thresholdin’.

if someone were to ask how i was and i were to think about it rather than answering that “yes, i was fine, and how about them”, i would probably not know the answer. it is hard to stay grounded and acknowledge that i have moved on in different ways. that in the midst of all this thresholding i am, actually, fine and true and beautiful and at ease and smiling at the future. that i’ve made decisions that have made me grow away from people that used to live near me. that i may think i have not gone anywhere can be traced to the absence of any sustained effort to make a home in one place. and that the way this is judged in some parts more than others. for they do not believe in miracles and connection and vision.

i still do.

and that this feeling might be shared by others i love and miss.

i love my job.

today this email came to my inbox. how cool is that??! a conference on the history of chocolate.

Call for Papers

International workshop on the history of cocoa and chocolate

Date and venue: Chocolate museum Cologne, 28 -29 October 2010

The history of chocolate, its production and consumption is a
fascinating and important part of our modern economic, social and
cultural history. Since the arrival of the cocoa bean in Europe in the
early 16^th century its products have shaped the pattern of consumption
and enjoyment.

Today it is hard to imagine a life without chocolate in the western
world. The industry has acquired a central position in some European
countries. In Germany the chocolate industry had a turn-over of 4.4
billion Euros in 2008 and in Switzerland 1.2 billion Euros. Indeed,
Switzerland has had the highest per capital consumption with 12.4 kg,
closely followed by Belgium, Britain and Germany.

Chocolate is not only a mass product but life-style. Within the last few
decades multiple new products have been created, which on the one hand
draw on the indigenous cultures of America. On the other hand a new
culture of chocolate consumption has emerged which manifests itself in
chocolate festivals, exhibitions and chocolate shops or “chocolateries”.
Medicine has also rediscovered chocolate. Big international research
programmes have been undertaken on the health supporting properties of
the flavanols or polyphenols in the cocoa beans.

While chocolate has become the relish of the masses, the history of
chocolate has been neglected in historical research for a long time.
Only within the last few years a certain change can be seen. A few
publications have come out either on the history of single companies or
on particular aspects.

However, since the arrival of the chocolate in Europe it has experienced
a profound change. It was turned from an Indian hot drink to a solid
chocolate bar and truffles followed by a variety of new product
variations. In the regions of origin it has also had a deep impact on
the production methods and working conditions.

The cultural and economic changes shall be subject of an international
workshop on the history of chocolate. Proposals are invited on any
aspect of research relating to the history of chocolate including the
following themes:

1. Areas of cultivation and production methods

2. Development and organisation of the cocoa trade

3. Technical innovations and product innovation (transition from craft
to industry)

4. cultural innovations specific patterns of chocolate consumption and
rituals, chocolate china etc)

5. Working conditions on the plantations and in the European chocolate
manufactories)

6. Enterprise and marketing

7. Chocolate and health

The conference languages will be English and German

*Deadline* for submission is 31.Oct. 2009

The workshop will be co-organized by the Chocolate Museum Cologne,
Rheinisch-Westfaelisches Wirtschaftsarchiv Cologne and Historisches
Seminar II, University of Duesseldorf

Proposals for papers should include a short (one page) abstract, and a
brief CV. If you have any questions, please contact Margrit Schulte
Beerbuehl at …

saturday afternoon musings.

“[S]ome evolutionists will protest that we are caricaturing their view of adaptation. After all, do they not admit genetic drift, allometry, and a variety of reasons for nonadaptive evolution? They do, to be sure, but we make a different point. In natural history, all possible things happen sometimes; you generally do not support your favored phenomenon by declaring rivals impossible in theory. Rather, you acknowledge the rival but circumscribe its domain of action so narrowly that it cannot have any importance in the affairs of nature. Then, you often congratulate yourself for being such an undogmatic and ecumenical chap. We maintain that alternatives to selection for best overall design have generally been relegated to unimportance by this mode of argument.”

— The Spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian Paradigm, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 205 (1161): 585.

Came across Stephen Jay Gould in my wanderings on biology and evolution. Great stuff, but how on earth can I incorporate it into the article. Hope to figure that out next week.

The article will be something on history and anthropology…

Stay tuned for exciting developments. Muhahahaha.

neil smith. geographer.

sometimes i think that geographers are the courageous anthropologists. they are not afraid of generalisations, and yet they are rigorous enough not to shy away from making statements that are of particular relevance in  the contemporary world.

i went to a great lecture today by professor neil smith who just got a sixth century chair at aberdeen university, but he is based at the centre for place, culture and politics in new york.

this flavour of academia i like…. hmmmm… if i could find my niche with activists…

*back to thesis*

tee-hee.

The Romantic notion of love involved profound thoughts on the balance to be struck between symbiosis with the other person and an unconditional willingness to recognise the otherness of the other person.

(Joas 1996: 185)

richard sennett – read him! don’t wait till next week

beautiful writing, significant issues, wonderfully broad knowledge. a definite treat.

a profile by the guardian here.

his home page here.

Moiré.

just remembered that today. overlay of perspectives creates depth.

