ode to legs

As of late, I have been running four times a week, every week, in the hopes that on May 7, 2011 my legs will not fold under pressure and extreme exhaustion as they run their first half marathon. To say the least, my preferred set of extremities is continuously cramping, fatigued, and in need of a professional stretch or two - which is why I am dedicating today's post to my constant companions during the next seven weeks of training: legs. Consider this a tribute - like Beethoven's Ode to Joy, or Neruda's Oda a la alcachofa.

They really are magnificently appealing body parts, are they not?

all images courtesy of art inconnu

home home?

Isn't it funny that whenever we have a shred of doubt  in answering a question, we have a tendency to repeat the word twice in order to clear things up? for example: Q:--when are you going home? (ambiguous... san luis obispo home, or danville home?)

A:--home home?

or...

Q:--what time will you be done with your work? (ambiguous...  job work, school work, or just-for-fun work?)

A:--which work... work work?

Really though, now you'll notice it everywhere, and you'll realize that there is really no reason that repeating a word should offer any insight or enlightenment. But somehow this little echo usually renders the desired clarification -- how very, very strange. strange.

All this talk of echos makes me want to leave my work work and go out and explore some caves.

Southern France for spring break, anyone?

Images courtesy of: Pinterest and The New Yorker

Clare Grill

Queens-based painter, Clare Grill, has managed to relinquish her childhood imagination and create, what I find to be, effortlessly stimulating art. In a recent interview, Clare describes the youth she coveted with her sister: "we spoke pretend languages, we believed whatever we wanted and trusted everything we were told…” She makes me ache for those childhood moments of sheer satisfaction and blissful imagination.

Images courtesy of butter and brass

Ink + Iron and Wine

These ink drawings by Elsa Mora make me want to keep Iron and Wine on repeat. Something about the textures and patterns inspire me to get lost in that one-man-band's heavily  layered melodies.  

images courtesy of Etsy