(poppy from one of the not-winter seasons.)
I am ready for spring! The worst part of winter, right now, this very minute, is not the cold (it's bracing!), it's not the rain (not raining!), it's not that nothing's blooming (camellias are getting ready, bulbs are pushing through), it's that my skin is so itchy dry I am contemplating making some sort of sandpaper suit to deal with it. (oh, fine! lotion or other unguents would probably be more sensible and take less time. Unguent! that word always makes me laugh and I'm not sure why.)
Now that the hilarious word/ itchy skin portion of this post has concluded, please allow me to link to these two wonderful things:
1) I can't describe it better than the title, so please click for Stephen Colbert's Civil Rights MLK Day Writer's Strike-Busting Writerless Show -- In Song. I found it funny, informative AND moving, which is a can't lose combo if you ask me.
2) I am in love with the whole notion of The Commons, which is a collaboration between flickr and the Library of Congress. The idea is that by uploading photos from the vast LOC archives, people -- the great unwashed public -- can not only view them with more ease, but can also contribute to the body of knowledge by adding tags and notes to photos. This is so fantastic! it really touches on one of my favorite functions of a public library -- to facilitate the dissemination of information -- information that belongs to anyone who comes looking for it. Now we don't have to look so hard. I am really excited by the idea that this could spread to other civic institutions. Anyway. I know this has been all over many blogs, but I personally find it deeply awesome so I wanted to mention it just in case. I haven't looked through them all yet (there are a lot!) but there are some very cool color pictures of women working on aircraft during WWII -- you can see what color Rosie the Riveter painted her nails! There are also WPA pictures, and also oddball pictures from the period like this sideshow poster. These are being publishes with a "no known copyright restrictions" Creative Commons license. Well done, Library of Congress!
That poppy is so beautiful, and I mean that! It threw me off looking at that while the sun is so bright outside. I thought for sure it was Spring time, and oh how I wish it were. I am glad there is no rain, I don't mind the cold for short bursts of time but the thing I do mind is my alligator skin! I can go outside looking like I always do and then come on and I almost look like a giant scab! My t-zone gets dry and my hands? Don't get me started. I will be checking out The Commons soon. It sounds amazing. Maybe you should try to do an entry every single day for the 8's. Doesn't that sound like fun?
ReplyDeleteThat poppy IS beautiful, although it's nothing to do with me. (but thank you.) I am in total agreement about everything to do with scabby alligator skin and crypt-keeper hands. Ugh! Although now it's raining (ugh!) but as long as it's cold my skin will be wretchedly dry.
ReplyDeleteThe commons is awesome and I hope you checked it out. I will assume you're joking about every single day for the 8's because I would surely go insane. (SURELY!)
I lovelovelove The Commons so much! There are so many photos from certain eras that you think you only know in your memory as being black and white, but HOLD ON!!! They are in color! I have always loved old photos, but not when I see them for sale at antique stores-very weird to me, and it is nice to see these photos and get a fel for the time.
ReplyDeleteI was joking about the 8's, but I do love your posts so I was joking and serious at the same time. Of course I don't want to do anything that might push you over that edge which is so near to your toes...