I learned how to say 'bonfire' in Spanish, today. Like most languages besides English, Spanish has more than one word for this glorious phenomenon.
"Hoguera" is the word you use for a celebratory fire; "fogata" is used when you are referring to a bonfire that burns scraps/rubbish.
The distinction made me remember one November night in Oregon: my little village of beautiful mountain dwelling neighbors lit a fogata that burned on the scraps from many days of construction and chores that we all participated in. It was one of the best fuegos (fires) I have ever been to, its glowing arms flailing far above any of our heads, making love with the black sky. We danced around it like storybook indians, retreating to the snow to coat our bodies in the damp cold only to race back to the orange that played our child's game with us, playfully daring us to come closer. Feeding on yesterday's humanizing labor and today's bliss, fogata became hoguera.
I love the idea of waste being transformed from waste into a means to celebration. Just one of many small moments in my life where I felt like I was dwelling in the rightness of the Kingdom of God.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Good Things from Today
1. Sun that's not too hot or too cold.
2. Professors that actually receive your criticism and make changes because of it.
3. Reading (actually enjoyable) research articles on stationary bikes.
4. Side-gig tech-savvy people that will come to you, pick up your computer, take it home and fix it with quality skill, and bring it back in a day or two for under $100.
5. When people love their job and tell you about it.
6. Old people that walk through campus holding hands.
7. Leaves that crunch.
8. The way that using library computers somehow manages to make you more productive.
9. Friends that I love.
10. People that love those friends well.
11. Best friends that write you sonnets about menstruating sneetches just because you ask them to.
2. Professors that actually receive your criticism and make changes because of it.
3. Reading (actually enjoyable) research articles on stationary bikes.
4. Side-gig tech-savvy people that will come to you, pick up your computer, take it home and fix it with quality skill, and bring it back in a day or two for under $100.
5. When people love their job and tell you about it.
6. Old people that walk through campus holding hands.
7. Leaves that crunch.
8. The way that using library computers somehow manages to make you more productive.
9. Friends that I love.
10. People that love those friends well.
11. Best friends that write you sonnets about menstruating sneetches just because you ask them to.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Feeling Legit
Remember that time exactly a year ago I climbed this mountain? I was just remembering how good that was. I would definitely like to climb many more mountains in my lifetime.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Briquettes is a Fun Word
Today I watched a video about how to make charcoal briquettes out of agricultural waste. Is it weird that I enjoy learning things like this more than half of the things I learn here?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)