except for the fact that I haven't gotten to talk to my sis yet. Lyndsay where are you? I was going to call her right now but I got distracted by this blog: thefamilyjones.blogspot.com In case you didn't already know, this family is living my dream. What dream is that, you say? To live in Kazakhstan with my young children and fabulous husband. If you wonder why, look at the pics in their blog. Seems pretty wonderful to me. And of course, by wonderful I mean that all of those things that some of you may look at and cringe your noses at; I look at and say Wow! Adventure! Wow! Beauty! Wow! Kazakhstan! So please, if you know any eligible and wonderful men who won't mind moving to KZ with our dumpling children, please send them my way...
In the meantime I am working away at a method that will get me there. It is called Grad School: MA Social Anthropology. And I LOVE IT!! I have decided on the following courses: Anthropology of Art, Anthropology and Representation and Anthropological Theories and Methods. I am auditing Anthro of Gender, Economic and Political Systems as well as Symbolic Systems.
I have the most interesting teachers. Prof. Brian Morris is in his 70's and likes to remind us all that he never went to Uni, that he worked in an iron foundry. He also has a fascinating and clear mind along with bushy white hair and beard which he tugs at and which flies around his face all throughout the lectures. He's the one that keeps me coming to the class because the theories themselves are rubbish. Its a bunch of social and otherwise theorists who tried to figure out why man invents religion. It can be seriously difficult sitting through a lecture about the philosophies of men, knowing what I know about God and about truth and where to find it!
Anthropology of Art is my favorite class. I wasn't going to take it but I stopped by to listen and was hooked. I arrived late and the room was dark, while images of photographs and sculptures flashed across a screen. Ahhh, my artist soul breathed. I had finally found something that soothed my overworked mind. We are learning fascinating things, but we also get to go on field trips to museums and draw and look at pretty pictures (and the handsome professor.) It is nice to take a class that indulges more parts of myself than just the right brain.
Thirdly is Anthropology and Representation. I was APPALLED by this class when I attended the first lecture. It started late, the professor rambled on and on, he appeared unkempt and quite frankly, stoned. His pants weren't zipped, his brain wasn't zipped and the material he was presenting seemed totally opposite of what I was hoping to get from the course.
However, I gave it another chance this week only to find that it may give Anthro of Art a run for its money in terms of which class I enjoy more. The professor is still a little out there, but I think it is because he lives in this theoretical world in his head. We will be talking about systems and symbolics, about words and concepts that create understanding of who we are and the world around us. About culture and society and hierarchies and how such systems and words create representations of human self. Ooh ooh ooh!!!!! So stinking exciting!!!!
On other fronts, I am in love with my ward, in love with my house (stay tuned for the Help Corina Decorate contest coming up soon), in love with London, adore my friends here which sprung up like dandelions and overjoyed that it has been warm and crisp in this lovely city on the Thames!
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So glad you are doing well and that you love where you are and what you are doing--what a delight! Maybe this is premature, but when I have been decorating on a limited budget, I go to the fabric store and buy a yard or so of a big, bold print (batiks work well) and hang it as a wall hanging. I adore you! Sending happy thoughts your way.
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