in such a world art | veg | academia | geekery

An End to Nablopomo 2007

Well well, what an interesting month. As a new blogger, I thought that Nablopomo would be the perfect opportunity to really tone those blogging muscles and teach me a thing or two about how to blog effectively. I think that my writing style and comfort level on the blog will continue to evolve. [...]

Elsie Kagan - Oil Paintings

My Blue Heaven
2006
Oil on canvas
42″ in diameter

mother and child
2007
oil on wood
12″ x 8″
Images from Elsie Kagan’s official site.

Planar Fasciitis? Keeping me on the Ground

I just read today that sitting down - just the mere act of sitting on your bum - causes the enzymes that burn fat to actually shut down. Breaking research that the way our society keeps us sitting down is contributing to the obesity crisis. So not only are we not exercising, but [...]

Strategies to Cut the Static: Turning off the Television

I’m going for full disclosure here - the shame of outing my television habit is likely a necessary component of finally breaking it. Hi everyone, my name is Valerie. I am a complex, intelligent, and well-spoken woman with plenty of interests and talents. Yes, I am addicted to television.
Throughout my childhood, adolescence [...]

Jan von Holleben: Dreams of Flying

I am entranced by von Holleben’s photographs. Taking children as his subjects, he images them in frozen scenes in which they seemingly act out their fantasies, in the seeming motions of play, humour, imagination. (discovered on Superhero Journal and all images from von Holleben’s official site)

And yet, something tugs in these photographs. [...]

On the Personalities of Ocean Dwellers and Human Intervention

Eric Marcus, a stellar animal rights activist, just shared an article he found in the Vancouver Sun: “Nothing Fishy about Personality Traits in Animals, Study Finds.” Scientists at the University of Guelph find that even “ordinary” Canadian brook trout demonstrate distinct personalities.
The idea of personalities is starting to spread across our views of the whole [...]

“Sickos” and Chimpanzees

Wow.  I have just finished watching the newest documentary by Michael Moore, Sicko.  It was a fascinating overview of the American health care system in comparison to systems in Canada, Britain, and France.   It was so thought provoking that I need some time to think about the implications of the film’s message and achieve [...]

On the Benefits of Blogging, Bird Flu, and Protein Nutrition

I’ve been listening to a lot of great podcast episodes lately, wow! What with the return of the Vegan Freak Radio, as well as the continuing high quality work done by Animal Voices and Vegetarian Food for Thought, I am always keeping up with vegan news and well-researched information. I’ve also been regularly [...]

Menu Prep and Taking a Break to ‘Clear my Cache’

I have the day off today - it’s a nice break to give me a bit of a breather. Speaking of breathing, or in my case, really learning how to breathe - I got up early and trekked over to yoga - turns out it much harder to do with thick snow on the [...]

Because I find a lot of interesting art. And it’s polite to share.

Maybe my art finds should be a weekly feature? At any rate, here’s a selection artworks I dig, that I’ve found in the past few weeks.  Some are clickable for larger versions.

Splitting
Gordon Matta-Clark
1974
Black and white photo-collage
(Source)

Office Kiss
Kristof Wickman, Tyler Petersen, Shaun Owens
(Source: OODA GROUP)
(Complete with the synaesthesia element of [...]