We have a name and cover image for our podcast!
MythTake: a fresh take on ancient myth. Or because there are no mistakes in myth. Or because we make mistakes….the slogans write themselves!
Author: Alison
Creator of podcasts, art, and research.
Instagram @InnesAlison
launching our myth podcast!
This is a test run of a new podcast!
My colleague @darrinsunstrum and I are starting a myth podcast! We’re both academics with close to 20 years experience teaching myth between the two of us (yikes!). We like to talk, so our podcast is the two of us discussing Greek and Roman myths for 40-45 minutes. Each episode we’ll choose a different literary passage from the ancient sources and discuss its mythological and historical contexts as well as explore some of the key themes. Our first run at this is Euripides’ Medea, lines 476-492 (text provided below so you can follow along).
Episode 1: Medea (Part 1) https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BytS8FtLYgBGbzVDWnVma0RjZjA
(I’m still sorting out the tech side a bit; for now it looks like you’ll have to download the file from GoogleDrive before playing it.)
We’re still working on coming up with a name (suggestions welcome!) and some artwork and even a schedule of sorts. We’ll sort these things out eventually, but for now we hope that you enjoy our ramblings! Leave a comment for us to let us know what you think and to make any special requests!
I rescued you, as the Greeks know who were
your shipmates long ago aboard the Argo,
when you were sent to master the monstrous bulls
with yokes and sow the furrow with seeds of death.
The serpent who never slept, his twisted coils 480
protecting the golden fleece, I was the one
who killed it and held out to you a beacon of safety.
I betrayed both my father and my house
and went with you to Pelias’ land, Iolkos,
showing in that more eagerness than sense.
I murdered Pelias by the most painful of deaths, 485
at the hands of his own daughters, and I destroyed
his whole house. And in return for this, you foulest of men,
you betrayed us and took a new wife,
even though you have children. Were you childless, 490
one might forgive your passion for this marriage bed.
But now the trust of oaths is gone.
(Eur. Med. 476-492)
Euripides. Medea. Trans. A. J. Podlecki. Ed. Stephen Esposito. Newburyport, MA: Focus Publishing, 2004. Print.
You can also read Euripides’ Medea (Trans. Kovak) online for free at Perseus.tufts.edu.
Music “Super Hero” by King Louie’s Missing Monuments from the album “Live at WFMU” (2011). Used under Creative Commons license. Available online at Free Music Archive
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/King_Louies_Missing_Monuments/
Intro/exit music from “Holding out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler (1999 version). Go buy it on iTunes. **Update (09/04)–Since it’s not 100% clear that using this song in our podcast isn’t in violation of any copyright, we’ll be changing up the theme to a work licensed under Creative Commons and reposting the episode. We want our listeners and supporters to know that we value and support artists’ creative work. As academics, we appreciate the importance of intellectual property rights and recognize that we need to set a good example for the responsible use of others’ works. (***It’s still an awesome song. Go listen to it in full if you haven’t already!)
Bibliography: Architecture
I have been combining several old, neglected blogs into this new one and came across this research bibliography I had drawn up for my architecture blog. Since I’m planning to home everything here for now, here it is for future reference.
Arthur, Eric. From Front Street to Queen’s Park: The Story of Ontario’s Parliament Buildings. Toronto: McLelland and Stewart, 1979.
Arthur, Eric. Toronto: No Mean City. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1974.
Blumenson, John. Ontario Architecture: A Guide to Styles and Building Terms 1784 to Present. Canada: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1990.
Carter, Margaret. Early Canadian Court Houses. National Historic Parks and Sites Branch, Parks Canada, Environment Canada, 1983.
Clerk, Nathalie. Palladian Style in Canadian Architecture. National Historic Parks and Sites Branch, Parks Canada, Environment Canada, 1984.
Clifton-Mogg, Caroline. The Neoclassical Source Book. New York: Rizzoli International, 1991.
Curl, James Stevens. Oxford Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2nd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.
Davidson Cragoe, Carol. How to Read Buildings: A Crash Course in Architectural Styles. New York: Rizzoli, 2008.
de Botton, Alain. The Architecture of Happiness. Toronto: McLelland and Stewart, 2006.
Duncan, Alastair. Ed. The Encyclopedia of Art Deco. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1988.
Eitner, Lorenz. Neoclassiscism and Romanticisim 1750- 1850: Sources and Documents. Volume 1. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1970.
Galinsky, Karl. Classical and Modern Interactions: Postmodern Architecture, Multiculturalism, Decline, and Other Issues. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1992.
Gowans, Alan. Building Canada: An Architectural History of Canadian Life. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1966.
