As an exercise in reflection on 2012, I looked at the first post of each month. This has been a year of transformations in my household, many of them wonderful, exciting, and joyful. And at the end of the year, I have had to buckle down to finish a task undertaken a while ago, but not yet completed. I'm ready for 2013.
January. We were in Spain for the holidays last year, too. We took a day trip to a restored wetland that has become a place where flocks of cranes and all kinds of other birds and wildlife are flourishing. Restoration, new life, possibilities!
February: I posted the Ted Talk by neuroscientist Antonio Damasio, because he writes (and speaks) so beautifully about the sense of self and our physiology. I'm working on changing up my meds so that I can live with my wonky brain chemistry in a healthier way.
March: "8: The Play" Same-sex marriage was to be theme throughout the year, up through the elections. It feels as if a corner has been turned. I can't/won't become cynical.
April A death: Adrienne Rich. I owe her a lot. Rereading "Diving Into the Wreck."
May: another death, another formative context; Tomás Borge, the Sandinista revolution. Idealism, degradation. Can we pardon those we feel betrayed us?
June: commencement speeches (from Laurie Anderson, from Neil Gaiman) for my high-schooler's graduation.
July: for me, this was the year of modest, but joyful gardening: a new rain garden in front, tomatoes and herbs in back. Tending my garden, rooting out invasive species:
August: Another death: Chavela Vargas, lived to see the world ready to celebrate her (public) coming out in her eighties.
September: a year of dance, a moment when my pop culture TV fix unexpectedly gave me with a shot of genius: Axis Dance Company's performance.
October: the video for "Get your cray on" by K-pop idol G-Dragon. Where do fandoms and pop culture meet up in acts of translation/opacity?
November. By the time election day arrived, I felt like Shamus the dog in this political ad Montgomery Burns made for Mitt Romney: quivering, whimpering, desperate to escape ("another jumper).
December: The Pixies, then and now. I only learned later that the performance I saw last year was by people who had created a second chances for themselves after breaking down and breaking up. "Where is My Mind?" (1988).
1988-2012. Twenty-six years
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3 comments:
Y'all look great! This is an interesting exercise, I will do it by last post of the month because it is easier (I should do a comparative study by looking at the first). I am not sure what the meaning of it is except that the first half of the year was a lot of fun and the second, a lot of work.
January: Giving brilliant classes.
February: Tired of people sending messages by attachment instead of in body of mail -- especially when the attachment has slow loading graphics and one does not have enough information yet to know if one is interested.
March: Reading very interesting book for research purposes.
April: "Joder, Pete, saludos y viva la revolución, carajo." Obsessed with the border; had taught Yuri Herrera's new novel and also met Flaco Jiménez, and presented his show with the Texas Tornados.
May: In Córdoba, Ver., Mexico; thought I had broken this computer and was discovering the existence of a solution: the Plaza de la Tecnología in Mexico City, on the eje Lázaro Cárdenas.
June: In Mexico City; packing to leave for Houston in the morning and wishing I could stay. I was so Mexicanized by that point and so much myself.
July: Concerned about getting things ready for the August onslaught of renters.
August: Concerned about getting things ready for the September onslaught of renters.
September: A classic Z post, on the fear of starting work.
October: Hallowe'en, carving pumpkins and feeling united with happy Hallowe'ens of the past.
November: Another classic Z post, on what one needs to be able to work in peace.
December: My theme song for the year, apparently: woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom.
I like checking in without having to plow through all the posts, and seeing how themes emerge unexpectedly. Your Feb post is about one of my pet peeves. I have sent a few friendly messages to staff people who regularly send out announcements about events this way, suggesting ways that they could make their work k more effective. Obnoxious? sure!
I don't suggest ways that they could make their work more effective. Most people like this method. I just say:
"Please send at least a summary of your content in the body of the mail, as my connection does handle attachments this heavy."
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