This past weekend I had the pleasure of hosting Claire and Matt from Mizzou who were here in C-U to attend a geography conference on campus. Geography is such a cool subject. I thought that before, and then last night I listened to this episode of This American Life, which only confirmed for me the coolness of maps.
I especially enjoy the first act, in which Ira talks with Denis Wood, author of The Power of Maps. Wood tells Ira about the maps he's made of his neighborhood, Boylan Heights in Raleigh, North Carolina, that attempt to spatially represent what it's like to live there. He's describing one of his maps when Ira observes, "That makes a neighborhood sound like a living organism," and he replies, "It is a living organism!" Couldn't agree more.
He maps the traffic signs, the pumpkins on porches, the addresses of all those people mentioned in the neighborhood's newsletter, the pools of light cast by the street lights in the neighborhood. His thing is "selecting subjects for cartographic display that are other than those that are typically picked." He's trying to write a novel with maps, he says, "Why not?"
Some of Wood's maps are here.
11/12/2007
11/11/2007
told me to tell you
When I was in second or third grade, my best friend and I, charged with a duty to fundraise for our school and motivated by the chance to win a frantic minute in the flying money box, set out one afternoon to sell some World's Finest Cholocate. For whatever reason, we decided that her block would be better than mine, tragically unaware that the lack of foresight that we demonstrated in not coming up with a thorough plan for the distribution of our labor was about to cause catastrophe.
One of her neighbor's bought three chocolate bars from me; that is, six dollars into my manilla envelope, and not hers. And she was pissed. An argument over who had the right to sell candy to that particular neighbor ensued, escalated, and culminated in my hair getting pulled. (I'm going somewhere with this, by the way.) This is the way that I remember the incident, although I'm sure she recalls it differently.
Anyway, I ended up running home crying, and darting down to my parents' office in the basement to relate my tale of woe to my mom. I can't remember her advice, but it must have been sufficient for helping me to move on; because, I was making my way back upstairs to my room when I passed the back door and happened to engage in what was to be one of the most poignant scenes of my life. My friend stood there, her cheeks stained with tears. "MY MOM SAID TO TELL YOU I'M SORRY!" she said, in a kind of heavy-metal sing-song. "FINE!" I responded. And it actually did end up being fine, much to both of our relief.
Yesterday I had the honor of attending an awards banquet put on by the College of Education for the purpose of recognizing outstanding scholars and giving them a chance to thank their scholarship sponsors. I was seated at a table with my parents and two of my brothers, a classmate, her father, and the grandson of the sponsor of a scholarship I was given.
Throughout brunch, my sponsor's grandson told me about his grandmother and her commitment to education. She sounds like a really interesting and admirable woman, and so when it was time for me to accept my scholarship and say a word of thanks, I was sincere in my gratitude for being awarded in her name.
After pictures with the Dean, I went back to my table and handed the folder with the certificate in it to my mom so that she could have a look. Amused, she handed it back to me, calling my attention to the flyer inside that reads in CAPS locked, bolded italics, "PLEASE MAKE SURE TO HAND WRITE YOUR NOTE TO YOUR DONOR" It goes on:
One of her neighbor's bought three chocolate bars from me; that is, six dollars into my manilla envelope, and not hers. And she was pissed. An argument over who had the right to sell candy to that particular neighbor ensued, escalated, and culminated in my hair getting pulled. (I'm going somewhere with this, by the way.) This is the way that I remember the incident, although I'm sure she recalls it differently.
Anyway, I ended up running home crying, and darting down to my parents' office in the basement to relate my tale of woe to my mom. I can't remember her advice, but it must have been sufficient for helping me to move on; because, I was making my way back upstairs to my room when I passed the back door and happened to engage in what was to be one of the most poignant scenes of my life. My friend stood there, her cheeks stained with tears. "MY MOM SAID TO TELL YOU I'M SORRY!" she said, in a kind of heavy-metal sing-song. "FINE!" I responded. And it actually did end up being fine, much to both of our relief.
Yesterday I had the honor of attending an awards banquet put on by the College of Education for the purpose of recognizing outstanding scholars and giving them a chance to thank their scholarship sponsors. I was seated at a table with my parents and two of my brothers, a classmate, her father, and the grandson of the sponsor of a scholarship I was given.
Throughout brunch, my sponsor's grandson told me about his grandmother and her commitment to education. She sounds like a really interesting and admirable woman, and so when it was time for me to accept my scholarship and say a word of thanks, I was sincere in my gratitude for being awarded in her name.
After pictures with the Dean, I went back to my table and handed the folder with the certificate in it to my mom so that she could have a look. Amused, she handed it back to me, calling my attention to the flyer inside that reads in CAPS locked, bolded italics, "PLEASE MAKE SURE TO HAND WRITE YOUR NOTE TO YOUR DONOR" It goes on:
Give me a freaking break; this is hilarious. Recalling the World's Finest adventure, I've got this image of myself standing slouched at this woman's back door, apathetically mumbling, "The College of Ed told me to tell you I'm grateful."
