Post 5: To Tear a Notebook

Merging downtown Lincoln to the huge campus of UNL is a structure over 20 feet tall that rises above the horizon. Designed by the artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, this structure is known as the “Torn Notebook”.

It’s so named for its aluminum pages that appear torn down the middle, which are connected to a silver spiral that is bent and curved almost imitating a Nebraska tornado. The back cover of the notebook is painted black as a contrast. Random words including such things as corn, barbwire, goose, wind clouds, buffalo, grasses, and cranes all represent parts of Nebraska culture and heritage. At varying times of the day, the constantly changing shadows cast different shapes and words onto the ground making it even more interesting and appealing. Two aluminum pages are scattered in front of the main sculpture to accentuate the idea that the notebook is blowing in the strong Nebraska winds. Surrounding this man-made and unnatural sculpture is green grass, which makes the piece the focal point of the garden.

From a distance, it’s hard to tell what this monstrosity is. It almost appears as a bird going into flight, which also reflects the Nebraska theme of nature. A lot of the aspects of the “Torn Notebook” reflect nature even though the piece is completely made of aluminum and steel, which contradicts nature.

All around the art work is a hub-bub of activity; students bustling around from UNL, community members going to and from work, cars and buses driving by, or visitors just enjoying a nice walk or shopping experience downtown and in the Hay Market. The sculpture embodies all of the aspects of the Lincoln community; from the social aspect, to the culture, and the physical environment. It’s truly a work of beauty and something for everyone to have pride in.

Post 4: The Elegance of the Capital

Nebraska, home of Runza, the original Cabelas, Car Henge, and the Cornhuskers, is also home to the Nation’s most architecturally beautiful state capitol building, which is located in Lincoln, NE. Being a college student living in Lincoln, the state capitol is a must-see, so I figured I had better go visit, being the good Nebraskan that I am.

Traipsing by the sparkling, blue water fountain, clambering up the two flights of stairs, and then hefting open the gigantic double doors meant my arrival to the capitol. With the buildings huge shadow casting down upon me, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

One step inside, I realized that they weren’t kidding about the amazing architecture. As an art major, I have a deep appreciation for the arts, and I was mesmerized by the stunning beauty and elegance of all that surrounded me. Gazing toward the heavens, I discovered a ceiling rising way up, which when it finally ended was rounded and had an incredible mosaic upon it with a chandelier hanging from the middle. This was surrounded by four intricate and sturdy columns, one in each corner lead my eyes back to the floor, which was masterly laid out with tiny square tiles forming another mosaic. Following the floor, I was lead straight through the main interior hall of the structure. More chandeliers of various sizes lit the dark hall and extravagant works of art decorated the tall walls. Continuing my walk down the hall and gazing around at all the doors, never-ending hallways, and stairways, I realize how easy it would be for one to get lost in this labyrinth.

As a native Nebraskan, I never knew there was such an amazing building within Nebraska’s borders. I felt as if I had journeyed to Europe during an era bygone when architecture was still considered an art form, just in the time it took to pass through the capitol’s double doors. I loved the architecture, and beauty of the building, but wish I had had more time to explore all of its hidden crevices.

Post 3: Animal Rescue in Crete

Have you ever been to an animal rescue shelter and seen all the abandoned and forlorn critters? While reading “Vineyard now a haven for once-hurting animals”, from the Lincoln Journal Star by Rebecca Svec, I realized that there is a greater need for these kinds of places. This article focuses on Andrea Holmes, who has taken animal rescue into her own hands and to a totally different level.

I thought the article was very heartfelt and sentimental. It showed how one lady’s compassion and love can truly make a difference in a part of the world, not only in our lives, but the lives of numerous animals, as well.

An old Shih Tzu with a cancerous tumor, named Wezzle, started Holmes animal rescue obsession. She fell in love with him despite his flaws and illness. He taught her to be more compassionate and she decided to continue adopting more neglected, ill or abandoned animals.
Holmes’ generosity is reflected in the fact that she does all of this and more without expecting to be paid or recognized for her efforts. With the purchase of an outbuilding on 20 acres of the former Blue Valley Vineyard site east of Crete, NE, she planned to use it as a sort of sanctuary for all of her animals. This is shows great character in Holmes, who, with a full-time job, and other time and money commitments, still creates the time and provides the necessities and love needed to care for all of her 'unwanted' animals.

