Krampus Redux

It's that time of the year again!

Until this week, the most popular posts on my blog(s) were found by googling the terms "Louisiana gecko" "forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit" and "In Cold Blood vocabulary." But as of today, the search term "Krampus" has found my blog 111 times in the past week and I'm at a loss to understand why! My blog pops up immediately on an image search for the other terms.  But how do people find my blog when it doesn't appear in the first ten pages of an "Everything" search and this picture only shows up on page 6 of an "Image" search?

Here's a lovely video (not mine) of the sights and sounds of Krampus:

On this, St. Nicholas Day, I confess that I miss Krampus night. I miss the brioche Krampusse with their red ribbon tongues and the gingerbread Krampusse from Cafe Mitter.  

Brioche Krampusse - Thanks, Ingrid!

Gingerbread Krampus - Thanks, Caitlin!

And I miss the real Krampusse with their bells and masks and switches! 

Dueling Krampusse

I especially miss the Goaß! 

My happy place

I know I've mentioned Strands Cafe before but this semester it has taken on new meaning. Last fall my H & R Block Tax Course met on Saturday mornings so I never got to enjoy Strands. Last spring I was so busy working two jobs that I didn't have time or energy to spend at Strands on Saturday mornings. This summer I was too broke to afford the luxury that is Strands, and earlier this fall I was trying to stay away from fat on the advice of my doctor. But with 74 student research papers staring me in the face before the end of the semester and a cholecystectomy scheduled for December, I have decided I need a happy place.  That happy place is Strands.

Strands has a European ambience - the first thing that caught my eye were the large framed photographs of castles from Germany and Austria hanging on the rough brick walls. The owner is a former pilot and his favorite destinations were in central Europe. The high tin ceiling, wood floors, and cafe furniture give one the feeling that "I'm not in Baton Rouge anymore."  The menu consists of coffees, teas, baked goods, hand crafted chocolates and recently they've added lunch selections. 

Coffee service, croissant with butter and raspberry jam

They regularly have scones (sweet and savory) and the best cinnamon rolls I've every had (big enough to share in popover form), along with plain, chocolate, and almond croissants. They also have sipping chocolate, a double-shot of rich chocolate spiced with cinnamon and hot chili  (cue Chocolat):

 They also have Wi-Fi which means I can sit at the corner table next to the big grandfather clock and work. Or, if I'm feeling indulgent I can sit and draw. And it's a real meeting place where I have sat for hours on end with former students or friends or colleagues just catching up and escaping from the rigors of academic life. So far I've submitted my article for the colloquium in Croatia, and I've almost successfully negotiated an entire semester as professional-in-residence in Greek and Roman art history.  I've built up some valuable knowledge about the Near East and Egypt, and about the advantages and disadvantages of assigning undergraduate research papers. All of this will be helpful next semester when I teach an introductory survey course (275 students!), Later Greek Art and a graduate research seminar on Rome through the Ages. And on my four-day weekends, you'll probably find me de-stressing at Strands!

Urban Oasis

Fall Break 2011

It's been quite a week - there's nothing quite like Fall Break to help put things in perspective. On the one hand, we're half way through the semester, which helps me figure out where I need to be in all of my classes (it also reminds me how close we are to the beginning of the spring semester - yikes!). I also cleaned the house, did laundry, prepared food for the coming week, met with a good friend who was visiting from Missouri, and caught up a little on sleep.

But four days off also gave me enough free time to complete page 5000(!) of the journal I started when I was sixteen. And as I do with many journal entries, I reassessed where I am and where I want to be in the future. It's just like having a long, introspective conversation with myself.

Just a few of the volumes I've written in since I was 16!

Many of you know that I am was hopelessly addicted to the Internet. A week ago I deactivated my Facebook account, and part of my reassessment included how important news and entertainment headlines, LOLcats, the Deathlist, etc. are for me. Answer: they're not. Like television, the Internet is a vast wasteland that can suck you in and reluctantly spits you out again. I got rid of my television years ago. And while I can't get rid of the Internet, which truly is a helpful tool for research and communication with students, I can limit myself to what's really important.

