A non-Sequintur

Monday morning.  Though I've been awake for nearly three hours (courtesy of spin class), I could still use a bit of motivation.  You?  I think this item doesn't quite make inspiration but does fall in the realm of interesting party conversation and perhaps a water cooler mention.  After all, I do like shiny.

From Encyclopedia of the Exquisite by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins, the origin of sequin came from the French interpretation of zecchino (Venetian), a gold coin hailing from 1284.  For those following the fashion trends, coins were some of the earliest accessories from about 200 AD.  [Shiny happy people holding hands.] Of course when times grew tight and wars aplenty, coins turned to fake coins, which eventually made their way to thinly stamped sheets of gold and silver (if your name had a roman numeral following such as Henry VIII or Queen Elizabeth I).  The rest of the crowd likely donned brass (if any).  Jump a few eras, another war or few, and various innovation to the 1920s.  This age of flapper marked the beginning of the modern sequin.  The event which secured its place among thousands of Southerners through (likely) perpetuity?  According to our author, it was the extremely notable 1939 ruby red slippers.

So there you have it. The sequin sequence.

The Fault Line

Saturday randomness before running:

Just a few days left in the month to get registered for World Book Night.  Like many good things, it was launched in the UK first last year and provides an opportunity for individuals to give others the experience of reading.

Check out this NPR interview with John Green on The Fault in Our Stars.  Green's chat is at times moving as he answers questions about the background of the book; two kids with cancer meet at a support group and fall in love.  The book is geared for young readers (though that doesn't stop many of us from breaking genres).

Hope your Saturday randomness is a lot of fun.

Spinnin' Heads

I seem to be on an art kick this week.  I'll attribute this interest to the following events/discoveries :

1. this link from MOMA on Online Courses.
2. the Sundance Film Fest.  Robert Redford.
3. MITx courseware.  I'm big in Japan. 
4. as the week progresses, I'm getting more sleep deprived.  Pictures are pretty.

This of course didn't stop me from checking out two more books from the library...once I remembered my PIN.  

Author's Note:  Links in Item #3 above specifically for GBC K1m and T1m and for anyone else who enjoys Spinnin' TV and needs to rock out at their desk today.

Survival of the Fittest

According to Brain Rules: 12 Rules for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina, I should have been in bed at the moment I arrived home from work and the gym yesterday.  Retiring at that hour would have given me a more optimal number of hours of sleep before this morning's run.  Instead, I made The Palm's blackened salmon with a side of Brussels sprouts. [Cast iron skillet = amazing!] The good news is that I am well on the well to mastering Rule #1:  "Exercise Boosts Brain Power."

On the flip side, I know I struggle with Rule #7: "Sleep Well, Think Well."  I sleep very soundly, but perhaps not consistently on the seven to eight hours side of the coin.  Though not yet to Rule #4: "We don't pay attention to boring things," I know I can fall into this lot. [Still with me? Good.]  A list of all 12 Brain Rules can be found here; as far as a list goes, it's quite good.  We will see if I can turn any of the suggestions into habits and invoke a little Gloria Gaynor.