Green is the New Black

Please, only jelly fish! 

Graduate school ruined a lot of my healthy life habits.  It was simply the demands from classes and work that prevented me from really paying attention to the more important detailed aspects of life.  Now that I've graduated I'm looking forward to being able to get back into the healthy habits that I value so much, especially the green ones.  While it would be completely overwhelming to jump back into my older self, I opted to make three small changes to my daily routine: carry a reusable water bottle, reusable coffee mug, and reusable bag with me.  Does it make a difference?  I'd say so.  On an average day out I tend to stop for two cups of coffee, drink about three bottles of water, and take a number of plastic bags home.  Thats a lot of unnecessary waste.  Every cup of coffee uses sometimes two cups, as coffee houses want the cups to be cooler to the touch for customers, and water bottles, when you're out and about in the city, can't always be recycled.  Finally, plastic bags are not biodegradable, and become hazardous waste for marine life (especially sea turtles, who often mistake them for jellyfish, their daily staple).  By carting about three small things, I'm capable of lessening my waste, my carbon footprint, and feel better about how I treat our Mother Earth.

Later, kids!

MA

Portfolios, Interviews, All that Jazz

This week has been a week of catch-up for me.  My sister's wedding took up so much of my time the week before that I had a lot to do -- more than I realized.  I spent the week catching up around the home, with academics, and with prepping for my interview today.  I really didn't have too much to do to prep for the interview, but the one thing I wanted to do was compile an academic portfolio in order to provide visual aid for many of the things I know will come up during the interview.  I just finished it and, as a work in progress, it is a nice representation of what I am capable of doing.  I know many are wondering what an academic portfolio is- it simply is a small portfolio that is an addition to your resume.  Along with a copy of your resume/cv (I have both in mine), it should include things that highlight your academic achievements and your skills.  Copies of presentations that were exceptional, conferences, publications (if you have any), programs that you've coordinated -- essentially anything that will make you memorable to those that are interviewing you should be included within the portfolio.  

For more information on academic portfolios, and other job related material, I recommend you visit the Duquesne University's Job and Career website.    

God speed, fellow job seekers!

MA 

Late night contemplations

This past week has been nothing short of maddening.  With my sister's wedding coming up it had been filled with errands, final payments, confirmations, corrections, rehearsal and the actual wedding day.  That was probably the most maddening part for me:  all these things to do with no warning that they had to be done until the eleventh hour.  Brides to be, or that have been, appreciate your maid of honor:  they get to have very little fun at the actual wedding.  Most of them (unless you can afford hired help, which kuddos! The wedding day will be breeze!) will be running about trying to send people home with leftovers, packing up the things that need to be taken back to their respective houses, dishing out cake (and hoping they have enough packing to get whatever is left home) and making sure everyone is out by a certain time.  That was my day yesterday- and the worst part was, I had no idea I had to do all of this!  If I had, I would have had containers, zip-locks, tin foil, ANYTHING to pack up all the leftovers.

Apparently no one came to the wedding hungry because there was a TON to take home.
And I'm on a diet, and the house is full of about 80 dozen cookies and half of a wedding cake.

Fantastic.

In other news, I now have my life back, or at least the free time that I usually have, and I want to fill it with the things that matter:  God, friends and family.  I just spent the evening, in fact, with two of the best friends I could ever ask for.  I'm saddened by the fact that they are moving back home- six or so hours away by car.  They thanked me for wanting to keep up the friendship long distance, and to be honest, in this day and age, I didn't see any reason why not to.  The internet makes friendship so easy to maintain on a lot of levels- email and Skype make communication instantaneous.  Also, if you want to be realistic, we usually got together once a month anyways.  So, getting together once a month now isn't all that different.  What's different is the sense of distance that exists physically between us.  Absence makes the heart grown fonder, as they say, though I would add it makes the heart more mindful and appreciative, as is the case with my two besties.  I miss not having the opportunity to drive a half hour away to see them.  However, now I have a chance to hop on megabus for a fun weekend excursion.  Just what the doctor will order for busy weeks. Besides, being a prof means the work can come with me.  Fabulous.

I think this is the first post that I've written that did not pertain to my Day Zero Project.  I'm so glad about that, I didn't want this to be a mere Day Zero Project blog.  I guess it takes a while to get into the happy, safe, blog writing zone.  Slowly, but surely, its coming along.

