Beauty is in the Eye of Reynolds

Beauty Scavenger Hunt 2018

I got so fired up over this assignment, that I am compelled to do a second one. My other scavenger hunt is far below.

Here we go!!!!!

Here is my son, Cash, cutting some rug at his cousin's wedding two years ago. I put this as an example of natural beauty because I think a child having fun is one of the most beautiful things in the world. Cash doesn't care what people think of him or what others are doing. He is wonderfully caught up in the moment and having a blast. I wish he could live the rest of his life like this.

Here is my daughter. This is beautiful because of the innocence here. She is going 'toe to toe' with a good family friend over the Fourth of July. The boys stripped down and were running through the sprinkles having a blast. This little guy was sticking out his stomach a moment earlier and showing off to Scout. My sister snapped this picture because Scout wasn't about to back down from any challenge. The fact that she is so innocent and childlike made everyone in my family laugh when they saw this. Now, if these two are still doing this when they're 17, that won't be beautiful at all!!!

Artificial Beauty

This is a painting from my favorite artist, Mark Rothko. There is something so hypnotic about the dozens of layers of paint Rothko spent days brushing onto this canvas. It is man made, but there was something oddly organic about it as it just seemed to absorb me. I don't think you can simply look at a Rothko they way you can look at a Van Gogh or even a Lichtenstein. A Rothko looks back. At you. I was transfixed.

Schools. If that isn't a perfect illustration of beauty, then I don't know what is. This is my building at UND, the Education building. The window on the bottom right is my classroom, #12. I spend Tuesday nights fall semester with 32 college students. The three hours goes by in about 15 minutes. That is beautiful, but I think this building, simple brick and mortar, is also beautiful. All those bricks have form, purpose, and structure. Think of all the great books, thoughts, and minds that building has housed and helped produce over the decades!

Acts of Beauty

Here is my son, Cash, with his buddy, Rhymers. This is an act of beauty because I love the enthusiasm and passion they bring to their first ever Youtube video. Yes, their innocence is beautiful too, but their sheer joy at being in front of the camera is such an act of beauty.

I mentioned this scene from Sex and the City where Miranda cares for her mother-in-law. I truly believe this is an act of beauty because it shows how Miranda finally is able to care for another human being outside of her own immediate family (Steve, her husband, and their son). Miranda lets her guard down and lowers her defenses (finally). It is an act of beauty as she dashed out into the street to find her and then gives her a bath and reassures her that she is safe.

Spontaneous Beauty

Remember Vine? Well, here it is in action. This is my daughter rocking out to Maroon 5. She wasn't putting on a show or trying to be so incredibly cute. This was completely spur of the moment. I was just lucky enough to capture it on my iPhone. I believe that the spontaneous moments are the most beautiful in our lives because we can't plan for them. Thus, we can't build up our expectations for them (and, consequently, not live up to them). This was not planned so every time I watch it - and see my daughter grow up as she becomes less like this little child and more like a young lady and, eventually - gulp - a teen!

Here is Cash during the homecoming parade. I told him that I'd be along the parade route taking pictures. I never expected, though, that he'd be this excited. I love how happy and proud he is in this moment.

Bonus Spontaneous Beauty Content:

Cash on one of his first trips to our pool. There is so much beauty in this leap off the diving board. I think Cash summed it up best: "This is the best day ever."

My wife and I took a spontaneous trip to the cities a few years ago to catch a Hozier concert in St. Paul. It was so much fun!

Beauty Taken for Granted

I take this place for granted, but it's beautiful. Not just the structure itself but the people in it. I love what I do, but it's the students who make this place so beautiful.

Unfortunately, I take my students for granted. Sure, I enjoy all the time we spend together, but all that time comes far too quickly to an end and then they're out of here. If I'm lucky, I get to see them again but far too many are gone and out of touch forever. Try as much as I may, I cannot savor our time together.

Manufacture Beauty

Apple products are so beautifully designed that I even hate to throw their packaging away. In fact, there are people who actually collect just the packages that the iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, and iPhones come in! This is chiefly due to Jonathan Ive, who was lead designer on numerous apple products. He has an eye not just for function but form too. If you randomly selected 100 pieces of technology and laid them out on a table, you'd be able to spot an apple product in seconds. That's manufactured beauty.

This cufflinks, which were a gift from two former students, are manufacture beauty. They happen to be my favorite color, and they are actually Legos, not reproductions. I'm wearing these in San Francisco. Great style is always beautiful.