Between WNPR stories, they often play a short clip of music that is relevant to the preceeding news piece. For example, a few weeks ago, after an interview with Christo about the gates in Central Park, they played a bit of 'Mellow Yellow' (I'm just mad about Saffron....). Then one night this week they played the guitar introduction from 'Blue Sky' by the Allman Brothers. It brought me back years; I haven't listened to the brothers in ages.
These days, if you want a song, you can get it in minutes. So the other night I bought 'Eat a Peach' from the iTunes music store and listened to 'Blue Sky' this morning driving in. What a great guitar duel - two lead guitars spinning lovely riffs. It is really a wonderful song, inspiring, I might even add.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Miserable traffic
Yesterday was a commuter's nightmare...two and one-half hours to drive in, due to a massive auto accident on the southbound NJ Turnpike, just south of interchange 18. Then in the evening, thanks to the snowfall, another two hour plus commute. Nearly five hours sitting in the car. Good thing I have an iPod...although I like WNPR/WNYC, there are times when I have had enough.
It just goes to show that wonderful AM commute such as that of the past Friday must be savored.
It just goes to show that wonderful AM commute such as that of the past Friday must be savored.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
C.S. Lewis
A few weeks ago, while reading "Tolkien: Man and Myth", I became interested in C.S. Lewis, the Oxford Professor who was a great friend of Tolkien. In particular, I decided it would be useful to read "The Chronicles of Narnia", Lewis' seven-volume work.
It was therefore very surprising to read in the New York Times Arts section this past Sunday that the Disney company is preparing movies based on this set of stories by Lewis. Apparently "Narnia" is the last classic set of childrens' books that has not yet been made into movies. Furthermore, turning these books into movies is no trivial feat; one cannot insult those who love the stories for their religious value, nor alienate those not interested in Christianity.
Needless to say, I will be reading these books in coming weeks.
It was therefore very surprising to read in the New York Times Arts section this past Sunday that the Disney company is preparing movies based on this set of stories by Lewis. Apparently "Narnia" is the last classic set of childrens' books that has not yet been made into movies. Furthermore, turning these books into movies is no trivial feat; one cannot insult those who love the stories for their religious value, nor alienate those not interested in Christianity.
Needless to say, I will be reading these books in coming weeks.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Fifty Minutes
My commute was fifty minutes this morning...door to door, 38 miles, suburban NJ to upper Manhattan. That is because there is no school today, and it is just before President's Day.
It was a pleasure.
If it could only be like this every day, a great deal of stress would be subtracted. I could deal with the commute. But alas, it is like that once a month if I am lucky.
It was a pleasure.
If it could only be like this every day, a great deal of stress would be subtracted. I could deal with the commute. But alas, it is like that once a month if I am lucky.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Young Romance
I am writing this post mainly because I want to remember it in 10 or 20 years, and show it to our son.
For some time our older son has professed his interest in a young lady at his school. For Valentine's day he prepared a box of homemade chocolate lollipops and a wonderful, candid, handwritten love note. In the note he professed his love for her, and why he did love her. He read us the note a few days before and I recall it was wonderful. It began with "I am writing you this note to tell you that I love you" and it ended with the exact same phrase - very well done, I thought. In between he reminded her when they first met ("you remember, I walked into class crying"), and that they both wore eye glasses, and many other cute things that I can't remember. This note was delivered to the house of the young lady on the evening of Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, she was not at home, but the Mother promised to deliver the items.
A few nights later the Mother called our home and conveyed the fact that the daughter was not happy with this profession of love. She preferred to be a friend instead, and did not like the contents of the note. Furthermore, the Mother indicated that 'we do not encourage this kind of behavior'. My wife, who took the call, answered that we encourage our children to be affectionated and the letter was consistent with that behavior.
I fully understand if this girl is not interested in our wonderful son. However, I cannot understand the 'we do not encourage this kind of behavior' comment of the Mother. What kind of behavior? Writing notes? For Pete's sake, the kids are 10 years old - it's basically meaningless. What will the parents do when the children are a few years older and become seriously interested in such matters? Will they not be permitted to interact, and thus grow up cold and lifeless?
