Relationships

I was reading an article about romantic relationships yesterday. In it the author wrote that there are two questions to ask when considering a relationship. The first is:  Where am I going? The second is: Who is going with me? And the most important thing to remember is that the order of these two questions should never be reversed.

Oh and another point made in the article:  Relationships work best when you always do what's best for you. 

There are always those relationships that end because one person has to continue their life in a different place. The other person could not follow. It is about finding someone who can and will go with you in the next step of your life and beyond. 

That Dreadful Thing

My friend and former college roommate (known her since 2002-3) is getting married. Initially I was invited without a guest but then I told her I hate going to parties by myself. She then said I could bring a guest. So I was happy. Then I realized, eek. If I go, I will have to go out to the floor for the dreaded bouquet toss. I hate the bouquet toss. The last wedding I attended, I actually tried to hide from the bouquet toss. I just don't understand why the party needs to have people go on the floor who do not wish to participate. That part of the tradition needs to change.

the foundation program

in my research, i've come across this before and only yesterday have i really taken notice of it:  foundation programs in u.k. universities. typically a one year course of study for certain fields of study for entering undergraduate students who lack the educational background needed to apply for an undergraduate study. these students could be career changers like myself, or maybe students who feel they need more time to prepare. completing and passing the foundation year they are usually admitted into the bachelors program at that same university but can also apply to other u.k. universities.

it is one year. basic courses in that field make up the program. somehow that is enough to prepare the student for entry into the bachelors program. fortunately, many universities offer the program i need: science and engineering. i've look through just about all the universities that came up in the google search. in a lot of these foundation programs for engineering i will need to take statistics, chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus and physics. and that's just the advanced courses. i may also have to take the lower math: algebra, geometry, trig.  great... well, i was already thinking of enrolling in a junior college at home and taking statistics and chemistry.

compared to the u.s., it is light in math courses. before i thought i would have to take so many of the classes i already took--basically doing the bachelors degree from the very beginning. interesting that a bachelors in the u.k. only consists of courses for your major. there are no general education courses. perhaps they (u.k. students) already took those classes in their high school equivalent. therefore many bachelors program in the u.k is only 3 years.

i already know which program i want to do for my master's (though that can change if i find something better). i just need to figure out which foundation program and which bachelors program will best prepare me for the master's.

scary to think that i can leave as early as next fall.

field trip, part 2

the sky cleared up by the time i left in the late afternoon.

back to the museum...in front of the museum is chris burden's piece. at night, the lamp posts are all lit and it's a beautiful sight. the exhibition i went to see, the james turrell retrospective, visitors are not allowed to take any photographs so all i got were images of other pieces in other exhibitions. however you can read about his work and see images here. the sculpture above is centaur by pablo picasso. i also love the giant screen (image 5) in the museum's courtyard.

i highly recommend the james turrell retrospective though. i definitely want to make another trip.

field trip, part 1

some time last year i went to lacma (los angeles county museum of art). i took these photos and never posted them. i am posting them now because i took another trip to this museum yesterday and took more pictures. the photos from last year will help tell the story of the whole trip.

the first photo i took while waiting for the metro. (yes, l.a. has a metro). as you can see, not as busy as other metros around the world. the berlin wall piece was actually located across the street from lacma and is part of the wende museum's program, the wall project. the last picture is just the backside. i'm glad i walked up to it last year because now the lawn has been taped off so you can't get up close anymore (although you could just walk over the tape, if you want. there was no security in front). sadly, i don't think people are aware that it is a piece of the berlin wall as they are driving by it.

from the wende museum website:

"...the Museum conceived and produced The Wall Project, a public art initiative which commemorated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Garnering press in over two-dozen countries and broadcast live in Europe, The Wall Project’s culminating event on November 8, 2009 was the largest of its kind outside of Berlin."

i still can't believe i was in france for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall.  it was a nice surprise to see this a few years after my return home.  the irony that i see it in l.a. and not in europe.  there is also a smaller section of the wall at the richard nixon library and museum in yorba linda (california). i got to see that piece when i was in college as part of a class trip.

a lovely list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

love, love, love! these pieces.

1. miniature wearable planter, $22. wearable planter.

2. gold dipped clear quartz crystal necklace, $30, elladolce.

3. boracay frame clutch, pink. $68, anthropologie