Just arrived in London last night to visit my friend Frances.  She had work today so I got to explore London on my own, which was absolutely fabulous.  She lives about a 15 minute walk from the British Museum.  With my maps (one of them hand-drawn by Frances), my books, my camera, and my iPod, I set off to the massive museum.  On the way I stopped in a small shop called L. Cornelissen & Sons, a small store that sells art supplies.  It's an ancient store, with original flooring and thin shelves that line the walls and reach the ceilings.  It was such a beautiful store, and it's been around for so long (circa 1850s) that I felt I really must buy something here.  I had trouble finding practical tools in my price range (I mean, what am I going to do with a 15 pound paintbrush?), but I did come across a 1 pound sketchbook.  I snagged it, immediately, and when I arrived at the British Museum a few blocks later I sketched and journaled in the South African garden in the front of the museum.  What a wonderful way to start the day!

I've scoured the Greco-Roman and Egyptian sections of the British Museum when I was here with my parents three weeks ago, so this time around I devoted my time to the Chinese jade, bronze, and porcelain collections.  I was clearly struck by the intricacy of the work I encountered since I ended up spending about 2.5 hours in one room.  But I was happy to be consumed so easily.  

Next I found my way to the Somerset House, which is broken up into a couple different galleries.  I visited the Courtauld Gallery which houses some of the most beautiful Byzantine, Impressionist, and Post-Impressionist work I have seen.  Each genre has its own floor and the rooms are small and elegant, and quiet.  I arrived with a little more than an hour left before closing, so I enjoyed most of the exhibits alone.  I soaked up all the Monet, Matisse and Van Gogh that I could before I was kicked out (politely) by one of the curators.  

It was the perfect day.  I only got lost once.  My iPod's shuffle mode matched my mood.  And I ended the night with Frances and Reg at Wetherspoons.  Great success.  

My friend Liz Myhill

Today would’ve been my friend Liz Myhill’s 50^th birthday. 

She was the greatest tutor, a wonderful friend, and the ultimate neighbor.  She was an absolute riot, the only person I’ve ever known to make math unashamedly fun.   Now that I think of it, I never had an interaction with her in which I didn’t laugh a lot…really hard. 

She introduced to me to many important things: like the music of Allison Krauss and frozen GoGurt.  I didn’t realize it when I was younger, but I was learning lots from Liz: about the beauty of knitting, the pleasure of spontaneity, the acceptance of miserable failures, and the importance of not giving a shit about what other people think about you.  

Every time I try and write something about Liz, she always pops into my head and reads over my shoulder saying things like, “eww you’re exaggerating” and “oh pa-lease.”  But I’m going to say them anyway.  Liz: you are an inspiration to me single day.  You pioneered the sciences when lots of women were told not to or they were too afraid to pursue it.  You made me believe I was smart and strong.  You were honest and hilarious and kind.  Your creativity—as a physicist, as a writer, as a mother, as a craftswoman, as a friend—is so impressive and unique; I still benefit from it today.  I just wanted to say thank you so much for the confidence you inspired in me and for the friendship we had.  I still miss you so much.  There are things we won’t be able to talk about like the politics of food and the incredible geology I’m encountering over here in Ireland or my discovery and interest in a field called Narrative Medicine.  I crave your opinions and insight.  I’ll write about them so in case you can read this, you’ll know. 

I am so lucky to have known you Liz, and I love you. Happy birthday.  

What (I think) I Learned in Class Today

Class: Self, Identity, and Conflict
Prof: Dr. Jim Skelly
General assessment so far: comfortably confused

Today we read an excerpt from Walker Percy's Lost in the Cosmos: the last self-help book.  The chapter--"A Semiotic Primer of the Self"--explores the notion of how "the self" can relate to itself and the world it creates through communication using signs.  Percy explains that semiotics, the science that deals with signs and how creatures use them, is central in explaining the ways in which humans interact with each other, themselves, and their environments (both created and natural).  According to Percy, who draws from Saussure's insight, a sign has two elements: a signifier and a signified.  For humans, the signifier is a word.  The signified is the object the word is describing.  When the signifier and signified are joined together, understanding (or misunderstanding) is achieved.  This is called a triadic event, in which a sign is understood by someone else not as some primal signal to flee or attack (this would be a dyadic event in which a sign stimulates a reaction), but as "meaning" or referring to another perceived segment of the environment.  For example, the word chair has no meaning on its own, but when you point and assign that word to a four-legged wooden object, suddenly there is an understanding of what that object is, how it works, how it can be used for our benefit.