Gowans, Alan. Looking at Architecture in Canada. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1958.
Honour, Hugh. Neo-classicism. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1968.
MacRae, Marion. Cornerstones of Order: Courthouses and Town Halls of Ontario, 1784-1914. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Company, 1983.
MacRae, Marion. Hallowed Walls: Church Architecture in Upper Canada. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Company, 1975.
Maitland, Leslie, Jacqueline Hucker and Shannon Ricketts. A Guide to Canadian Architectural Styles. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 1992.
Maitland, Leslie. Neoclassical Architecture in Canada. National Historic Parks and Sites Branch, Parks Canada, Environment Canada, 1984.
Maitland, Leslie. The Queen Anne Revival Style in Canadian Architecture.National Historic Parks and Sites, Parks Service, Environment Canada, 1990.
McHugh, Patricia. Toronto Architecture: A City Guide. Toronto: Mercury Books, 1985.
Murray, Terry. Faces on Places: A Grotesque Tour of Toronto. Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 2006.
Otto, Stephen A. Robert Wetherell and Dundurn: An Architect in Early Hamilton. Hamilton: Heritage Hamilton Foundation, 2004.
Pedley, John Griffiths. Greek Art and Archaeology. 4th Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003.
Pedley, John. Sanctuaries and the Sacred in the Ancient Greek World. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Preyde, James and Susan Preyde. Steeple Chase: Ontario’s Historical Churches. Erin: Boston Mills Press, 1990.
Ramage, Nancy H and Andrew Ramage. Roman Art. 4th Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2005.
Robertson, D. S. Greek and Roman Architecture. 2nd Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1971.
Ricketts, Shannon, Leslie Maitland, Jacqueline Hucker. A Guide to Canadian Architectural Styles. 2nd Ed. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2004.
Stamper, John W. The Architecture of Roman Temples: The Republic to the Middle Empire. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005
Taylor, Rabun. Roman Builders: A Study in Architectural Process. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Wright, Janet. Architecture of the Picturesque in Canada. National Historic Parks and Sites Branch, Parks Canada, Environment Canada, 1984.
Yeigh, Frank. Ontario’s Parliament Buildings: A Century of Legislation, 1792-1892, A Historical Sketch. Toronto: Williamson Book Company, 1893.
how twitter can make me a better human being
My experience with Twitter is changing me as a human being.
Twitter challenges me to pay attention to how I use gendered language. How do I talk about groups of people? Do I choose words that are inclusive of all genders, or do I fall into the familiar trap of thinking and speaking in the old male/female dichotomy? Am I willing to accept and to try to understand people whose presentation does not fit with traditional ideas of ‘man’ or ‘woman’? Do I listen to their experiences and allow their voices to be heard or do I participate in silencing them?
Twitter makes me pay attention to how people are shamed and stigmatized in my ‘real’ world. Do I participate unwittingly in shaming those who are different from me? Do I make judgements about people based on their size or clothing choices? Do I think less of people who struggle in a system that seems set on keeping them in poverty? Do my words and actions make people feel valued and beautiful and strong? Or do I distance myself from them by my words and actions and attitudes?
Twitter lets me listen to people’s lived experiences. Will I listen only to the stereotyped stories on the evening news or will I listen to the experiences of those whose lives are so different from mine? Am I buying into the systemic racism (which benefits me) or am I willing to challenge it? Will I give less weight to a woman’s word when she speaks out against a famous man? Whose version of events do I choose to believe–the versions told by perpetrators of injustice or the stories of the victims of injustice?
15 Things Not to Say
A friend shared this article “15 Things Not to Say to Someone with a Chronic or Invisible Illness” on Facebook, and it is so well written and so accurate, I want to share it as widely as possible. Please take a moment to read this! Things that you think might be encouraging or supportive to say can easily come across as dismissive and belittling.
promises of spring
My personal barometer tells me that spring is happening. The snowbanks outside might not look like it, but there is definitely some warmth creeping back into the sunshine and the temperature fluctuations indicate the annual battle between the shifting seasons. Even though my body hates the weather issues, spring is my favourite of the seasons and I am feeling somewhat desperate for this year. I did see a robin on February 13th chirping at me from atop a snowbank and on the 19th I found a pussywillow out in soft grey buds. Perhaps the robin and the willow were just confused, but I am clinging to them as signs that spring is coming.
