Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Details, Details


Thirty-five years ago, I read Blackberry Winter, anthropologist Margaret Mead’s autobiography about her early years.  I wondered why she went on for pages about her preparations to work in places such as Samoa, but not now. Mind you, I never work anyplace where you cannot buy batteries, nor am I gone for years at a time. But even a modest, short term project like ours requires a lot of gear: cameras, batteries,  a laptop, electricity converters, a portable data projector, the American Heritage Dictionary, wiffle balls, wiffle bats, and an American football. I could go on, but you get the idea.


My friend and colleague, Dr. Kathryn Sharp (pictured above), loaned me her largest valise and included a traveler’s journal.  But when I measured the suitcase, I found the combined total of its height, depth and width was 67 inches, and Delta Airlines’ limit is 62.  The trips to China had left my suitcases moribund, so I made my way over to TJ Maxx and got new ones.  For a price. 

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