Wednesday and Thursday

Wednesday

I would have to say, that Wednesday was one of the best J-Term days so far. We started off the day with meditating in silence. I sat on the floor for a different perspective and it was unfortunately uncomfortable. We worked on research for our research projects, but after we became restless we went outside for a walk. We went through the neighborhood and just enjoyed the nice weather and cool breezes.

We decided to go on a field trip after lunch, to Smither Park and The Orange Show. The Orange show was sadly closed, but next to it is a park abundant with intricate mosaics and folk art. While we were there we struck up a conversation with some of the mosaic artists, who work every Wednesday and Saturday. One of them took us into a back warehouse that kept donated ceramics, tiles, and other really odd things that the artists can use for their art. It was huge and so cool! They even had an art car. We have agreed to go back to the park next Wednesday morning to volunteer and help with the art. After our excursion, we were thoroughly famished, so we decided ice cream was the answer. We went to a Mexican candy store. I got melon and mango ice cream, homemade. We took our time savouring the fantastic flavors of real homemade ice cream. We came back with full stomachs and an amazing experience.

Thursday

Thursday was a research day, so we headed out in the morning to Fondren Library. The ride was beautiful and driving through the campus felt so nice. It was warm and gorgeous outside, finally! We got to the library and immediately started looking for books on the online database. I found quite a few, and was quite lucky to find they were all on the same floor. After scanning the most vital information and returning the books, we set out for a nice lunch at the Black Walnut. We practiced savoring the food, and it was pretty good. When we came back, we discussed chapter 4 of Shawn Achor’s book, Before Happiness. The chapter talked about Noise. Noise is “Any information that is negative, false, or unnecessary or that prevents you from perceiving a world in which success is possible.” This means news that doesn’t have a direct affect on you or that you cannot fix. It also entails negative feedback and even just background noise.