Wonderings

A definition of “wondering” seemingly lost in time is its use as an adjective meaning “feeling or expressing awe, admiration, amazement, or surprise.”

Thus, “All paved with suns that daze our wondering eyes.”  Oliver Wendell Holmes

And, “Then sweet music sounded on the air, and the loud tones were hushed, as in wondering silence the Fairies waited what should come.”  Louisa May Alcott (Flower Fables)

The word “wondering” in this sense seems an appropriate description for the state to which I often find myself transported by art.  As my curiosity and sense of wonder has been on overdrive in recent years, it’s about time I found a better way to share my discoveries.  To that end, Wonderings.net will grow over time, focusing on music compilations, vintage (mostly French) postcards, and movie reviews and suggestions.

If you want to read more about the importance of wonder in your life, check out this recent article in the NY Times, called “How a Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Health: Experts say wonder is an essential human emotion — and a salve for a turbulent mind.”

Music Compilations. I am a passionate explorer of music and compiler of genre-defying mixes, that I try to make flow sonically from one track to the next to form a coherent, unique whole. Each compilation webpage has a streaming link and the songlist. You can also stream my compilations at mixcloud.com/Vodem.

Vintage Postcards. I love old French postcards, especially those produced by the Reutlinger photography studio in Paris from 1900 to roughly 1910. I have shared all sorts of postcards on the site, from Reutlinger cards of various types, highly colorized postcards that were produced in the 1920s and 1930s, poisson d’avril cards, anthropomorphic vegetable cards, cards by photographer Albert Monier, and more.

Movies.  I am adding some reviews I wrote up in 1999 (Scenes from a Library), based on my idiosyncratic borrowings from the Seattle public library.  In the future, I plan to add a  page of movie favorites, perhaps with clips.

Finally, I have an idiosyncratic guide to San Francisco, organized into 7 days of activities (as well as a list of SF destinations inspired by Harry Potter written up by my spouse).

I also want to take the opportunity to highlight another wonder-oriented project worthy of your attention: Jeff Hoke’s Museum of Lost Wonder.  His fantastic, deeply thought-provoking illustrations have graced my workaday walls for many years.

I welcome any comments below on overall site design, things that you would like to see me share in the future, etc. Enjoy!