If everyone took on a part in this world as Holmes has, the world would be a much more loving and gentle place to live. But in the meantime, “she’ll just keep saving animals in her corner of the world…” says Svec, “…And remember all the animals need love every single day…” That’s how Holmes does animal rescue.

Post 2: Roller Skating, Sport or Accident?

You’ve roller-skated before, right? Almost everyone has roller-skated at one point in time. Well, have you ever wondered how somebody came up with the idea of roller-skating? After taking a visit to the National, yes I said national, Museum of Roller Skating, I discovered a multitude of information about roller-skating.

It actually all began with a frustrated ice skater, named Hans Brinker, in the early 1700’s. Thinking it would be easier to skate on pavement, rather than on ice, he produced a wheeled skate with several wooden spools in a line. Then over a century later on November 12, 1819, Monsieur Petitbled received the very first patent for roller skates. The wheels were made of wood, metal, or “deluxe” ivory; however, they could only go on straight path. Fortunately, in 1863, James Leonard Plimpton patented his four-wheeled turning roller skate, which quickly revolutionized the roller skate industry. After his improvements people in America, as well as abroad, embraced the art of roller-skating as a fun and social activity. Eventually, during the 1870’s to mid-1890’s, skating at local roller rinks was one of the most popular social events. Then its popularity started to wan in the early 1890’s because many roller rinks gained a bad reputation due to irresponsible management. In order to rebuild the roller rinks popularity, seventeen rink operators formed the Roller Skating Rink Operators Association in 1937.

Today, after all the redesigning and revolutionizing of roller-skates the activity has grown immensely. Now, not only can you skate, but you can also play roller derby, roller hockey, or roller polo. You can also in-line skate, roller figure skate, or dance skate. The opportunities are endless. And to think, it all began with a guy, named Brinker, who just couldn’t figure out the finesse in ice-skating, thank goodness for his clumsiness.

Post I: Discourse Surrounding the Essay

“In reading an essay, I want to feel that I’m communing with a real person, and a person who cares about what he or she’s writing about. The words sound sentimental and trite, but the qualities are rare. For me, the ideal essay is not an assignment, to be dispatched efficiently and intelligently, but an exploration, a questioning, an introspection. I want to see a piece of the essayist. I want to see a mind at work, imagining, spinning, struggling to understand. If the essayist has all the answers about something, you continually grapple with it, because it is alive in you. It thrashes and moves, like all living things.

When I’m reading a good essay, I feel that I’m going on a journey. The essayist is searching for something and taking me along. That something could be a particular idea, an unraveling of identity, a meaning in the wallow of observations and facts. The facts are important but never enough. An essay, for me, must go past the facts, an essay must travel and move. Even the facts of the essayist’s own history, the personal memoir, are insufficient alone. The facts of personal history provide anchor, but the essayist then swings in a wide arc on his anchor line, testing and pulling hard.
~Alan Lightman in “The Ideal Essay.”


I was very intrigued in Lightman’s views on an “ideal” essay. Before reading his quote, I never thought of an essay in such a light. My view was that an essay was just a boring assignment written on material that nobody really cared about. However, after reading Lightman’s take on an essay, I feel that essays can be much more exciting and innovative than ever before.

In this quote, Lightman personifies the essay, saying, “an essay must travel and move.” I definitely agree with this, because if an essay doesn’t grasp your attention and make your mind wander with it, then there is no point or desire to continue reading it. As Lightman said, “If the essayist has all the answers, then he isn’t struggling to grasp, and I won’t either.” People don’t want to read an essay that is supposedly full of all the answers, if that’s what they wanted they could turn to a collegiate textbook on a certain subject. Reading an essay should be different. It should let you see the author’s mind at work about a subject that takes the reader on a journey.

I believe that all the points made by Lightman are very valid and that essayists should take his ideas into consideration when writing and just let their thoughts shine in their writing. I really like how his views take you away from the stereotypical outlook on an essay and spotlight the fact that essays should be more of an excursion into your mind trying to grasp something that is very real to you and that you want to translate from your mind into words for others to see. I agree with Lightman that an essay needs to be on a topic that you care about so you can really let the reader see your knowledge and opinions on the subject.

An essay is like a journey through the labyrinth of tunnels in your mind and I believe that Lightman’s quote exemplified this statement. I also can tell that he truly believes this because, just by reading his quote, you could see a piece of his mind at work.