[-empyre-] Happy Thanksgiving.

[Renate Terese Ferro]

Rahul thanks for reminding me of Julianne Moore’s character in Safe.  The fact that contamination can be relational while causing symptoms some times and not at others is one reason that it is not recognized as an illness by the medical community.  As I understand scented products, cleaning products, perfumes, and even the exhaust from vehicles can act as triggers for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.  Moore’s character turns to New Age Religion for answers to her own physical symptoms.  

Here is a link on YOU TUBE to the film SAFE by Todd Haynes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaRXgPYF8Tg

Andrea my apologies for the error in my salutation. The freezing weather has put an absolute stop to our growing seasons both weedy and otherwise in upstate New York.  In the growing season though we are incredibly protective of our well water systems. Weeds grow alongside of grass and food crops but we try sustainable practices such as mulching, companion planting, weeding especially after a rainstorm when the soil is wet, boiling water with a tablespoon of salt, or vinegar directly on weeds that are impossible to get rid of. Many weeds though we just tend to keep around and they actually become part of our landscape.  My favorite are the milk weed pods that the butterflies absolutely love.  

It’s been a lazy few days here as we have been celebrating the American Thanksgiving.  A great way to unwind and relax from the intense fall schedule. We hope that all of our –empyre subscribers in the US have also had a relaxing holiday and that we can spend the next two days finishing out Week 3.  Andrea and Rahul would love to hear more about your own research and Andrea more about your choreography. We will keep Week 3 open until late in the afternoon on Sunday. 

Happy Thanksgiving. 
Renate



Renate Ferro
Visiting Associate Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Art
Tjaden Hall 306
rferro at cornell.edu