Currently Reading An Anthropologist On Mars : Seven Paradoxical Tales (Vintage) By Oliver Sacks see related

Christmas and New Years

As a cursory perusal of my personal facts on the left will reveal, I have just turned 23. The fact that the two integers of that age are consecutive integers as well as numbers three and four, respectively, of the Fibonacci series are probably the most interesting things about turning twenty-three. Perhaps I exaggerate. I do feel older. Much, much older- which is not necessarily a bad thing. I got some cool stuff though. I got a hub so I can network my and my siblings' computers (as in macs and PCs), a new suit (Expresss. Yesss. I picked it out myself- I've been looking at it for probably a year and a half- yeah, I'm not the kind of guy that rushes long term things like suits :))and a little 80 gig hard drive (I say little because it is compared to the quarter-terabyte external I built this summer *nerdy laughter*). I installed the hard drive and forgot to change the respective master/slave jumpers on the backs of the drives. Well, as a result of that oversight, the computer chose to take its directives from the new hard drive which was cannibalized from another computer and still had the old OS on it, which wouldn't have been a problem, but it wanted to register Windows before I logged in. I unhooked it all and put it back to how it was before I installed the new drive, but the system was effectively crashed. But not burning. I don't think. It looks like it just corrupted some of the XP startup files, and Saki has a repair disk on the way which should be here Monday, so then I should be set. Okay. You probably didn't want to know any of that, but there it is.

Okay, here are some Christmas pics I'm borrowing from my sister's site. :)

^That's me and my siblings in chronological order oldest ---> youngest.

^Okay, this is an interesting one. It's supposed to be the 'crazy picture,' but only some people actually did something craaaaaazy. Observe: Gene, my little sister's fiance on the front row, took the 'crazy' part most literally, and is in the process of listing his head to the right and drooling on my sister's white shirt while gazing insanely at his imaginary muse somewhere in the thin air directly in front of him- Amy (my little sister), on the other hand is executing, with blinding brilliance and lucidity, her classic 'forced preteen smile.' Stephi, it looks like, is picking her nose with her right index finger and enjoying it which has provoked Saki to attempt to pull a Mike Tyson on her right ear. My aunt Becky (fourth standing person from left) and brother Brian (in plaid button-up) seem to be howling at something. Brian's wife Sara, in the turquoise, really isn't sure what to do since this is her first Christmas with us. Aunt Marsha, fifth standing from left, is striking a rather glamorous pose, with her right hand behind her head for emphasis. Jamie has a rather subtle thing going on- you know when the camera flashes and you're all prepped for the picture but you manage to close your eyes and open your mouth right when the camera flashes? Yeah, that's what he's doing. As for myself, the craziness is not immediately apparent if you just look at my distracted "what's that over there?" pose. Look a little closer for the true craziness... think you got it? Here it is: I'm wearing a sweater (with a black button-up and gray undershirt) and sandals. I prepared for that picture baby. Oh yeah. Ok, well, maybe I'm just crazy.

Here's one of me and Jacob, my nephew, on one of those nebulous shopping days between Christmas and New Years.

He's trying to eat and have his arm around my neck it you can't tell. Wanting to have his cake and eat it too. Love that kid. I'm afraid I'm totally one of those indulgent uncle types. I'll probably have to crack down some day.

Here is by far my favorite new years pic. I totally missed the karaoke party at my house b/c I had a gig. I can't stop laughing at this one though. Wonderful. Truly the spirit of the season. It's my dad, Steve, and brother Jamie delivering the heartiest of holiday greetings and salutations. Enjoy.

Perfect. Brilliant.

:::EDIT::: Jamie just told me they were 'trying to act British.' haha. awesome. The inspiration apparently came from the proper way Jamie's wearing his hat. You will notice that the correct procedure for the right-handed holding of the New Years Honker is being assidiously observed. Also, his embouchurial technique is the perfect and correct blend of French Horn and Oboe techniques. Absolutely Smashing. Here's to a happy new year from some wasted British folk.

Since some recent posts have fomented religious persecution of myself by religious leaders who feign persecution (I call that tempered irony or, alternatively, paradoxical steel), I present the following provisionary post in hopes that, for the time being, I shall receive no reprimanditorial reprisal for it. Have at.

untitled

I awoke this morning and found

The sky had been kissing the ground.

I became part of this solace vicariously

When the sky lent some kisses to me.

                                              anonymous

______

I love snow. Especially snow in the early, early, pitch black morning when the only things illuminating the snow are the scattered houselights and street lamps.

Currently Listening The Way Up By Pat Metheny Group, Pat Metheny see related

I Call It... Carrot the Apples Over There Gingerly

mmmmmmm... I just made a big batch of juice from 15 carrots, 2 fuji apples, 2 golden delicious apples, and a big chunk of ginger root (well it's actually not a root but a rhizome- a usually underground stem that shoots out roots from its nodes) listening all the while to Pat Metheny's The Way Up. Perfect. It has the same radiant grooviness of the fruits, roots, and rhizomes I chose to juice. 

The smell and taste of ginger root is pretty exhilarating. Very potent and... bright- like a perfect morning. I actually put a little too much in. Oh well, I guess that just means more anti-oxidants, no nausea, no morning sickness, or upset stomach for me today. ;)

Currently Listening Taraf de Haïdouks By Taraf de Haïdouks 2. Rustem, 5. The Peasant's Belt, 6. The Bear-Leaders' Circle Dance see related

When Karmas Kollide

Ever in good form, life, having dealt me a fine and dandy card on Saturday evening evened things out on Sunday morning by dealing me a really shitty card.

