Okay - I admit - I am crazy. We went to an art museum again yesterday (that is two Saturdays in a row) right before our trip to Europe ... I sure hope we don't get art-museumed out. I feel like I can't. But, then, I definately got templed out in Japan.
But, it's been a year since I went (sad, but true) and I can't believe how much it's changed. I mean, the museum is always changing. Everytime I go, the pictures are in slightly different places. My freshman year, the MFA was a lot bigger. The basement was crazy. I got lost down their one time and ran into all these old buildings (churches, historical rooms, etc) that were transported down there. The museum seemed enormous to me. But they are attempting to expand the museum to double it's size. So, shortly after my freshman year they blocked the basement off, in prep for the construction I guess.
This time, the change was more than just minor - the pictures moving, etc. This time, they have completely redesigned some of the rooms and how they are displaying things (so far it seems just for the American Art rooms). They painted the walls. No more white, off white, or similar. Now they are warm blues and greens and such. Then, they took out some paintings and put in some furniture. Pre-this time I visited, the rooms were very segragated - American paintings in this room, musical instruments in this room, china & porcelien (how do you spell that word), furniture in another. But now, they are all combined. Stuart's George Washington next to period furniture and china. The portrait of Paul Revere next to his silver work. The effect is much more inviting to the eye. And before, I never particularly enjoyed looking at the furniture or the china. But now, I love it. I always loved looking at furniture, china, etc. in the Newport Mansions because it is in its place. In a museum, however, the anachronistic layout really didn't thrill me. But I love this new design.
And on a side note ... I got released from my calling. YEAH!!!
And on another sidenote - we are leaving to Paris in 2 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Friday, May 27, 2005
Adams
Did you know that John Adams was a workaholic? He would wake up before 4 and make sure he was working by 4am and then work to 10pm. Crazy!
We went to the Adams site in Quincy (pronounced Quin-z-y) and saw the birthplace of John Adams and John Quincy Adams. I still can't believe I never went there before - it seems very unlike me. It was very nice. After the visitor's center and buying tickets, a trolley takes you over to the birthplaces with a short (30 min) tour and then you take the trolley back to the main house where they lived after they had both respectively become Presidents and take about an hour tour. The tours were very nice. Our tour guide was very strict and said that the federal government was very strict about cell phones because you could take a picture with your phone, send it to someone, and then they could use that photo to steal items (who knew that is why they are so picky about cell phones?). Anyways, so if someone's cell phone goes off you are required to leave - right then - along with the rest of your tour. Thankfully, that didn't happen. But it was interesting learning about them. I really should read that book by McCollough or whatever. Going to Europe in a few days ... EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
We went to the Adams site in Quincy (pronounced Quin-z-y) and saw the birthplace of John Adams and John Quincy Adams. I still can't believe I never went there before - it seems very unlike me. It was very nice. After the visitor's center and buying tickets, a trolley takes you over to the birthplaces with a short (30 min) tour and then you take the trolley back to the main house where they lived after they had both respectively become Presidents and take about an hour tour. The tours were very nice. Our tour guide was very strict and said that the federal government was very strict about cell phones because you could take a picture with your phone, send it to someone, and then they could use that photo to steal items (who knew that is why they are so picky about cell phones?). Anyways, so if someone's cell phone goes off you are required to leave - right then - along with the rest of your tour. Thankfully, that didn't happen. But it was interesting learning about them. I really should read that book by McCollough or whatever. Going to Europe in a few days ... EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Another Book Review
I finally finished Olympia, Paris in the Age of Manet by Otto Friedrich. I wasn't sure if I would be able to finish it ... it was a little tougher reading for some reason than I had anticipated. But I'm very glad I plodded through. I had thought it would be fiction, but it was actually a non-fiction book. Obviously, the book centers around Manet and part of each chapter is about him. But then Friedrich takes tangents, either with people who modelled for Manet or who liked Manet or the city in general. I learned a great deal about Manet, but also about the history of Paris, Napolean III and his wife, the history of all the Impressionists, the invasion by the Prussians, the condition of prostitutes in the city, the history of sphyillis, the personalities and pictures of all the other IMpressionists, etc. It really is like knowing all the gossip and personalities about all the Impressionist painters and their time period. I think having read it will really open up Paris & especially the Musee d'Orsay.
