Einstein Goes To The Museum

Starting in March the Carnegie Museum of Natural History hosted an exhibit on race and racism.  Last Thursday I finally found the time to go see it.  I went with a friend and my buddy Einstein. 

I might share my thoughts on that exhibit in another post.  Right now I want to show you how much Einstein enjoyed this field trip.  There were some surprises.

This display of bugs was right near the elevator.  Very natural history-ish.

Einstein does not seem too thrilled.

Einstein seems to often find himself threatened by birds.  Last year it was a big rubber ducky.  This time it's an eagle sculpture.

Einstein once again in peril - is he going to be lunch for the eagle?

Since the Carnegie is both an art museum and a natural history museum, we were not surprised to see people amongst the dinosaurs, honing their drawing skills.  It was a surprise to be looking down on the dinosaurs from above - not the usual vantage point one gets at a museum.

This photo is here mainly to point out that I was at the
museum WITHOUT CHILDREN so I did not HAVE to
 go see the dinosaurs up close.  

We were thrilled to see these guys in an exhibit about birds which we rushed past on the way to the race exhibit:

Foghorn Leghorn and Opus.

After seeing the exhibit on race, we tried to do a mad rush to see the rest of the museum.  First, to the Hall of Sculpture.  It is surprisingly empty of sculpture, unless you count pillars as sculpture.

This room is just crying out for some activity:
a water balloon fight?  a three-legged race?
One wonders if the sculptures have all gone out for tea.

Some clever sculptures on the second level of the Hall of Sculpture

A few more sculptures, but really,
we are not getting our money's worth of
sculptures in this Hall.

Then we rushed down toward the Hall of Architecture, stopping to see Jane on the way.

Einstein said he did want to stop and see this dinosaur.
 Jane was just hanging out in the hallway,
waiting to use the bathroom.  

 
 The Hall of Architecture, in contrast to the Hall of Sculpture, is crammed full of artistic objects.  My friend said that this has been her favorite part of the museum since childhood, and with good reason.  It has many fascinating things in it.

Sophocles stands guard at the entrance of the Hall of Architecture.

Einstein at the feet of Sophocles.

All of Sophocles with a little bit of Einstein

The Hall of Architecture contains a clash of ancient and modern.  On the left there is the facade of a Romanesque church from 12th century France, details of which I might show you in another post. There are all those majestic pillary things, which we did not even look at, and a piano hanging dangerously from the ceiling.  

The piano is participatory art - the sign encouraged us to not be afraid and to stand under the piano and take a selfie.  Einstein was game.  

Brave Einstein, among 12th and 21st century art.

All I could think of was the Veggie Tales movie of "Esther" where murderous peas try to drop a piano on the king.  I spent as little time as possible helping Einstein get under this piano.

Did a Boy Scout tie that huge knot?
What kind of knot is it, anyway?

Do you enjoy visiting museums?  What's your favorite?

What event would you want to have in that empty Hall of Sculpture?

Lo, They Have Returned

In the second or third week of the tenth month, there shall be a break from the learning in the halls of academe.  Each student shall return to his place of origin, lo, unto the city or small town or farm or suburb of his infancy. 

Both the oldest daughter and the middle son shall return, each to their parents’ house.  There, she shall rise up at mid-morning and wrap herself in a blanket.  In like manner, he shall sleep in until noonday, and then occupy the breakfast table with sundry and divers food preparation.  Despite the sudden lack of space at the table, there shall be all manner of glad banter – it is a blessing from the Lord.

           

Then shall the children of the house join in battle over the piano. They shall make a joyful noise.  First the oldest will prevail, playing her lyrical songs with arpeggios and lovely melodies.  At the moment she rises up and departs from the piano bench, the middle and youngest children will come nigh; lo, they will fully occupy the piano bench together. 

 

Our son, but not our piano, not our living room

Verily, then shall the youngest child mock her older brother with these words, “I wrote this music! I bet you can’t play it.”  Yea, though she hope that he will be able to play it, she will continue in her provocation, for truly that is the purpose of little sisters.  And it shall come to pass that together the brother and the sister do play the song, and the notes are sweet and pleasant to the ear.

And lo, after a time the youngest child shall grow weary and depart thence in search of refreshment, knowing that that very day her father hath brought Doritos into the house.  Then shall the middle son fully rejoice in his victory at the piano by playing the big pieces by Rachmaninoff and by Beethoven and that duet by Saint-Saens for which his mother has not touched her part since August.

And behold, the entire time of the noise of this great host of children, the father of these very children shall be napping.  This is right and seemly; marvelous are the works of the Lord.

Then shall the mother of the household say, “Behold how good and how pleasant it is when kindred dwell together in unity.  It is a blessing from the Lord.”

                                                                        - The Book of Jubilations 133:1-20

Vignette from the Common Household

Youngest Daughter is in the kitchen baking a cake, singing the song “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from Mulan with her own lyrics:  “Missus, I’ll make a cook out of you!... Let’s get down to stirring... with all the strength of a raging pie crust, as serious as the dark side of the cake!”  Earlier this afternoon, tired of her wasting her brain in front of Phineas and Ferb, I gave her a choice: “For dinner tonight you are going to make either a vegetable or a dessert.  You pick which one.”  She will not let me see the recipe she is using.  Maybe it’s carrot cake, which would qualify for both categories!

Meanwhile, Son is at the piano, pounding out John Williams' theme from the “Superman” movie.   It has a lot of octaves and loud chords.

I am in the office, agonizing over the date of next year’s retreat, listing the tasks my aunt needs to do to be ready to move to the retirement home, and trying to ignore my sore throat and impending cold.

Oldest Daughter is at college, doing who knows what, but probably pining away for the care package that I have not sent to her yet.  Sorry, sweetie!  I didn’t get to it yet.  But don’t worry, it will not have any singing rabbi dolls in it this time.

My husband is at work.  Good thing one of us did some work today.

What's going on with you right now?

Beware of Dead Fish

Common Household Hint:

Beware of dead fish; they still can fight back: Do not stab yourself on the dorsal-fin spines of a red snapper fish. If you stab said spine on, for instance, your finger, then your finger will swell and hurt like the dickens. Try to find out before, not after, you prepare the fish, that the spines contain a toxin.

I hope that I will be able to play the piano again someday (sob).