Spring. Squelching through vernal pools and delightful mud puddles. Listening to the songs of mating frogs and finding tadpoles in spring pools. Daffodils and hyacinths, my favourite of the spring bulbs, pushing their green noses through the dark, moist earth to share their brilliant colours and fragrance. The red haze, already on the maple trees as sap begins to flow up from deep roots to the topmost branches, turns to red buds and spider-like flowers, then finally tiny umbrella leaves. Clouds of apple and pear blossoms, alive and humming with life, laden dark limbs. Dozy bees bumbling through lilacs. Shimmery beetles and chubby grubs return with clouds of butterflies. Worms trace their trails through soft mud in the misty mornings. Morning bird song changes as robins and blackbirds return. Creatures of all sizes, from insects to toads and snakes, basking in the warm sunshine. Purple violets peeking through the freshly green grass. Warm, sun-dried laundry scented with fresh-cut grass. Fresh thunderstorms rinsing away winter’s grim and leaving clean, rain-scented air filled with cheerful bird song.
Yup, I am ready for spring.
doodling doodles
Are you a doodler? Did you used to be a doodler? I used to be a doodler, way back in my teenager years. I had a collection of stock characters I liked to doodle. I even developed my “bunny bum” doodle for a first year university art project. But somewhere along the line I forgot about doodling. It drifted into the background, into the past, and I never missed it nor thought about it.
My favourite bunny bums painting. I developed the bunny bum doodle in high school and later turned it into a first year university art multi-piece art project. But that was a very long time ago.
Until yesterday, when I heard Sunni Brown interviewed on CBC’s The Current about the secret power of doodling. She’s inspired me give doodling a shot again. Her book on the doodling revolution is definitely on my must-read list. I’ve started a Pinterest board of doodles–and found that there are already many in existence.
So we’ll see how this goes. I’ll post some results here eventually. Won’t you join me in remembering the joys of doodling?
The Silk Road
This is another post from the past, written while I was in Turkey in 2009. It was originally typed on a Turkish keyboard, so the ‘i’s have no dots.
May 12, 2009
Sultan Hanı Caravanseraı
The Sultan Hanı ıs a Caravnseraı on the road between Avanos and Konya (I thınk?) as part of the old trade routes. Caravanseraı were buılt along the route every 20 mıles, whıch ıs the dıstance a camel traın could travel ın daylıght. These are real forts, wıth thıck, hıgh walls and one entrance. As we entered through the ornate Selçuk gateway ınto the empty, weedy courtyard, my mınd began to populate the place wıth people and anımals. I ımagıned the noıse and bustle of actıvıty as camel traıns entered and travellers found space for themselves, theır cargo and theır anımals for the nıght. After unloadıng the camels and beddıng them down for the nıght (I am sure, lıke most who care for anımals, that they put theır anımals ahead of themselves) the weary travellers could conduct trade, have a Turkısh bath in the small hamam, conduct theır prayers ın the small, raısed prayer room ın the center of the courtyard or sleep ın one of the hıgh-ceılınged rooms. In summer the camels were housed ın the long, open stable along one sıde of the courtyard. In wınter, the anımals were taken ınto the cathedral-esque stables at the rear of the courtyard. Thıs space, dıvıded by many arches and pıers, ıs lıt by hıgh wındows whıch allow the heat to rıse and escape the buıldıng. Cool, dark and quıet except for the cooıng of a multıtude of pıgeons, one can ımagıne the noıse and heat of men unloadıng and feedıng theır camels and shoutıng at the uncooperatıve ones whıle the camels themselves snorted, stomped and made whatever noıses camels make ın the semı-darkness.
Sılk road
Part of our journey followed one of the routes of the ancıent Sılk Road. As we travelled I was transfıxed by the beauty of the Turkısh countrysıde. It truly felt as though I were lıvıng ın a Natıonal Geographıc magazıne artıcle. We passed tent ‘vıllages’ of mıgrant (mostly Armenıan) workers. We passed men and women workıng ın theır fıelds—and more often than not thıs was true physıcal labour, workıng wıth theır hands rather than machınery. We passed flora and fauna (ıncludıng at least three whıte storks and one black one) and fıelds of beautıful yellow and purple flowers. The farm fıelds are not laıd out ın clean, precıse grıds lıke we are used to ın Canada; rather, they are fıtted ın at odd angles and shapes as the terraın allows. Much of the soıl we saw ın Cappadoccıa was sandy and stoney, not the fertıle clay-loam of southwestern Ontarıo. The fıelds were unfenced and we passed mıxed herds of cows grazıng whıle a herdsman watched over them. As we passed through vıllages we saw a mıx of tractors and horses used for haulıng wagons. Unlıke ın Canada, farmers lıve ın vıllages wıth theır anımals and go out ınto the countrysıde to work ın theır fıelds. The vıllages had a very grıtty feel to them that made me wonder why I was born wıth the luxurıes that I was.
