Farewell and thanks for the fish.

These are my findings and impressions from my trip to spectacle island.; I present them as my farewell.

1. A Sea Comb: it's plastic, so it's obviously 20^th century. I'm going to go with the 50's or 60's for that Rebel Without a Cause brilliantine look, carried in the back-pocket of some punk.

 2. A Sea Porcelain Spark-plug: Perhaps from the motorcycle of the begreezed punk with the comb. Or perhaps it came from an all-American gas guzzler sedan. I could not find out as of now when they stopped making spark-plugs entirely from porcelain (they still use porcelain for parts of the spark plug), but I am assuming it is the first part of the 20^th century.

 3. A porcelain electricity fixture: I'm not sure exactly what it is; whether it's a socket or a connector etc. But I am assuming it is contemporaneous with the spark plug, since it too is completely devoid of plastic. 

 4. The Sole of a Shoe : here too I couldn't quite pin-point the date. The sole has nails in it; the question is then until which time soles were attached to shoes this way. My guess here will be the late 19^th or early 20^th century

 5. A China Animal Figurine: at least, I am convinced that's what this used to be. I'd like to imagine it as part of a set belonging to one of the children of the management of the Ward rendering factor. It's a really sweet image, and it works particularly well with the four legged horses being rendered into Foot Oil...

6. A Sea Jug: this looks to be quite old, and quite fancy. Perhaps it was used to carry wine or beer in those naughty mid-19^th century hotels they had there. It has that boozy feeling to it.

So,

It's been a pleasure!

Sadly, I didn't enjoy all the experiences with the rest of you. And judging by what I experienced when I was present, every trip that I missed was truly a miss. But even so, there was so much going on, and so much of it was interesting, entertaining, educating. And very challenging, actually. In its sleeveless way this class demanded of me to do new things and see new things, to experience before I form a judgment; and also, an opportunity to be less squeamish than I usually am. Of course, talking about the class in the abstract is silly. First I want to thank each and every on of you for being part of the makeup of my experience of this class, and for allowing me to be part of the makeup of yours. Above all though this class is the brainchild and extension of Prof. Berman, and so I wanted to thank you, Prof. Berman, personally, for introducing me to this alley of the world and this neighborhood of knowledge. 

Good Bye!

Amichai.