Responses

My Mom sent me an e-mail a while back after catching up and my blog, and wrote notes and questions as she read it. This was from October 27, so before the end of the "official" part of the program. I had planned on responding to her inquiries sooner, but never got around to it. Well I'm going to try to do it now!

Mom: "I love the comparisons of the old and modern roman implements.  How cool!  I would have liked to seen a photo of that 25,000 year old figurine, too."
Me: I figured out I didn't actually see the "Venus of Villendorf" but some other figuring, so I would really like to see it, too!

 

Mom: "Your photos of Slovenia are gorgeous.  I'm only halfway through your posts and my head is swimming with all of the stuff you're seeing.  It seems so overwhelming.  I bet your posts are probably as good for you as they are for your readers, 'cause you'll be able to remember everything so much better." 

Me: My posts are absolutely as good for me as they are for anyone reading them. In fact, they're probably better for me because what I write can cue me in to other related memories. I used to keep a hand-written journal when I was younger, but stopped doing it regularly. Writing a blog is faster, and I can put more details into it (and my hand doesn't hurt after writing). So yes, I really do like keeping a blog.

 

Mom: "I went back and read your Africa stuff too.  For some reason I was trying hard yesterday to remember the events of the last 5 or 6 years ...piecing together occasions while Dad was watching (and I was blankly staring at) the world series game.  I felt like my brain was smoking trying to remember. Seeing your posts helps me a little.  Is Hawaii in there somewhere?  I feel like I've seen it, but can't find it."

Me: Unfortunately I didn't write a blog while in Hawaii. I really should have, because it was a great experience. I did post photos on Facebook though, so that's probably what Mom is referring to. It sure has been an exciting 5 or 6 years for me!

 

Mom: "That's really interesting about the river in Hungary, and how humans have screwed it all up.  Reminds me of the Colorado River."

Me: Yeah, we actually use the Colorado River as an example in our classes of what humans have done to river systems and what we're trying to do to repair them. I'm not sure there are many rivers left in the world that aren't screwed up by us humans.

 

Mom: "Interesting that you would go bareback riding after your lesson here such a short time ago.  Were you thinking of Addi sliding off at all?  ;~)"

Me: I did think of Addi sliding off the horse! For Mother's Day (or my Mom's birthday...) I bought my Mom a horseback riding lesson. Instead of using it herself, she bought another one and had me and Addi go together for a lesson. At the end of the lesson, we both tried bareback for a bit. Addi slid off the horse and landed on her feet, while I clung on for dear life and managed to stay on the horse. But it was scary! I didn't do more than walk on the horse in Hungary, so it wasn't so bad.

 

Mom: "I think I wrote a note to you about the Charles Krouthammer special, "A life that Matters".  The diagram you posted about politics, economy, society and the environment reminded me of it, because Krouthammer claims he had an epiphany of sorts during his college years that steered him in the direction he ultimately ended up following: and that was, that even though it might seem politics should be the lesser of many values - he came to understand that in nearly everything, the politics of a thing had to be right to start with, in order for it to work out in other ways.  It had to do with his having to choose a portrait of either Einstein or Churchill in one of his projects - and though Einstein seemed the likely choice, after much deliberation, he chose Churchill, because of the politics represented, and after that, he kept gravitating in that direction - though he never actually became a politician (thank goodness)."

Me: Not sure how to respond to this one. Politics are all screwed up right now, that's for darn sure. I think everyone needs to be trained in many disciplines, because politicians and businessmen don't seem to understand the ecology of how the world works, but ecologists can't seem to translate our science so that it's relevant to the policy makers. We need to work on this, and it's something I'm hoping to get into more with my research and career.

 

Mom: "Anyways, back to your blog.  Again, I know your photos are mostly meant to document your trip, but they are so beautiful, even the ones of food and such, they look like art!  You would be a good travel photographer.  I LOVE your Budapest photos, even your 'gross' meal."

Me: That gross meal tasted good, but it sure did look gross! I love taking photos, but I need to get a better camera (half the buttons on mine don't work!) and I need to do it more often. Practice makes better (not perfect...).

 

Mom: "And all those 'love locks'!  What a cool idea!  Your photos of Poland are awesome!  I never knew it was so beautiful there. The one thing I'm noticing in most of your images is there's not much sun in Europe.  Reminds me of here.  Is it the time of year?"

Me: Indeed, there was not a ton of sun while we were there, but I'm not sure that's typical. The temperature was pretty good, but we definitely needed more sun to add that warmth factor.

 

Mom: "The 'panorama' you saw looks a lot like the one we saw in Gettysburg.  Seems the whole world has battles in their histories.  I'd love to see the inside of that oldest restaurant in the basement of that huge beautiful building, too.  Did you go inside?"

Me: The panorama was really cool, and apparently they're an art form that you can found in lots of places. I did not go into that restaurant or the building...if we had known it was the oldest one in Europe we would've gone there for dinner the night before instead of across the square! Just another reason to go back. :)

 

Mom: "I'm not sure I understand the 'game'.  Maybe I didn't read the first explanations close enough?"

Me: Yeah, the game is a little confusing. But re-read the first post....I don't feel like explaining it right now! 

 

Mom: "I'm now anxious to read about Auschwitz (that must have been very moving) and about France, too.  Are you still there?"

Me: Those posts are now written! I'm currently in the Sandhills, near Whitman :)

 

Mom: "I'm happy every time that little drop-box icon pops up.  For this past week it's the only way I knew you were ok.  I miss you.  Stay safe!  Have fun your last three weeks, and especially the last two.  Any itinerary yet?"

Me: I knew my Mom would be happy having my Dropbox folder on her computer, and it's an additional back-up for me. She has access to all my files (there's nothing "secret" in there), and I used it to store my itinerary for my last two weeks in Italy so she knew how to get ahold of me. Unfortunately, the one time she wanted to know where I was I hadn't actually planned yet, so she was at the computer looking at webcams in Rome. I just hadn't gotten my internet to connect quick enough before meeting my friend!