"Not every great moment needs to be shared. In fact, some of the best times are most enjoyed privately. If we suspend the present in an attempt to capture its beauty in 140 characters or less, we sacrifice our experience of the moment itself." ~Cara Joyner

I know this blog is turning into a Tumblr (or maybe a Pinterest board) and I know I need to return to posting thoughts sometimes, but sometimes I don't have any new or interesting thoughts to post and sometimes I have thoughts that are too personal to post or thoughts that I'm still trying to work through and, so, in the meantime, I post pictures. 

Also, I really like this clock :)

(And, the first sentence is a bit of a mess in terms of format, but that's okay.) 

source: The Dancer Project

another beautiful ballerina

Sylvie Guillem onstage during a Sleeping Beauty rehearsal 

source: Pointe Magazine 

photographer: Gilles Tapie

on your toes

Did you know that walking on your toes requires 83% more energy than walking "normally"? 

The study that determined this was actually comparing toe-to-heel walking to heel-to-toe walking to "prancing on ones' toes", but it still totally relates to ballet because, even in flat shoes, 

dancers have to walk toe-to-heel and prance. 

*Also, these are the feet of my lovely roommate Kathryn Tokar 

and this is the photography of Rodolfo Claros

heritage

Today in 21st Century Literature we discussed Graphic Novels. We were then given a short amount of time to create our own panel in the style of a graphic novel that portrayed our personal ethnic heritage. For the most part I am a product of the Great American Melting Pot. However, some small aspects of my parents' heritage still color their behaviors and preferences. So . . . this is what I drew :)

I chose to make the setting the kitchen because this where such encounters occurred, but also because much of family life and many of my childhood memories took place in the kitchen. My mom has quite a bit of Italian in her and she is always telling my siblings and me that you can put garlic in almost any dish :P My dad has quite a bit of Scottish in him and he doesn't talk nearly as much as my mom, but he often plays music that includes bagpipes. In past couple of years, he has played it on his smart phone, but, in our old house, we used to have a boom box in the kitchen for playing music :)

a letter without postmark

Dear Erie,

You need to work on your hospitality/welcoming skills.
I am not excited to walk to class tomorrow.

 You should be very thankful that I'm excited about the class.

That is all,
Rachel

Sometimes at Thanksgiving . . . 

. . . and Christmas . . . 

Miriam tries to take pictures of Caleb and me  . . . and I protest by making faces . . .

. . . but sometimes Caleb does too.