Well, what to write. I’m told when a person has writer’s block that you should just write and see what comes of it. Write about something you know. Since, like Pooh, I’m a bear of very little brain, that’s hard. Think. Think. Think.
Thinking is overrated. Feelings. Intuition. That’s where it’s at. Our brains get us into more trouble than they’re worth. Most times.
We analyze. Then analyze again. Then over analyze. The good things in life come from the gut. Or the heart. Or the soul. But not the brain.
I read recently (In a comic strip, actually. How shiny is that!) that yawning is used by humans to cool an overheated brain. Kind of a brain radiator system. Maybe thinkers yawn more than the less brain-endowed of us.
Well. This isn’t working. This is boring (yawn).
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
No Place Like Gnome
There are two gnomes on our front steps. A female gnome and a man one. I don't know what their relationship is to one another, although they come from the same stock. The Polk Center in Polk, Pennsylvania, where I adopted them a couple of years back.
They look east off the steps out across West Abingdon Drive, the U.S. Park Service park that is part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway system, and then the Parkway itself. They can't see the Potomac River. Too many buildings between them and the River. Unless gnomes have magical vision. I don't know. They don't say much.
They stoically view the parade of cars and buses each day going up and down the streets to and from somewhere. From and to somewhere else. I mentioned to a group recently that in 2003, the average distance driven per car each year in the U.S. was slightly more than 11,800 miles. That was for 231 million vehicles. That’s a total distance of over 2.7 trillion miles. It's probably even more now. But those are the latest numbers I have.
That's a lot of miles. And fuel. And carbon dioxide. And other air pollution. A lot of wasted time traveling all of those miles, too. Time much better spent on much better things. Like loving. Touching. Smelling. Tasting. Living.
Cars and driving and frenetically going to and from God knows where are not life. They're death. I think the gnomes must know that. Because they seem to look a bit sadder each day.
They look east off the steps out across West Abingdon Drive, the U.S. Park Service park that is part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway system, and then the Parkway itself. They can't see the Potomac River. Too many buildings between them and the River. Unless gnomes have magical vision. I don't know. They don't say much.
They stoically view the parade of cars and buses each day going up and down the streets to and from somewhere. From and to somewhere else. I mentioned to a group recently that in 2003, the average distance driven per car each year in the U.S. was slightly more than 11,800 miles. That was for 231 million vehicles. That’s a total distance of over 2.7 trillion miles. It's probably even more now. But those are the latest numbers I have.
That's a lot of miles. And fuel. And carbon dioxide. And other air pollution. A lot of wasted time traveling all of those miles, too. Time much better spent on much better things. Like loving. Touching. Smelling. Tasting. Living.
Cars and driving and frenetically going to and from God knows where are not life. They're death. I think the gnomes must know that. Because they seem to look a bit sadder each day.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Lasagna anyone?
Here (click here) is a great take-off on a recent Pizza Hut commercial from Funny or Die.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Speaking of . . .
Here are some quotes I used in a talk I gave earlier today at the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church.
Writing on the abuse, misuse and non-recognition of women, Joss Whedon recently said that “if we can evolve, invent and theorize our way into the technologically magical, culturally diverse and artistically magnificent race we are and still get people to buy the idiotic idea that half of us are inferior, we’re pretty amazing. Let our next sleight of hand be to make that myth disappear.”
From Joan Chittister, “Most learning is not acquiring new insights; it’s letting go of the old ones.”
Then, from Voltaire, “Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.”
And, lastly from Francis Herbert, author of the Dune series of novels, “Knowledge is often a barrier to learning.”
Writing on the abuse, misuse and non-recognition of women, Joss Whedon recently said that “if we can evolve, invent and theorize our way into the technologically magical, culturally diverse and artistically magnificent race we are and still get people to buy the idiotic idea that half of us are inferior, we’re pretty amazing. Let our next sleight of hand be to make that myth disappear.”
From Joan Chittister, “Most learning is not acquiring new insights; it’s letting go of the old ones.”
Then, from Voltaire, “Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.”
And, lastly from Francis Herbert, author of the Dune series of novels, “Knowledge is often a barrier to learning.”
Holding On
Winter is holding on tight. It's been cold here since Sunday morning when a front came through from the west. While I see that Erie is closing in on a seasonal high snowfall record. With just a foot or so more to go. Go Erie! Not that it's snowed here much at all. I think we are at a grand total of two or three inches. A few flakes did fall on Sunday just as the wind whipped around to the northwest, changing the rain to snow. None of it took.
Today I spread the gospel of feminism to a lunch group at Mount Vernon Unitarian Church. This group (called "Good Companions" for some reason) gets together and munches down every other Tuesday and has someone come in and speak to them after lunch. Should be interesting. I'll have to find out why they are good companions.
The cats (Zelda and Lucky) are restless. They "play" in a sibling rivalry sort of way. Stalking up and wrestling with each other in brief tussles. Lucky tends to like Kooper and takes advantage of Kooper eating by rubbing up against his snout and purring loudly. I think she would like to do that with Zelda, too, but Zelda is less tolerant.
