Maybe it's just another bitterly cold day in Vermont, or maybe it's reflecting on the more sedentary nature of my life now, but I'm suffering from some serious travel blues at the moment. I guess one never gets rid of the travel bug when you've been bitten. Mainly, I keep hearkening back to places like Sana'a and Zanzibar, maybe simply because they are so exotic and thus the opposite of my decidedly non-exotic life. Also, I just have very fond memories of both places, especially Zanzibar, which was one of the most wonderful experiences of my entire life. I found myself staring at this mask that I brought back from Stone Town, and which hangs on my wall - and stares accusingly at me.
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| I actually use this mask in my Aesthetic Expression class and have my students analyze it as compared to an African aesthetic of beauty. No matter how it's judged, it's one of my favorite souvenirs. |
OK, time to get back to work. Actually, I'm getting some productive writing done lately on my long-delayed epics project. This morning I actually felt that I had found my voice, which is not an easy thing to develop. It also seems like the voice is different depending upon whether you're doing scholarly vs. creative writing, and I suspect there are sub-sections of both categories.
