Check out #MuseumWeek on Twitter

#MusuemWeek runs March 23-29, 2015

This week, world of museums, quite literally, will be all atwitter about, well, museums! @MuseumWeek is a week-long global initiative involving more than 1800 museums, curators and enthusiasts. The e-vent takes place on Twitter, with a daily theme.

I only stumbled on the initiative today, and it is already live in New Zealand. The cool thing about the online world is that you don't have to stick to your own timezone, so if you're keen, you can timetravel and start right now!

There is one global hashtag - #MuseumWeek - and 7 daily themes each its own hashtag:


#secretsMW

Monday March 23:

The week kicks of Monday by museums far and wide giving you a behind-the-scenes look into their worlds. Who knows what secrets and surprises will be revealed? Regardless, expect a treasure trove of new-to-you museums to discover. Follow #secretsMW on Monday.

#souvenirsMW

Tuesday March 24:

On Tuesday, you are invited to share our own memories of museum visits, and your souvenirs from museums (yes, take a picture of your MOMA mug!). Should make for an interesting and engaging day of museum encounter stories! Follow #souvenirsMW on Tuesday.

#architectureMW

Wednesday March 25:

Wednesday is dedicated to the architecture of museums: the buildings, the gardens and surrounding areas. You'll have an opportunity to explore the history and heritage of museums world-wide. Get ready to say wow a lot. Follow #architectureMW on Wednesday.

#inspirationMW

Thursday March 26:

Thursday is another day for sharing. Not sure I totally understand how this one will work, but the official message is, "Now it’s your turn to create and share for posterity! Art, science, history and ethnography are all around us. To your smartphones!" Follow #inspirationMW on Thursday.

#familyMW

Friday March 27:

Friday is dedicated to families. This theme turns to pre-weekend planning for family trips to your local museum. Those responsible for school trips will also get lots of ideas from the museum community. Follow #familyMW on Friday.

#favMW

Saturday March 28:

The weekend kicks off Saturday with an invitation to share with your favourites. The organizers are suggesting favourites works, conferences, locations, and so on - in 140-character messages, videos, photos or Vines. Sounds like a nice wide-open book! Follow #favMW on Saturday.

#poseMW

Sunday March 29:

The weekend wraps up Sunday with an invitation to get creative and share poses, memes or selfies. Given all the recent controversy about museums banning selfie-sticks (which I happen to agree with), it should be a diverse mix of images and discussion. Maybe I'll post a picture of me outside a museum... Follow #poseMW on Sunday.


I hope this inspires you to check out Museum Week, and to have fun with it.

I'm not sure how I'll participate, but I am loosely planning to follow the hashtags, and possibly post a few things, especially on the days that appear to given over to sharing: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. 

Useful links:
Follow @MuseumWeek
Read #MuseumWeek tweets
What is #MuseumWeek?
List of museums participating worldwide (1800+)
7 days, 7 themes, 7 hashtags!
#MuseumWeek in other languages
日本語 Español Français Português עברית   العربية русский हिंदी Deutsch Italiano 

Found on Flickr: city squares

creativecommons by station_nord on Flickr

I stumbled across the photo above while on Flickr looking for something else, and it just took my breath away. There is just something about it. The photographer hasn't identified the location which just adds to the mystery.

Tip: for the full effect, right click the image to open it in a new window, so you can see it enlarged.

This inspired me to search for other interesting city images. Here is some of what I found (and I will come back and add more to this post):



creativecommons image by pennuja on Flickr



New island off Tonga

^{Pleiades © CNES 2015}

You might have to update your bucketlist.

There is a new island that has been emerging in the Pacific Ocean off Tonga. It's the work of an underground volcano.

It's apparently about a month old, and is now about a mile long. Seabirds have already moved in, laying eggs. Locals who have visited the brand new island it say it is still warm.

Read the full story in the Telegraph - and see the great photos taken by a local photo buff.

Fog

I wish I was in Paris in fog

is thick fog out this morning here. I love fog. Not sure why, but I've always felt that way.

Fog is grey, but isn't depressing.
Fog is thick, but isn't oppressing.
Fog is moist, but isn't like other wet weather.
Fog is muffling, but sounds are just slower, deeper, thicker.

Love how the fog horns sound.

Interestingly, I have been in a bit of a fog lately, but fog actually helps lift that feeling.


More Paris fog found on Flickr (click each pic for source)

Blog reinvention, again

From my windowsill in Berlin

I feel I have reinvented my blog so many times. Yet it is time, once again.

For the past 5 years, my blog has been off and on, while I changed the focus of my life: family and caregiving took centre stage. So many other things faded into the background, not just in what I blogged about, but in practically everything I did, thought and felt.

Now, as I am coping with two significant losses, I am starting to shift my focus again. Grief has its own timetable, of course, and who knows what lessons it still has in store for me, but action has always helped me deal with depression.

My most recent change in my work situation is a refreshing and well-suited to me, and I am so grateful for the opportunity.

It's funny, I might have thought upon my return from Europe that I might like a career in travel, and here I find myself working as a travel agent.

I never dreamed when I left Vancouver that I would not return, I am living in a small town that I am surprised to find actually suits me.

I also couldn't have imagined that my blog would go silent for long stretches, but that's life.

And here I am at a crossroads again. There are new paths to choose, A new me to discover.