Speaking of which (tolerance), there is still not a lot of that going on in the political halls of DC. The Republicans for the large part are playing the roll of Zelda when it comes to anything the Obama administration would like to do. "No. No. No! NO!" Like a baby who doesn't want to eat her mashed peas (even though they are good for her). I have to give credit to Barack Obama though. He keeps trying.
In the meantime we'll just need to hold on.
Today I spread the gospel of feminism to a lunch group at Mount Vernon Unitarian Church. This group (called "Good Companions" for some reason) gets together and munches down every other Tuesday and has someone come in and speak to them after lunch. Should be interesting. I'll have to find out why they are good companions.
The cats (Zelda and Lucky) are restless. They "play" in a sibling rivalry sort of way. Stalking up and wrestling with each other in brief tussles. Lucky tends to like Kooper and takes advantage of Kooper eating by rubbing up against his snout and purring loudly. I think she would like to do that with Zelda, too, but Zelda is less tolerant.
Speaking of which (tolerance), there is still not a lot of that going on in the political halls of DC. The Republicans for the large part are playing the roll of Zelda when it comes to anything the Obama administration would like to do. "No. No. No! NO!" Like a baby who doesn't want to eat her mashed peas (even though they are good for her). I have to give credit to Barack Obama though. He keeps trying.
In the meantime we'll just need to hold on.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Mixed Up
I've noticed something about Washington DC neighborhoods. At least the middle class ones. On the whole they are heterogeneous. "Mixy," I call it. I know mixy is not a word, but it describes those neighborhoods well. A mix of houses and businesses. A mix of shops and stores. A mix of fancy and ordinary. A mix of people. Young. Old. Colorful. Not. Skinny. Not so. Straight. Bent over. A good model for urban living. Demonstrates every day that we aren't all black or poor or rich or white or senior or young or upwardly mobile or progressive or conservative.
Not a lot of places are like that. Alexandria is one of those not-like-that places. It's white, rich, "progressive" (in an "I know best" kind of way), and is proud of its openness while being very exclusive. Alexandria is an ungated, gated community. The gate is price. You gotta pay a high price to live here. And if you can't afford it? Well. We're sorry. Really we are.
I'd rather live in DC.
Not a lot of places are like that. Alexandria is one of those not-like-that places. It's white, rich, "progressive" (in an "I know best" kind of way), and is proud of its openness while being very exclusive. Alexandria is an ungated, gated community. The gate is price. You gotta pay a high price to live here. And if you can't afford it? Well. We're sorry. Really we are.
I'd rather live in DC.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
From the Sublime to the Surreal
Last night we spent a lovely evening listening to Ravel, Prokofiev and Stravinsky at the Kennedy Center in DC. The third Friday in a row! The first piece was soft and serene. The second, a rousing piano concerto with the featured 21 year-old pianist, Yuja Wang, rendering the keyboard flawlessly and with power. She received three standing ovation curtain calls. The third, the Firebird, moved from quiet to resounding and ended the evening on a high note.
Tonight it's back to the District. But for something quite different. Roller derby at the DC Armory! Kate's church's youth minister in a roller derbyist. Or derbier. Or whatever they are called. You wouldn't think of making that connection looking at her with the children on Sunday morning.
But then, I wouldn't have imagined that the truth flowing through the hands of a 21 year-old pianist could be so profound either.
Truth has a way of creeping up on you like that.
Tonight it's back to the District. But for something quite different. Roller derby at the DC Armory! Kate's church's youth minister in a roller derbyist. Or derbier. Or whatever they are called. You wouldn't think of making that connection looking at her with the children on Sunday morning.
But then, I wouldn't have imagined that the truth flowing through the hands of a 21 year-old pianist could be so profound either.
Truth has a way of creeping up on you like that.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Colbert - Conan String Dance-Off
A hilarious piece from one of Conan O'Brien's last shows (warning: there is a brief NBC promo before the clip).
Good Luck. Bad Luck. Who Know?
Last evening was eventful. I had to stay late at work for a late afternoon meeting. So, by the time I left to catch the bus, it was dark out. I waited at the bus stop for awhile, since the bus was it's usual 10 minutes late. As the Fairfax Connector 162 (my bus) rolled down Fordson Road toward me I got my Metro card out of my wallet. Then raised my hand to flag the bus driver. Then waved excitedly. Then waved frantically. As the bus rolled right no by.
So, I went back to the office. Fired off a frustrated email to the bus company. And then waited dutifully another 30 minutes for the next bus to cycle through. I walked out of the office door at my usual five minutes before it is scheduled to arrive only to see the 162 rolling down Fordson Road. Ahead of schedule!!!
