Top 5 Tuesday: The Planet We Live In

1. The Dark Age is how I would describe this past week. I actually wasn't sure if I would be able to deliver a Top 5 Tuesday this week because I was without the luxuries of the Modern Age. On April 1st, the Universe played a cruel April Fool's Day joke on me. Some ancient pipe exploded in my town and we were without clean drinking water for two days. I had to boil gallons of water all day to drink, wash my veggies, and for brushing my teeth. It put a lot of things into perspective. We take a lot of things for granted... like clean drinking water. I was without it for only two days, but the majority of the world doesn't have it so easy. Not having water was bad, but later in the day, I lost electricity too! And then the power outage burned out my router and I didn't have internet either! Here I am almost a week later. The water is pure, the lights are on, and the internet is back just in time for Top 5 Tuesday. In the time of my Dark Age, I found ways to entertain myself. I cooked some really great meals, read books for leisure, and hung out with some friends. It was liberating to be "unplugged". I'm thankful for having my things back and just a little more thoughtful for the things that I am lucky to have.



2. Life on Discovery Channel. If you have cable television what are you waiting for? Watch this show! Its breathtakingly amazing! I am a huge fan of Animal Planet's presentation of Planet Earth and was overjoyed that Discovery Channel is now offering a sister series. You'll be able to experience a new world from your living room! From the aliens of the deep sea, to action-packed adventures of predators chasing their prey, to the drama unleashing as the prey are running from predators! Or maybe you'd rather experience the miracle of birth or a tropical rainforest in bloom. I know for sure you'll learn something new. Even Neil Patrick Harris approves of this show. And who is to question NPH?



3. Pomegranates are my new favorite fruit. They are out of season right now, but I am still able to enjoy it in liquid form. If you've never seen a pomegranate, they sort of look like leathery apples with a flower blossom attached to it. Its really weird I know! But when you open it, its even more strange. Inside are hundreds of seeds that look like jewels. They're incased with a delicate, yet tough skin that contains very sweet, yet tart juice. Not only are they tasty, but quite good for you too. Pomegranates are a bit of challenge to eat, and plus the juice can stain your clothes. So please don't wear your favorite outfit if you're going to eat one of these.



4. Exquisite Corpse exhibition at the Robeson Gallery. Yesterday I took a day trip to my Alma Mater to see a fun show. If you're not familiar with the exquisite corpse, its a game that has been played by artists for possibly more than a hundred years. Its still quite popular today. There aren't a lot of rules. Typically, you start with one big piece of paper, then you fold it into three sections. The first artist draws the head, then folds the paper to pass it along to a second artist, who will draw the torso without looking at what the first artist created. Then it is passed to third artist, who is blind to what the previous artists have created, finishes the drawing by including the legs. Its a really fun collaboration that you should try :)



5. The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World is the book I am currently reading. The name says it all! After vacationing in Curacao I've been bitten by the wanderlust bug. I really wish I could travel more, but for now I'll settle for reading about such places. I really can't compete with the low rate of "free" when there are so many wonderful books like this at my local library. I'm not even done reading this book and I highly recommend it! The author is witty and sarcastic, and his experiences in other countries don't leave you feeling excluded in those "you had to be there moments". The author, Eric Weiner is the real deal. He tells it as it is and you'll totally feel like you're roaming the Himalayas and the deserts of Dubai.

That was my week! I hope this week brings us all lots of sunshine :)