Both of those two quotes are from the "Conclusion" chapter of Walden. I enjoyed poking around the walden.org website and assembled a page of favorite quotes.

As I hopped around the rich resources at the walden.org website, I pondered at Thoreau having only made it to forty four years old. Such a tragedy, to have succumbed to tuberculosis. Would he have had a longer life if he had taken care to stay out of rainstorms?

Still, as I read his words, it became clear to me that he spent those brief years more aware, more fully alive than those who live twice his years, but in a state of distracted stupor. It gives me comfort during these uncertain days of "covid19" virus worries. I am blessed to have already had almost twenty more years than Thoreau, and while I hope for thirty more, the thought of making the most of whatever remains to me is encouraging.

The Wikipedia author explained "He was also deeply interested in the idea of survival in the face of hostile elements, historical change, and natural decay".

Most definitely, we can particularly make use of his wisdom today!

One of the people who was influential in Thoreau's life was Ralph Waldo Emerson, who he met through a mutual friend. Emerson encouraged Thoreau's writing.

Perhaps he would have been more content with today's Unitarian/Universal churches, with their greater emphasis on diversity.

Saturday evening, Julia and I chanced upon a program about Vermeer's masterpiece "Girl with a Pearl Earring". They studied to see how the original is different (and not) from a high-res 3D print of the painting. One thing that doesn't come through a flat or even 3D print is the effect of the glazes the artist used.

As they spoke about old master glazes, I remembered how I was taught old master glazes, see http://joanannlansberry.com/art/paintng2.html. One of my paintings has a rich glaze over it. There's a slight unifying effect as the slightly alizarin crimson glaze blesses it, adding a richness of depth to it. The best camera cannot capture that.

I remembered my teacher Sharlene Kassiday, who taught me at Joliet Junior College. I wonder what became of her. I was able to turn up some facts about her, as well as screen captures from old yearbooks, but there's so much in mystery. From yearbook evidence, she taught from at least 1965 to 1978.

1995 - She is the one smiling in the upper right hand corner

1966 (Misspelled name, but with degree information)

1967 (Same photo as in 1966)

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1975 - I remember James Dugdale, he taught design and praised my ability to discern colors

1977 - This photo is exactly how I remember her, being taken during my years at JUCO

This result came up in one search, from a request for models, September 14, 1984