You can tell a lot about a person from their eyes. It’s not specifically their eyeballs so much as the muscles around those eyeballs. A slight raising of an eyebrow, tension along the sides. It speaks volumes. Pair it with body language and you have a wealth of information sitting in a single picture.
This weekend, I got to study tons of eyes. That sounds creepy. Before you picture piles of eyeballs in jars (oops, too late!), let me tell you they were paintings at the National Portrait Gallery. The presidents in particular were intriguing. Last year, I finished a fascinating book about the presidents and their personalities (Personality, Character, and Leadership in the White House). Armed with snippets of personality info, I studied the portraits.
One by one, I stood in front of the presidents, seeking to know them. (more…)
That makes me sound agoraphobic. I’m not. I just need a reason to go somewhere, a purpose. I’m not an aimless wanderer—I’m a purposeful wanderer.
And so I wandered to the craft store and Starbucks. On my way back, loaded down with a big bag of yarn and a giant cup of coffee, I was pulling out my keys to enter my apartment building when I saw it. I had no idea what it was at first. I had a horrible moment where I thought it might be a dead animal. (more…)
I wandered, browsing as I walked. I wasn’t really looking for anything. Just looking. I strolled down the stairs, and as I came around the corner, I saw it. The desk. Scratched and dusty, it looked like life had been hard on this beautiful black desk. It wobbled a little as I touched it. I ran my fingers across its surface, leaving streaks in its protective coating of dirt. Stickers dotted across it announced a price of $40.
Most people probably saw the scratches and walked away. Usually I see scratches and I think about a way to cover them up. But not this time. This time, I actually liked the scratches. Scratches and nicks are life. Heaven knows if I were a piece of furniture, I’d have plenty of scratches. (more…)