and his favorite yoga mat, my brother Ben
Of course he is. He's related to us!
Tawjihi high school blues
2 years ago
Showing posts with label my family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my family. Show all posts
Thursday, August 7, 2014
The Most Beautiful Nephew In the World
Of course he is. He's related to us!
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Honoring Margot Adler
New York, NY, USA
I was more deeply moved than I would have expected by the death of Margot Adler: journalist, priestess, lover of vampires, and fellow member of the great family of All Souls Unitarian Church.
I knew Margot Adler’s name and voice long before I ever met her. My father literally sets his watch by All Things Considered, and he always has his favorite reporters: Baxter Black the cowboy poet, Scott Simon, a few others, and Margot Adler. When their voices came on the air, the volume went up and we stopped to listen. I am an NPR junkie myself now, with my own list of favorites -- Soraya Sarhatti-Nelson, Robert Krulwich, Laila Fadl -- but Dad and I still have Margot Adler in common.
So in the fall of 2012, when she was going to preach in the pulpit of All Souls, where I was newly employed, I was ecstatic. When I was proofreading the Order of Service and saw her sermon title, “Why We Love Vampires,” I was enraptured. Even though she had preached at All Souls a few times before, I got there extra early that morning in case she needed anything.
When I walked through the parish house door, there she was, shorter and more stooped than I had pictured for such a giant of journalism, but with a radiant smile you can't see on the radio. The other worship leader wouldn’t arrive for almost an hour, so I walked Margot upstairs and we stood at my desk and chatted, just as if we were old colleagues.
I had loved vampires for at least a dozen years longer than Margot, but of the 260 vampire novels she had read while researching her e-book Vampires Are Us, we had settled on most of the same favorites for mostly the same reasons. I had probably also been pondering why we love vampires longer than she had, but she had come to all my conclusions and taken them a step further.
Eventually, from vampires, we turned quite naturally to witches in popular literature. I have long said that if I were any kind of theist, I would be a Wiccan polytheist, and Margot Adler remains the Wiccan priestess most admired by the practicing pagans of my childhood church. In conversation, I learned that both Margot and I were impressed by the representation of witches in bestselling romance novelist Nora Roberts’ work.
We were interrupted by the arrival of the assistant minister, but I made time to sit and listen to Margot’s sermon in both services. Two years later, chatting with Margot is still one of my best memories of All Souls.
After that, she always had a hug for me when I saw her in church. Through Superstorm Sandy, New York mayoral politics and more, I always stopped to listen when Margot Adler’s familiar voice came on the air.
This past spring, I was walking through Central Park, listening to All Things Considered on my iPod, when Margot came on the air. It was a story about new super skyscrapers on the west side of Central Park that were stealing the sunlight from some of the park’s trees. I almost logged into the church database right there in the park to email her about how I had enjoyed the story and that I couldn’t recall seeing her at church recently.
Now I never will and wish I had.
I knew Margot Adler’s name and voice long before I ever met her. My father literally sets his watch by All Things Considered, and he always has his favorite reporters: Baxter Black the cowboy poet, Scott Simon, a few others, and Margot Adler. When their voices came on the air, the volume went up and we stopped to listen. I am an NPR junkie myself now, with my own list of favorites -- Soraya Sarhatti-Nelson, Robert Krulwich, Laila Fadl -- but Dad and I still have Margot Adler in common.
So in the fall of 2012, when she was going to preach in the pulpit of All Souls, where I was newly employed, I was ecstatic. When I was proofreading the Order of Service and saw her sermon title, “Why We Love Vampires,” I was enraptured. Even though she had preached at All Souls a few times before, I got there extra early that morning in case she needed anything.
When I walked through the parish house door, there she was, shorter and more stooped than I had pictured for such a giant of journalism, but with a radiant smile you can't see on the radio. The other worship leader wouldn’t arrive for almost an hour, so I walked Margot upstairs and we stood at my desk and chatted, just as if we were old colleagues.
I had loved vampires for at least a dozen years longer than Margot, but of the 260 vampire novels she had read while researching her e-book Vampires Are Us, we had settled on most of the same favorites for mostly the same reasons. I had probably also been pondering why we love vampires longer than she had, but she had come to all my conclusions and taken them a step further.
