Getting Under Your Skin

There is a device, which uses a confocal microscope and laser to “penetrate” your skin. Because of the different indexes of refraction in the components of your skin, the reflected light creates an image. The microscope can then focus on a layer below your uppermost layer of skin and present an image a few milimeters square.

As you delve deeper, various structures come into view. At the surface, which has lots of keratin, you see bright areas with fissures, cracks in your skin. At the next depth, the brightness fades, and the water in your individual cells rule. The image is one of a honeycomb type pattern where the dark areas are individual cells. Individual, living, human skin cells. At the very next layer, and the deepest the microscope can penetrate, about 180-200 micrometers, you see the connecting prongs between two layers of the epidermis, dermal papilla. And through these paplia pumps blood, which you see in its haunting and fragile beauty.

I mention this apparatus, because there is one exactly one flight of stairs below where I now sit and type. It is on display and in use on a human subject. I wouldn’t believe all that I said above, if I hadn’t seen all this with my own eyes. Fascinating stuff!

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

During my visit with H in Indiana, I acquired Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah after she played me a few tracks. Since then, I have not been able to stop listening to it, sure I’ve forced in some other music in the mix, but I return again and again to this debut album from the group. Although I seldom understand the singer’s nasal, mumbled, crooning, I find solace in the melody of his voice - which ranges from a low drone a la Interpol’s front man to what I can only describe as the sound one makes when blowing between two blades of grass. But somehow, I like it.

My favorite tracks as of late: #1 Clap Your Hands!, if you haven’t warmed up to them by the end of this track, then, well, then… listen to track #3 Over and Over Again - that’s the name of the track, although listening to it over and over again can’t hurt. Still not sold? Then you must take a good listen to the haunting back up vocals in #7 Is This Love. Don’t stop there… but if you do, then I have no respect for you, you hipster dufus. Clap your hands!

Sunset At Highland Park Reservoir

There’s Gold in There

Today, while sitting at a table during my office hour, a young, attractive girl walked in and sat a few tables away. She wore a green fuzzy sweater, hip hugger jeans, clogs, and a blue ball cap with a ponytail sticking out of the back. I got a good look, because she was in my line of sight. She read from a book on her lap. I continued reading my magazine, since no one was coming by because no homework deadlines were imminent.

I glanced at her again, just as she pulled her hand away from her face, like the upper lip/nose area. She was now staring at her fingertip. I watched, unafraid of being spotted, as she was obviously enchanted by her fingertip. Then she pushed her finger firmly against the underside of the table she sat at. She was far enough that I could not see what was on her finger, but I remember doing this once, when I was five; I know what was on my finger then.

Let’s Go Fly a Kite

Okay. At Webster Park, which has, in my opinion, the best kite flying field in the area. For some perspective, my kite has about a four foot wing span.

Click on image for detailed image of kite. Click here for an image of the dude that was running back and forth under my kite.