If you, dear reader, are even remotely like myself, you are always searching for something, whether it’s the meaning of life or the location of the laundry detergent! These days, perhaps because of the weather (will winter never just leave and go back to the arctic where it belongs?), I’m particularly restless, with a number of moderately intense searches going on. For instance:
I am …..desperately searching for spring!
Spring is being unusually coy this year, but desperate searchers know where to look!
…. contentedly searching for completion!
I’ve read this novel several times over the years, but despite having no time for it right now can’t resist a re-read for my 19th century English fiction class. How can one provincial little town in 1830s England encompass the universe?
…. optmistically searching for a topic for my research project!
Did you know that 16th century Italy actually had (a few) female painters? Here’s a self-portrait of Sofonisba Anguissola (age 20), one of the first and best. I want to center my paper on some aspect of her work, but what, exactly?
Percy and I are both convinced there’s an appropriate research topic in there somewhere!
…. relunctantly seeking domestic order!
I’ve given up waiting for the household gnomes to take care of things. Time to do the laundry, wash the dishes and re-shelf the books!
…. stoically searching for closure!
This major construction project has been blocking a busy street never my house for decades (well, maybe six months!)
…. delusionally searching for physical fitness!
My derrière is at least three inches wider than it was last fall. Not to worry! Any day now I will (finally) attend an exercise class, where all will be lifted and toned!
…. happily seeking harmonious sounds!
A little classical music (the Mozart was the very best piece) is a nice way to end the week ….
And you, dear reader — what are YOU searching for, in these days before the official arrival of spring?
Jessie: how exciting to find another Sofonisba lover! I always liked her paintings, but only really started looking at them seriously in the last four or five months. In fact, my last trip to the Walters was prompted by my research paper–the Walters has one of her very earliest commissioned portraits, of a little boy who has just inherited his father’s title & position (“Portrait of Marquess Massimiliano Stampa”) — she makes him look very vulnerable and, touch of genius, paints his sleeping dog in the background! What a painter — and so gratifying to see that she’s FINALLY being included in mainstream art history texts! Right now, I really am searching for an angle for my paper; it’s difficult because I’m only writing an undergraduate honors paper (I’m the world’s oldest undergrad), not a dissertation or anything like that, so my choices are a bit limited. I’ll probably end up doing something along the lines of how she portrayed children, or Renaissance ideas about children/childhood or — who knows? Gotta make up my mind pretty soon.
"You Might as Well Read" 
I adore Sofonisba Anguissola! Good luck with your research and paper writing. I’d love to hear what you decide/d to write about!
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Jessie: how exciting to find another Sofonisba lover! I always liked her paintings, but only really started looking at them seriously in the last four or five months. In fact, my last trip to the Walters was prompted by my research paper–the Walters has one of her very earliest commissioned portraits, of a little boy who has just inherited his father’s title & position (“Portrait of Marquess Massimiliano Stampa”) — she makes him look very vulnerable and, touch of genius, paints his sleeping dog in the background! What a painter — and so gratifying to see that she’s FINALLY being included in mainstream art history texts! Right now, I really am searching for an angle for my paper; it’s difficult because I’m only writing an undergraduate honors paper (I’m the world’s oldest undergrad), not a dissertation or anything like that, so my choices are a bit limited. I’ll probably end up doing something along the lines of how she portrayed children, or Renaissance ideas about children/childhood or — who knows? Gotta make up my mind pretty soon.
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Huh, fascinating. And this was such a fun post to read. Very upbeat. The glimpses of your home indicate a classy style!
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