Kansas is the land of beautiful sunsets, so here are a few, enjoy!
The food was good and so was the company. And we've had a long weekend since we work for a Catholic University. Too bad Sue's had to get
over another cold. A lot of people have been sick around here lately. Could have something to do with the fact that it's around freezing every morning and over 60 by the afternoon.
I just completed a new tune. It's called Primordial and it's posted to my MySpace page if you'd like to go check it out. Let me know what you think! Some of you may remember the strange habit our cat developed after Sue left a real live (ok, dead) small animal pelt out one day.
Sara has claimed it for her own and hunts it repeatedly. Above, I have posted actual videographic proof of this nightly occurrence to silence the doubters. You can't really hear it on the video but there's a a meowling, growling sound that goes along with it.
Even though I haven't taken an actual studio art class yet, Mary, the director of the Art Dept has seen to it that I get my hands dirty
learning all the various processes. Today Sue and I were carving designs on a pair of clay rattles, made by forming a pair of equal sized clay bowls, filling one half with several small pieces of clay wrapped in tissue paper and then joining the two halfs together. Once they're fired, we'll paint 'em up all snazzy like. Seen here is the result of my first print-making experience. Incase you were wondering, 住 zhù means "life" and 树 shū means "tree".
Last weekend Newman held it's annual Literary Festival, the brain child of Bryan, one of Sue's coworkers
in the English Dept. Events went on
from 9 in the morning to midnight Saturday and Sunday and all involved, including Sue, were exhausted. I divided my time between the Fest and fundraising for Project Vitamina with Sonja and other students at a local Sam's Club, which also went on all weekend. Sue did a presentation on Medieval Riddles, which I unfortunately couldn't attend (thankfully the couch is very comfortable). Cheryl, a former student of Sue's from Stony Brook also flew out just to present and stayed with us. But I think my favorite part of the fest was actually Bryan's reading which included poems from several of his published books on topics ranging from superheros, SciFi, horror movies and pop culture. Cool stuff (available now!).
So, I promised myself I'd find space here at some point to give props to some of Wichita's cooler local establishments. Here are just a few.
The Donut Whole - this new local joint is a cool addition to the scene. They offer a myriad of cake donuts (!) made in all sorts of
wacky and playful flavors such as Bacon & Maple (!!) and Fruity Pebbles (!!!). While some of these may sound a little scary, trust me, theyz gooood. The place has
a cool kitschy look decorated with odd salvaged bits from the area's industrial past. It's a comfortable
place to savor a root-beer donut with a bottle of all-natural root-beer, or various coffees or teas or other sodas, enjoy the free wifi, listen to cool music and occasionally check out a live band on their modest stage.
Eighth Day Books - yes it sounds like a Christian bookstore (not that there's anything wrong with
that!), and I guess it technically is one, but this
locally owned
establishment has an eclectic and
inspiring collection of books from all disciplines stuffed inside a cool old house (even the upstairs bathroom accommodates several bookshelves). The seating, mostly old church pews, isn't the most comfortable, but the staff are knowledgeable and passionate about books in a way you can only find at a small mom and pop store. In addition to loosing yourself in the deep stacks, you can attend the free Latin or Greek classes held there every other weekend. We hope they continue to hold the big chains at bay for a long time!
The Spice Merchant - The spice must flow!!! Oh yes, another of Sue's favorites, this sprawling warehouse space with the cool turkish looking exterior, is home to a crazy assortment of raw spices and teas, coffee beans, and a great selection of hot sauces among other things. Sue has been known to get lost for hours (ok, it just seemed that long) walking the no-frills racks filled with odd and interesting cooking sauces. It's a hands on kind of place where they make or prepare a lot of the products themselves - you won't find the usual brands there - and like The Donut Whole, they're a big supporter of local producers.
Perhaps we'll get the chance to take some of you on a tour of the local favs personally! Anyway, I hope you're all having a pleasant holiday and hope to speak to you all soon.
Love, Sonny & Sue.