This is all so bewildering because they are so young and it means nothing. I think it's awfully cute. I wonder if the poor child has been so stifled by the parents that she cannot respond meaningfully to such an overture.
It will be very interesting to look back on this in coming years.
For some time our older son has professed his interest in a young lady at his school. For Valentine's day he prepared a box of homemade chocolate lollipops and a wonderful, candid, handwritten love note. In the note he professed his love for her, and why he did love her. He read us the note a few days before and I recall it was wonderful. It began with "I am writing you this note to tell you that I love you" and it ended with the exact same phrase - very well done, I thought. In between he reminded her when they first met ("you remember, I walked into class crying"), and that they both wore eye glasses, and many other cute things that I can't remember. This note was delivered to the house of the young lady on the evening of Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, she was not at home, but the Mother promised to deliver the items.
A few nights later the Mother called our home and conveyed the fact that the daughter was not happy with this profession of love. She preferred to be a friend instead, and did not like the contents of the note. Furthermore, the Mother indicated that 'we do not encourage this kind of behavior'. My wife, who took the call, answered that we encourage our children to be affectionated and the letter was consistent with that behavior.
I fully understand if this girl is not interested in our wonderful son. However, I cannot understand the 'we do not encourage this kind of behavior' comment of the Mother. What kind of behavior? Writing notes? For Pete's sake, the kids are 10 years old - it's basically meaningless. What will the parents do when the children are a few years older and become seriously interested in such matters? Will they not be permitted to interact, and thus grow up cold and lifeless?
This is all so bewildering because they are so young and it means nothing. I think it's awfully cute. I wonder if the poor child has been so stifled by the parents that she cannot respond meaningfully to such an overture.
It will be very interesting to look back on this in coming years.
Monday, February 14, 2005
Childrens' Books
Why do I read childrens' books every now and then? I never did before I had children of my own. Books like 'The Bad Beginning', and 'The Artemis Fowl Files'. Not Dr. Seuss mind you, but for a slightly older audience, perhaps 8 years old and up (although I do like Seuss as well!).
For one, childrens' books can be very simply written, which is a delight in itself. Second, at times the plots are not bad. Third, they can be read in a few hours. Fourth, I want to learn how to write childrens' books - I might want to write them some day.
Perhaps best of all, to see what my children like to read! All the childrens' books I have read were first read by - yes - my children!
For one, childrens' books can be very simply written, which is a delight in itself. Second, at times the plots are not bad. Third, they can be read in a few hours. Fourth, I want to learn how to write childrens' books - I might want to write them some day.
Perhaps best of all, to see what my children like to read! All the childrens' books I have read were first read by - yes - my children!
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Leaving the nest
During our visit to Sedona, AZ over Thanksgiving 2004, we were having dinner in the hotel when an interesting event transpired. We were seated at our usual corner table, and this evening an elderly couple was next to us - both in their late sixties or early seventies, she in a wheelchair. Shortly after we ordered I noticed them getting up to leave, and suddenly the lady was next to me, reaching for my hand and introducing herself. She told me that it was so wonderful to see a family together, and began to explain that their children were grown and long gone, and I suppose they both missed doing things with them. We chatted for a while; he is a retired architecture Professor, and he was very much enjoying traveling.
I guess I did not appreciate their angst until tonight, when I was reminded that soon our children will leave, and our wonderful times together will end. It is something to cherish now; I believe I do but I wonder if there is something more I could do to appreciate it. I asked my seven year old boy tonight what I would do when he left; he said that I could come with him, or that he would allow me to see my grandchildren. We have such good times together, and they want to be with us so much, it is hard to look forward to the time when that will no longer happen.
I realize this happens to everyone, but again, everyone is different. I wonder how others cope. Of course, we do have at least eight years in the case of our older one, but still, it bothers me a great deal when I dwell on it.
I guess I did not appreciate their angst until tonight, when I was reminded that soon our children will leave, and our wonderful times together will end. It is something to cherish now; I believe I do but I wonder if there is something more I could do to appreciate it. I asked my seven year old boy tonight what I would do when he left; he said that I could come with him, or that he would allow me to see my grandchildren. We have such good times together, and they want to be with us so much, it is hard to look forward to the time when that will no longer happen.
