Adventure

Yesterday I participated in Toastmasters Club Meeting.

I had the role of general evaluator.

I answered one table topics question. It was about adventure.

The question was what was my idea of adventure. As I started my response I realized that I did not know the exact definition of the word adventure. I did know that Adventure is going to new places and seeing new things. But the exact definition eluded me as I sat facing my fellow toastmaster club members via zoom. The voyages of discovery made by ancient sea farers may be called adventure. When Christopher Columbus set out on a journey to discover a sea route to India he found America.

Vasco da gama the Portuguese travellor found a sea route to India.

Ferdinand Megallan circumnavigated the world.

People have gone to the moon and mars. These are adventures.

However these adventures are very dangerous. What if Christopher Columbus lost his way and was ship wrecked. What if Vasco da gama was attacked by pirates and did not reach India.Thankfully none of this happened. Christopher Columbus safely reached America and till today we revere this person as the one who discovered the north American continent. But there was a chance that it could all have ended badly. These lessons from history teaches me to choose my adventures wisely Adventure Park roller coaster rides is also a kind of adventure. These are ok adventures.

We know for sure it is only a ride and the ride is only for a duration of time. We feel fear knotting our stomach as we go high up in the roller coaster ride and we close our eyes but we know we don't have to fear -- that we will get off of the huge Ferris wheel. If the city or town you live in has boat rides for recreation I don't mind going on a boat ride and sitting in the boat watching the water, and the waves and reaching back from where I started off. But if someone offered me a ticket to go in a space shuttle to space in a experimental journey my response would be no thanks. If I was asked to go on a voyage to go on a new kind of ship to a place I have never been to I will say no thanks. So while the word adventure means seeing new places and new things if it means possibly never reaching home safe, if the danger and risk is too high then I would not like. However there are safe adventures. And I

am all for safe adventure.

BTW here is the definitions of adventure according to Collins dictionary. adventures plural 1. COUNTABLE NOUN If someone has an adventure, they become involved in an unusual, exciting, and somewhat dangerous trip or series of events. 2. UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Adventure is excitement and willingness to do new, unusual, or somewhat dangerous things. 1. the encountering of danger 2. a daring, hazardous undertaking 3. an unusual, stirring experience, often of a romantic nature 4. a venture or speculation in business or finance 5. a liking for danger, excitement, etc.

Dress

I painted this dress today. I painted this using water colors.

The first time I painted a dress like this many years ago my father liked it. At that time I colored it with sketch pens.

So I decided to draw a dress like that again.

Portia's Character -- Merchant of Venice

Yesterday I read Merchant of Venice. It was written between the years 1594 and 1596 by William Shakespeare.

There are at least two phrases currently used in the English language that were first used in this play. The phrase Pound of flesh is a very common phrase referring to a gruesome deal that has its origins in the Merchant of Venice. Also the phrase All that glitters is not gold is a phrase that can be traced to the Merchant of Venice.

The most famous dialogue in this play is about the quality of mercy by Portia. According to Portia the quality of mercy is not strained. It drops like gentle rain from heaven. It is blessed twice. It blesses the person who gives the mercy and the person who receives the mercy. It is mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes the monarch more than his crown. The scepter of the king shows the force of temporal power. The scepter of the king makes us fear the king and be in dread of them. But Mercy is above the dominion of the scepter. Mercy is enthroned in the heart of kings. It is an attribute of God Himself. Mercy gives flavor to justice. Therefore although the plea of the Merchant of Venice is justice Portia asks him to consider the fact that in the course of justice none of us should see salvation. And just as each one of us needs to receive mercy each one of us needs to render deeds of mercy. Portia says her words about mercy lessens the justice of Shylock's plea and if the court in Venice were to strictly follow the dictates of justice then a sentence ought to be given against Shylock. This is the essence of Portia's speech which she says to persuade Shylock from avoiding the path he seemed determined to take and to protect Antonio from Shylocks wrath.

These famous lines emerge in the court scene when Shylock is getting ready to acquire his pound of flesh and refuses the offer for twice the amount of money made by Bassanio and Portia disguised as a male lawyer enters the scene and makes the famous bargain of not allowing one drop of blood to be dropped which reverses the plot of Shylock. Portia interprets Justice correctly and skillfully by saying that Shylock could have his pound of flesh with the condition that one drop of blood should not be shed. One of the reasons this play is very famous could be that it focuses on the ideas of mercy, justice, revenge etc. The play tries to understand these concepts.

In the essays accompanying the play in the book I am currently reading a criticism levelled against Portia is that Portia the advocate of mercy argues that Shylock not be allowed to have the money which he refused earlier. Would it have been more in the character of mercy to allow Shylock to have the money he refused earlier?

Portia goes from her home in Belmont to the court in Venice disguised as a young male lawyer to save Bassiano's friend. This reflects initiative and creativity to do something to save someone's life. She seems wise beyond her years to come up with an idea to protect Antonio and prevent Shylock from harming Antonio in the name of dispensing justice.

Portia has a close relationship with Nerissa. They discuss all the suitors received by Portia as part of the will of her father. Portia's condescending attitude toward all the suitors reflect the fact that she is not a fawning girl who is dazzled by the men who come to marry her. Her likes and dislikes are specific and she does not get easily carried away by the chivalrous words uttered by the suitors.