So, excited to go to Paris. Less than a week! :-0
And on a side note, I finished my paper that I have been working on this month (I am not completely a lazy bum). It's all written as well as all the statistics (finally figured out how to do a multivariate linear regression ... and from a person who never took a statistics course). My advisor as well as the college's statistician who was working with us really liked it. The other girl who worked on the project with me will continue and finish up the paper. We are hoping to get it published in the American Society of Engineering Education's (ASEE) journal and present it next year at their conference in Chicago. We'll see.
But otherwise, I really am a lazy bum. Most of our stuff is packed for the move, but not for Europe yet. We start packing this weekend ... eeeee ... so excited.
May ... may be taking a trip to Utah this summer. Call it the year of traveling. Between the two of us, we have gone to : Japan, Michigan, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Europe, and then maybe Utah, and definately Texas for Christmas. It's a wonder we're not broke from buying all these plane tickets ...
So, excited to go to Paris. Less than a week! :-0
And on a side note, I finished my paper that I have been working on this month (I am not completely a lazy bum). It's all written as well as all the statistics (finally figured out how to do a multivariate linear regression ... and from a person who never took a statistics course). My advisor as well as the college's statistician who was working with us really liked it. The other girl who worked on the project with me will continue and finish up the paper. We are hoping to get it published in the American Society of Engineering Education's (ASEE) journal and present it next year at their conference in Chicago. We'll see.
But otherwise, I really am a lazy bum. Most of our stuff is packed for the move, but not for Europe yet. We start packing this weekend ... eeeee ... so excited.
May ... may be taking a trip to Utah this summer. Call it the year of traveling. Between the two of us, we have gone to : Japan, Michigan, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Europe, and then maybe Utah, and definately Texas for Christmas. It's a wonder we're not broke from buying all these plane tickets ...
Monday, May 23, 2005
These last few weeks we have been trying to go and see all the things in Boston for the last time (and for a few, the first time). We went to the Fogg Art Museum (one of the museum's at Harvard) on Saturday before we picked up Katsu's brother. A very good cute museum. But anyways ... this is my favorite place in the world - the Boston Public Library!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, May 19, 2005
books ...
Can you believe we'll be in Paris in less than 2 weeks!!! I decided a have a lot of reading to do beforehand, so I went to the library yesterday and now have been on a crazy reading streak. I should be writing that paper or cleaning or something. So, since yesterday afternoon, I have read 2 books and am starting another.
Versaille was an interesting book but kind of cryptic and not what I expected. It described Versaille, all the rooms, etc. etc. in terms of the life of Marie Antoinette. Quite interesting. Made me feel a bit sorry for the poor Queen as well as very excited to see Versailles. I read all the history of the building on the official Versailles web page as well.
I also read The Sun Also Rises, possibly my first Hemingway, but maybe not. I didn't particularly like it. First thing I did when I woke up this morning was check out SparkNotes and try to figure out why this book was famous and if I was missing something. The dialogue was definately more modern than books that came before it. I liked it much bettter than Great Gatsby (I enjoyed the style much more) but they both are novels that seem centered around debauchery (on a side note - none of the kids I tutor know this ward ... they all think it means like virtuous).
I am also reading this book called something like Olympia, Paris in the age of Manet or something like that. I have read tons of books about artists lately, so I was pretty familiar with Manet's life to being with. At first I was not so impressed with Manet's paintings, but I have to admit they are really growing on me, now. I really enjoy them and am thinking about going to the Museum of Fine Arts again to check out the Manet's that are there. I haven't been to the museum in so long, it will be good to make one last stop before I go. Speaking of which, Katsu and I really need to go see the Fogg art museum and I am still bummed we didn't get time to go to the MOMA. Another day, I guess.
Well, I really better work on that paper or clean or something (especially since bookclub is at my house).
Versaille was an interesting book but kind of cryptic and not what I expected. It described Versaille, all the rooms, etc. etc. in terms of the life of Marie Antoinette. Quite interesting. Made me feel a bit sorry for the poor Queen as well as very excited to see Versailles. I read all the history of the building on the official Versailles web page as well.
I also read The Sun Also Rises, possibly my first Hemingway, but maybe not. I didn't particularly like it. First thing I did when I woke up this morning was check out SparkNotes and try to figure out why this book was famous and if I was missing something. The dialogue was definately more modern than books that came before it. I liked it much bettter than Great Gatsby (I enjoyed the style much more) but they both are novels that seem centered around debauchery (on a side note - none of the kids I tutor know this ward ... they all think it means like virtuous).
