Present Joys

veareflejos:

Matisse.

We’ve had a copy of this in the living room for my entire life. The colors look better here than they do in my house, though. A beautiful creation.

A picture of me and some kids from summer camp last year, which somebody just sent to me. These girls made me a duct tape wallet with my name on it.

• Drew a model I’ve never seen before with an oil-based pencil and produced a drawing I am exceptionally happy with.
• Got to leave the worst class of the week early because I was sick. Thanks, teach.
• Tried to get team stuff done while one of my teammates is on a cruise in the Caribbean and not able to answer email or do any work. We are two weeks away from finals and I am stressing the heck out.
• Was sick all week. Blew my nose on cheap CCAD toilet paper all week, which only made things worse.
• Celebrated Valentine’s Day by eating way too many of Colleen’s candy hearts in my team class and getting a swollen tongue. I am not sorry for eating the candy, because it was delicious and holiday-appropriate.
• Got some DayQuil from Theresa, who is a good friend to me.
• Turned in the final for my illustration project, which was mounted using the cheapskate mounting method. I guess you could say I haven’t yet learned my lesson.
• Discovered that the frivolous parking ticket fee had been revoked. I am still grumpy that the whole incident ever occurred.
• Spilled a plate of tomato sauce all over my lap at lunch and went around all wednesday afternoon smelling like spaghetti.
• Got a packet of Emergen-C from Jason and used it on the spot. I didn’t have a water bottle, so I had to put the powder into a 1oz disposable mouthwash cup from Mr. Mahan’s office. And I had to stir it with my knitting needle. Despite this, I was able to drink it and strengthen my immune system!
• Did not plan ahead for Burleigh’s final project and had to print, cut, and assemble the thing thursday morning by the printers in Kinney.
• Talked about Flannery O’Connor in my American lit class! Enough said!
• Had another great knit-n-crit with Burleigh, going over our finals! Used the cheapskate mounting method for a second time this week.
• Almost finished a whole sock.

To be able to recognize a freak, you have to have some conception of the whole man, and in the South the general conception of man is still, in the main, theological. That is a large statement, and it is dangerous to make it, for almost anything you say about Southern belief can be denied in the next breath with equal propriety. But approaching the subject from the standpoint of the writer, I think it is safe to say that while the South is hardly Christ-centered, it is most certainly Christ-haunted. The Southerner, who isn’t convinced of it, is very much afraid that he may have been formed in the image and likeness of God. Ghosts can be very fierce and instructive.

Flannery O’Connor, Some aspects of the grotesque in Southern fiction

There is something in us, as storytellers and as listeners to stories, that demands the redemptive act, that demands that what falls at least be offered the chance to be restored.

Flannery O’Connor, Some aspects of the grotesque in Southern fiction