Tuesday, 21 March 2023
The vernal equinox arrived yesterday. And, indeed, for the last week or so there have been days where it’s sunny, a bit of thaw is in the air, and the birds are positively boisterous.
I started running again, after a lapse of nearly a month, and a sparse few weeks before that. There is still a layer of ice on everything, but with the temperature getting above freezing most days, running with spikes works. Minihaha Creek is flowing freely, and I think the period where I will see either ice crystals, or the faintly green algae-infused ice, is past.
When I last wrote I mentioned that I won the High Sierra Camp lottery, with dates starting July 11th. Sadly, I am increasingly pessimistic that it will work out. The Sierra snowpack is at over its previous historical high, and more precipitation is expected this weekend. Unless there is a very rapid melt, which, for humanitarian reasons, I should not hope for, I don’t think they’ll be able to open the camps in time. As a backup — though I think I would done it anyway – I’ve signed up for a Geology Field Camp through the Yosemite Institute. This is a three-day course lead by a geologist, and focuses on the geology of Tuolumne Meadows; it is August 25th, so I have no concerns about snowpack derailing it. My understanding is that, as part of the course, I will have access to reserved spots at White Wolf (or perhaps Tuolomne Meadows); I will look into that tomorrow.
As the first writing workshop (early April) approaches, I find I am doing more writing, which, of course was the point. A few days ago the teacher sent around the plan for the workshop, and asked us to write artist’s statements — that feels a little odd to me, but it has been useful to reflect on what it is I liked about writing when I did it for work, and what (and why) I hope to pursue in ‘Act III’ (as a friend recently put it) of my life. Today, I even wrote a short piece on design, in response to a linked-in posting; that’s notable, not so much for the content, as for the fact that I’ve overcome — for the nonce at least — some resistance to writing about design, even though I find I have much to say.
Another bit of miscellaney is that I have been more active on reddit, particularly in geology-oriented groups, and find the exercise of weighing in on requests of rock and mineral IDs a nice way to exercise and expand my knowledge. And I am also following various hiking groups more closely, and taking notes on potential hikes around Minneapolis and elsewhere in the state; I hope to get in considerably more regional hiking this year.
Last weekend, Katie and I, along with K & C, went to see Eurydice at Theatre in the Round, in the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis. It was a modern re-telling of the Orpheus story, from the perspective of Eurydice. I thought the chorus was the star of the show. I’ve imagined — without any knowledge to base it on — that the choruses in classical Greek theatre sort of stood there like a choir and sang or chanted. In contrast, the chorus in Eurydice was very active; think modern dance, often in synchrony, along with exclamations, chanting and… was there actual singing? I don’t quite recall. Regardless, they were a central part of the production, and often served as the affective backbone of the play. I wonder if choruses in ancient Greece were similarly active? I was less keen on the leading actors, although Eurydice’s father was well-played, and there was some interesting staging and prop-work involving the lord of Hades.
That’s the story here.