Portia is also very playful. Disguised as a lawyer she asks Bassanio for the ring which she gave him earlier. Later she asks Bassanio for the ring. When Bassanio tells her that he gave it to the lawyer there is a lot of drama. In the end all is made clear with her telling Bassanio that she was the lawyer.

Yellow

Yesterday I spread this pale yellow quilt over the sofa.

I thought if I am able to buy yellow fabric I could make pillows with it for this sofa. First I thought of yellow fabric with some pattern on it. But when I searched I found this sparkly fabric. I think the second fabric matches the quilt.

It would look awesome with yellow pompom trim.

Books

Last week I borrowed the following books from the library.

I started reading The Merchant of Venice. There are so many benefits to reading. When we read we understand human character better. We understand human life better. We understand wise choices better. We gain lots of wisdom. We understand life in a bygone era. We understand life in a different continent. We understand a different societal order. This soliloquy about the benefits of reading is so Shakespearean even if I say so myself.

Painting

Yesterday I added more details to a painting I painted two years ago or so.

This is how I painted this two years ago or so. Then yesterday I remembered my fathers advice-- To not leave any area in the canvas unpainted. Paint, add details, add color, add designs and make the entire canvas or paper a true painting. Yesterday I noticed lots of empty spaces in the canvas and so colored them. I darkened the color of the leaves. And made the soil a deeper brown.

I painted another plant next to the tree and made green smudges on the soil. And just added random colors of diluted yellow and orange to add depth.

This painting of butterfly was also made two years ago.

For this painting I thickened the outline of the butterfly. I drew dots on the the thick line. And I drew lines on the wings.I made the background a darker shade.

A few more paintings.

I painted these two years ago or so. As a child when I learned in school that the lotus was the national flower of India I was so happy. I don't know when exactly I learned to draw a lotus. Here is a pink lotus.

A scene consisting of mountains, ocean, sky land and flower. This was taught to me by my fifth grade art teacher.

A study of colors.

A plant rising out of some vast immensity.

Painting

Yesterday I bought a canvas and watercolor paint set from hobby lobby.

I was trying to paint a butterfly.

I played with lots of colors such as purple dark pink yellow orange green brown blue and black.

It may be clear that I am not a Van Gogh or Picasso yet.

I truly liked painting this.

If you notice the second painting you can see four little birds flying. (Reposting)

Decline in Average Hours worked in Europe

In a newsletter from the International Monetary Fund (January 19) I read about a study which found that there was a decline in the amount of working hours in Europe for the average European. The title of the study is "Dissecting the decline in average hours worked in Europe" Here are some takeaways from the study. Almost all the sentences are directly quoted from the text of the study. I have not paraphrased them. --Average working hours across developed economies have been on a long term declining trend roughly halving between 1870 and 2000 in Germany. --Average working hours across OECD countries have decreased by 0.5 % per year between the 1870's and the early 2000's. --Why are average working hours on a downward trend in Europe? --Is a changing demographic contributing with an increasing share of workers or jobs with fewer working hours? --Or are workers across different demographic groups or job types all working less? --Decline in average hours worked since 2003 has been widespread across demographic groups, industries and occupations. --The study found that average hours worked across European countries is not cyclical but structural extending a long term trend. --The trend of lower working hours seems unlikely to reverse. --Bulk of the trend decline in hours primarily reflects worker preferences. --Increased income and wealth is likely to be the main force behind the decline in desired and actual hours worked. --There is a negative correlation between GDP per capita and average hours. --Hours have tended to fall more in those European countries where average hours were initially longest and those that experienced the highest growth rates in GDP per capita. --Technological progress has been the main force behind falling working hours in the labor market and at home in the last 200 years. --They highlight the income effect of rising real wages but also time saving appliances as well as the increased value of leisure as key mechanisms behind this trend. --From 1983 to 2015 Europeans worked 14 percent fewer hours than Americans during the same period. --Average hours worked are higher in lower income countries. --Aggregate actual hours worked fell from 35.37 hours per week in 2003 to 32.88 hours per week by 2019 with decline observed by all groups. --Demographic trends show that men with young children and young men work lesser hours. The amount of decline in working hours of women with young children is less. --Younger people tend to work less. Why is there a sharper decline for young part time workers? --The decline in average hours worked among young people appears to reflect in part the rising share of young people in school. The share of respondents answering in school as a reason for working zero hours has increased from 7.3 percent in 2006 to 12.6 in 2019. --Men and women with young children have seen a sharper decline in average hours worked than other groups. Countries with higher gdp per capita tend to have fewer average working hours. These are the findings of the study. If you wish to read the study in detail you could check out IMF.org and subscribe to their newsletter. I think it is awesome to work fewer hours. It gives us leisure to do the things we enjoy. For me it is writing, reading, drawing, and painting. I need to do the last two activities way more than I am doing now. I also like decorating, cooking etc.

Putting Away Christmas Ornaments

Today I spent some time taking down christmas ornaments.

I placed them in several ziploc baggies and placed them in this container.

I have more ornaments to put away.