No Fixed Plans

  Seen in Beijing at the 798 Art Space

 

  This week Cee's challenging bloggers to share some cold, chilly or chili photos.  Want to see more? Click here .

  An exquisite gate I saw in Xi'an years ago is my contribution to Thursday Doors. To see more doors, click here .

 Isn't this an inviting door? It's my entry for this week's Thursday Door Challenge. If you'd like to see more wonderful doors, saunter over to No Facilities.

This mural was at the World Expo in Shanghai in 2010. It's the Algerian Pavilion.  To see more murals click here.   

 

My contribution to the Which Way Photo Challenge a busy street in Phnom Penh To see more ways, visit Alive and Trekking . 

  Not sure if this fertility shrine in New Mexico fits in with Sculpture Saturday, but I think it does.  You can see more sculpture by clicking here . 

  We've got great inspiration this week for Sepia Saturday, two 19th century children elegantly bundled up for the snow.  Below is what winter images I found in the Library of Congress' archives. Wolcott, Marion Post, photographer.  Children ride on sleds almost all winter. Woodstock, Vermont . United States Vermont Woodstock, 1939. [Mar. or 1940 Mar.?] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017755740/. American Winter Scene . , ca. 1867. Phila.: Published by Joseph Hoover. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/99472679/. H.M. Smyth Printing Company, and H Brosius.  Winter carnival- St. Paul ice palace 194 ft. wide - 217 ft. long / H. Brosius ; lith. by The H.M Smyth Print Co . Saint Paul Minnesota, ca. 1886. Dec. 30. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2004672439/. H.M. Smyth Printing Company, and H Brosius.  Winter carnival- St. Paul ice palace 194 ft. wide - 217 ft. long / H. Brosius ; lith. by The H.M Smyth Print Co . Saint Paul Minnesota, ca. 1886. Dec. 30. Photograph. htt

 

 

 New Mexico Here's my contribution to Sami's Monday Murals challenge. A mural honoring a chapter of New Mexico's history. To see more Monday Murals from all over the world, click here. 

  My contribution is the dramatic aisle at Our Lady of Sorrows in Garfield Park. To see more "ways," click here.

 

  This week Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share photos inspired by the one above. I went with a colorful collection of cycling images from the Library of Congress. Seven Bicyclists Racing . , ca. 1897. [Cincinnati: Publisher Not Transcribed] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2018694928/. The  Great Wallace Shows ... The celebrated Stirk Family - the World's greatest bicyclists . , 1898. Buffalo: Courier Litho. Co. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002719022/. Those costumes are pretty skimpy for 1898. Dalrymple, Louis, Artist.  A handicap needed / Dalrymple . , 1898. N.Y.: Published by Keppler & Schwarzmann. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012647592/.

  Last week I shared the interior side of this door. I wondered why the top was curvy. Now I see that it's part of the dove at the top. See below.  This door is clearly not original with the 19th century church. To see more Thursday doors, click here. 

  If I were having coffee with you, I'd have you over here so I wouldn't have to go out in the cold.  I'd tell you I'm sorry that the Christmas season is over. I had been visiting various Chicago churches that are known for their great architecture. I love seeing them with their Christmas decorations. Last weekend I went to Our Lady of the Sorrows (below).  Although they didn't have many congregants (maybe people watch them online), but people were friendly. Other past visits include Holy Trinity,  St. Gregory the Great  At work things have been crazy. I've been getting about 12 hours of work a day and work 10 hours a day. It's hard to keep my head above water. I now have 100 cases to work on, when 70 is more than enough. I dread checking voice mail or my inbox.  Yet, today we were released from work 4 hours early for MLK Day, which I feel is a meaningful holiday if you fill it with something that honors Martin Luther King. It's not till Monday. We work

We've been deluged with work at the government's Disaster Loan Department. I work 10 hours a day but now have 100 cases which is often 12 hours worth of work. We work 10 hours a day. I thought Monday would be bad and then I'd catch up. Nope. I'm still treading water and feel like I'm going under.  Today as every day I was working from home. My electricity went off for half an hour. When power was resumed I emailed my team leader and supervisor to say I'd work another half hour to make up for lost time. I genuinely want to catch up. A little while later, I got a call from the supervisor. In such situations the rules are that we use our vacation time for such problems and when we use vacation time, we are forbidden from working overtime. Thus I had to stop working at 5pm and leave the calls and other tasks undone.  How does that make any sense. The power outage was outside my control. It was only 30 minutes.  Don't tell me they care about productivity or custo

 

Monday Windows For the next few weeks Cee is challenging us with other popular challenges. This week we're inspired by Monday Windows. I just may do this one next week on Monday. My window is at a closed store. Sadly, stores are closing left and right around me.  To see more windows, click here .  

  Colorful Faces In Downtown Chicago My contribution to Sami's Monday Murals. To check out more, click here . 

 

  The End of the Christmas Season Holy Trinity Church, Chicago My contribution for January 9th. You can see more "Ways" if you click here . 

This week Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share images inspired by the photo above. I went on a hunt at the Library of Congress for bevies of beauty. Here's what I found. Ukiyo-e prints are one of my favorite forms of art Hosoda, Eishi, Artist.  Sumiyoshi Odori . Japan, None. [Between 1791 and 1793] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2008660549/. Three Women . , 1879. Nov. 7. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2004669495/. American Colony . Photo Department, photographer.  Bethlehem Women . West Bank Bethlehem, None. [Between 1898 and 1914] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2019694918/. Thomson, J, photographer.  Group of Chinese women . Shanghai China, None. [Between 1870 and 1872] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2011660127/. Fashions for Women . , 1894. [United States: publisher not transcribed] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2018695641/. Quarterly report of metropolitan fashions. Herbst . , 1895. [New York: publisher not transcribed] Photograph. https:

  Here's my Sculpture Saturday contribution fo January 8, 2020. I saw it at St. Alphonsus Church in Chicago's Lake View. It's of the church's namesake.

 Holy Trinity Church Wanting to see the Christmas decorations, I visited the Polish church on Noble Street last Sunday. I was curious about why the top of this door wasn't straight.  Next week I'll show the other side of this door. To see more Thursday Doors, click here to get to No Facilities, the hosting blog.

 

Water, Water Everywhere  My contribution to this week's Cee's Fun Foto Challenge.