By now it was an hour since I had initially left work. I wasn't going to wait another half hour for the 162. So I walked over a block to US Route 1 for one of the many buses that go along that major highway. Knowing all the ones going north stop at the Huntington Metro where I could catch my usual Yellow Line train toward Alexandria. I got on the DC Metro 11A bus. The driver saw me and stopped. And in 10 minutes I got off at the Metro station. There by luck I saw the Route 9A DC Metro bus. Which (I know because I'm observant) stops a block from our house in Alexandria. So I went from the 11A right onto the 9A and in 10 minutes was dropped off a block from home.
So, after all of that frustration, I learned a new, easier way to get home! How shiny is that!
There is a Chinese folk tale that sort of goes along with my evening yesterday.
There once was a farmer in China who had a horse. One day the horse ran away. All his neighbors came to console him, but he was not distressed.
He told them, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
A few days later the horse returned and with it was a mare. All his neighbors came to him to congratulate him on his good fortune, but again he would not mind them telling them, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
A week later his son was riding the mare, fell and broke his arm. Again the neighbors came to wish him condolences and tell him how very unlucky he was.
The farmer shook his head and said, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
A few days later, war was declared and all able-bodied young men were conscripted, but because on his son’s broken arm, he was not. "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
So, I went back to the office. Fired off a frustrated email to the bus company. And then waited dutifully another 30 minutes for the next bus to cycle through. I walked out of the office door at my usual five minutes before it is scheduled to arrive only to see the 162 rolling down Fordson Road. Ahead of schedule!!!
By now it was an hour since I had initially left work. I wasn't going to wait another half hour for the 162. So I walked over a block to US Route 1 for one of the many buses that go along that major highway. Knowing all the ones going north stop at the Huntington Metro where I could catch my usual Yellow Line train toward Alexandria. I got on the DC Metro 11A bus. The driver saw me and stopped. And in 10 minutes I got off at the Metro station. There by luck I saw the Route 9A DC Metro bus. Which (I know because I'm observant) stops a block from our house in Alexandria. So I went from the 11A right onto the 9A and in 10 minutes was dropped off a block from home.
So, after all of that frustration, I learned a new, easier way to get home! How shiny is that!
There is a Chinese folk tale that sort of goes along with my evening yesterday.
There once was a farmer in China who had a horse. One day the horse ran away. All his neighbors came to console him, but he was not distressed.
He told them, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
A few days later the horse returned and with it was a mare. All his neighbors came to him to congratulate him on his good fortune, but again he would not mind them telling them, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
A week later his son was riding the mare, fell and broke his arm. Again the neighbors came to wish him condolences and tell him how very unlucky he was.
The farmer shook his head and said, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
A few days later, war was declared and all able-bodied young men were conscripted, but because on his son’s broken arm, he was not. "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Slithery Dee
Oh, the Slithery Dee
He crawled out of the sea
He may catch all the others but
He won't catch me
No, he won't catch me
Stupid ole Slithery Dee
He may catch all the others but . . .
He crawled out of the sea
He may catch all the others but
He won't catch me
No, he won't catch me
Stupid ole Slithery Dee
He may catch all the others but . . .
Monday, February 16, 2009
Where No Man Has Gone Before
Well, okay, maybe quite a few men. But very funny anyway, especially the Picard and Data bits.
Watch more funny videos
Watch more funny videos
Sunday, February 15, 2009
It's Dark
News Flash: It's almost 8 PM in the DC metropolitan area. And it's dark. The good news is that the days are getting slowly longer as we wend our way toward summer solstice. Which, ironically in the northern hemisphere, happens when the earth is farthest from the sun each year. That's a good trick question to ask people: "In the summer are we in the northern hemisphere closer to the sun or farther from the sun than in the winter on our annual trek around our nearest star?" Another good related question is "What is the star nearest the earth?"
Speaking of astronomical trivia (right up there in the preceding paragraph), I have a calendar where every day when you rip off the date, there is a new trivia question to try. Last week one of the questions was something like, "Besides the sun and the moon, what is the only other celestial object that casts a shadow on earth?" The answer was Venus. But that got me to thinking. Shadows are in the eye of the beholder, and if you had a sensitive enough instrument, I bet its "eye" (sensor) might be able to detect a shadow cast by some other celestial things. Plus (I know from my days as an oceanographer) the pelagic (look it up) zooplankton in the ocean respond to starlight by moving up and down in the water column. So, they must sense something there, and would sense the absence of that "something" (light) if some large object got in the way. Casting a shadow.
Eye of the beholder! Like a lot of other things. Beauty. Art. Truth. God.
Something to think about on a dark winter's night. Or not - depending on your viewpoint.
Speaking of astronomical trivia (right up there in the preceding paragraph), I have a calendar where every day when you rip off the date, there is a new trivia question to try. Last week one of the questions was something like, "Besides the sun and the moon, what is the only other celestial object that casts a shadow on earth?" The answer was Venus. But that got me to thinking. Shadows are in the eye of the beholder, and if you had a sensitive enough instrument, I bet its "eye" (sensor) might be able to detect a shadow cast by some other celestial things. Plus (I know from my days as an oceanographer) the pelagic (look it up) zooplankton in the ocean respond to starlight by moving up and down in the water column. So, they must sense something there, and would sense the absence of that "something" (light) if some large object got in the way. Casting a shadow.
