Mixed Media

I saw the coolest thing this week: an embroidered business card. On the one side was the embroidery - geometric shapes and some pearls, quite peaceful and pleasant. It was created by my friend's grandmother - 83 years old - who used to do embroidered Christmas cards in the same way. The business card is thick; on the side where the name and coordinates appear, there is no embroidery. The embroidery and card are stiched together. My friend said that it is a way to sample your wares amongst embroiderers. I wonder if quiltmakers do something similar... I looked up "embroidery" and "business card" on the Web but found no useful sites. I wondered if there would be collectibles. I had never seen something so intriguing. It certainly makes the business cards I have seen quite... flat.

On Death and Dying

Years ago I read that people decide early on in their lives when and how they will die. For example, I have decided I will die peacefully in my sleep when I reach 100 years.
That is not so far-fetched considering 3 of my 4 grandparents were alive and kicking until 90+ and my parents are both in good health.
Now recently my mother, who never talks about death and dying (too busy living, never liked the subject), has been dropping hints about her death. Another 5 years, she mused once. Lately, she said: I will surely die suddenly. She told me in the same conversation: you can rest assured that I had plenty of fun in my last years.
Now 5 years makes her 80ish which is approximately when her mother started declining. As for dying suddenly (like her dad) after very happy days, it certainly seems preferable to the slow and lonely death her mother endured through Alzheimer. So now that she has given it some thought, she has laid down her plan. I think it brings her comfort to control her death and make it good.
When and how do you plan to die?

Conversations

Spiffy title - works both in French and English which is a must when you are exhibiting in Montreal, which is the case for my cousin for all of November until December 15.
My cousin lived most of his life in Australia, which means we had intense one-month catch-up periods every few years. I guess that made for closer bonds then the ones with cousins I only saw at Christmas. Anyway, he switched his life around and went back to his original passion: artistic expression. He was, in turn, a dancer, photographer, artist and then life took him into a totally different path. He is back to painting after years of not doing so. His current effort can be seen 24/7 at the delta hotel. Actually, for more details and a sneak peak, go to www.daniloart.com

What's in a Name?

Have you ever noticed how if you see an unusual bird or an unusual flower, a familiar reaction is to ask if someone knows what it's called?
This need to name things intrigues me. When that need is met ("It's a robin"), something is appeased. We usually don't go as far as getting any more info: the name itself is what we are after. With the name, we now own the thing itself somehow. It has found its proper place in our little world.
Now this habit dates back. I checked a site on the Bible and found: " So the Lord God formed out of the ground each wild animal and each bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. "
What are the adaptative qualities of naming? I guess it allows you to pass on information to the rest of your tribe and improves your survival rate. "You eat this plant, you are dead. Its name means Poison. Remember this."

Do You Wanna Know a Secret?

This is a cool blog that a friend of mine (txs Vicki) introduced me to.
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
People send anonymous homemade postcards with their secret on it. Those are posted every Sunday on the site for everyone to read.
Sometimes quite sobering, sickening, other times enlightening. Never boring.

The Code Book

I read this year a great book on cryptography. Not only is it well written, it offers a glimpse into the world of secret agents. Movies such as Mercury Rising demonstrate the extent to which governments are said to go to prevent a code from being broken.
It all comes down to the value we put on intimacy vs the value the government puts on national security. It is a fascinating account of the push and pull of the flow of information.
I can't find the words to share my enthusiasm of the book. Even excerpts don't do it justice. I think the fun is in looking for a good code and the joy in breaking it. This is renewed many times throughout the book.
I was amazed that I deciphered a sentence published in the local newspaper just by following the rules described in the book. I never managed it before -- I got impatient. This time, I was sure that success would follow if I applied the rules and took my time. It was pure joy.
A link to the book in Amazon follows:
The Code Book : The Evolution Of Secrecy From Mary, To Queen Of Scots To Quantum Crytography (Hardcover)by Simon Singh

High School Reunion

Our reunion was quite well organized and a bunch of friends showed up. I hadn't been to the school in years and lots of new buildings had been added. Actually, the auditorium where it was being held did not exist when I was there. Neither did the computer lab... Ok, it's been a few years. The girls were mostly recognizable except for the ones with different hair colour. I couldn't reconcile myself with their new faces. The way people walked was a dead giveaway, which was a surprise. I suppose you don't think of altering the way you walk... The voices were the same.
The people I talked to seemed wiser, more self-assured (not surprising since I last saw them as teenagers) and, on the whole, the same at their core.
I read an article in the local paper reporting a study that showed that what you do in the defining years of young adulthood defines the rest of your life. Someone who is very active into sports will keep that; someone who takes up music will keep that love too. I guess our good or bad habits cristallize at that age. Food for thought...

Body Facts

Did you know that your teeth move around in your mouth? From birth to death, it is a constant migration, a slow dance of the canines, molars and other guests. They are very discreet about it but any good orthodontist will let you in on the secret. There is a constant hustle and bustle, push and pull where the teeth in front push the ones in the back and the ones on top push out the ones on the bottom, each adjusting, trying to make its place in the sun.
Now look at older folks with their natural teeth and you'll see I am not joking. They weren't born with that gaping hole or with that errand tooth. They just parted ways over the years.