Thursday Ramble: Art

Over the past few weeks, I have made a specific effort to get out and experience some of the wonderful art around me. One of the reasons I wanted to live in the Washington DC area, was the incredible museums and galleries that are here. Truly world class museums, and most of them are free of charge to enter.  

Art touches our emotions.   Love-Hate, Pain-Pleasure, Joy-Sadness, Anger-Contentment, Excitement-boredom. 

Art can either make you want to see more, or to never see that again. 

Art can convey a message, or simply stimulate the senses. Really by stimulating the senses art is communicating a subtle message.  

Art education often fails the artistically handicapped.  I have little ability to draw, or to sculpt, and art education tends to focus on developing those abilities.  

But there is more to exploring art.  

In college I needed a studio art class to finish, I took a silver casting and construction class.  For the most part the pieces I produced were bulky and clunky. The most important thing that I learned in that class, was that I am capable of spending hours, days, working on a tiny project, perfecting it one pull of the file at a time.  The finished product was really more me, than it was the changes in the silver. The focus that I learned helped me in academic studies, and in my work over the past 40 years.  But the art class, never gave me a chance to say, what did I learn, how did the class change me.  I was graded on the artistic outcome, and that was okay, though I think the professor was generous in his grading.  The real lesson, the learning that changed me, was much deeper and not reflected in the metals and stones turned in for grading. 

I paint, not because I produce great images, but because doing so moves my mind into a different place, a blending of colors, and tones, of light and shadow. 

I take photos, because it allows me to capture a little glimpse into the world around me. To freeze the color and light that excites my mind for a moment.  

Look for the art and beauty around you.  Visit a local museum or gallery. See what touches you in some way.  Express yourself, doing so builds something inside of you.  

My World of Wonders aka The Wednesday Ws November 13, 2024

Where is Home? In the photo, if you follow the expressways on the left, out across the water, there is a group of tall buildings on the horizon, one of those buildings is home. 

Where have I been this week? Not far from home. Mt Vernon, Potomac Yard, across the river to Maryland, the gym, the mall for a walk, shopping and lunch out. 

Who have I talked with? My sweet bear, and not much of anyone. 

Who have I traded emails with? Spo, and Sharon, making plans for next winter. 

When am I going someplace? Late January early February to a conference and board meeting in Phoenix- connected to above. 

Who have I reached out to? My oldest brother, I am sending a birthday card and a nice two page letter. Time will tell if I ever hear back from him. 

What have I been listening to? An annual CLE law update 7.75 hours of recorded lectures. One interesting point, learning about generative artificial intelligence is today what learning to use a computer was 40 years ago for lawyers, learn it, or you will be left behind. 

What am I painting? A representation of the old farm house from the farm I grew up on. 

What have I been reading? I finished "Reader Come Home" about the neuroscience of reading and how reading print and electronic media differ.  I am working on Essays Sunshine State, For You When I am Gone, and Washington's Rules of Civility.  All of these are good reads, none of them are books I would urge you to read. Reader Come Home, could have been about 100 pages shorter and left out the authors lament that modern readers don't read and quote Jane Austen and Emily Dickinson, and modern writers write in a much more concise style that is easier to understand. 

What am I thinking about changing on the Blog?  The Friday feature of tips to improve your travel experience - is not always a good draw - and is hard to come up with ideas for.  It may end up being 35 tips instead of 100.   

What am I grateful for this week?  The cough that I brought home from New York, in October, seems to be going away. 

What made me go Huhh! this week? The election outcome - I need say no more. 

Travel Tuesday: Recently Out and About in Arlington

 

Moody Monday: Time for healing

It is time for long walks, and music, and reading. 

It is time to paint, to play, to create, for healing. 

It is time to control what comes into my mind.

It is time to be kind, kind to others, to myself be kind. 

It is time to focus on the present. 

The past is past and cannot be changed. 

Tomorrow may never happen, I need to live in today. 

It is time to tell those I care about, that I care about them.

I sometimes worry that I bug people, writing chatty emails, taking up their time, I do it to let them know they are in my thoughts.  

And those thoughts help me heal at times when healing is needed.  

The Sunday Five: Fussy Eaters

1: Do others consider you to be a fussy eater? 

2: As a child did your parents accommodate your tastes? 

3: What won't you eat? 

4: Have you eaten a "forbidden food"? 

5: Are there foods you don't like, but you will eat to be polite? 

My Answers: 

1: Do others consider you to be a fussy eater? No. 

2: As a child did your parents accommodate your tastes? No, it was eat or not. I was not forced to sit at the table until I ate something I didn't want to eat. 

3: What won't you eat? I draw the line at things that are still alive and wriggling. (I expect some of you will need extra space for this.) 

4: Have you eaten a "forbidden food"? Horse in Paris in 1991, Seal in a First Nations restaurant in Toronto, Whale in Iceland, Reindeer sausage in Alaska - has anyone seen Rudolph? 

5: Are there foods you don't like, but you will eat to be polite?  Yes, Rutabaga, creamy Mac and Cheese, cooked greens.  

Please share your answers in the comments. 

The Saturday Morning Post: Adventures in Flying: Sometimes there are tears of Joy

Okay, enough of when everything goes wrong, thud, and sadness.  Flying has brought me great joys and tears of happiness over the decades. 