Eye of the beholder! Like a lot of other things. Beauty. Art. Truth. God.
Something to think about on a dark winter's night. Or not - depending on your viewpoint.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Mom Always Liked You Best
Kate and I went to see the Smothers Brothers last night at the Kennedy Center in DC. They were on during the second half of the National Symphony Orchestra's Pops concert. Although the second "half" was much longer than the first. Not true halves in the strictest sense. More like "parts." Anyway, more to the point, they were great! The Smothers Brothers. They symphony was really good, too, by the way. They - the Brothers - had the nearly packed audience rolling for well over an hour with some standard routines and some material that was new. To me, at least. This is one of the pieces they did.
They also did a little film retrospective, narrated by Dick Smothers. That was done while Tom recuperated from a frantic piece as the Yo-Yo Man, where he showed off his prowess at the yo-yo.
Then I bought this DVD after the show in the lobby. So if any of you long for touching base with the good things of the past or (for those not born then) want to see what the 60s were all about (I forget, myself), then come visit us. Call before midnight tonight to reserve bed or couch or floor space. And we'll have a Smothers Brothers 840 minute marathon together! Complete with Mudder's Milk and other drugs, sex and rock and roll. Well maybe not all that complete but fun anyway! You know you're just sitting around anyway and miss us and the Smothers Brothers so much. Wouldn't that be shiny!?!
Okay. So much for the commercial interruption. Anyways, all-in-all it was a fun night. The Metro was shut down at the Pentagon for service and we had to be routed around by bus to the next stop. So it took us awhile to get back to the peace and respite of home afterwards. But then the Pentagon and peace and respite are not words I tend to ponder much about in the same thought very often in any case.
Peace and Love 60s style to all!
They also did a little film retrospective, narrated by Dick Smothers. That was done while Tom recuperated from a frantic piece as the Yo-Yo Man, where he showed off his prowess at the yo-yo.
Then I bought this DVD after the show in the lobby. So if any of you long for touching base with the good things of the past or (for those not born then) want to see what the 60s were all about (I forget, myself), then come visit us. Call before midnight tonight to reserve bed or couch or floor space. And we'll have a Smothers Brothers 840 minute marathon together! Complete with Mudder's Milk and other drugs, sex and rock and roll. Well maybe not all that complete but fun anyway! You know you're just sitting around anyway and miss us and the Smothers Brothers so much. Wouldn't that be shiny!?!
Okay. So much for the commercial interruption. Anyways, all-in-all it was a fun night. The Metro was shut down at the Pentagon for service and we had to be routed around by bus to the next stop. So it took us awhile to get back to the peace and respite of home afterwards. But then the Pentagon and peace and respite are not words I tend to ponder much about in the same thought very often in any case.
Peace and Love 60s style to all!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
A Question of Balance
I remember once in way back land when I taught large (150+) classes of biology for non-biology students at Kent State University that I tried to bring up the major themes in biology and ecology and nature in general. Then I would use those as a unifying themes throughout the course. Pointing out whenever I could how this was one of those concepts again. One of those was balance, and how it seems that whenever something gets out of balance in one direction or the other, nature's integrated systems would tend to bring things back to some steady state or balance. It's amazing how that works both at the micro (biochemical) and macro (ecosystem) levels and everywhere in between.
I bring up this archetypal concept because I saw this really neat balancing act on Funny or Die today that I've never ever seen before:
I bring up this archetypal concept because I saw this really neat balancing act on Funny or Die today that I've never ever seen before:
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Weather or Not
I'm debating whether or not to let everyone know how nice the weather has been here lately and how it's gearing up to be nice for a few more days, as well. For those in colder climes, that must seem like an unfair taunting. Like the taunting French soldiers in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Okay, well, I'll tell you. I'm sure you're dying to hear. It's been great! Mild. Not hot. A slight breeze from the south. The kind of weather where you can walk out of the house in a sweater and not feel chilled at all. The kind where you don't mind if the dog is slow and sniffy. The kind where the furnace hardly goes on at all during the day. And last night even during the night! Just to top it all off, it's supposed to be 70 F today!
That's not to say that everything is all guns and roses. No. There's the dilemma regarding the house flag. It's a winter flag right now. Evergreen and a cardinal and snowflakes. Looks out of place about now. But I can't help thinking that it's too early to take it down. There must be some winter left out there somewhere. Besides, if I switch it out for a milder flag I may just jinx the whole thing and plunge us into the depths of arctic air again. So the flag stays. For now.
The other not so great thing about mild weather is that it's ushered in by southerly breezes. And airplanes take off into the wind. And land with the wind. So that means the flights to and from the nearby Reagan National Airport fly past our house (well up a few feet and to the east), as they enter and leave the airport. A bit noisy. But not too bad at all with the windows closed.