I also managed to set priorities and identify my big rocks: My long term goal is to get a semi-permanent teaching job, preferably in Austria (hoping I haven't jinxed myself by putting that in writing!). My immediate goal is to finish an article for the Proceedings of the Colloquium on Roman Provincial Art I attended last May. I also have to see my students through their next set of exams, and get them started on their term papers. And I've got some medical testing ahead of me, just to keep things interesting!

All in all, I am in a much better position, physically and emotionally, than I was a year ago at this time.  The Foreign Language Fourteen still meet once a month, but most of us have landed on our feet and are looking forward to what the future brings.

Greek Theatre

I have a Photostream!

Last week I became an official member of Urban Sketchers!  To celebrate I set up a Photostream on Flickr, so that all my sketches are in one place.  To view them, click here!

Simmering Goddess 2010

On a roll!

Gordon & Sandifer Auto Service

Urban Sketching

Exciting things are happening just when they need to be!  First, there's a new monthly breakfast lecture series called Creative Louisiana.  It's based on something called Creative Mornings, which is gaining an international following.  The first Creative Louisiana I attended was about the new Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame by Trahan Architects.  The second lecture was by renowned Louisiana wildlife photographer C.C. Lockwood.  The whole point of this series is to bring together creative types.  One thing led to another, and I now find myself on the cutting edge of a new group:  B.R. Urban Sketchers A LA Carte.  We are inspired by Urban Sketchers, another international initiative "to see the world one drawing at a time."  Our first outing was last Friday, and we're so excited that we're planning weekly sketches, when we first thought we'd only meet monthly.  Here's my first sketch at City Park in Baton Rouge:

What I like most about our new group is the opportunity to draw meditatively with easy-going people who all have artistic strengths and encouragement to share!

After the storm

After depositing eight inches of rain in the Capital City, Tropical Storm Lee is now trundling off to the northeast and we are waking up to 58° this morning! For a city that has a single weather forecast from June to October (low 74°, high 93°, with an afternoon thunderstorm between 3:00 and 4:00 pm), this is almost as joyful as waking up to new fallen snow!  To sleep with the windows open, to enjoy coffee on the porch, to walk around the lakes without the threat of heat exhaustion - well, I can think of plenty of outdoor activities over the next few days before the 90° weather sets back in.

Caution: Artist at work!

Sketching at Artist's Point, Grand Marais, MN

What I sketched

A new beginning

After months of uncertainty, the winds finally turned in my favor!  For the academic year 2011-2012 I’ll be a professional-in-residence in Greek and Roman art history.  The position gives me stability for a year, and allows me to work on research and publications.  The only drawback is that I’ll still be in hot and humid Louisiana.  I try to focus on the good points, such as the terrific rhythm and blues radio station broadcast from Baton Rouge High School.  I’d also rave about the food, but the seafood is still a little suspect after the BP oil disaster last year.

Teaching just MWF leaves my TTh open for research and errands that I never seem to have time for.  I’ve been back two years and am just getting around to getting my brake tag.  But first I had to take my car in to get the taillight replaced and some windshield chips repaired.  Ragusa’s is an awesome place to go for car maintenance - unfortunately everyone in town knows that, so when I stopped by at 7:45 this morning, they already were scheduling for the afternoon.  Always flexible and ready for anything, I came prepared to work on class material and do a little shopping.   I’ve been craving homemade Austrian soup and needed to pick up some soup bones at Calandro’s.  Calandro’s is an institution, celebrating its 70^th year.  They carry a few Austrian wines, Austrian pumpkin seed oil and a domestic Slivowitz that isn’t half bad. 

Is it soup yet?

Calandro’s is less than a mile from Ragusa’s, so I dropped my car off and set out with my cooler ... on foot.  The folks at Ragusa’s thought I was crazy.  So did the cop at Calandro’s.  Seriously it’s the same distance from the center of Wörschach to the train station!  I’ve driven that stretch of Government a thousand times, and I saw things on foot that I’ve never seen before:  a charming old boarded up grocery, a law office with Christmas decorations still hung, antique shops and second hand stores I never knew existed. And yet along this extremely busy four-lane road at rush hour I could still appreciate the cool breeze and the trill of crickets in the grass.

