22.7.12
Testing a permalink
What is a peramlink and why do I want to use it?
Katherine Tyrrell over at the always informative "Making a Mark," discusses it and shows one how.
Katherine Tyrrell over at the always informative "Making a Mark," discusses it and shows one how.
16.7.12
Book Review: I feel bad about my neck, Nora Ephron
I have almost entirely given up buying fiction or even non-fiction so when Luci told me she had Nora Ephron's book I noodled her to death at her 4th of July gala to lend it to me. And she did, and I finished it.
It is not a great book, but it is a must read book if you are a woman of a certain age. Don't read it if you are under 50; don't read it if you are child-less; and certainly don't read it if you don't have an Ephron sensibility or a New York Woody Allen way of looking at the world as the world looks at you.
On page 105, Ephron says, and I quote, "I can't believe how real life never lets you down. I can't understand why anyone would write fiction when what actually happens is so amazing."
One of two reasons it is annoying not owning a book is you can't (or won't) mark it up for quotations or passages that capture your attention. Another reason is you have to avoid sleeping or eating with the book least you mess it up.
My poetry friend, Dottie, lent me a book last week and immediately after I read the two chapters I was interested in I wrapped it in cello to keep it clean until I return it. She made a point of telling me not to read it with a messy attitude. I didn't.
Back to the book with a ridiculous title, "I feel bad about my neck."
It is so good that while I didn't belly laugh, I chuckled often and nodded my head more times than usual in agreement, and thoroughly enjoyed it from page one to its conclusion. Ephron writing, like Ephron movies are to be cherished for their down to earth quality, and simple, simple underlined, statements that resonate as brilliant long after you left the theatre or closed the book.
She takes the mundane and turns it into what her mother referred to "as copy." She makes necks, strudel, death, wrinkles, buying shampoo or renting an apartment seem momentous and an adventure.
She'll be missed.
It is not a great book, but it is a must read book if you are a woman of a certain age. Don't read it if you are under 50; don't read it if you are child-less; and certainly don't read it if you don't have an Ephron sensibility or a New York Woody Allen way of looking at the world as the world looks at you.
On page 105, Ephron says, and I quote, "I can't believe how real life never lets you down. I can't understand why anyone would write fiction when what actually happens is so amazing."
One of two reasons it is annoying not owning a book is you can't (or won't) mark it up for quotations or passages that capture your attention. Another reason is you have to avoid sleeping or eating with the book least you mess it up.
My poetry friend, Dottie, lent me a book last week and immediately after I read the two chapters I was interested in I wrapped it in cello to keep it clean until I return it. She made a point of telling me not to read it with a messy attitude. I didn't.
 |
| Wrinkled turkey neck (stock photo) |
It is so good that while I didn't belly laugh, I chuckled often and nodded my head more times than usual in agreement, and thoroughly enjoyed it from page one to its conclusion. Ephron writing, like Ephron movies are to be cherished for their down to earth quality, and simple, simple underlined, statements that resonate as brilliant long after you left the theatre or closed the book.
She takes the mundane and turns it into what her mother referred to "as copy." She makes necks, strudel, death, wrinkles, buying shampoo or renting an apartment seem momentous and an adventure.
She'll be missed.
15.7.12
Science & Medicine: Diseases
Weeks ago I was lamenting how we, the people, are creating diseases, some well known like AIDS, and others yet named or identified. This week Jim Robbins (the New York Times) lays it out clearly in his article, "The Ecology of Disease."
When I worked with colleagues on malaria, while others worked on T. cruzi, leprosy and later HIV, among others, we all looked at the same patterns. We each elected to explore a different path, but in the end no path led any of us to a vaccine for any of the infectious diseases, not malaria, and not AIDS, not one parasite, or infectious disease, has a cure; none have a vaccine to eradicate it or even stem its tide.
Yes, we have drugs, but often these prove ineffective and occasionally, dangerous.
The eco-system is in now in peril, and that perilous journey is the path we, the people, are navigating.
Rain too much.
Rain too little.
Sudden change in plant life.
Introduction of a new nematode.
Disappearance of that mammal.
Insufficient predators for deer.
No space for the bear, black or brown.
The list is endless.
We are not.
 |
| Malaria Life Cycle |
 |
| HIV/AIDS life cycle |
When I worked with colleagues on malaria, while others worked on T. cruzi, leprosy and later HIV, among others, we all looked at the same patterns. We each elected to explore a different path, but in the end no path led any of us to a vaccine for any of the infectious diseases, not malaria, and not AIDS, not one parasite, or infectious disease, has a cure; none have a vaccine to eradicate it or even stem its tide.
Yes, we have drugs, but often these prove ineffective and occasionally, dangerous.
The eco-system is in now in peril, and that perilous journey is the path we, the people, are navigating.
Rain too much.
Rain too little.
Sudden change in plant life.
Introduction of a new nematode.
Disappearance of that mammal.
Insufficient predators for deer.
No space for the bear, black or brown.
The list is endless.
We are not.
2.7.12
Rabbit Girl is searching for the right set of friends
26.6.12
Heroes and Heroines
With the exception of "The Gladiator," I do believe that most, if not all, my heroes and heroines are writers, scientists, and the odd philosopher.
This week another funny, charming, bright heroine died: Nora Ephron. The obituaries are pouring into my mailbox just like, "You've got mail."