I am also reading this book called something like Olympia, Paris in the age of Manet or something like that. I have read tons of books about artists lately, so I was pretty familiar with Manet's life to being with. At first I was not so impressed with Manet's paintings, but I have to admit they are really growing on me, now. I really enjoy them and am thinking about going to the Museum of Fine Arts again to check out the Manet's that are there. I haven't been to the museum in so long, it will be good to make one last stop before I go. Speaking of which, Katsu and I really need to go see the Fogg art museum and I am still bummed we didn't get time to go to the MOMA. Another day, I guess.
Well, I really better work on that paper or clean or something (especially since bookclub is at my house).
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Coming Up ...
This weekend is Katsu's graduation (his Master's is done!!! YEAH!!!). It is exciting because he didn't walk last year for his bachelors. Unfortunately, it looks like it is going to rain ... again ... it was pouring last year and they passed out poncho's to the entire crowd waiting in the field. And this year, the speaker at BU is the president of Afghanistan so security will be crazy. But, Katsu's brother Kiyo is coming in from London to see the graduation so we are really excited about that. We'll post pictures afterwards.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Amanda's Thoughts of the Day
I checked out a set of lectures from the Boston Public Library (which I am going to miss SO much when we move) called "The History of English Language" by Professor Seth Lerer. It's a set of 36 lectures on 18 CD's - half an hour a lecture. Anyways, I have truly enjoyed them and just finished them today. I learned a lot about language that I never knew before which I really enjoyed. I also feel like my brain expands just listening to these things. I kind of regret that I wasn't able to study liberal arts that much in college - engineering only leaves you with so much time. I feel as though studying the liberal arts really expands your brain and lets you learn and understand the world in so many different ways.
Anyways, this brings up so many thoughts and issues about language:
Is one language better than another? More complicated than another? I would first say, no, but then the person who really spread these ideas (Noam Chomsky) sure took these thoughts to very liberal conclusions that I don't think I agree with. Does believing in a lingual relativism require believing in a moral or any other kind of relativism?
Is there a reason for promoting a standard English in schools? Should there be a standard English? Is African-American English any worse than normal language or simply different? When people speak differently than we do (i.e. with a different dialect, different pronunciation) are they any worse than us? Any less literate?
I think one of the interesting ideas from this course is that how can speaking a different dialect make one person more or less literate. More or less intelligent. In fact, a great many of the debates around language really center around politics. It used to be that a high class person in Middle English spoke French and Latin. However, as speaking solely English came back into fashion with the emergence of Modern English, the high-class person now spoke the London dialect with the "proper" spelling. How much do we use these same sort of ideas to judge the language of another?
More questions ... if language is constantly changing and is a dynamic creature, what is the value of learning proper grammar and spelling in schools? Is "proper" English neccessary if we can communicate? Is it simply a desire to ensure that our offspring stay in the correct social class and communicate likewise? Interesting questions, indeed. I wonder if with the new emphasis on grammar on the SAT, if grammer will be taught more thoroughly, especially in high school. Many question the learning and importance grammar in these veins, and yet, I still see value in grammar, especially as it helps students to be better writers.
And of course, that's not even brushing on spelling. Should we use historical and pseudo-historical spelling as we do, or should we have a phonological spelling?
Well, enough interesting questions for the day. But it's a lot to think about. I never really thought so much about language and the debates that will continually flood our society about it.
Amanda
Anyways, this brings up so many thoughts and issues about language:
Is one language better than another? More complicated than another? I would first say, no, but then the person who really spread these ideas (Noam Chomsky) sure took these thoughts to very liberal conclusions that I don't think I agree with. Does believing in a lingual relativism require believing in a moral or any other kind of relativism?
Is there a reason for promoting a standard English in schools? Should there be a standard English? Is African-American English any worse than normal language or simply different? When people speak differently than we do (i.e. with a different dialect, different pronunciation) are they any worse than us? Any less literate?
I think one of the interesting ideas from this course is that how can speaking a different dialect make one person more or less literate. More or less intelligent. In fact, a great many of the debates around language really center around politics. It used to be that a high class person in Middle English spoke French and Latin. However, as speaking solely English came back into fashion with the emergence of Modern English, the high-class person now spoke the London dialect with the "proper" spelling. How much do we use these same sort of ideas to judge the language of another?