The photo above is from my second trip to Alaska.  My first cruise, from Seattle up the Pacific Coast, Glacier Bay, and into Juneau. I had booked a helicopter tour, that landed on the Mendenhall Glacier, I even had tumblers and a flask of whiskey to savor a little drink with ice thousands of years old. When the ship docked, it was very windy, and the helicopter tours were cancelled.  We were offered a float plane tour as a slightly lower cost replacement. 

It was my second time riding in a float plane, I had some idea what to expect - it was sweet bears first time.  Walking out to board, the pilot looked at me and asked, "you look like you are about 250 pounds, would you mind riding in the co-pilot seat, I need to move a little weight forward." That was the second fastest yes in my life.  

The take off in a sea plane is noisy, with water splashing as the plane gains speed, then lifts off.  Juneau is at the end of an inlet with mountains on both sides of the channel.  The glacier was about 10 miles down the straight.  The weather was miserable, low clouds, rain, I watched the radar as we flew in the clouds between the mountains down the chanel.  For an aviation geek, it was an absolute wonder to watch. The rain stopped and we had a great view of the glacier, circling a couple of times, then back down the channel to the port.  

I looked back to watch the faces of the crowd as we came in for the landing.  Landing on the water is a real surprise, so smooth and quiet that it brings tears of wonder to the eyes of first timers. As the plane slowed and settled into the water, there was hardly a dry eye on board.  

I would do that again, anytime. 

A few photos from the past couple of weeks, to distract from the news of the week

Coming in to land at National Airport, one of the best approaches in the USA. 

A delightful shop in Ohio.

I expect this tag will sell out. 

We had the carrot cake. 

Lobby of the Kennedy Center during intermission. 

Great Mexican food in Crystal City. 

In the condo community center. 

A WW era gun emplacement a long the Potomac River

Huntley Meadows

Dyke Marsh 

Long Bridge

The Gift Shop At Mt Vernon, We had a large collection of Blenco Glass before we sold the other house. 

Bacon Seed

Bah Bah

Spin Class at Mt Vernon 

Blacksmith Shop at Mt Vernon 

 

The Thursday Ramble: Stay Strong

I had a different post scheduled for today, avoiding politics and Washington DC. Trying to avoid the elephant in the room, or come January in the White House. 

I could join the chorus of how did we end up here, and how fucking terrible this could be. But that won't change anything. 

Unlike HWSNBN,** we will be gracious, and attend to one of the cornerstones of our democracy, the peaceful transfer of power to the incoming administration.  I dare say Joe Biden will have the dignity and grace to meet HWSNBN at the White House on inauguration day, and accompany him to Capitol Hill, unlike the lying loser four years ago who slipped away out the back door, breaking over a century of protocol. 

A national government is like a massive ship, it takes a long time to get going, a long time to change the course of, and even longer to stop. 

Most of what he says he will do, he lacks the authority and ability to do. 

The election two years from now is critical, in stopping the insanity. 

The time to start running winning candidates for 2026, is now.  Sensible people need to win back the heart of the United States. We need to demand news that is based on verified facts, and end political commentary masquerading as news. 

In the meantime, 

Hang on, 

Stand your ground,

Keep your head down, 

Stay strong. 

** What a fool he is, he speaks without having a clue what he is talking about. He admits to not reading, his staff complain that he does not pay attention to briefings on important issues. He tells lies over and over, until he is believed.  I better stop, I feel a sick headache coming on. 

 

My World of Wonders, aka The Wednesday Ws November 6

Where have I been this week?  A long walk from the troll park, the Kennedy Center to see the National Symphony Orchestra, National Airport for a flight to Cleveland, Stow Ohio for a funeral, back to National Airport, a grocery store stop. The Mt Eagle Grill to meet our neighbors for our once a month gathering of LGBTQI neighbors for drinks and dinner. 

Who have I heard from?  A Halloween card from a blogger - what a nice surprise, traded emails with Spo and Mitchel. J's cousin Ray about travel and the funeral. 

What plans am I making?  I have firm dates for a board meeting in Phoenix in early February and will be making travel plans, I have a 5 or 6 day part of next springs big adventure to plan. For the most part I plan to be home for the next almost three months.  

What have I been trying not to think about?  The election.  Truth be told, I am avoiding the subject. 

What have I been cooking? Not much with the travel, chicken and saffron rice. I will cook more in the coming week. 

What am I reading? Essays from the Sunshine State. I finished three books related to articles I am writing last week. So this week is a little quieter. 

What am I listening to? As I write this traffic going by and the Sweet Bear gently snoring. 

What is the big event this week?  The Sweet Bear's birthday, one that ends with a "0".  

Who made me go "huhh! this week? Father Ted, not his really name, the same priest who bumbled Eds funeral, was nearly late and just not very well prepared for Tim. Apparently there is a shortage of priests to do funerals in northeast Ohio. 

Who deserves a huge atta girl this week? Diane, Lisa, Caryn and Sharon, for doing such a wonderful job of organizing everything in Stow.  

 

Travel Tuesday: Ft Wayne Zoo

We had a day to explore in Ft Wayne Indiana.  We hadn't been to a Zoo in years, so off we went. 

There was an open walk through exhibit with Kangaroos, I have never seen them up front. These are Zoo roos, used to being around people, still don't touch, and don't get between them and their babies.