Eventually, from vampires, we turned quite naturally to witches in popular literature. I have long said that if I were any kind of theist, I would be a Wiccan polytheist, and Margot Adler remains the Wiccan priestess most admired by the practicing pagans of my childhood church. In conversation, I learned that both Margot and I were impressed by the representation of witches in bestselling romance novelist Nora Roberts’ work.
We were interrupted by the arrival of the assistant minister, but I made time to sit and listen to Margot’s sermon in both services. Two years later, chatting with Margot is still one of my best memories of All Souls.
After that, she always had a hug for me when I saw her in church. Through Superstorm Sandy, New York mayoral politics and more, I always stopped to listen when Margot Adler’s familiar voice came on the air.
This past spring, I was walking through Central Park, listening to All Things Considered on my iPod, when Margot came on the air. It was a story about new super skyscrapers on the west side of Central Park that were stealing the sunlight from some of the park’s trees. I almost logged into the church database right there in the park to email her about how I had enjoyed the story and that I couldn’t recall seeing her at church recently.
Now I never will and wish I had.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
We Didn't Mean To Break the Boat
South Bridgton, Maine, USA
The wind was up, the boats were in the water, and it was warm enough not to worry about an accidental tip-test into the lake. My friend Stephanie had come up with me from New York for the holiday weekend, and I don't think she had ever been sailing. "Don't worry," I said, "I'm a certified sailing instructor. I can teach you in an hour." It's true, I've done it.
Still, it had been a few years since I had been sailing on my own. Last summer, I let my brother Ben do all the actual sailing when we went out briefly on the Sunfish, because I wasn't sure I would still have the feel for it. So before I put Stephanie on board, I took the Sunfish out for a spin on my own. It turns out that sailing small craft is like riding a bike -- actually, better, because I falter an awful lot more when I haven't been on a bike that long! After a quick jaunt out and back, I ran aground on the much shallower-than-expected lake bottom, picked up Stephanie, and headed out to "sea."
Meanwhile, Dad was having a great time on his "new," "free to a good home" Force 5 sailboat. The father of his old high school buddy had this boat sitting around that he hadn't used in a long time, and he recently gave it to Dad. He and my brother had to re-fiberglass some large sections of the hull, and the missing top third of the mast had to be mail-ordered, but now it was ready to sail, and Dad was more than willing and able!
Stephanie and I launched at about the same time in the Sunfish. A few fishermen out in a small boat shouted, "Great sail!" across the water before powering quietly out of our way. Passing Dad, I shouted an old family favorite, "Swallows and Amazons forever!" He was definitely having a great time, heeling up on edge and flying over the water. We couldn't get going nearly as fast in the fickle wind of the small lake.
After awhile, Stephanie and I brought the Sunfish in, and I hopped on the Force 5 with Dad to try his new "go-fast boat." It certainly gave the feel of speed, the wind in my hair, the heel of the boat. We were hit with a particularly strong gust of the inconsistent wind, and I felt sure we had reached that critical angle that you can't recover from and were about to flip her over. As the sail inched closer to the water, I braced my feet under the lip of the cockpit opposite and leaned back as far as I could manage.
Then, all of a sudden, the hull was flat in the water, so was the sail, and Dad was gone, flown off into the water behind me. The mast had snapped clean off near the hull where someone had redrilled an extra pair of holes to reattach the boom. It only proves what Dad always says: "A free boat is the most expensive kind!"
For dinner, we went out to the sea in Portland for lobster. It was a great weekend away from the city, everything the Swallows might have wished for!
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| From Boats and Beaches |
Still, it had been a few years since I had been sailing on my own. Last summer, I let my brother Ben do all the actual sailing when we went out briefly on the Sunfish, because I wasn't sure I would still have the feel for it. So before I put Stephanie on board, I took the Sunfish out for a spin on my own. It turns out that sailing small craft is like riding a bike -- actually, better, because I falter an awful lot more when I haven't been on a bike that long! After a quick jaunt out and back, I ran aground on the much shallower-than-expected lake bottom, picked up Stephanie, and headed out to "sea."
Meanwhile, Dad was having a great time on his "new," "free to a good home" Force 5 sailboat. The father of his old high school buddy had this boat sitting around that he hadn't used in a long time, and he recently gave it to Dad. He and my brother had to re-fiberglass some large sections of the hull, and the missing top third of the mast had to be mail-ordered, but now it was ready to sail, and Dad was more than willing and able!
