They Call It Stormy...uh, Thursday...

This Mortal Coil

I have found that the older I get, the more difficult it is for me to avoid contemplating the subject of my own mortality, and whether the life I have lived has meant much of anything...

"Forsooth, I canst relate..."

A common trigger for this sort of thing is the death of some prominent person whom I admired. Today, I awoke to the news that Sir Christopher Lee has passed away, at age 93. To read of the life this man led, both professionally and personally, is to be in awe of what a human being may accomplish in the single lifetime we are each given. Who am I, compared to such a one as this?

Somehow, I'm just not in the mood to write about some issue du jour, or comment on the surpassing silliness of public discourse in the modern world. I just want to finish this post, sit and watch the rain for awhile, drink some coffee, listen to the mournful sound of diesel locomotives in the near distance, and enjoy the birds visiting my patio...

"Let me sing you the song of my people..."

I hope that Sir Christopher will enjoy taking tea today with his old friend Peter Cushing (1913-1994). Requiescat in Pace...

Things That Make Me Sad: Weather Edition

It is raining again this morning, as I mentioned above. I don't have any facts to support my opinion, but it is my sense of it that this has been quite a wet spring here in southwest Iowa. Seems like forever since I could look out my patio doors in the morning and NOT see something like this...

...or this...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a rain-hater. I like sitting on my patio and watching the rain, I like the way the world smells just after the rain stops, etc. It's just that I like sunny, warm days as well, and we haven't had many lately...

"Soggy ants aren't very tasty, either."

No, I'm sure they're not...

God Bless These Folks...

I have a lot of artwork decorating the walls of my apartment (and, when I have one, the walls of my classroom as well). I wouldn't be able to afford to display so many different artists and paintings were it not for the wonderful AllPosters.com. They have terrific sales on fine art prints (and other types of graphics and photography as well, if you're so inclined) all the time. Their clearance sales are to die for. Here are just a couple of my favorites...

"Goldfish" - Henri Matisse

"Angel of the Last Judgment" - Wassily Kandinsky

This one is currently hanging in the hallway just outside my the guest bathroom. One of Matisse's more playful compositions...














This is a good one to show people to make the point that we experience everything in life in terms of words.
If you ask someone what they see when they look at this painting, the responses you get are all over the place. Then, when you tell them what the painting is called, heads nod and people say "Yes, I can see the angel's wings now..."

Things That Make Me Happy: Clean Sweep Edition

Last night my beloved Kansas City Royals finished off a three-game sweep of the Twins in Minneapolis, winning 7-2. The key blow was a three-run home run by Alex Gordon in the 1st inning...

"Boom!"

The early offensive outburst allowed Edinson Volquez and the bullpen to cruise to a relatively easy win. Volquez joins Jason Vargas and Chris Young with 5 wins, and his ERA has dropped to just 3.07...

The team gets a much-needed day of rest today. They begin a weekend series against the odious Cardinals in St. Louis on Friday. And, just as their recent series in Kansas City did, this series matches the teams with the two best records in baseball. Still early, of course, but could another I-70 World Series happen this year?

The World's Best Pencil

In a world chock full of electronic gadgets and gizmos, it is important to remember that there is still a place for old-fashioned, low-tech tools as well. Earlier today I had occasion to use a pencil, and when I did I turned to my long-time favorite...

Mirado Black Warrior No. 2

My high school journalism teacher got me hooked on these nearly 45 years ago (thanks, Lynn!), and other than an occasional flirtation with mechanical pencils I have used them faithfully ever since. If you use pencils with any regularity, check these out...

"If you're telling people about your pencils, it's probably time to go..."

You may have a point there, old friend...

Until Next Time...

I have been a fan of guitarist Pat Metheny since my high school days. I mean that quite literally. Pat is a year younger than I am, and attended high school in a different Kansas City suburb from me (he attended Lee's Summit High School, in the southern part of town, while I went to Oak Park High School north of the river). My friends and I who paid attention to the local music scene knew who he was, of course, but none of us expected he'd turn out to be such a star. Today's send-off is one of my favorite Metheny compositions, from his American Garage album. I've always liked the way it can make me feel a bit melancholy, and yet hopeful at the same time. Enjoy...