I was on my way to church Sunday morning, and less than a block from my house at an intersection (where the road perpendicular to the one I was traveling on had a stop sign and mine had none) this guy in a medium sized truck pulled out in front of me. I was 20-30 feet away from him when he pulled out and I was traveling at about 28 mph. I had only a split second to decide what to do. I swerved violently to the right, but the momentum of my vehicle and the gravel on the road combined to cause the front left corner of my car to suffer a jolting glancing blow. If I had not swerved I would have T-boned the guy's truck on the driver's side door. In that case I probably would have been injured. As it happened, his truck ended up with only a dent in the paneling behind his left rear wheel (which he and his brother popped out later that day). My beautiful car, well, she didn't get off so easily. The front left corner was sort of smashed and shredded. Some parts were completely torn from the car. Among those parts was the left front turn signal, so I can't legally drive it.

I am fine, although yesterday at about 10:20 AM I was shaken- literally and otherwise. The damage to the car seems to be mostly superficial, so hopefully they won't total it- that would suck, because I love that car. The other party has taken responsibility (as they should), so it looks like it will work out eventually. It's just such an inconvenience.

In Other News...

I finally got around to juicing some pomegranates. Three of them to be exact.

When I started I knew what I was dealing with (a volatile substance which was ready to explode and spew its purple message of the vitality of life and death at the gentlest touch) and ripped my shirt off violently (because I was excited to start juicing and because I wanted to spare my shirt which, being an inanimate object, has no clue how to assimilate the rejuvenating liquid and as a result wears the ensuing stain as an indelible badge of honor to testify to its heroic act of self-abnegation). Well, after I did this I realized that my mom was standing right there with a very startled expression on her face. After staring at me for a few seconds (literally- I had time to breath a couple of times haha) she finally said, still bewildered by my actions, "What are you doing?" I answered with something to the effect of "I am doing what I must to deal with this evil substance which innocuously goes by 'pomegranate juice.'" Her fears were assuaged if only for a moment. So here I am, shirt off, looking like a red haired version of Bruce Lee. Or so I thought. My nephew did not think the jewels half as novel as I, although he did indulge me by pretending to taste one of them. He said and did a lot of funny things this evening. That would make this a very long post though.

Long story a little less than long I ended up looking like I envision about 1/16 of my ancestors (Cherokee- yes I know they were among the least warmongering of all the Indian tribes- that's why I said envision) did a couple of hundred years ago. I had smears and splotches of the purple liquid which gave the impression that I had just returned from a heated battle with three vicious pomegranates and had come out the victor. Which is what had happened.

The sweet nectar of victory is priceless. Id est, I enjoyed the juice (which I combined with the juice of three pacifistic oranges) very much.

Side Note: Apparently King Solomon had a garden of pomegranate trees. Very wise indeed.

One Last Thing: The CD above is amazing! The immigrants on my maternal grandparent's side were musicians who came from Germany playing many of the same instruments that are on this CD- accordions, guitars, banjos, basses, and fiddles. They were true folk musicians of the heartland and made part of their living by playing at barn dances and get-togethers around the turn of the century southwest of Kansas City. I expect that is part of the reason why this music resonates with me. I'm sure my ancestors weren't as technically proficient as Taraf, but I think the goal was the same- to put on a show. And I know they loved it, because for years after they no longer played for a living and had houses and families of their own, they would still get together and play. It's sad that we've lost that. We haven't stopped making music though. At least, I haven't, and nor will I ever. All I know is that I'm touched deeply by this music, and I want to know all of the why. Perhaps that's asking too much.

Tonight I played a really fun solo gig for the Christmas party of the private practice of three (apparently progressive) cardiovascular doctors (surgeons) and their staff. What was fun about it: I got to play as long a I wished (which turned out to be four hours [without any sheet music of course]) in a beautiful private residence (the rounded doors and dark woody tones throughout reminded me of a cross between a hobbit hole and a castle) on a magnificent rosewood Boston baby grand piano and got paid very well AND got to eat dinner and converse with the hosts. I couldn't have been more comfortable. The hosts, whom I played for last year about this time, were gracious and real.

The caterer was amazing. The salad had baby spinach, carrot slivers, pomegranate jewelss, and a creamy raspberry vinaigrette with fresh raspberries! That's really close to one of the salads that I love to make, only mine has red Bartlett pears instead of pomegranate jewels. mmmmmmm. There was also this tenderloin that was served medium/medium rare with this amazing whipped cream and horseradish sauce. Good stuff. On the way home I bought five pomegranates.

I did, however, have to exercise this elusive skill of mine I call restraint.

I was eating dinner with the host and said a few words about how pomegranates were very powerful antioxidants and stuff. Well, after a sec I feared I was digressing and in apology I said "...but I'm sure you already know that." hm. His vague response was sufficient to display that he probably didn't know that, and that's when it hit me that the purpose of medicine from his perspective, whether he acknowledged it or not, was to deal with the symptoms of illness, not cure the illness. When I realized that I disagreed fundamentally with him in that aspect I kept my mouth shut about that for the rest of the meal. I think it was a good move. He didn't catch any of it either which is good... but sad.

I'm dying to see the first Chronicle of Narnia though. I read The Chronicles several times when I was seven and they impacted me deeply, so this is pretty exciting for me. I still remember how I visualized various parts of the books from back then. I cried so hard all the way through The Last Battle. Those books gave something very special to me that was more than insight. Amazing, wonderful works.