Stephanie and I launched at about the same time in the Sunfish. A few fishermen out in a small boat shouted, "Great sail!" across the water before powering quietly out of our way. Passing Dad, I shouted an old family favorite, "Swallows and Amazons forever!" He was definitely having a great time, heeling up on edge and flying over the water. We couldn't get going nearly as fast in the fickle wind of the small lake.
After awhile, Stephanie and I brought the Sunfish in, and I hopped on the Force 5 with Dad to try his new "go-fast boat." It certainly gave the feel of speed, the wind in my hair, the heel of the boat. We were hit with a particularly strong gust of the inconsistent wind, and I felt sure we had reached that critical angle that you can't recover from and were about to flip her over. As the sail inched closer to the water, I braced my feet under the lip of the cockpit opposite and leaned back as far as I could manage.
Then, all of a sudden, the hull was flat in the water, so was the sail, and Dad was gone, flown off into the water behind me. The mast had snapped clean off near the hull where someone had redrilled an extra pair of holes to reattach the boom. It only proves what Dad always says: "A free boat is the most expensive kind!"
For dinner, we went out to the sea in Portland for lobster. It was a great weekend away from the city, everything the Swallows might have wished for!
 |
| From Boats and Beaches |
Friday, March 14, 2014
Arlington and MLK, Jr.
Washington, DC, USA
In all the times I've been to DC, I had never really considered visiting Arlington Cemetary. It's not because it's a cemetary. Like Anne of Green Gables, I've always liked cemetaries, found them soothing and beautiful. Maybe it's my politics, or some fear that my politics might be confronted in a place like this. I'm angry still about the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, not only because of the hell it has made of the lives of Afghans and Iraqis, but for the hell it has made of so many American soldiers' lives.
And yet, none of that mattered today in Arlington Cemetary. It was a beautiful day, on the green rolling hills where thousands finally rest in peace, many with their patient wives resting beside them. All the complicated politics seemed far at bay.
I wasn't going to take pictures. It seemed somehow antithetical to the mood of the place, too modern for graves going back so many decades, intrusive to their peace. And then I saw this:
It's unlikely that they're ancestors of mine, though certainly many of my ancestors earned the right to be on this ground, starting with the War of Independence.
Particularly memorable was a whole valley full of crocus:
Then I walked across the river into DC itself, to check out the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial, completed since the last time I had been a tourist in DC. I loved the juxtaposition of Martin and the mountaintop.
And I was more than a little surprised to see some very pointed quotes about war, and specifically about Vietnam, carved indelibly into the wall. I've often heard our national remembrance of King criticized for leaving out his very vehement anti-war rhetoric, the very thing that may have gotten him killed. I was pleased to see it on the wall, including a quote from his famous speech at Riverside Church, as well as this one:
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| From Arlington and MLK, Jr. |
And yet, none of that mattered today in Arlington Cemetary. It was a beautiful day, on the green rolling hills where thousands finally rest in peace, many with their patient wives resting beside them. All the complicated politics seemed far at bay.
I wasn't going to take pictures. It seemed somehow antithetical to the mood of the place, too modern for graves going back so many decades, intrusive to their peace. And then I saw this:
It's unlikely that they're ancestors of mine, though certainly many of my ancestors earned the right to be on this ground, starting with the War of Independence.
Particularly memorable was a whole valley full of crocus:
Then I walked across the river into DC itself, to check out the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial, completed since the last time I had been a tourist in DC. I loved the juxtaposition of Martin and the mountaintop.
And I was more than a little surprised to see some very pointed quotes about war, and specifically about Vietnam, carved indelibly into the wall. I've often heard our national remembrance of King criticized for leaving out his very vehement anti-war rhetoric, the very thing that may have gotten him killed. I was pleased to see it on the wall, including a quote from his famous speech at Riverside Church, as well as this one:
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Memories of Flowers
Chadd's Ford, PA
It was a little after eleven when I picked up my rental car in Jersey City, and my gracious hostess Elly wasn't going to be home from work in Baltimore until 6:30, so I had time for the scenic route. In fact, my recent excursion out to the UU Congregation of Shelter Rock really highlighted the fact that I'd been cooped up in the city far too long and needed some country air.