Speaking of Reagan National, I'm off to there right now. To leave the car for Kate when she flies in today from Canada. I'll just pick up the Metro there and take it into work. Urban life.
Okay, well, I'll tell you. I'm sure you're dying to hear. It's been great! Mild. Not hot. A slight breeze from the south. The kind of weather where you can walk out of the house in a sweater and not feel chilled at all. The kind where you don't mind if the dog is slow and sniffy. The kind where the furnace hardly goes on at all during the day. And last night even during the night! Just to top it all off, it's supposed to be 70 F today!
That's not to say that everything is all guns and roses. No. There's the dilemma regarding the house flag. It's a winter flag right now. Evergreen and a cardinal and snowflakes. Looks out of place about now. But I can't help thinking that it's too early to take it down. There must be some winter left out there somewhere. Besides, if I switch it out for a milder flag I may just jinx the whole thing and plunge us into the depths of arctic air again. So the flag stays. For now.
The other not so great thing about mild weather is that it's ushered in by southerly breezes. And airplanes take off into the wind. And land with the wind. So that means the flights to and from the nearby Reagan National Airport fly past our house (well up a few feet and to the east), as they enter and leave the airport. A bit noisy. But not too bad at all with the windows closed.
Speaking of Reagan National, I'm off to there right now. To leave the car for Kate when she flies in today from Canada. I'll just pick up the Metro there and take it into work. Urban life.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Better Late than Never
It's finally happened. The January thaw! This morning we (Kooper and I) heard a male cardinal singing in the distance as the day was breaking during our morning walk. Then another right near us answered in that unmistakable song of spring close-at-hand. "Birdy-birdy-birdy-birdy." It's been very mild here the past couple of days. Even at night the temperature is only dropping into the mid 40s. And back up into the 60s during the daytime. Although after all of the recent bitter cold the mild seems much milder.
Like hibernating bears rolling out of their dens, people were out yesterday in droves. Walking dogs. Strolling down the street. Shopping bags in hand. And the traffic was much heavier, too, as people took advantage of the warmth and sun to get outdoors. Albeit in their cars.
The forecast looks as if this warm spell will continue through the week. That's good, because Kooper and I will be walking a lot this week. Kate will be flying north to Toronto today for a meeting. That means Kooper and I rely on each other to get us both out the door to sniff around a bit and soak in the sunlight (or moonlight, as the case may be). When the weather is mild and the cardinals are announcing spring's near-arrival, that helps to usher us outside more often.
Like hibernating bears rolling out of their dens, people were out yesterday in droves. Walking dogs. Strolling down the street. Shopping bags in hand. And the traffic was much heavier, too, as people took advantage of the warmth and sun to get outdoors. Albeit in their cars.
The forecast looks as if this warm spell will continue through the week. That's good, because Kooper and I will be walking a lot this week. Kate will be flying north to Toronto today for a meeting. That means Kooper and I rely on each other to get us both out the door to sniff around a bit and soak in the sunlight (or moonlight, as the case may be). When the weather is mild and the cardinals are announcing spring's near-arrival, that helps to usher us outside more often.
Thinning the Herd
I know that hunting season is over. But this Non Sequitur comic from today is too good to pass up (click to enlarge).
Saturday, February 7, 2009
The Day in DC
We took the Metro into DC yesterday to wander about. Went to a luncheon talk on hunger by a panel of people who know about hunger (They weren't hungry themselves. But they stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night, and have written books about it. Almost the same as having first hand experience. Looks better on a resume.).
It was sunny and about 40 degrees or so. It made for a good day to walk about. So after that free lunch we went to the Newseum. One of the better museums I've ever been to. Six floors of displays of new reporting and the key events that reporters have covered. Very informative and moving. I eventually had to leave one theatre (one of many they have) that was exploring television news in the 1950s and 1960s. 1968 just got too intense. Martin. Robert. Vietnam. Riots. Bad year. It ended well, though with Apollo 8 circling the Moon on Christmas Eve. We needed that after a year of death.
By then it was nearly super time. And as luck would have it, the Newseum is just a half block from the Capital Grille. Turns out it is a steak house. So much for my vegitarianism. And turns out it's expensive. But we decided that this would be Kate's birthday dinner. So in we went. Great steak. Likely the best I've ever had. And very nice service. It's supposed to be a place where the government big whigs go but I didn't see any I recognized.
By the time we finished dinner we had about an hour to get to the Kennedy Center with two complimentary symphony tickets Kate scored. Just because she's a minister and ministers score free things like that. It's a good thing that we had an hour to get there because there was a huge traffic jam around the Kennedy Center. Because the President decided to go to one of the three events there: the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. That was in the Opera House. We were in the adjacent concert hall. So Barack Obama didn't get to see us. I imagine he was disappointed. The concert was nice. Two pieces, each of which got a standing ovation (I liked the second).
We eventually got home after 12 or so hours traipsing about DC. And settled in for a long winter's nap.
And you know the nice thing about it all. The whole day was done without a car! Very shiny!
