Bet Woody Allen would've liked my outfit, too.

I actually started this yesterday morning after reading my daily Awe-Manac entry...

February 3 commemorates the birthdays of Norman Rockwell and Gertrude Stein. I imagine you are all familiar with Rockwell and his Americana-styled magazine covers, posters, and art images. Stein, perhaps not so much. She was an American (but French transplant) art critic, collector, and writer whose storied and somewhat scandalous-for-the-time life was often weaved into the novels and poems she penned.

Aside from recognizing the name, I knew little about Stein before sitting in front of my fireplace with my favorite coffee mug and daily journals this morning. I'm so glad I made time to explore. After doing a little research, I discovered that although Stein seemed to have lived a life of confusion and repression and contradiction, it was also one replete with intrigue and travel and intellectual stimulation. She interacted with artists and writers and philosophers. She was surrounded by beauty. She was in the social circles of geniuses. Thus, while I don't necessarily admire some of the political and social beliefs attributed to her, I, in Owen Wilson~Midnight in Paris~style, find her complete engagement in life completely admirable. *If you haven't seen this Woody Allen film, I definitely recommend.

"I like a view but I like to sit with my back turned to it." Gertrude Stein
This quote reminded me of a picture that was taken of me in Montego Bay, Jamaica in January of 2002. I, along with seven other Centre students, spent three weeks living in Kingston and taking a class (The Economics of Poverty) at the University of the West Indies. What an amazing experience.
I remember really liking my outfit this day. I had on a black tank top, Carhartt overalls (that I bought because I liked my Dad's so much), Teva flip flops, and a bandana I rolled and used as a head band.
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"If a picture wasn't going very well, I'd put a puppy in it." Norman Rockwell
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Instead of providing a recipe for you today, I have a suggestion. Go visit the Martha White Cooking Challenge website, peruse this year's top five entries from around the country, and vote for our very own Kelly Claywell's, Easy Blueberry Muffin Mix Dessert recipe! Let me repeat...TOP FIVE NATIONWIDE. What an honor! Congratulations, Mrs. Kelly!
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Question to think about: If you could live in any historical era (not to suggest that your life isn't completely lovely), what would it be and why? I plan to answer this in the next post.