So I hopped the PA Turnpike around Philly and dropped onto old US 1, aka the Boston Post Road, aka Lincoln Highway, aka the Baltimore Pike. Rte 1, for me, has a lot of the nostalgic overtones of Rte 66 for many Americans. This is in part because my mother went to the University of Maine in Fort Kent at the northern end of the highway, but also because some Pennsylvania and Maryland stretches of Rte 1 are as familiar to me as my own back yard. Unlike her sophisticated younger brother I-95, Rte 1 runs through instead of around most of the towns and cities along her journey, frequently slowing down for stoplights, more friendly to Amish buggies. Greener and more scenic, it was perfect for my escape from the big city.
As I approached Chadd's Ford, PA, I realized that I was entering one of those familiar historic stretches. First, I ran across Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site, wishing I had a picnic lunch to eat on the simple, expansive lawns. Then I spotted signs for Longwood Gardens. Visiting these expansive botanical gardens was a special treat growing up, reserved for Grandma and Grandpa's visits on their way between Massachusetts/ Maine and Florida. As I pulled into the parking lot, I thought, This is going to be far too expensive for my wallet! When I realized I could spend two hours photographing spring blossoms for about the price of a NYC brunch, I was committed! And it was totally worth it!
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| From Chadd's Ford fields |
As I approached Chadd's Ford, PA, I realized that I was entering one of those familiar historic stretches. First, I ran across Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site, wishing I had a picnic lunch to eat on the simple, expansive lawns. Then I spotted signs for Longwood Gardens. Visiting these expansive botanical gardens was a special treat growing up, reserved for Grandma and Grandpa's visits on their way between Massachusetts/ Maine and Florida. As I pulled into the parking lot, I thought, This is going to be far too expensive for my wallet! When I realized I could spend two hours photographing spring blossoms for about the price of a NYC brunch, I was committed! And it was totally worth it!
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| From Chadd's Ford fields |
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Monday, December 31, 2012
Maine Miniatures
S. Bridgton, Maine, USA
Last night's wind reshaped a lot of the snow around here. It also brought down a tree along my parents' property line, narrowly missing the neighbor's house.
I went out to photograph that, but had much more fun playing with my camera's macro function.
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| From Winter Miniatures |
I went out to photograph that, but had much more fun playing with my camera's macro function.
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| From Winter Miniatures |
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Let It Snow!
Bridgton & Denmark, Maine, USA
I love coming to Maine in the winter! Especially when it snows, which hasn't been nearly enough in recent years. But today there was enough snow for downhill skiing, snowmobiling and other tourist draws in Maine. So Dad and I took our cameras out to see what we could capture.
We started in Pondicherry Park in Bridgton, Maine, where a new covered bridge went in along a new footpath through the bog in the middle of town.
We checked out the north end of Moose Pond in the shadow of Shawnee Peak ski area.
Then we drove down along the lake, through the middle of downtown Denmark, Maine, a classic New England town.
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| From Let It Snow! |
We started in Pondicherry Park in Bridgton, Maine, where a new covered bridge went in along a new footpath through the bog in the middle of town.
We checked out the north end of Moose Pond in the shadow of Shawnee Peak ski area.
Then we drove down along the lake, through the middle of downtown Denmark, Maine, a classic New England town.
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| From Let It Snow! |
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Ben's Boat
somewhere near Freeport, Maine, USA
After a bit of a set-back in which his car died, my brother now has a new truck to go with his fix-'er-upper boat. The truck probably cost him several times what the boat did, but the truck is immediately roadworthy, and the boat.... Well, what do you get for an $800, 29-foot sailboat?
On one hand, you get a mess. The hatches are dry-rotted splinters, the port berth (above) is completely unusable, there are holes in the hull.... He hopes to live on this boat in the spring, but it needs a new electrical system, a toilet, a stove and ... well, everything! On the other hand, he also has an opportunity to redesign the living space, like inserting a chart table into that port berth. Follow his progress on his blog, $800 Liveaboard, because despite the mountain of work ahead of him, this is one happy man!