It was sunny and about 40 degrees or so. It made for a good day to walk about. So after that free lunch we went to the Newseum. One of the better museums I've ever been to. Six floors of displays of new reporting and the key events that reporters have covered. Very informative and moving. I eventually had to leave one theatre (one of many they have) that was exploring television news in the 1950s and 1960s. 1968 just got too intense. Martin. Robert. Vietnam. Riots. Bad year. It ended well, though with Apollo 8 circling the Moon on Christmas Eve. We needed that after a year of death.
By then it was nearly super time. And as luck would have it, the Newseum is just a half block from the Capital Grille. Turns out it is a steak house. So much for my vegitarianism. And turns out it's expensive. But we decided that this would be Kate's birthday dinner. So in we went. Great steak. Likely the best I've ever had. And very nice service. It's supposed to be a place where the government big whigs go but I didn't see any I recognized.
By the time we finished dinner we had about an hour to get to the Kennedy Center with two complimentary symphony tickets Kate scored. Just because she's a minister and ministers score free things like that. It's a good thing that we had an hour to get there because there was a huge traffic jam around the Kennedy Center. Because the President decided to go to one of the three events there: the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. That was in the Opera House. We were in the adjacent concert hall. So Barack Obama didn't get to see us. I imagine he was disappointed. The concert was nice. Two pieces, each of which got a standing ovation (I liked the second).
We eventually got home after 12 or so hours traipsing about DC. And settled in for a long winter's nap.
And you know the nice thing about it all. The whole day was done without a car! Very shiny!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Song Remains the Same
The single most spectacular rock and roll piece ever recorded: Neil Young and Pearl Jam singing Rockin in the Free World at the the 1993 Grammy Awards. I saw it live (over TV feed) and still think so!
Living is Easy With Eyes Closed
It's 15 degrees Fahrenheit this morning with a zero degree windchill! Probably the coldest feeling day of the winter so far. In the nation's capital that can only mean one thing. Frozen water pipes. Burst water mains. Icy streets. Blocked traffic. Rerouting onto other roads. And more gridlock.
A good symbol of our nation's infrastructure overall. Old. Breaking down. In huge need of repair and reconstruction. It all started with the Great Communicator. Ronald Reagan. He greatly communicated us into believing that less government means less spending means more money for us. Great message. It fed right into our need for security. Our need for more and bigger.
Except he failed to communicate that while we were biggering ourselves, we were spending less on the kinds of things that our children would need someday. That we were taking home repair money (and by "home" here I mean our nation's house), and spending it for fun things today. Bigger cars. Bigger TVs. Bigger vacations. Bigger houses. Bigger wars. Bigger toys. Bigger stomachs. And Reagan's plan didn't work anyway. We got a bigger government along the way as well.
In the meantime our children's debt has grown. Fiscally and structurally. We get collapsing bridges and deteriorating roads. Inadequate water and sewerage treatment. Insufficient park upkeep and maintenance. Falling power lines and failing schools. And bursting water mains just blocks from the White House. Within eyesight of the Capital Building. If only they would shut their mouths and open their eyes once in awhile. They might see. See that bigger is rarely better. That enough is always plenty. And that we should leave enough for the future, too.
A good symbol of our nation's infrastructure overall. Old. Breaking down. In huge need of repair and reconstruction. It all started with the Great Communicator. Ronald Reagan. He greatly communicated us into believing that less government means less spending means more money for us. Great message. It fed right into our need for security. Our need for more and bigger.
Except he failed to communicate that while we were biggering ourselves, we were spending less on the kinds of things that our children would need someday. That we were taking home repair money (and by "home" here I mean our nation's house), and spending it for fun things today. Bigger cars. Bigger TVs. Bigger vacations. Bigger houses. Bigger wars. Bigger toys. Bigger stomachs. And Reagan's plan didn't work anyway. We got a bigger government along the way as well.
In the meantime our children's debt has grown. Fiscally and structurally. We get collapsing bridges and deteriorating roads. Inadequate water and sewerage treatment. Insufficient park upkeep and maintenance. Falling power lines and failing schools. And bursting water mains just blocks from the White House. Within eyesight of the Capital Building. If only they would shut their mouths and open their eyes once in awhile. They might see. See that bigger is rarely better. That enough is always plenty. And that we should leave enough for the future, too.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Isn't Internet 2.0 Wonderful
This blog has floated through the ethereal Internet world from my email right into the Potomac Notes Blog. I love being connected!
Dynasty?
There has been a lot of blogging and editorializing going on since about 10 PM Sunday night over whether or not the Pittsburgh Steelers - with six Superbowl rings to their credit now - are the NFL's premere dynasty. Here's my take for what it's worth.
We're each looking for rational arguments-facts- to justify an already-made emotional decision to say either "Yes, they are a dynasty," or "No, you're crazy." The truth of the matter is that we are allied with a sports team or a sports concept (like a dynastic team, for example) based on a myriad of values that we each hold and the core emotions that those values evoke.
