Magnets

The refrigerator after the removal of the magnetic poetry and before removal of magnets (and why is this photo so blurry?).

And the file cabinet after removal of all postcards and the like. Note large number of magnets from the UPM. Unfortunately some of my non-Czech magnets disappeared on the way back from Prague... Ah, the vicissitudes of moving.


Well, all the magnets have been packed now and and the entire apartment looks like the site of a natural disaster! Only one more packing day left.

The View from Here

Apart from the fact that Ms. Spots and Orion are presently visiting my parents, this is what the living room looks like just now (albeit the piles of boxes are much taller).
I'm not sure how Orion failed to get into more of these pictures. He was very much interested in studying the ways of removing tape from boxes, and will come in very handy when it comes time to unpack.

Archelaus Cards Arrive in Pittsburgh!

Top right on the display, get your Archelaus cards at Kards Unlimited in Shadyside!

Sweden's Water Fairy of the Year

I feel sure my readers will want to know all about the Swedish competition for Water Fairy of the Year, which was recently won by a naked saxophone player. I noticed, however, that the Swedish TV clip about the event merely interviewed some people and showed the contestants (well, the latter was worthwhile) but failed to include any of the music played. Does this mean that the sax player won for the beauty of his floral garlands rather than for the tempting sound of his music?

Susie Bright, Dadaist

I daresay most people read Susie Bright's blog for the news on things sex- and gender-related, but that's not all you can find there!
See, for example, Susie's dream about having the Obamas over to dinner! Surrealists the world over are probably in a state of envy at this dream.
And the dadaist post on 1000 bunnies listening to Obama (be sure to click on her link to the full bunny collection!) I want Susie's bunny notepad. (Although the original artist stuck the bunny's scut in the middle of its back rather than where it belongs, so Orion and Calypso Spots would be perturbed about that.)

Barberini Faun Appears Unexpectedly in Pittsburgh

A colleague and I were recently (well, perhaps a month or so ago, but let's not quibble, I only just learned how to download photos from my phone) chatting in the Frick Fine Arts Library, only to find ourselves suddenly distracted by this:

We had thought that the Barberini Faun (aka Sleeping Satyr) was safely settled at Munich's Glyptothek.


But I guess not. Looks like he's had a haircut on the trip west. And gotten dressed. Too bad.

On the Road to Where?

During the course of my trip east (post-Mexico), I stopped to visit various friends, among them Dr. Zaius, who gave me this spiffy helmet and directed me to look fierce for the photos. I'm not sure I was dressed suitably for the photo shoot, however. It looks more like I'm preparing for a long battle with the weeds on the front steps.

Uxmal

The blogging it has been a bit slow given that first I went to Mexico and then I drove across country, after which I commenced (make that re-commenced) boxing up my belongings.
I will say, however, that I thought the ruins at Uxmal were outstanding.






More photos of the trip here.

Antioch College Revived?

Antioch College, one of the most venerable non-traditional liberal arts colleges in the US, closed awhile back for (what else?) financial reasons, but it looks as though the school could reopen.
It would be a pretty neat if they can pull this off.

Illustrated Jocularity

For those who like old books, cartoons, and weird stuff in general, I recommend a look at the blog Wondermark!