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| From $800 Boat |
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Cousins
Massachusetts, USA
I got to see the newest addition to our family at the NIC-U a couple weeks ago, but Grammie hadn't seen her newest great-grandson yet. So my sister and I--she's visiting from Colorado--offered to drive Grammie and Grandpa down to Massachusetts to meet him. First we stopped by at my cousin's house to see the elder great-grandson, S.
It's very important to S that no one wear shoes in his house, especially on his living room carpet, and sometimes he takes matters into his own hands. His Great-Grandpa, who never takes off his shoes, was simply charmed!
It was really fun to hang out with my sister, who hadn't seen my cousin in a few years, and just sit around the kitchen table, catching up.
We did go and see the new baby after awhile. His Great-Grammie got to hold him, but by the time I saw him he was rolled over against the wall having his dinner.
After the hospital, there was a real treat waiting for us back at my cousin's house. Her in-laws had sent homemade Christmas Stollen from Dresden, a traditional fruitcake-like bread that's just delicious! Happy Holidays!
I got to see the newest addition to our family at the NIC-U a couple weeks ago, but Grammie hadn't seen her newest great-grandson yet. So my sister and I--she's visiting from Colorado--offered to drive Grammie and Grandpa down to Massachusetts to meet him. First we stopped by at my cousin's house to see the elder great-grandson, S.
It's very important to S that no one wear shoes in his house, especially on his living room carpet, and sometimes he takes matters into his own hands. His Great-Grandpa, who never takes off his shoes, was simply charmed!
It was really fun to hang out with my sister, who hadn't seen my cousin in a few years, and just sit around the kitchen table, catching up.
We did go and see the new baby after awhile. His Great-Grammie got to hold him, but by the time I saw him he was rolled over against the wall having his dinner.
After the hospital, there was a real treat waiting for us back at my cousin's house. Her in-laws had sent homemade Christmas Stollen from Dresden, a traditional fruitcake-like bread that's just delicious! Happy Holidays!
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| From Massachusetts |
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Welcome To the World
In the aftermath of the "Storm of the Century," a little miracle happened.
My cousin had her baby 12 weeks early, the healthiest 28 week baby the nurses in the NIC-U had ever seen.
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| From Preemie Perfect |
Welcome!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Reflecting Pool
Manhattan, New York
I knew sooner or later that someone would come to visit me in New York who wanted to go to the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero, but I was in no hurry. I'm still furious about how all the goodwill the United States had in the aftermath of the attack was squandered, only for the tragedy to then be appropriated as an excuse to do terrible things in the world.
But I have to admit that it's a impressive, beautiful site. When the construction is finished and the square is open on all sides, it will be a beautiful place to, say, take a lunch break from your job in finance. It's crowded now, a pilgrimage site of sorts, but I can anticipate a time when it will just be a quiet oasis of trees, water and white noise in the bustle of downtown.
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| From 9/11 Memorial |
But I have to admit that it's a impressive, beautiful site. When the construction is finished and the square is open on all sides, it will be a beautiful place to, say, take a lunch break from your job in finance. It's crowded now, a pilgrimage site of sorts, but I can anticipate a time when it will just be a quiet oasis of trees, water and white noise in the bustle of downtown.
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| From 9/11 Memorial |
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Marina and the Diamonds
Manhattan, New York, USA
When my cousin Peter said last week that he was coming to New York for a concert and could he spend the night at my place, I said, "Of course!" It wasn't until he called as he was leaving Boston this morning that he said, "I told you I have an extra ticket for you, right?" No, but at least I had time for my beauty regime before he arrived. Good thing, too, because Weber Hall was packed with the uber-fashion conscious.
The opening act, Ms Mr, was hard to hear, but pretty good. Very similar to Florence and the Machine, we decided.
I think I'd heard the name Marina and the Diamonds before, but I don't think I'd heard her music until tonight. She's been opening for Coldplay all over Europe, where the Welsh singer is much more widely known, but she was popular enough here in the States that she needed to schedule a second show in New York after the first one sold out. And the lady sure knows how to put on a show!
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| From Marina and the Diamonds |
I think I'd heard the name Marina and the Diamonds before, but I don't think I'd heard her music until tonight. She's been opening for Coldplay all over Europe, where the Welsh singer is much more widely known, but she was popular enough here in the States that she needed to schedule a second show in New York after the first one sold out. And the lady sure knows how to put on a show!
 |
| From Marina and the Diamonds |
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