This week's Share Spotlight comes from the Busted Halo blog:
Celebrating Las Posadas: "Enter Pilgrims; I Did Not Recognize You."
I've been wanting to do a post about Christmas traditions around the world, but with my busy schedule, I just haven't had time to do the research.
Luckily for me, Busted Halo is ready with some information on Las Posadas. Las Posadas is a custom in Mexico, and with some Mexican Americans, in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I'm most familiar with it from the movie, The Three Caballeros, (yeah, the one starring Donal Duck from the forties), but I've always loved the tradition.
People dress up as Mary and Joseph and travel from house to house, knocking on doors and singing, until finally, they arrive back at the first house and are let inside. It's a great show of community and of faith.
What traditions do you have for this time of year, Christian or otherwise? Are there any traditions you've heard of that you'd like me to look up and write about?
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Friday, December 13, 2013
Imagine What You'll Know Tomorrow
I'm swamped with end of semester work, so this week, y'all get a post about... my homework.
Today, my 12 to 14 page paper is due. It's the last major project of the semester and, Praise be to God, it's written. I still need to edit it before four o'clock, but at least I have something to turn in.
This paper has been a long and bumpy road for me. I have an anthropology background and I'm writing for a history professor. I've learned that we don't always think the same way and communication has been a consistent problem (seems to be a theme this semester, in fact).
There are some good things, though. I love my topic.
I'm writing on how archaeologists (and historians, and museums) look at how people got to the Americas. That theory you learned in school? That people walked across the Beringia Land Bridge roughly 14,000 years ago and then came down the ice free corridor into lower North American and eventually all the way to Tierra del Fuego?
Yeah, it's wrong.
Turns out people have been in the Americas for a lot longer than that and the archeological community can no longer deny the mounting evidence.
But what's really fascinating is what's happening now. The Beringia theory has been around for more than fifty years with virtually no opposition. That means that archaeologists are working almost from scratch to create new theories and widening their net to collect new evidence. It's the scientific theory in progress!
Sorry, minor geek out there. I find it fascinating.
If you want to learn about these new theories, I would suggest 1491 by Charles C. Mann for a good general Pre-Columbian history of the Americas. Mann is a personable writer that has pretty much made his living interpreting science history for the public.
If you are a little braver, try Across Atlantic Ice by Dennis Stanford and Bruce Bradley. It's a good bit more technical, though they do attempt to explain their terms, and really meant for archaeology students. However, their theory is fascinating and well worth the investigation.
Find any other neat books or theories? Let me know!
"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow." --Kay, Men in Black
Today, my 12 to 14 page paper is due. It's the last major project of the semester and, Praise be to God, it's written. I still need to edit it before four o'clock, but at least I have something to turn in.
This paper has been a long and bumpy road for me. I have an anthropology background and I'm writing for a history professor. I've learned that we don't always think the same way and communication has been a consistent problem (seems to be a theme this semester, in fact).
There are some good things, though. I love my topic.
I'm writing on how archaeologists (and historians, and museums) look at how people got to the Americas. That theory you learned in school? That people walked across the Beringia Land Bridge roughly 14,000 years ago and then came down the ice free corridor into lower North American and eventually all the way to Tierra del Fuego?
Yeah, it's wrong.
Turns out people have been in the Americas for a lot longer than that and the archeological community can no longer deny the mounting evidence.
But what's really fascinating is what's happening now. The Beringia theory has been around for more than fifty years with virtually no opposition. That means that archaeologists are working almost from scratch to create new theories and widening their net to collect new evidence. It's the scientific theory in progress!
Sorry, minor geek out there. I find it fascinating.
If you want to learn about these new theories, I would suggest 1491 by Charles C. Mann for a good general Pre-Columbian history of the Americas. Mann is a personable writer that has pretty much made his living interpreting science history for the public.
If you are a little braver, try Across Atlantic Ice by Dennis Stanford and Bruce Bradley. It's a good bit more technical, though they do attempt to explain their terms, and really meant for archaeology students. However, their theory is fascinating and well worth the investigation.
Find any other neat books or theories? Let me know!
"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow." --Kay, Men in Black
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Share Spotlight: Museum Marathon
This week's share spotlight comes from a UK blog, Mad Cap Science:
Museum Marathon....16 Miles, 26 Museums and One Suffragette
On December 7th, a group of intrepid individuals participated in a Museum Marathon in London. They ran/walked 16 miles and visited 26 (or 27) museums over the course of a day to raise money for guide dogs.
I love this event on two levels.
First, it's a charity event, much like other marathons are. They allow people to give their time to help a great cause.
Second, what a great way to introduce people to new museums! Only been to the Science Museum? Come in and try the Natural History Museum! Love the V&A? Check out the Sir John Soane's Museum!
Where can you see this working in the US? I think New York City is a great candidate, but where else might people be able to take a whirlwind tour of the city museums?
Museum Marathon....16 Miles, 26 Museums and One Suffragette
On December 7th, a group of intrepid individuals participated in a Museum Marathon in London. They ran/walked 16 miles and visited 26 (or 27) museums over the course of a day to raise money for guide dogs.