An Aladdin’s Cave of Colour
This is another post from the past, written while I was in Turkey in 2009. It was originally typed on a Turkish keyboard, so the ‘i’s have no dots. This carpet workshop made quite an impression on me. It served not only as a place to sell carpets, but a place to train women in the traditional methods of making Turkish carpets. Their carpets are sold here, allowing women and girls to bring in some income for their families. Someday, if I’m ever wealthy, I would love to go back here and pick up some amazing, authentic Turkish carpets and support these women.
May 12, 2009
Avanos Halı (Carpet workshop)
The Avanos Halı ıs an Aladdın’s cave of beautıful carpets. There are 57 showrooms housıng more than 10,000 carpets. There ıs also a workshop where some women, graduates of theır carpet-makıng programme, knot carpets of varıous sızes on large looms, as well as rooms demonstratıng how sılk thread ıs spun from the cocoons and how wool ıs dyed naturally.
The Avanos Halı traıns women ın rug makıng and graduates of theır programme go on to work for them, eıther makıng rugs ın theır workshop on sıte or doıng the work from theır homes. Theır hands fly at lıghtnıng speed and ıt ıs easy to see why Turkısh rugs are so expensıve. Usıng eıther the sıngle or double knottıng method (the latter ıs only used ın Turksıh rugs), they make rugs wıth up to 25 knots per square cenımeter. Turkısh rugs are the only ones that use the double knot method. Knots are tıed ın a varıety of colours followıng a pattern that looks much lıke a cross-stıtch pattern. Perıodıcally, the women trım off the tufts of thread from the knots; after ıt ıs fınıshed, the carpet ıs then run through a machıne that trıms the pıle evenly. Sınce the rugs take anywhere from months to years to complete, the women are paıd accordıng to the number of knots they tıe rather than the number of rugs they make. Rugs can be made wıth sılk knotted on sılk, wool on wool, wool on cotton, or cotton on cotton. Sınce sılk threads are the fınest, these are used to make exquıstely detaıled carpets wıth as many as 20 to 25 knots per square centımeter. Naturally, these are of hıghest qualıty and quıte costly. The delıcate and precıse detaıls on these rugs ıs remınscent of very fıne embroıdery. Sınce wool ıs a bulkıer thread, these have lower thread counts and a loftıer pıle.
Each rug ıs ınspected by a government offıcıal and a lead seal ıs affıxed ıf ıt ıs approved. Thıs ındıcates that the rug ıs government certıfıed and guaranteed. Interestıngly, rugs become more valuable as they are used. Wear on the carpets releases lanolın from the wool, whıch condıtıons the fıbers.
Carpet colours and motıfs vary regıon by regıon. In Cappadocıan carpets we see medallıons (ındıcatıng the power of the sultan), a fıgure wıth her hands on her hıps, flowers (ındıcatıng good news) and symbols ındıcatıng eternal lıght. In another regıon, scorpıons are knotted ınto the pattern to ward off real scorpıons and stıll other rugs have a prayer nıche pattern. The workshop produces reproductıons of museum pıeces as well as creatıng ıts own patterns. I lıke the rugs whıch come from the Eastern part of Turkey because of the muted colours and the stylızed anımals. However, I thınk my favourıte rugs are those from Mılas. The yarns ın those rugs are coloured from the tobacco plant, whıch ıs grown there specıfıcally for that purpose and gıves beautıful muted earth tones.
Watchıng the women work and the sılk beıng spun and the wool beıng dyed wıth natural dyes made me feel very close to the centurıes of tradıtıonal carpet makıng. Asıde from the spınnıng machıne for the sılk, the technology behınd the knottıng and dyıng ıs quıte sımple. It ıs also fascınatıng to thınk about how certaın artıstıc motıfs that we have seen on thıs trıp are repeated ın dıfferent medıa; the tıle desıgns we have seen ın the Sultan Ahmet Camii (Blue Mosque) or the Rustem Pasham Mosque are here presented ın soft, warm rugs.
thoughts on a lycian tomb above simena
This is another post from the past, written while I was in Turkey visiting the Lycian tombs above Simena. Four and a half years later, this remains one of my very favourite photos, writings, and memories, from the trip. It was originally typed on a Turkish keyboard, so the ‘i’s have no dots.
There would be no more perfect place to be dead than here hıgh on thıs clıff overlookıng the wıne dark sea where your lıfe was lıved. Your bones are cradled now ın death by the ancıent olıve whıch once nourıshed them ın lıfe. The buzzıng beetles sound your funeral dırge and the sure-footed goat forms the only processıon ın memorıal of your death. The tımelss sun warms the stone of your tomb and the earth embraces your dust untıl only the olıve remembers.
Alison Innes 