More questions ... if language is constantly changing and is a dynamic creature, what is the value of learning proper grammar and spelling in schools? Is "proper" English neccessary if we can communicate? Is it simply a desire to ensure that our offspring stay in the correct social class and communicate likewise? Interesting questions, indeed. I wonder if with the new emphasis on grammar on the SAT, if grammer will be taught more thoroughly, especially in high school. Many question the learning and importance grammar in these veins, and yet, I still see value in grammar, especially as it helps students to be better writers.
And of course, that's not even brushing on spelling. Should we use historical and pseudo-historical spelling as we do, or should we have a phonological spelling?
Well, enough interesting questions for the day. But it's a lot to think about. I never really thought so much about language and the debates that will continually flood our society about it.
Amanda
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day, everyone!!!!!
We are busy getting ready to move and such. We have packed up quite a bit and have gotten most of the things we need for our trip to Europe. I am getting so excited!!!! It will be nice to move ... we only have 3 more Sundays at church - only 3 more weeks of Primary, yeah!!!
Katsu is graduating in just a couple weeks now. His brother, Kiyo, will be here from London, which we are very excited about. Katsu has to close the building he is a resident assistant for on Monday, so I will be in charge of entertaining Kiyo. I don't know what we'll do yet. Hopefully it will be good weather and I can take him around the Freedom Trail. Honestly, I am tempted to drive down to Newport and get one more day out of our year's pass to the mansions ... hmmm ... I miss the mansions down there.
Our friend Crystal came and visited us today. It was nice to see an old friend. At first, it was a bit unfamiliar as it has been a long time since we've spent time together. But after awhile, it was just like old times, esp. after Katsu's laughing attack.
I am trying to write up a paper to hopefully publish in the ASEE (American Society of Engineering Education) about the physics program that I helped with this semester, trying to increase the retention and grades of freshman women engineering students. I hope I can finish it - all the administrators seem somewhat doubtful, but it is at least something to keep me busy. I can't believe I only have 4 tutoring sessions left! I am almost done! Hopefully, I can pick up some more business in Michigan.
Check out my tutoring webpage:
www.geocities.com/amandafunai
Well, that's about all for our life lately! Happy Mom's Day
We are busy getting ready to move and such. We have packed up quite a bit and have gotten most of the things we need for our trip to Europe. I am getting so excited!!!! It will be nice to move ... we only have 3 more Sundays at church - only 3 more weeks of Primary, yeah!!!
Katsu is graduating in just a couple weeks now. His brother, Kiyo, will be here from London, which we are very excited about. Katsu has to close the building he is a resident assistant for on Monday, so I will be in charge of entertaining Kiyo. I don't know what we'll do yet. Hopefully it will be good weather and I can take him around the Freedom Trail. Honestly, I am tempted to drive down to Newport and get one more day out of our year's pass to the mansions ... hmmm ... I miss the mansions down there.
Our friend Crystal came and visited us today. It was nice to see an old friend. At first, it was a bit unfamiliar as it has been a long time since we've spent time together. But after awhile, it was just like old times, esp. after Katsu's laughing attack.
I am trying to write up a paper to hopefully publish in the ASEE (American Society of Engineering Education) about the physics program that I helped with this semester, trying to increase the retention and grades of freshman women engineering students. I hope I can finish it - all the administrators seem somewhat doubtful, but it is at least something to keep me busy. I can't believe I only have 4 tutoring sessions left! I am almost done! Hopefully, I can pick up some more business in Michigan.
Check out my tutoring webpage:
www.geocities.com/amandafunai
Well, that's about all for our life lately! Happy Mom's Day
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Graduation
Yesterday was my graduation. It was a long busy day for all of us. We had to get there before 8:00 to line up at the Fleet Center - the huge stadium where the Boston Celtics and the Bruins play their basketball and hockey games. I was picked to be a class marshal because I had the highest GPA in my class. So, I had to carry the flag. It was actually kind of fun and I was one of the very first people to get my diploma. They did the speed-version of giving out diplomas. They had four lines - a set of people gave you your diploma, you walked up the stage and took a picture with your dean, and then you walk back down the stairs. And each of the lines is doing the same thing - so it is totally crazy. They don't say anyone's name and you share your .5 seconds of fame with 3 other people, at least. But it was fun. The music had a lot of energy - wasn't the old normal graduation music. And they said my name when I put the flag in the front of the auditorium. Fun day.
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