Advent Calendar 2022

I don’t really like the end of year celebrations (at all?) but I take advantage of them, and I like doing it, to question the spice of my life via a calendar that is meant to be fun and reflective. So here is my Advent calendar for the end of 2022.

01. A quote that carries me▲

I choose a quote from my quotes page that highlights a great scientist and a great lady of the XXe century.

In life, nothing is to be feared, everything is to be understood.

Marie Salomea Skłodowska spouse Curie

02. An image that makes me dream▲

For the image that makes me dream, I think of a relationship between women, female humans: sisterhood.

03. The last musical crush▲

This is a version of Bella Ciao sung by an Iranian woman following the assassination of a young woman for wearing her veil incorrectly in Iran this year as a sign of solidarity and Sorore resistance.

04. A super cute image▲

I choose an image with stuffed animals.

05. A song that gets you going▲

I choose an Italian song: Sarà perché ti amo by Ricchi e Poveri.

06. Something that comforts when things are bad▲

I walk around the Four de Louge lake, near my home. I created a digital album of some photos taken during a bike ride.

07. A little free happiness▲

Again. I am choosing the same little welfare as last year because it’s something I love doing. Looking at the sky, especially admiring the stars of which we are dust. When I can, I try to contemplate the Milky Way.

08. A beautiful love song▲

This year, I choose the piece entitled Aimer (Love) from a French musical: Roméo et Juliette, de la haine à l’amour [Romeo and Juliet, from hate to love], by Gérard Presgurvic.

09. The last cinematic crush▲

The last movie I watched, I don’t remember it anymore, so I’m going to highlight the first one that comes to mind… I choose a film that my eldest son has just seen and that I watched a long time ago now: Gattaca in VO, Bienvenue à Gattaca in French. Here is the trailer of the movie (French version):

10. A must-see video▲

I choose a video from the INA, the French National Audiovisual Institute, dating from the 1970s, which deals with the living conditions of women and which testifies to their personal suffering, which makes them decide to come together to talk about it among themselves without men.

11. A recipe to try urgently▲

I’m sharing a recipe called Eggnog.

Ingredients for a person:

• 25 g of sugar
• 15 cL of milk
• 1 pinch of cinnamon
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 1 egg yolk

Preparation : heat the milk in a saucepan with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Only recommendation: do not boil the preparation. Mix the egg yolk and sugar in a cup. Add the milk at the desired temperature to the cup, continuing to mix well.

TIP: you can add a tablespoon of rum or adjust the recipe to your convenience.

12. A personality to discover▲

I choose Léon Bourgeois. I recently attended a videoconference of the Léon Bourgeois circle with the curiosity to know more about the concept of solidarity, in connection with the idea of mutual aid. This initiative comes after my last reading: Mutual aid, the other law of the jungle.

13. A place to discover▲

Difficult to choose but when thinking about science, one site stands out; I went there as a student some… twenty-five years ago: the Palais de la Découverte in Paris.

14. A TV series in the spotlight▲

Je choisis de mettre l’univers de fiction Star Trek en lumière. Ma série phare du moment est Star Trek Enterprise.

I choose to highlight the Star Trek fictional universe. My current flagship series is Star Trek Enterprise.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_Enterprise

15. The last literary love at first sight▲

I choose without hesitation the last book I read: Mutual aid, the other law of the jungle by Pablo Servigne and Gauthier Chapelle. A book of great value for sure.

16. A memorable memory▲

Me walking in the snow 🙂

17. An initiative to discover▲

Christmas solidarity shoe boxes. I share a French post about it: https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/bretagne/morbihan/vannes/noel-et-si-vous-optiez-pour-des-boites-solidaires-pour-les-plus-demunis-2670724.html

18. Something that restores faith in humanity▲

The existence of funeral rites. In fact, for me it means awareness at a minimum of the value of a living being’s life. During a ceremony, we reflect and honor the memory of a person since the emergence of our species and in all ethnic groups around the world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral

19. An idea to brighten the daily lives of others▲

Use a foldable electric bike that fits in a backpack. This can be very useful, especially in large cities.

20. Common sense advice that does good▲

To do something new, you have to try something that hasn’t been done.

Yes, written like that, it’s obvious… and so I decide to write this obvious thing down.

21. An exploding expression or play on words▲

I choose a play on words by Jacques Prévert on the terms truth and freedom:

Quand la vérité n’est pas libre, la liberté n’est pas vraie.
(When the truth is not free, freedom is not true.)

Jacques Prévert

22. A blog to discover▲

I want to once again put science in the spotlight with this blog: Futura sciences.

On Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/@futurasciences

23. A fun and easy to set up game▲

Hopscotch.

I share a French article from the HuffingtonPost: https://www.huffingtonpost.fr/insolite/article/et-vous-qu-auriez-vous-fait-face-a-cette-marelle-dessinee-sur-le-trottoir_121364.html

Question: in the video experience, what would you have done? Play or pass on the hopscotch with indifference?

24. A funny, moving and/or meaningful anecdote▲

I choose an… urban legend that I like to mention regularly, particularly to promote science because it highlights the construction of scientific thought: The Bohr barometer. I share a French YouTube video that tells it:

25. A wish for all other humans▲

I wish all human beings to be able to help each other with their resources, to contribute to building living together and working for peace. Merry Christmas to everyone!

Post updated on 12/25/2022.