February 13, 2015 - 21:37
The weather said it was 18 degrees outside and I could hear wind blowing against the building so I bundled up. Coat scarf wool gloves the ski mask I save for special very cold occasions. Outside under the tree on the hill it is very cold but it's a beautiful day to be outside. The sky was so blue and the sun was so bright. This week, the geese were on the upper sports field. They were so loud. As I sat on the bench, I started thinking about what I would write in this post; specifically I thought about how to translate my experience into something that people could read. I haven't had any great insights during my site sits and I'm not sure why someone would want to read a straight description of a generic sounding spot on a college campus. I'm still not sure what to do with these postings, but I'm glad that I am being asked to sit in the spot I chose each week. It's something I look forward to and enjoy doing. I'm also thinking about the language I use in describing "my" spot. I'm not sure what to call it. It doesn't have a built in easy description like "gym stairs" or "room number" but it is a specific place on this campus that I've chosen that is different from under any of the many other trees. It's unique in the way that all things are unique, but not unique in a way that makes naming it easy. Because I don't have a clean name, I've been calling it "my spot" but that feels funny too. It's not mine; it's just a place. How can we name things and mark them as significant without making it seem like their entire identity is how they are useful to us?