the best times are maritimes!

today i went to the oregon maritime museum, which floats in the willamette river between the morrison and burnside bridges. it is a steam powered tug boat built in 1947. this visit was prompted by the 'museum museum' class i am taking this term and next, being guided via satellite/speaker phone/postcard by mark dion. mark is an artist i have admired for years, so this is all very exciting of course.

anyway.

i am glad for acts like this one, prompted by being in this graduate program. it falls in the category of something-i-could-do-any-old-time-on-my-own, but if not for being in this program right now, probably-would-not. it's a very ambiguous category, as you may have gleaned. but one very dear to me.

i chose this museum, of many, for a few reasons. my main reason being my most gut reaction: i love the sea. i grew up on the ocean, and i FULLY romanticize it in every possible way. just hearing the word "maritime" hooked me (get it? hooked..?).

i also chose it because i have less experience in museums like these...those that focus on a very particular subject matter that is not art. i had a feeling that it would be a fruitful experience, personally, and i was right. for instance, i have never spent 3 hours enjoying conversation with a volunteer docent at MOMA, that is for damn sure. [charlie haughey is a swell guy. and very insightful.]

i took many photos, and when my memory card filled up, i took some with my cell phone, and even one with a disposable camera (that one got me some looks). i will probably write an illustrated entry about my visit, more in depth, when i upload them all.

for now, here is sam. the most inquisitive small child i have ever encountered. he is pictured here employing the sonic powers of one of the ships many variations of whistles.