I realize this happens to everyone, but again, everyone is different. I wonder how others cope. Of course, we do have at least eight years in the case of our older one, but still, it bothers me a great deal when I dwell on it.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Moved again
Just moved this blog to blogger from dreamhost.com, and before that from my office G4. I'm trying it out on blogger now, because I like the idea of being able to post from anywhere; with my other blog, posting involved firing up an ftp client, downloading a template, writing, then uploading. Not a big deal, but this way is much easier. I also like the ability to change the date of the post; I want to back-post some of my old writing with the correct original posting date.
So far I like being able to post from a web browser, anywhere. I also like the simple look.
So far I like being able to post from a web browser, anywhere. I also like the simple look.
Monday, February 07, 2005
Today's quotation
Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.
--Elbert Hubbard
(From under the cap of a bottle of Honest Tea).
--Elbert Hubbard
(From under the cap of a bottle of Honest Tea).
Today's Quotation
Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.
--Elbert Hubbard
(From under the cap of a bottle of Honest Tea).
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Black Belt Revisited
One more tidbit about Aidan's black belt test this past Sunday. After kickboxing (in which he did a few rounds with the girl mentioned previously) Aidan came up into the stands, exhausted. It so happened that the girl's parents had sat next to us througout the event, and so the girl ended up sitting, exhausted, next to Aidan.
He looked at her through the opening in his mask, breathing heavily from exertion, and reached over and squeezed her hand.
One of those moments when life is good.
He looked at her through the opening in his mask, breathing heavily from exertion, and reached over and squeezed her hand.
One of those moments when life is good.
More Windows bashing
As a huge Mac fan, I have to love this quote from Hadley Stern's AppleMatters:
"...Window's boxes in the home are virus-riddeled, spyware crippled piece of junk that keep a large number of IT drones in business; that Windows is a cheap rip off of the Mac UI and that using Internet Explorer on a PC to check your online banking is akin to giving your debit card to some kid in Eastern Europe..."
There was also a wonderful article at salon.com this week by Farhad Manjoo, entitled "Hallelujah, the Mac is back". Very much worth reading. Here is a thought-provoking quote from that article: "When discussing the PC business, an important thing to remember is that nothing's quite settled yet. The personal computer is a young product, and the PCs we have today are not the PCs we'll have forever. David Gelernter, the Yale computer scientist, raised parts of this argument in December in an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal, published on the occasion of IBM's sale of its personal computer business to Lenovo, a Chinese firm. Gelernter lamented that sale; it indicated, he wrote, that IBM no longer saw potential for the greatness of the PC, and that this "is a shame, even a tragedy -- because the modern PC is in fact a primitive, infuriating nuisance. If the U.S. technology industry actually believes that the PC has grown up and settled down, it is out of touch with reality -- and the consequences could be dangerous to America's economic health."
"...Window's boxes in the home are virus-riddeled, spyware crippled piece of junk that keep a large number of IT drones in business; that Windows is a cheap rip off of the Mac UI and that using Internet Explorer on a PC to check your online banking is akin to giving your debit card to some kid in Eastern Europe..."
There was also a wonderful article at salon.com this week by Farhad Manjoo, entitled "Hallelujah, the Mac is back". Very much worth reading. Here is a thought-provoking quote from that article: "When discussing the PC business, an important thing to remember is that nothing's quite settled yet. The personal computer is a young product, and the PCs we have today are not the PCs we'll have forever. David Gelernter, the Yale computer scientist, raised parts of this argument in December in an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal, published on the occasion of IBM's sale of its personal computer business to Lenovo, a Chinese firm. Gelernter lamented that sale; it indicated, he wrote, that IBM no longer saw potential for the greatness of the PC, and that this "is a shame, even a tragedy -- because the modern PC is in fact a primitive, infuriating nuisance. If the U.S. technology industry actually believes that the PC has grown up and settled down, it is out of touch with reality -- and the consequences could be dangerous to America's economic health."
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