Memory and Reminiscence

My mind has been on other places lately, and I've been traveling more than usual.

My friend Rosa posted this video the other day at the Blogora. It made me think of Wyoming, which I haven't done for a long, long time. It's a strange thing, the memory. After all, here's a song I've never heard before reminding me of a place I haven't thought about in awhile. That prompted me to read Aristotle's essay On Memory and Reminiscence. The only thing I remember from the sage is his claim that some people have a good memory and others have a good recollection, but that you rarely find the same person with both. That made me think of my brother John, who has a good memory. I think I lean a little more toward recollection. The claim seemed to make sense to me by analogy to fast and slow twitch muscles - some people are sprinters and some people aren't., &c. Anyway, I think the song is beautiful and worth sharing.

Last weekend I was in San Diego. When I left Duluth the lakes were freezing over, snow was coming, and they were flooding the ice rinks. When I got off the plane in San Diego it was 80* and gorgeous. Out the front door of the SD airport I smelled a bush that my grandfather had in his Northern California back yard . . . maybe a camilia or gardenia, not sure. I was transported. Yes, transported to California!

This recent trip to California was one of the best. I was there for an academic conference, but I also made it to In'n'Out twice for a double-double animal style. I even made it to the beach. Everyday I drove to the conference with the sunroof open. It was California living! I love California. I've been visiting family there all my life and I'll be sad when it shakes off and falls into the Pacific. Just kidding, but I do love it.

The day after I got home from Cali we jumped in the car and drove to Denver for Thanksgiving. It's something, going half-way across the country and back again and then going half-way again within a few days. I go nowhere for months at a time and then I'm everywhere. Anyway, it's good to be back in Colorado. In a few days we'll be pushing on - up to Wyoming to visit some of Kathy's family and then back to the frozen Northland.

I'm thankful today for places to go - in my head and around the world.