So everything has a sign, and all signs, for humans, are words.  We are able to identify and understand everything in our world through words.  I happen to love words.  They are exciting and dependable, and...after having read Percy's work, I'm starting to think that words are also limiting.  We only have one way to relate to our environments and that is through words.  We have no other way of doing it.  It is therefore impossible to concretely communicate with anything other than humans.  It is also--and here's where it gets confusing--impossible to communicate with and/or know yourself.  There is no signifier and signified, word and object, for the self, itself.  Here's what Percy wrote: "The self of the sign-user [you, human] can never be grasped, because, once the self locates itself at the dead center of its world, there is no signified to which the signifier can be joined to make a sign.  The self has no sign of itself.  No signifier applies.  All signifiers apply equally."

(Doooouche, the sound of my brain exploding).

Think about that for awhile, and you realize that if what Percy claims is true, then you can never know yourself, and you can never truly identify yourself.  This becomes a complication in a world in which identity is our anchor.  Identities define communities, and they can also make them clash.  When identities--which perhaps, are largely defined by a religion--are threatened, people are willing to become violent in order to protect what they perceive is their individual/communal identity.  Consider the law in Uganda that aimed to make homosexuality a crime, punishable by death.  The creators of this law could not deal with an alternative to their identity/reality (one in the same?) because it posed a threat to the fragility of their own identity/reality.

I'll end with a bit more of Percy's insight:

"For me, certain signifiers fit you, and not others.  For me, all signifiers fit me, one as well as another.  I am rascal, hero, craven, brave, treacherous, loyal, at once the secret hero and asshole of the Cosmos."          

Problem?

Have a cuppa tea.

If there's anything I've learned here so far, it's that a hot cup of tea will solve just about any issue.  Nervous about an exam? Calm down with a cup of tea.  Just had row with a friend last night? Sip on this here cuppa tea.  Feeling a bit homesick? Drink this tea, it'll sooth your nostalgia.

Tea has become my quiet comfort, my closest companion.  Mind you, I only take milk with my tea, thanks.

First Update

At the Giant's Causeway, mid-September

i've been journaling in various notebooks, on scraps of paper, and in my head over the past two weeks. I haven't been able to compile them into the compelling story that I'd like to share everyone, so for now, I'll just write a little bit about what I did this morning. (I will post more about my adventures thus far in more detail...later).

This morning my friend Rebecca (who is also a PACS major to some degree) and I met at a coffee shop in town called Cafe Artisan. i didn't think it would be possible to find a replacement for the sanctuary that is Standing Stone Coffee Shop, but this cafe comes pretty close. It's situated in the very center of the town (called the Diamond), right across the street from a music store and down the road from one of the local Peace and Reconciliation Groups. Cafe Artisan has large and lovely windows that let whatever light is available into the storefront. The tables are a bit small, but the window sills are at elbow level and are surprisingly wide; a perfect place to put your laptop so you can eat and do work without the fear of spilling (which is great for me). I had a comforting bowl of tomato soup with an added zing of roasted red peppers....and the best cup of hot chocolate I've had here so far. I think this place is going to become my new homework spot.

It's layout is pretty extensive: there's an entire back room dedicated to a the locals who come play music there on Wednesdays. The stage is impressive for such a small shop, and it's BYOB. In general, this place is quiet, they play great music, and the artwork is really neat. Rebecca--great find!

After brunch, Rebecca and I went across the street to the music store. The guys in the shop were so cheerful and helpful (which seems to be a ubiquitous character trait for most folks around here). Rebecca bought an Irish whistle because she wants to learn how to play a traditional instrument which is so awesome. Maybe I'll pick up a penny whistle too, they're only 5 pound!

Going to do reading for the rest of the day. Here's the list of classes I'm taking this semester:
1) Culture and Identity Politics of Northern Ireland
2) Self, Identity and Conflict
3) Genocide and International Politics
4) The Global Conversation

Should be a wonderful semester!