Thanks to Tiger Trails which conveniently stops right in front of Ragusa’s, I made it back home with my purchases, put on some soup, and will work on class prep until they call to come pick up my car. With apologies to Mr. Rogers, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

Update:  9/23/2011

Mr. Roger's Introductions 1967-2000

The Deliberate Life

My goal for this summer has been order and routine.  I figure if I can get into a physical routine, orderly thought processes, instead of simply reacting instinctively to external stimuli as I have for the past few months, are sure to follow. 

This is one reason I planned a month in Europe.  There is a deliberate orderliness to life there that can’t be matched in the States.  Maybe it’s the fact that there is planning involved:  days are organized around public transportation schedules and the times shops are open.  Some might think that this makes life more complicated.  I think it simplifies everything.  There’s no waiting until the last minute then rush, rush, rush to get everything done. 

For four weeks I lived a very orderly life:  I woke up, made my bed, put on my slippers, ate breakfast, bought organic food, tidied the kitchen after every meal, recycled, composted, rinsed out a few items of clothing every day and hung them on the rack provided, not on random pieces of furniture and put all of the things I used during the day (books, papers, computer, clothes) into cupboards before I went to bed. 

And then...  I came back to Louisiana where jet lag and the uncertainties of life sent me back into survival mode.  After a week and a half of that nonsense--and possibly because my living space was approaching plague rat status--I decided to bring order into my American life and cleaned my apartment.  As in, I sorted through all the papers, shredded, filed, folded, vacuumed, swept, and scrubbed.  No longer can I use the excuse “I can’t work in a mess” to avoid all of the things I’ve got to do.  I also have an idea of what I’ve got and where everything is, in case I have to “bug out.”

The result is better than any MAOI.  I am calmer and happier than I’ve been since August 27, 2010.  I’ve begun to do research again and I even have time for creative endeavors.  I am prepared for whatever life throws at me -- and I should hear any day now!

Green Bananas

My father, who was born in the first third of the 20^th century, often jokes that he’s so old, he doesn’t even buy green bananas any more.  I had a similar experience today.  As I handed my Winn-Dixie card to the cashier, she shook her head and said, “Go back and get you your free one”  Excuse me?  She pointed at the sticker on a package of pork chops, “It’s buy one, get one free.”  I said, “I only need one.”  She stared at me in disbelief - was I really going to turn down free meat in these hard economic times?  “But if I’m only here for a month, I can’t eat more than five pork chops in that time.”

“If I’m only here for one month...”  rang in my ears as I walked to my car in the oppressive 96 degree heat.  But it’s true, I don’t know where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing come the beginning of the fall semester.  I was so busy surviving the past year (from being fired without cause to working two full time jobs, one of which involved learning a new trade) I haven’t had much time to think about what’s next.  While in Austria I interviewed for two jobs which depend on the nostrification of my American academic credentials, and since I’ve been back I’ve interviewed for a job in the States which depends on approval of the budget.  One would keep me in Louisiana, the other would involve selling everything I own and moving overseas.  

But right now I’m daintily treading the tightrope of uncertainty between my past and the future.  There’s a green banana peel up ahead.  No matter what happens, it’s sure to be an adventure, right?! 

My summer in pictures

At the Roman amphitheater in Pula, Croatia

On the beach at Brijuni, Croatia

Spolia beneath the church in Zadar, Croatia

'Coffee to-go' in Narona, Croatia

At the Volksoper in Vienna with Camerata Alpinica

Sigi debuts his new dulcimer

Friends Anita and Raimund celebrate their birthday

Wörschach at sunset

Peacock, Eggenberg Palace, Graz

Wolkenstein ruins overlooking the Enns Valley

Carnuntum - Right place, right time

St. John the Baptist and Evangelist, Hohenberg, Austria

A houseplant

3 unrelated items

A bowl of fruit

A jar full of something (in this case, a jar full of cherries
fermenting to become Kirschwasser!)

The contents of a trashcan

30 Days of Drawing

A former student posted "30 Days of Drawing" to Facebook, with assignments for every day.  I'm grateful to her for giving me the motivation to pursue drawing while on vacation!

My own foot

The interior of something (Orchid)

Something not pretty

Interior of my closet

A new feature - Restaurant Review!

