Minerva's 22nd Year

a little something from each day

[m22year-blog]

Inside of Science Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

[m22year-blog]

I took this photo my last day in Madison before winter break my freshman year. I needed to deliver an inadequate paper to a professor's mailbox, and when I went outside, I found out there had been a blizzard.  

[m22year-blog]

I took this photo in Washington D.C. during my senior year of high school. I won a free trip there, just by writing an essay. 

When life validates you, accept the compliment. I don't think I did at the time, but I will do my best to accept it now, having rediscovered this photo and been reminded. 

[m22year-blog]

I made this collage when a very important person went away to Denmark. 

The caption on top of the bunny reads, "The silver fox is a rare hare."

Rare hares belong together. 

Could we ever truly part?

[m22year-blog]

words that brought tears

a refuge for the poor. a shelter from the storm. this is our God. she will wipe away your tears and return your wasted years. this is our God.

a mother to the orphan. a healer to the broken. this is our God. she brings peace to our madness and comfort in our sadness. this is our God.

a fountain for the thirsty. a lover for the lonely. this is our God. she brings glory to the humble and crowns for the faithful. this is our God.

[m22year-blog]

Ace of Wands. Courageous creativity. Powerful enthusiasm. Bold optimism.

[m22year-blog]

Shit My Philosophy Professor Says

"I'll say something more significant after this comment...I hope."

"We hafta sift and winnow."

"You can stipulate anything you like, but WHO CARES?"

"Babies are born with sutures in their heads. Their heads are squishy. Maybe you've thought about this before."

Shouting, waving arms. "You can't explain 'T is true' if T is false!"

"Quine is like if you took Duhem and put him on steroids. Twice."

"So you're talking about this hypothetical newborn baby with a tabula rasa or something. THAT'S not science. That's not even PEOPLE." 

"I don't CARE how much you like or dislike carrying an umbrella when it doesn't rain. That's IRRELEVANT." 

"Our theories about what makes a theory a good theory have changed too."

"Statistics is pretty much 95% a 20th century invention." 

"We'll think about other ways of thinking about it later."

[m22year-blog]

The Ace of Cups. Card #10 in yesterday's Celtic Cross spread. Emotional awareness, expressions of love, trusting intuition. Setting aside anger and dropping social reserve. Deep love.

[m22year-blog]

Slow Food UW's Family Dinner Night! $5 for a local organic meal. The blob on the left:  broccoli and cauliflower with lemon thyme butter sauce. The blob on the right:  squash couscous risotto. We also had a cheese and sausage plate beforehand with homemade bread, and, afterwards, pumpkin cake.

[m22year-blog]

Reading Black Bull, Ancestors and Me:  My Life as a Lesbian Sangoma by Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde and starting up a tumblr account to document my year. Quote from Nkabinde:  "I wanted to live my life as a sangoma [spiritual healer] and a lesbian--as one person--not divided up into pieces."