At the turn of a new year, often thoughts turn to dreams, desires—and sometimes even destiny. We rethink, refocus, reset for the next to come. Whether you set intentions, made some of those resolutions, or have given yourself a talking to in order to remain more in the present moment, December turns to January...and then the hard work begins.
Since biblical times, Israel has been engaged in the manufacture of wine. It is currently the only country in the Middle East to do so commercially and professionally.
Before the modern era—and we are talking about two thousand years ago—wine production in Israel was primarily for religious rites, with quantity being more essential than quality. Because of several military occupations, the industry never entirely took off until the end of the nineteenth century, experiencing ups and downs (and even disappearance) along the way.
The Great Wall of China, one of the seven wonders of the world and a UNESCO Heritage Site, is on many a bucket list (raises hand and waves). The Great Wall (actually in sections, so walls) is incredibly long (over 13,000 miles!), and averages a height of 20 feet, width of 21 feet.
The start of a new year always seems to suggest and invite beginnings and changes, thinking over what has come before and considering what may be.
In these shifting times with changes and uncertainties continuing in every aspect of life, music can offer reflection, hope, and guidance when considering all these situations.
Taking a semester to travel and study abroad can be a challenging but positive experience for students. The benefits can include anything from enhancing your network to increasing your employment opportunities.
Preparing for a Semester Abroad
It was a water photo that drew me in, of course. A snow-covered rock up on Minnesota’s North Shore, sun peeking through icicles, wave movement, sea smoke, the gorgeous clouds of sunrise…Minneapolis photographer Scott Youmans captured magic in that moment, and shared it with us all.
A few weeks before embarking on our first pandemic cruise, I researched our tour options. Even though COVID levels were under control in St. Kitts, San Juan, and St. Thomas, we did not feel comfortable sitting on a cruise ship tour bus or being part of a large group. Unlike many other passengers who felt safest aboard the ship, we wanted to explore St. Kitt’s historic sites, only reachable by car or bus.
PUL3E is an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) project founded by Emilie and her partner Andrew, creating unique digital art on the Ethereum blockchain. PUL3E have pledged to donate 5-10% of all proceeds raised from selling their NFT art to Heart Failure charities. Their 3D animated artwork is based on a 3D model of the human heart and true-to-life ECG patterns, showcasing a range of heart conditions and abnormalities.
Oh, this book. I just finished The Part That Burns, an extraordinary, powerful, must-read memoir by Jeannine Ouellette. The Part That Burns epitomizes what Parul Sehgal, in a recent New Yorker article on trauma, wrote: "trauma becomes but one rung of a ladder. Climb it; what else will you see?" In The Part That Burns, Ouellette does, indeed, climb a ladder from trauma to healing.
We’ve turned the calendar page. As December has now come to a close, the lessons of the previous year hover between one year’s end and the other’s beginning. The old, the icky, the struggles, the issues of that past year shift into the focus of lessons learned and goals for a new year.