Enjoy the morning.
Ma

Wedding Bells

My baby sister is getting married tomorrow and the feeling is rather surreal.  We've been planning this wedding for over a year and the entire family feels as if the plans are far from complete: things still need dropped off at certain places, calls for confirmations, a rehearsal dinner, etc.  However the house is filled with a sense of joy and excitement- Sarah is beloved by everyone and there is nothing but well wishes coming her way.  So my heart is open with love towards her, Josh (her husband to be), and everyone who has underwent the stressful, yet joyful experience of  weddings and marriage.

I often think about my own experiences with marriage- I had planned one that failed, though in hindsight I'm grateful for that fact.  I was engaged a second time, with some reluctance on my part because of what had happened before.  I was right to be apprehensive because the engagement ended on a very sour note.  My mind toys with the idea of marriage and I catch myself wondering if I would ever attempt to get married again.  While I could ponder relentlessly about the whole question, I'm content with just letting life happen, as I'm too preoccupied with life to worry about maybes.  Besides, the best things happen when you don't think about them, so I'm fine with letting life surprise me.

Today's post is merely a wish for a wonderful, happy life for my dear sister and her love.  I hope that they have a wonderful future, rich in all the simple, small, things of life that make it worth living.

MA

10 Things That Make Me Happy

One of my goals for the Day Zero Project was to make a list of ten things that, no matter what, make me happy.  I thought that it would be difficult to make this list but its rather easy. Perhaps I should have made it longer?  After thinking for a moment, I found that counter productive, as I reminded myself that it should be quality over quantity and consist of things that are timeless, and not passing fancies.  Without further adieu...the list!

1. God/Prayer/the Spiritual

I love the spiritual world.  Nothing makes me happier than reading about God, delving into sacred texts, and learning about saintly lives of extraordinary people.  Prayer is also the backbone of my day; giving thanks, asking for assistance, and remembering God's presence.  These are part of an eternal happiness that never fades.

2. My Family/ Friends

Second only to prayer and God, my friends and family fill my life with unspeakable joy.  I can call on them at any time and they will brighten my day just by being there.  The time we spend laughing, joking, and even crying is wrapped in a quiet happiness knowing that, through it all, we are always there for one another.

3. Music

Nothing beats a good tune; it can take me at my worst and bring me to my best within a span of about 4 minutes.  My love affair with music began at a very young age and rapidly grew over the years.  I went from Styx and Kiss, to Prince and ACDC, Metallica and Devin Townsend, to Dredg and....well you get the point.  Various devices helped me in my growth: the Walkman, the portable CD player and finally the iPod.  30,000 songs of joy kept in a happy little rectangular shaped device.  There's few things that can compare. 

4. Walking

Walking does wonders for my mood and life.  Aside from being my favorite form of exercise, it just is the best way to unwind, collect my thoughts and rejuvenate my spirit.  I'm blessed to be able to walk, so I see walking not only as a form of happiness, but a gift that I wish to cherish the rest of my days.

5. Sitting Under my Maple Tree

My family's home has a giant yard adjacent to it, and at the front and back there are two very large maple trees.  Like guardians, they stand tall and strong protecting our household.  The one at the back of the yard is, and always has been, my favorite.  Being a very old tree, its trunk is huge and its branches long and open.  Any kid can easily climb it and hide within its limbs;  I did so often as a child.  It was my jungle gym, my hideout, and my comfort during the worst of times.  My happiness for it exists because of its sturdy, ever present, existence.   

6. A fresh cup of coffee

Coffee symbolizes so many things to me: adulthood, card games, days spent at the grandparents' homes, family, school, fall...all of the things that I love.  The nostalgia that surrounds coffee is only part of the happiness factor.  The other part is the taste, the smell, the substance that is coffee.  Cradling a warm mug of Joe in my hands fills me with a soft, tranquil, joy that never seems to fade.  

7. Fall

I LOVE everything about fall...period.

8. Campfires

The smell of a campfire, to be more precise.  Like coffee, it brings back a lot of memories, camping in particular.  My family always went camping during the summer months when I was younger.  We'd spend our time at the Outflow campground, at the Youghigeny Dam right outside of Confluence Pa.  We'd hike to monster island, swim at the dam, catch craw fish and fireflies, and read around the fire.  The smell of a campfire is of family, carefree days, and perpetual childhood.  Eternal happiness hidden within logs and flames.


9. A Good Book

Like music, a good book can bring about instant happiness.  Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or even an encyclopedia: a good book opens doors to other worlds.  An eternal explorer at heart, I eagerly throw myself into these unknown places and open myself to what they have to offer.  Exploration, mixed with coffee in front of a campfire.  Happiness factor= jubilation.