In physics, a moiré pattern (pronounced /mwɑːˈreɪ/ or /ˈmɔəreɪ/ in English; [mwaˈʁe] in French) is an interference pattern created, for example, when two grids are overlaid at an angle, or when they have slightly different mesh sizes.

In textiles, a moire (pronounced /mwɑː/) is a fabric with a wavy (watered) appearance, caused by varying the tension in the warp and weft of the weave.

see wikipedia and bateson.

hopefully it will help re-write chapter 4.

daily work.

refine gratefulness.

foster attentiveness.

sing affirmations.

practice meditation.

enjoy movement.

show kindness to yourself and others.

remain open for possibility.

reinforce your learning.

express love.

work hard.

heart-beat-mildly.

i close this weekend with a great deal of overpowering, all-illuminating gratitude for the companions i am surrounded with.

and with borges, again and again.

IN TIMP INVETI

Dupa un anumit timp,
omul invata sa perceapa diferenta
subtila intre a sustine o mana
si a inlantui un suflet,
si invata ca amorul nu inseamna a te culca cu cineva
si ca a avea pe cineva alaturi nu e sinonim cu starea de siguranta,
si asa, omul incepe sa invete…
ca saruturile nu sunt contracte
si cadourile nu sunt promisiuni,
si asa omul incepe sa-si accepte caderile cu capul sus si ochii larg deschisi,
si invata sa-si construiasca toate drumurile
bazate in astazi si acum,
pentru ca terenul lui ‘ maine ‘
este prea nesigur pentru a face planuri …
si viitorul are mai mereu o multime de variante care se opresc insa la jumatatea drumului.

Si dupa un timp, omul invata ca daca e prea mult,
pana si caldura cea datatoare de viata a soarelui, arde si calcineaza.
Asa ca incepe sa-si planteze propria gradina
si-si impodobeste propriul suflet,
in loc sa mai astepte ca altcineva sa-I aduca flori,
si invata ca intradevar poate suporta,
ca intradevar are forta,
ca intradevar e valoros,
si omul invata si invata …
si cu fiecare zi invata.

Cu timpul inveti ca a sta alaturi de
cineva pentru ca iti ofera un viitor bun,
inseamna ca mai devreme sau mai tarziu vei vrea sa te intorci la trecut.

Cu timpul intelegi ca doar cel care e capabil sa te iubeasca cu defectele tale,
fara a pretinde sa te schimbe,
iti poate aduce toata fericirea pe care ti-o doresti.
Iti dai seama cu timpul ca daca esti alaturi de aceasta persoana doar pentru a-ti intovarasi singuratatea,
in mod inexorabil vei ajunge sa nu mai vrei sa o vezi.

Ajungi cu timpul sa intelegi ca adevaratii prieteni sunt numarati,
si ca cel care nu lupta pentru ei,
mai devreme sau mai tarziu se va vedea inconjurat doar de false prietenii.

Cu timpul inveti ca vorbele spuse intr-un moment de manie,
pot continua tot restul vietii sa faca rau celui ranit.

Cu timpul inveti ca a scuza e ceva ce poate face oricine,
dar ca a ierta, asta doar sufletele cu adevarat mari o pot face.

Cu timpul intelegi ca daca ai ranit grav un prieten,
e foarte probabil ca niciodata prietenia lui nu va mai fi la aceeasi intensitate.

Cu timpul iti dai seama ca desi
poti fi fericit cu prietenii tai,
intr-o buna zi vei plange
dupa cei pe care i-ai lasat sa plece.

Cu timpul iti dai seama ca fiecare experienta traita alaturi de fiecare fiinta,
nu se va mai repeta niciodata.

Cu timpul iti dai seama ca cel care umileste sau dispretuieste o fiinta umana,
mai devreme sau mai tarziu va suferi aceleasi
umilinte si dispret, dar multiplicate, ridicate la patrat.

Cu timpul inveti ca grabind sau fortand lucrurile sa se petreaca,
asta va determina ca in final,
ele nu vor mai fi asa cum sperai.

Cu timpul iti dai seama ca in realitate,
cel mai bine nu era viitorul,
ci momentul pe care-l traiai exact in acel moment.

Cu timpul vei vedea ca desi te simti fericit cu cei care-ti sunt imprejur,
iti vor lipsi teribil cei care mai ieri erau cu tine
si acum s-au dus si nu mai sunt…

Cu timpul vei invata ca incercand sa ierti sau sa
ceri iertare,
sa spui ca iubesti, sa spui ca ti-e dor,
sa spui ca ai nevoie,
sa spui ca vrei sa fii prieten,
dinaintea unui mormant,
nu mai are nici un sens.

Dar din pacate,
toate se invata doar cu timpul…

azur skies.

it’s exceptionally warm for this time of year in the land of lux. i sit outside, with the dogs and some flies and some birds. all day i sit and try to work. i manage from time to time. in between, my spirit flies away and wonders what you’re up to. emily dickinson said it beautifully. i don’t know whether this is what i mean, but it goes well with the sky and the breeze and the day.

Love is anterior to life,
  Posterior to death,
Initial of creation, and
  The exponent of breath.