Over the past few days I have filled my notebook with ideas for
blog posts, scribbling down quotes and noting names of intriguing foods in the
margins of the paper, as my mind strays unintentionally from the powerpoint presentation in front of me. Unfortunately, and much to Sam’s chagrin, I have not found the time
to sit down and compose anything cohesive from these fragments of thoughts. Sam
is more dedicated than I and will stay up late past 10pm, after classes have at
last come to an end for the day, to ensure that a new blog entry is posted. It’s
10:53 pm right now and my four-person design group only just finished working
on our permaculture project. So I am sitting down now to write a quick post
about amusing happenings that occurred on this last day of the month. Once the
weekend hits and our projects our completed, turned in, and behind us, I will
catch up on all of those things I want to share with you. For now please enjoy
these four Unusual and Existential Occurrences with Kelly on January 31st,
2013.
1. Sam punched me in the face.
I don’t know why, or what prompted it, but there you have
it. The cold, hard, unforgiving truth is that Sam Parker punched her bony fist
into my chubby cheek. She may be tiny but she packs a mean punch. Don’t even
think for a second about taking her by surprise from behind. She will knock you
out without a moment’s pause.
You’ve been warned.
2. I graced our farm with the name of “earthworm.”
In discussing plans for our permaculture farm (a synthetic
design project that we are working on in groups for the PDC), the idea of a
worm composting system came up. Kyohei’s English skills far surpass my Japanese skills but the language barrier sometimes
makes translation between us difficult. In the case of worm composting, it
wasn’t all that hard to signify what we meant. Melanie drew a squiggly, worm
shaped figure and voila- comprehension. We asked him how to say earthworm in
Japanese. “Mimizu.” That’s mimizu, pronounced me-me-zoo. What a wonderful word!
I declared that our permaculture farm should be named Mimizu. Try saying it and
you’ll understand why. Me-me-zoo. It rolls off the tongue like butter. Well,
actually I don’t eat butter and come to think of it- in what scenario would anyone
have enough butter in their mouth that the butter would quite literally roll
off of the tongue? Folks, that’s gross. That phrase should be retired, but that
word, that beautiful word! Me-me-zoo. Definitely singing-in-the-shower quality,
right there.
No one was nearly as enraptured by the word as I, but I realized
that not only was Mimizu a beautiful word; it also rhymes with Bienvenue. C’est
parfait!!! For now we have a welcoming sign at the entrance of our imaginary
farm. And it reads: “Bienvenue à Mimizu.” Genius.
3. Yaks can indeed survive in the temperate climates of
Switzerland.
Have you ever asked yourself where on this great, green (and
blue) earth you might find a yak? Suppose you were looking for one, or a friend
was, would you not want to be able to say without a second thought the exact geographic
locations that harbor hospitable habitat for the yak? If this is you, and I
know that this is you, fret no more. You can find them in Switzerland. The yak
is quite the hardy animal and will adjust its respiratory patterns according to
the climate it inhabits. So while, yes, most yaks might call the Himalayas
home, perhaps Tibet, or Mongolia. They are big and furry after all. There still
remain the brave and beautiful few who opt for Swiss chocolate and a more
temperate climate. (“Opt for” might be pushing it but if you are devising a
plan for an imaginary permaculture farm and yaks amuse you and you are placing
your made-up farm in Switzerland, you can raise yaks and use them to plow your
fields. Others have done it).
4. I wrote this blog.
That is both amusing to me, unusual for you, and existential
for us all.
Now I truly must sleep for Sparks and I will be setting foot
on our daily walk in a mere seven hours. Plus the mosquito warriors have now implemented
a full-blown attack on the exposed bits of flesh uncovered by my long layers. I
am waving the white flag, my friends. I bid you adieu. Good night to you, and
you, and you.
Happy February!
- Kelly
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