Other recent deaths of those I'd call "my hero" was Maurice Sendak, a child-hood acquaintance and wonderful writer, artist and fellow Brooklyn-ite.
Even more recently a stunning hero, Ray Bradbury, passed away.
This week another funny, charming, bright heroine died: Nora Ephron. The obituaries are pouring into my mailbox just like, "You've got mail."
Other recent deaths of those I'd call "my hero" was Maurice Sendak, a child-hood acquaintance and wonderful writer, artist and fellow Brooklyn-ite.
Even more recently a stunning hero, Ray Bradbury, passed away.
15.6.12
A Kelly Kilmer online class: tempting
It's been years since I've seen Kelly or taken a Kilmer class (in Westchester), but not nearly as many years since our group at yahoo disbanded. I follow her blog "Kelly Kilmer Artist and Instructor," and her latest on-line workshop is very tempting.
I do journal; I do sketch; I do make books and now I am trying out a pseudo-encaustic for Cynthia, but I am uneven, undisciplined and erratic since I retired. Strange, instead of doing more art, I do less.
And the fact that this class will stay up forever makes it all the more appealing.
 |
| AJ Tarot Deck 2001© |
I do journal; I do sketch; I do make books and now I am trying out a pseudo-encaustic for Cynthia, but I am uneven, undisciplined and erratic since I retired. Strange, instead of doing more art, I do less.
 |
| Illustration from my nearly defunct website |
And the fact that this class will stay up forever makes it all the more appealing.
14.6.12
Artist: A look at Caravaggio
Have you ever seen a Caravaggio at a museum or a gallery (probably in Italy)?
The New York Times "Postcards" looks at the "Madonna di Loreto" in Rome,
but one of the paintings that had me enthralled was in a museum in Sicily.
It was Christmas 2004, and M and I spent nearly a month in Sicily. Of the many towns, hamlets, and cities we visited, I think it was Siracusa that remains my favourite. Every memory I have of the days and evenings we spent there are engraved on my eyelids.
It is also a special time in Siracusa (Syracuse) when the town/city celebrates Santa Lucia. It was cold that day, and raining lightly, but still the entire populace came out to either walk in the parade through the main street, or to watch on the sidelines. M and I did, too.
It was magnificent.
Lucia is carried through the streets and after the parade is over, the entire town celebrates with good food and fine wine. And we did, too. We went to a local restaurant and met with only the friendliest revelers, all of whom, bought us vino, and desserts.
The pensione we stayed at was terrific, on the ground floor with a beautiful outdoor paved garden and reasonably priced, even in Euros.
But it is the sea and the art that stays with me and keeps me going back to Sicily, if not in reality, in my imagination. And Caravaggio's work, in person, the brush strokes, the depth of field, the realism, is perfect and near life-sized.
The New York Times "Postcards" looks at the "Madonna di Loreto" in Rome,
 |
| Madonna di Loreto, Rome (via Wikipedia |
but one of the paintings that had me enthralled was in a museum in Sicily.
 | |||||||
| Seppellimento di Santa Lucia" cm 408x300, Museo Nazionale Palazzo Bellomo, Siracusa |
It is also a special time in Siracusa (Syracuse) when the town/city celebrates Santa Lucia. It was cold that day, and raining lightly, but still the entire populace came out to either walk in the parade through the main street, or to watch on the sidelines. M and I did, too.
It was magnificent.
Lucia is carried through the streets and after the parade is over, the entire town celebrates with good food and fine wine. And we did, too. We went to a local restaurant and met with only the friendliest revelers, all of whom, bought us vino, and desserts.
The pensione we stayed at was terrific, on the ground floor with a beautiful outdoor paved garden and reasonably priced, even in Euros.
But it is the sea and the art that stays with me and keeps me going back to Sicily, if not in reality, in my imagination. And Caravaggio's work, in person, the brush strokes, the depth of field, the realism, is perfect and near life-sized.
13.6.12
Alvin in paper
Early for an interview weeks ago in Hasbrouck, I stopped off at our singular stationer and art supply shop in Monticello. On hand was Bob, the friendly at the front desk salesman, and just as I was about to pay and leave the store with some unneeded but purchased anyway office supplies, I remembered that the last time I was in they had the Rhodia notebooks on sale.
It seems they are discontinuing Rhodia, but added this new series by Alvin.
They are made in Turkey, seem to be utilitarian styles and have quality 80g/m vellum paper. The pad I picked up is 4.3x6.7, gridded and perforated. The pad was priced at $2.45.
I tried a few pens on it, with various inks, and it seems like a good substitute for similar quick note pads I use at interviews.
However, several pens do create significant bleed through, in particular, the Uranus.
At this price, and with my penchant for writing tools, not a bad purchase.
It seems they are discontinuing Rhodia, but added this new series by Alvin.
 |
| Alvin ALG14 |
They are made in Turkey, seem to be utilitarian styles and have quality 80g/m vellum paper. The pad I picked up is 4.3x6.7, gridded and perforated. The pad was priced at $2.45.
 |
| Testing Pens |
I tried a few pens on it, with various inks, and it seems like a good substitute for similar quick note pads I use at interviews.
 |
| Uranus, in particular, bleed through |
However, several pens do create significant bleed through, in particular, the Uranus.
At this price, and with my penchant for writing tools, not a bad purchase.
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