing, or plundering especially in war.

Smile, do not worry
Tomorrow a new story
You will be writing  

DOOR, FACES, HOUSE AND PARROT

One door, two faces

Unknown future later date

It might be too late

These images were painted on a building across from Lynn Paradise Cafe in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.  I originally wanted to use the above image of the two faces (crying/smiling) for a post after the Presidential election.  I thought the hydraulic arm of the excavator on top of the smiling face represents a politician who has been digging a hole that is getting deeper and deeper with his many failures while the economy slides further into the recession.  After many hours of deep thoughts, I decided to use the image to write a Haiku poem instead.

There is an expression in Vietnamese that speaks of the importance of fathers being a constant presence in the family life.  "Con khong cha nhu nha khong cot" meaning "Children without father's guidance is like house without pillars", the house collapses as there is nothing to keep it from falling down.

 

Parrot on the roof

Repeat words from passerby

From morning to night

Perhaps I should get back to idioms and popular sayings which is much easier than writing Haiku poem.