now picnic

Today, your musical selection appropriate to this entry is Sufjan Stevens' Come on Feel the Illinose! (the second song) followed by more Sufjan.

Who likes cakes? I do, I do! That cake there was made by my friend Kirby for Chicago's birthday. He even iced it himself!

For those not in the know, it's the Chicago flag (or see the offical-er version). The four stars are for four important events in Chicago history: the Chicago Fire (1871), World's Columbian Exhibition (1893), the Century of Progress Exposition (1933), and the Dearborn Massacre (happened in 1812, star added 1939).

To learn more about the Columbian Exhibition, I recommend The Devil in the White City, even though I haven't read it yet. It comes highly recommended by those who have. Daniel Burnham, who was the architect of the exhibition, is one of the subjects of the book, and he was apparently a pretty inspirational guy. I was looking for a quote of his, and I found this extended version on wikipedia:

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die, but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistence. Remember that our sons and our grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty."

It's often abbreviated to just the first part: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood" ... but I like the whole thing. Good stuff.

This is all especially appropriate for this week, since I have returned (triumphantly?) to Chicago. I'm at Fermilab for this week and next week, working hard!