So, for me, I'll say yes, the Steelers are the epitome of an NFL dynasty. But I'm not going to lay out facts and figures to justify that statement. I will say that I grew up and lived most of my life in Pennsylvania. I value hard work, honesty and respect by leaders, owners and members of a team. I like the work ethic exemplified by Pittsburgh the city and the Steelers as a team. They both seem "real" to me.
So the Steelers for me speak of home, fairness, honesty and hard work. And yes, by the way, they are a dynasty.
We're each looking for rational arguments-facts- to justify an already-made emotional decision to say either "Yes, they are a dynasty," or "No, you're crazy." The truth of the matter is that we are allied with a sports team or a sports concept (like a dynastic team, for example) based on a myriad of values that we each hold and the core emotions that those values evoke.
So, for me, I'll say yes, the Steelers are the epitome of an NFL dynasty. But I'm not going to lay out facts and figures to justify that statement. I will say that I grew up and lived most of my life in Pennsylvania. I value hard work, honesty and respect by leaders, owners and members of a team. I like the work ethic exemplified by Pittsburgh the city and the Steelers as a team. They both seem "real" to me.
So the Steelers for me speak of home, fairness, honesty and hard work. And yes, by the way, they are a dynasty.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
High Fives
And speaking of notoriety in DC (see the post below), how many political, Hollywood and pop culture celebrities and icons can you name in this funny and quirky Inauguration High Five video from Funny or Die? Celebrities flocked to town for the Inauguration. Some new politicos are new Obama folk. And some are just permanent political fixtures around town who never leave. Even after being voted out of office!
Umbrellas in the Snow
I noticed it again this morning. People here use umbrellas during snow storms like most other folks use them in the rain. I saw one person, then another and many others last week as I was walking to the Metro. "That's different," I thought. Then there were even more umbrellas going into the Metro station. Then I saw more from the train. And now, just a bit ago, Kooper and I saw another person holding up an umbrella to ward off the softly falling - but apparently dangerous - snowflakes.
I had never seen that in all of my years until last week. So I asked someone about it. "Oh, yes," the man at the bus stop said, "That's what we do here." Like it's nothing unusual.
"But why?" I asked.
"I think it's because we walk more."
"Huh?" I said. I admit the look on my face might have been more like "Are you crazy!?!?"
"We're out in the stuff more" (although he used another word for "stuff." A word I've never associated with white, frozen water crystals). "People other places go from their house to their car to their workplace. We walk a lot more from the bus to work. From the home to the Metro. We walk for blocks and blocks. Not most people though."
Okay, so I see some logic there I guess. More walking means more time out in the snow and a greater need for protection from the big, evil snowflakes. And maybe Washingtonians are a bit too civilized and governmental to use the common winter parka and hood combination.
Maybe umbrellas are more in vogue. Fashionable. Style seems to carry a lot of weight in this town. Appearance counts. Celebrity and notoriety mean a lot. Which, it turns out, is good news for the umbrella makers.
I had never seen that in all of my years until last week. So I asked someone about it. "Oh, yes," the man at the bus stop said, "That's what we do here." Like it's nothing unusual.
"But why?" I asked.
"I think it's because we walk more."
"Huh?" I said. I admit the look on my face might have been more like "Are you crazy!?!?"
"We're out in the stuff more" (although he used another word for "stuff." A word I've never associated with white, frozen water crystals). "People other places go from their house to their car to their workplace. We walk a lot more from the bus to work. From the home to the Metro. We walk for blocks and blocks. Not most people though."
Okay, so I see some logic there I guess. More walking means more time out in the snow and a greater need for protection from the big, evil snowflakes. And maybe Washingtonians are a bit too civilized and governmental to use the common winter parka and hood combination.
Maybe umbrellas are more in vogue. Fashionable. Style seems to carry a lot of weight in this town. Appearance counts. Celebrity and notoriety mean a lot. Which, it turns out, is good news for the umbrella makers.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Random List
I was recently asked (in my Facebook page) to make a random list of 25 things about me. Which, as you will see, was hard. But fun. Here it is:
1. I like the NY Yankees.
2. I'm beginning to like mild weather over cold. I used to say I liked each season, but winter in DC is not, so we might as well skip it.
3. I registered as a Democrat this past election year after giving up political parties for years because I thought they were all jerks.
4. I like the Beatles and most of the rock music I prefer is non-US. US rock for the most part doesn't rock.
5. I love nature and that's why we have lots of pets around all of the time. And plants. Brings nature closer.
6. Tame is boring.
7. I read historical novels and science fiction but only a few pages at a time.
8. I don't think anyone will ever resurrect Firefly and Serenity. I've given up hope.
9. But Joss Whedon still rocks.
10. 25 random things are hard for me to think of.