10. Learning/ Teaching/ Helping People

I live for this: quite literally!  Helping people is what I do; its what I have and always live for.  I see no point in being an inactive participant of this thing called "life" and feel that a portion of it should be spent helping others.  There is also a selfish side of this, as helping people is one of the most satisfying and joyful things I think anyone can do.  Learning and teaching go hand in hand with helping people, as they are the tools that I gather in order to assist and expand the minds of others.  There are few things that can compare to helping someone find an answer that they were seeking, and seeing the joy/relief on their faces because, suddenly, everything makes sense.  Knowing that I was a part of that brings a happiness that words cannot express. 

Stay cool during these hot summer days, lovelies!
MA

Goal #12 Day Zero Project- Read the Prose Edda, Completed

Today I am celebrating the fact that I completed another goal on my Day Zero Project's list: read the Prose Edda.  What is the Prose Edda?  It is one of the two texts  (the other being the Poetic Edda) which contains most of the stories about Norse mythology.  Frigg, Loki, Thor, Odin: all of their tales can be found in this wonderful book. 

The reason why I chose this text was simple:  I know virtually nothing about Norse history and mythology.  With my first semester of teaching  coming up, along with the release of the Avengers, I know some students who will want to do a project that would somehow be related to this topic.  So I had to learn.  Perhaps this is just my excuse to get started.  After all I've always wanted to learn about Norse mythology; I simply never had the opportunity/ drive/ will power to do so until now.

So, what have I learned?  Mostly, the Avengers are,  for the most part, wrong about Norse mythology.  This obviously is the case with any comic book rendition of old myths and legends; the writers reinvent stories in order to make the plots compatable with their ongoing story-lines and comic universes. 

The Norse Pantheon is broken down into groups of twelve gods and goddesses.  Of course there are the ones most well known to us: Odin, Thor, Loki Baldr.  There are many lesser known gods included in the pantheon as well.  There is the realm of giants, who became a sort of lesser group compared to the Aesir (Odin's "clan," let's call them) and one of whom is destroyed, and thus with his demise came the creation of the Earth. 

He's so proud to be the manwhore of the gods!

Here's a breakdown of some of the geneology:

The House of Odin:

Odin- Frigg= Baldr

Odin-Earth= Asr-Thor

Odin-Rind= Vali ( or Ali)

Odin-Grid= Vidar

House of Thor:

Thor- Sif= Thrud

Thor -Jarnsaxa= Magni

Sif- ?= Ull (stepson of Thor)

The House of Loki:

Loki- Sigyn = Nar

Loki-Angrboda= Fenirswolf
                        = Hel
                        =  Jormundgand (Midgard Serpant)

Loki-Svadilfari = Sleipnir

Loki- ? = Vali

My favorite tales from the Prose Edda was abut the monsterous children of Loki.  Not all of Loki's children were demon-spawns, just his three with the giantess Angrboda, who was said to be, shall we say, less than appealling?  Loki, on the otherhand, was said to be very pleasent to look at- in fact he can be called "Jouhdenheim's mightiest lover" for his frollocks with the ladies.  I bet he regrets spawning these three "adourable" munchkins: I know I wouldn't be pleased giving birth to a wolf,  giant serpent hell bent on devouring the Earth, and the guardian of the Underworld.  I wonder if the gods have parenting therapy groups?  

There are very few primary texts that can be considered easy "beach reads," however, if you love fantasy then this is a good beach read for you.  It's filled with stories of heros, wars, and sir-ing.  Being one of the texts that influenced J.R. Tolkien, and popular fantasy stories afterwards, its easy to follow and understand.  It comes highly recommended by yours truly.

Curl up with a nice mug of ale, and make your ancestors proud, my friends!
MA 

Day Zero Project Goal "Fit into Bridesmaid Dress" Completed

Every blog needs a short, sweet, to the point post; and this blog is no exception.  So, lets take a moment to celebrate the completion of a Day Zero Project goal:  fit into my bridesmaid dress.  An easy goal, right?  It didn't seem that way during the holidays whenI looked more like a sausage than I did a bridesmaid.  After weeks and months of healthy living (aside form the many stops to Cafe du Monde in Nola) I found myself shifting from stuffed sausage into semi-respectable bridesmaid.  Since the wedding is next weekend I made it just in the nick of time!


Stay cool, kids!
MA