SAMPLE:
Dear Dr./Mr. or Mrs. Donor:
1st paragraph
- tell why you are writing
- refer to scholarship by its name
2nd paragraph
- talk about where you are from, year of study & your major/focus
- you may want to reveal why you chose to attend UIUC
- point out your accomplishments, professional affiliations or oranizational involvement
3rd paragraph
- close by sharing your goals & future plans
- be sure to thank the donor for their generosity in providing this scholarship and tell the donor how their support has made a difference
Thank the donor again.
Sincerely,
Your name
11/07/2007
Normally, I'm not a Reuters fan,
But I find these pretty interesting:
'"Best mom' chosen as face of currency"
"Waking up to nosebleeds in super-dry autumn"
'"Best mom' chosen as face of currency"
"Waking up to nosebleeds in super-dry autumn"
11/05/2007
University of Illinois has officially retired the Chief... NOT!
Clearing out my desktop this morning to prepare for the coming week, I came across this Word doc that I've been meaning to blog about since it came into my inbox last week:
The University retired the Chief last year with good reason and thousands of my undergrad peers have mobilized to "save" the racist symbol. They'll tell you it's not about preserving racism, that it's about preserving everything the Chief symbolizes for them: loyalty, honor, tradition, blah, blah, blah. You know what I think all of this unfortunately misguided activism is about? Honoring that great drunken frenzy that many of my undergrad peers associate with athletic events. Honoring The Breakfast Club. Honoring flip cup. Things like that...
I'm not knocking the partying. Over the course of my three and a half years here, I myself have actually attend a few social gatherings at which alcohol was served. But come on! You're college students! You're educated (or getting there.) Get your heads out of your asses (or more accurately: get yourselves out of KAM'S), and try to understand why the removal of the Chief was called for.
While you're at it, try mobilizing for something more significant than your right to get drunk with your frat brothers.
How incredibly disappointing. What I'd really like is a fast forward button to get this University, which does do some really cool things, I swear, past this embarrassing mess. I'm really sick of the "Paint the Stadium Chief" signs in many of the campus and local businesses. (The ones in the Illini apparel shops are what really get me. Capitalist pigs!) I'm sick of "Honor the Chief" t-shirts. I'm sick of Facebook groups like "We will never forget the Chief!"2007 Homecoming Parade Floats
Statement:
Earlier this year, the University retired the use of Chief Illiniwek and Native American imagery as symbols of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and its intercollegiate athletics programs. The University then withdrew license from commercial manufacturers to create merchandise that used the Chief Illiniwek logo.
As administrators planned this year’s Homecoming parade, they created a policy that they interpreted was in keeping with the retirement directive. In reviewing that policy, Chancellor Richard Herman has determined that the interpretation was overly broad.
The University values free speech and free expression and considers Homecoming floats, decorations, costumes and related signage all representations of such personal expression.
Therefore, Chancellor Herman has directed the Homecoming Committee to strike the existing policy from the Homecoming float guidelines.
This directive applies to Regulation O: Parade entries may not display Chief Illiniwek logos or other native American imagery. The Homecoming parade has not been authorized to use the licensed image of the Chief. Examples include but are not limited to: T-shirts, official and unofficial Chief symbols, pomming of the Chief symbol on float, costumes & signs.
The University retired the Chief last year with good reason and thousands of my undergrad peers have mobilized to "save" the racist symbol. They'll tell you it's not about preserving racism, that it's about preserving everything the Chief symbolizes for them: loyalty, honor, tradition, blah, blah, blah. You know what I think all of this unfortunately misguided activism is about? Honoring that great drunken frenzy that many of my undergrad peers associate with athletic events. Honoring The Breakfast Club. Honoring flip cup. Things like that...
I'm not knocking the partying. Over the course of my three and a half years here, I myself have actually attend a few social gatherings at which alcohol was served. But come on! You're college students! You're educated (or getting there.) Get your heads out of your asses (or more accurately: get yourselves out of KAM'S), and try to understand why the removal of the Chief was called for.
While you're at it, try mobilizing for something more significant than your right to get drunk with your frat brothers.
11/04/2007
stressed as hell right now
One of my favorite people in C-U is Bobbie, a woman I met through my involvement with a volunteer tutoring program on campus, and with whom over the years I've had some really interesting visits. Bobbie's a self-described hippie who went to U of I at the end of the 60s and into the early 70s. She and her husband were the President and Vice-President of what is now the Student Senate, lived on a commune, opened a restaurant on campus that employed newly arriving immigrants and refugees, and just generally chilled, man.
Last year, she gave me this meditation, and I've been trying a lot lately to use it. She's the best.
Last year, she gave me this meditation, and I've been trying a lot lately to use it. She's the best.
Metta Bhavana
May I be safe from inner and outer harm and danger.
May I be safe and protected.
May I be free of mental suffering or distress.
May I be happy.
May I be free of physical pain and suffering.
May I be healthy and strong.
May I be able to live in this world happily, peacefully, joyfully, with ease.
(Repeat the above, replacing "I" with the following:)
May a person who invites the pure feeling of unconditional loving kindness, the love that does not depend on getting anything back
May a dear friend...
May someone for whom I feel neither strong like nor dislike...
(To the best of my ability, I wish that) someone with whom I have difficulty may...
May all awakened ones...
May all seekers...
May all in difficult places...
May all celestial beings...
May all humans...
May all animals...
May all beings...
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