11. But now it's only 24 because I put that nonsense random thing right up there in slot #10.
12. And if I keep this up, #25 will be here before I know it.
13. Wes Anderson films are odd and quirky but that's the way life is and that's the kind of film I like.
14. Life is good and even when it's not sometimes, you might as well enjoy it.
15. I'm really settling into blogging and twittering and facebooking pretty easily.
16. Which is weird (#15) because I'm quiet. But not weird because I like to write.
17. I once wrote a whole paper in college without any punctuation marks. The paper was an argument against the need for punctuation marks. But a college intern graded it and because he didn't like my premise he graded it poorly.
18. College interns must have limited minds.
19. I was never a college intern, but my mind is limited. But then so is everyone else's mind. So.
20. This list is getting exciting as we begin to sense the end. There is a light at the end of the list tunnel.
21. That's good because darkness is overrated, except when one is having a dark night of the soul . . . which is the kind of darkness that everyone needs. Like a Thneed (see "The Lorax").
22. One of my favorite books is The Lorax. I always get choked up when the last tree is chopped down with a sickening thwack.
23. Firefly is better than Star Trek and Star Wars but not many people know it.
24. If a science fiction TV series falls in the woods but no one hears it does it make a sound?
25. God is overrated because we tend to make God in our own image and we tend to overrate our own self importance.
1. I like the NY Yankees.
2. I'm beginning to like mild weather over cold. I used to say I liked each season, but winter in DC is not, so we might as well skip it.
3. I registered as a Democrat this past election year after giving up political parties for years because I thought they were all jerks.
4. I like the Beatles and most of the rock music I prefer is non-US. US rock for the most part doesn't rock.
5. I love nature and that's why we have lots of pets around all of the time. And plants. Brings nature closer.
6. Tame is boring.
7. I read historical novels and science fiction but only a few pages at a time.
8. I don't think anyone will ever resurrect Firefly and Serenity. I've given up hope.
9. But Joss Whedon still rocks.
10. 25 random things are hard for me to think of.
11. But now it's only 24 because I put that nonsense random thing right up there in slot #10.
12. And if I keep this up, #25 will be here before I know it.
13. Wes Anderson films are odd and quirky but that's the way life is and that's the kind of film I like.
14. Life is good and even when it's not sometimes, you might as well enjoy it.
15. I'm really settling into blogging and twittering and facebooking pretty easily.
16. Which is weird (#15) because I'm quiet. But not weird because I like to write.
17. I once wrote a whole paper in college without any punctuation marks. The paper was an argument against the need for punctuation marks. But a college intern graded it and because he didn't like my premise he graded it poorly.
18. College interns must have limited minds.
19. I was never a college intern, but my mind is limited. But then so is everyone else's mind. So.
20. This list is getting exciting as we begin to sense the end. There is a light at the end of the list tunnel.
21. That's good because darkness is overrated, except when one is having a dark night of the soul . . . which is the kind of darkness that everyone needs. Like a Thneed (see "The Lorax").
22. One of my favorite books is The Lorax. I always get choked up when the last tree is chopped down with a sickening thwack.
23. Firefly is better than Star Trek and Star Wars but not many people know it.
24. If a science fiction TV series falls in the woods but no one hears it does it make a sound?
25. God is overrated because we tend to make God in our own image and we tend to overrate our own self importance.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
And Speaking of the Future (see the last blog)
Here is the Audubon Society's super bowl winner pick: Click here
Back to the Future
It's disconcerting not to mention a bit nauseating to ride backwards. In a Metro train for example. I did it twice yesterday. The only people I ever knew who had eyes in the back of their heads were the Sisters of Christian Charity who taught me during my grade school years at Saint Boniface parish growing up in Williamsport. They could tell what I was doing even when they were writing on the chalk board with their backs to the class. Writing with perfect penmanship I might add. Those Sisters would be designed and quite able to ride backwards. But not me. And not most other people.
We just have eyes in the front. Facing squarely and dually ahead to give us that colorful, stereoscopic vision that vaulted the small, prehistoric, tree-dwelling mammals into the future of humanity. We evolved to be looking ahead. Toward what's coming. Not with our backs to the future. But focussed ahead. Clearly on the future.
That's why it doesn't work when I ride backwards on the Metro train. I'm facing what's been left behind, watching the present blur quickly by as it passes on the right and left. With little clue of what lies ahead.
This morning on our walk Kooper and I sniffed our way south down Washington Street. Into a mild southerly wind that will bring a bit of warmth and thaw into our future, out of a past few weeks that have been a decidedly chilly. Could spring be far behind?
We just have eyes in the front. Facing squarely and dually ahead to give us that colorful, stereoscopic vision that vaulted the small, prehistoric, tree-dwelling mammals into the future of humanity. We evolved to be looking ahead. Toward what's coming. Not with our backs to the future. But focussed ahead. Clearly on the future.
That's why it doesn't work when I ride backwards on the Metro train. I'm facing what's been left behind, watching the present blur quickly by as it passes on the right and left. With little clue of what lies ahead.
This morning on our walk Kooper and I sniffed our way south down Washington Street. Into a mild southerly wind that will bring a bit of warmth and thaw into our future, out of a past few weeks that have been a decidedly chilly. Could spring be far behind?
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