I was recently in Pula, Croatia for a conference on Roman provincial art.  The site was chosen for its extensive Roman history, founded in the Republican period and for the numerous archaeological sites that are preserved, including the amphitheater that dominates the skyline.  After I finished tweaking my paper, I set out into the city for a celebratory meal.  I discovered the Forum Cafe, located in the heart of Pula on the original Roman forum.  The menu was posted in several different languages (Croatian, German, English, French, Italian, and Russian) accompanied by pictures.  The waitress greeted me, assessing what kind of food I was interested and what language I spoke.  She wasn’t pushy like most restaurant shills, so I allowed myself to be escorted to a peony-bedecked table and immersed myself in the extensive menu.

There are several specialties in Istria: seafood including fresh fish, squid, and octopus because of the proximity of the Adriatic; fried cutlets inspired by their Austro-Hungarian history, and truffles.  I was torn between the fresh asparagus omelet and the fried squid (I love the tentacles!) but the waitress persuaded me to try fuži with truffle cream sauce.  In addition I ordered a mixed salad and a Croatian white wine then sat back to enjoy the bustle of the forum. 

Temple of Augustus, Pula

The function of the Forum hasn’t changed much in 2000 years.  It is still a center of commerce and law.  Every provincial center had a forum, harking back to the original forum in Rome.  In addition to the reconstructed first century temple to Augustus, there was originally a temple to the Capitoline Triad (Jupiter, Juno and Minerva).  City hall has replaced this monument, but the outline of the (presumed) Diana temple can be seen at the back of this building.  The Pula tourist bureau is also here, as are several other restaurants and souvenir shops around the wide central square.

Fuži

 Fuži are thin squares of pasta which have been folded over into tubes.  The sauce was pure cream and butter, with a dollop of truffle tapenade on top.  The salad was a mixture of tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage and cucumber, and could be adapted to taste with oil and vinegar (you have to ask if you want olive oil).  The house white wine was the perfect complement.  My only complaint was that the pasta was undersalted, but that may be because my tastebuds are not sophisticated enough for truffle. The price for my meal  was reasonable by American standards:  about $12 for the pasta, $4 for the salad, $3 for a glass of wine and $3 for a bottle of mineral water. 

The dinner was exactly what I needed to relax, and my paper the next day went well.  Thanks to the friendly staff at the Forum Cafe for taking good care of me!

Greetings from Croatia!

This year has been good for conferences – first CAMWS in Grand Rapids and now the XIIth International Colloquium on Roman Provincial Art in Pula, Croatia.  In retrospect, it’s amazing that I presented a paper in Pula.  I didn’t know about the colloquium until the day before the deadline and begged for another 24 hours to submit an abstract.  By the time I found out it had been accepted (through the program posted on the internet) I had missed the registration deadline.  I never received any information about the conference except for hotel information.  Somehow I made my way from Baton Rouge to Atlanta to New York to Venice, and then to Trieste by train and by bus to Pula, arriving 28 hours after I’d started my journey.  When I showed up with my 26 minute paper, I found out it as supposed to be 20 minutes – but this was an hour before I presented and it was too late to change anything.  It wasn’t until the last day of the conference that I discovered that the email address they had for me was wrong!  But my paper was well-received, and should be published in the Proceedings – a real publication for me!

Headquarters, Italian Community in Pula

In most other respects, the conference was extraordinarily well-organized.  It was held at the Headquarters of the Italian Community in Pula in a state of the art meeting room with simultaneous translation of papers into Croatian, German, English, French and Italian through headsets.  Coffee breaks were held on the expansive terrace and lunch was held in the lapidarium of the Archaeological Museum of Istria, where we stood on Roman mosaics and used tombstones as tables!

New friends at the Archaeological Museum of Istria

Several excursions were arranged, including cocktails at the archaeological site of Nesactium, lit by titi torches, with entertainment provided by a Roman music enthusiast:

We traveled to Brijuni National Park by boat, and visited local museums at Buzet  and Labin.  After the conference, there was an optional excursion to Nin, Zadar , and Split to see Diocletian’s Palace.  An anonymous benefactor made this excursion possible (Thanks, Dad!).  

Pula amphitheater at sunset