I love this event on two levels.
First, it's a charity event, much like other marathons are. They allow people to give their time to help a great cause.
Second, what a great way to introduce people to new museums! Only been to the Science Museum? Come in and try the Natural History Museum! Love the V&A? Check out the Sir John Soane's Museum!
Where can you see this working in the US? I think New York City is a great candidate, but where else might people be able to take a whirlwind tour of the city museums?
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Share Spotlight: Accessibility to Inclusion: The Next Step
This week's Share Spotlight comes from Museum Matters, the official blog of my Intro to Museums class:
This week's topic in my Intro to Museum Studies class was inclusion: how do we make sure everyone can enjoy our museum?
It's an important question.
Inclusion can mean a lot of different things because it can refer to a number of different groups. If you want to include an ethnic group, you'll do different things than if you want to include a group of people who are sight-impaired.
But whatever you do, it's important that it's sustainable. A special exhibit smacks of tokenism. While it may draw visitors in once, is it really likely to keep them coming back?
Do you have any suggestions? What programs or infrastructure do different groups need to feel comfortable in a museum? What have other fields done to promote inclusion?
Saturday, November 30, 2013
November Book Roundup
Books, books, and more books! Okay, there are only three, but here are the recommendations for the month.
Since I just can't run a blog without talking about books, at the end of every month, I'll give you what books I've been reading and what I've thought about them. This month has been a little slow, with school kicking into high gear, so I only have three books for you.
Since I just can't run a blog without talking about books, at the end of every month, I'll give you what books I've been reading and what I've thought about them. This month has been a little slow, with school kicking into high gear, so I only have three books for you.
Amaryllis by Jayne
Castle
An early
book of Jayne Castle’s (who also writes as Jayne Ann Krentz and Amanda Quick),
this is a quick sci-fi romance. I can tell that it’s a bit less polished than
her more recent romance novels, but it still contains all the suspense and,
well, romance, that I love from her other books. This is the first in a trilogy
about strong psychic talents and the female prisms they need to focus those
talents.
The Lost Hero by
Rick Riordan
Man do I
ever love YA, and Rick Riordan is one of the best. The first in the Heroes of
Olympus Series, the sequel to the much loved Percy Jackson and the Olympians,
The Lost Hero exhibits all of Rick Riordan’s amazing wit. A whole new cast of
characters joins the series in this book, along with some old favorites. This
is my second time reading this book and it is just as great. Knowing what I
do now, it’s amazing to see how things are set up for the following books.
The Golem and the
Jinni by Helene Wecker
I must
admit that this book took me a while to get into. The premise is very
interesting, but the action seems a bit disconnected. However, Wecker ties
everything up nicely in the end, weaving in seemingly unimportant characters
and events. The ending is a bit ambiguous, but just enough so that the reader
can decide some of the details for herself without feeling like there was no
proper resolution. All in all, a good read.
What have you been reading? Tell me in the comments! I'm always on the lookout for new books!
Friday, November 29, 2013
A New Way to Follow!
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
In my other post today, I mentioned that I use the Bloglovin app to keep on top of the many blogs I follow. Well, now you can follow me there, too!
In my other post today, I mentioned that I use the Bloglovin app to keep on top of the many blogs I follow. Well, now you can follow me there, too!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Share Spotlight: Partners in Conservation
November is Native American Heritage month and the US Fish and Wildlife Service honors the impact of the tribes who work with them.
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This week's share spotlight comes from the US Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region:
Partners in Conservation--Native American Tribes Contribute Essential Data to Elwha Watershed Restoration
I kind of grew up in the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the arm of the Department of the Interior that runs Wildlife Refuges, the places that are more for the animals than the people, as opposed to the National Parks, which tend to be more for the people than the animals.
This week's share spotlight showcases something that the USF&WS is getting increasingly awesome at: partnering with the community to make a difference. They know that conservation only works when the whole community is behind it, and the best way to get them there is to involve them, let them participate, learn, and see the results of their actions.
In this case, the major partner is a Native American tribe in the Pacific Northwest. Tribe members are essential to recording the data necessary for the USF&WS to monitor changes in the area.
Where have you seen Native Americans (or anyone) making a difference in conservation? Have you been to your local Wildlife Refuge? Odds are good there is one nearby.
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This week's share spotlight comes from the US Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region:
Partners in Conservation--Native American Tribes Contribute Essential Data to Elwha Watershed Restoration
I kind of grew up in the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the arm of the Department of the Interior that runs Wildlife Refuges, the places that are more for the animals than the people, as opposed to the National Parks, which tend to be more for the people than the animals.
This week's share spotlight showcases something that the USF&WS is getting increasingly awesome at: partnering with the community to make a difference. They know that conservation only works when the whole community is behind it, and the best way to get them there is to involve them, let them participate, learn, and see the results of their actions.
In this case, the major partner is a Native American tribe in the Pacific Northwest. Tribe members are essential to recording the data necessary for the USF&WS to monitor changes in the area.
Where have you seen Native Americans (or anyone) making a difference in conservation? Have you been to your local Wildlife Refuge? Odds are good there is one nearby.
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