Slippage. That is my new favourite word to describe an ongoing fear since David died. It goes something like this: if I don't make my bed in the morning, I will in short order be living in a pig sty. If I don't get the dishes in the dishwasher, I'll be living with cockroaches in my stove. If I don't obsessively prune my belongings, I will soon be a hoarder, barely able to negotiate through my stuff. And don't forget the ten cats. (I got the name, although not the idea, from a short story in the New Yorker.) Seriously, if I start getting like that, somebody please just take me to the vet!!!
No, no slippage yet.
Went to a play last week at the local repertory theater. It is called White, written by James IJames (yes, that is how it is spelled), It was an odd play; the premise was that a white (gay) artist was refused representation in a prestigious gallery show because he was white, and diversity was the thing. He hired a black (woman) friend to pretend she had painted his pictures, to make the obvious point. I thought it was dreadful - luckily there was no intermission so I couldn't walk out - although the premise is probably real enough. Anyway, that's the thing about live theater - sometimes it hits the mark, and sometimes it doesn't.
I don't think I have told you about my classes this semester:
The first, and probably the most interesting, is called Evil and the Devil in Literature and Film. The instructor was a philosophy professor in a past life, and one of the books is Evil in Modern Thought: An Alternative Theory of Philosophy, by Susan Neiman. I have to tell you that this stuff is way above my head - I probably understand every fifth concept - but it does have me thinking about things I have not thought about before.
Next up is a course on Shakespeare. It is called The Henriad, and is, unsurprisingly, about the history plays. I have seen some of the plays - by no means all - and was interested in the background. The book on tap is Stories from Shakespeare by Marchette Chute. I really quite like it. It's the Coles Notes version of the plays, including an explanation of the characters and plot, historical background, etc. Those of you who know me know that I am wild about Shakespeare, and between the book, the lectures, and the movies snippets - well, I am enjoying the classes immensely.
Last, but not least, is the course on Its The Economy, Stupid. (That's not really its name, but you get the idea). We are taking two issue, health care (The Healing of America, by T.R.Reid) and Immigration (Melting Pot or Civil War: A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case against Open Borders). The whole point is to have a civil discourse on matters of interest to the polity. So far - in a class of 120 people with significantly different viewpoints - we are succeeding. I feel like I am on a high every time I leave the course. And the conversation continues via email.
As you can tell, I am really stoked by the whole thing. So much to learn, so little time. I don't really know how much sticks in my pea brain, but, well, it can't hurt!!
Other books recently completed:
Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World, by Adam Tooze. It ties together the economic, political and international events of the past decade since the 2008 crash. The author is a historian as well as an economist, and this 600 page book was literally a page turner for me. Because of my connection with banking and Wall Street, I knew a lot of the domestic ramifications, but was not so clear about Russia (and the Ukraine), the crash of the emerging markets, China, and, of course, Europe. Fascinating. I highly recommend it.
On a lighter note, I whipped through Alexander McCall Smith's newest addition to the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency novels, The Colors of All The Cattle. These are such charming books - uplifting, even - that emphasize the goodness of human nature (although certainly acknowledging the bad - I just love them.
Finally, I am reading Anne Hillerman Cave of Bones. Her father Tony, now deceased, wrote a series of books which take place among the Navajo in the South West. I have never read any of his books, but I understand they are terrific. Her's certainly is. I don't know very much of anything about the native belief system, and without being preachy, the book takes me there through the day to day of, of course, a police investigation. It is certainly written from a sympathetic point of view, but also shows warts and all. I will certainly seek out her other books, and those of her father. Two new authors! I am excited!
Had dinner with (still grieving) friend John - I am trying in a small way to fill the hole that is left when you lose your bridge partner, your best friend and your life partner, which, as noted, he did in December. We had Indian food, a small local place called India Oven. I ate there a number of years ago, and was again pleasantly surprised.
And, to close,
....my buddies Desi and Lucy (little Rickie comes by too). I love these guys....
So add all this to zumba, the gym, and lots of bridge - well, I am blissfully happy.
And although I wouldn't mind a valentine, I seem to be muddling through pretty well without one....
No, no slippage yet.
Went to a play last week at the local repertory theater. It is called White, written by James IJames (yes, that is how it is spelled), It was an odd play; the premise was that a white (gay) artist was refused representation in a prestigious gallery show because he was white, and diversity was the thing. He hired a black (woman) friend to pretend she had painted his pictures, to make the obvious point. I thought it was dreadful - luckily there was no intermission so I couldn't walk out - although the premise is probably real enough. Anyway, that's the thing about live theater - sometimes it hits the mark, and sometimes it doesn't.
I don't think I have told you about my classes this semester:
The first, and probably the most interesting, is called Evil and the Devil in Literature and Film. The instructor was a philosophy professor in a past life, and one of the books is Evil in Modern Thought: An Alternative Theory of Philosophy, by Susan Neiman. I have to tell you that this stuff is way above my head - I probably understand every fifth concept - but it does have me thinking about things I have not thought about before.
Next up is a course on Shakespeare. It is called The Henriad, and is, unsurprisingly, about the history plays. I have seen some of the plays - by no means all - and was interested in the background. The book on tap is Stories from Shakespeare by Marchette Chute. I really quite like it. It's the Coles Notes version of the plays, including an explanation of the characters and plot, historical background, etc. Those of you who know me know that I am wild about Shakespeare, and between the book, the lectures, and the movies snippets - well, I am enjoying the classes immensely.
Last, but not least, is the course on Its The Economy, Stupid. (That's not really its name, but you get the idea). We are taking two issue, health care (The Healing of America, by T.R.Reid) and Immigration (Melting Pot or Civil War: A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case against Open Borders). The whole point is to have a civil discourse on matters of interest to the polity. So far - in a class of 120 people with significantly different viewpoints - we are succeeding. I feel like I am on a high every time I leave the course. And the conversation continues via email.
As you can tell, I am really stoked by the whole thing. So much to learn, so little time. I don't really know how much sticks in my pea brain, but, well, it can't hurt!!
Other books recently completed:
Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World, by Adam Tooze. It ties together the economic, political and international events of the past decade since the 2008 crash. The author is a historian as well as an economist, and this 600 page book was literally a page turner for me. Because of my connection with banking and Wall Street, I knew a lot of the domestic ramifications, but was not so clear about Russia (and the Ukraine), the crash of the emerging markets, China, and, of course, Europe. Fascinating. I highly recommend it.
On a lighter note, I whipped through Alexander McCall Smith's newest addition to the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency novels, The Colors of All The Cattle. These are such charming books - uplifting, even - that emphasize the goodness of human nature (although certainly acknowledging the bad - I just love them.
Finally, I am reading Anne Hillerman Cave of Bones. Her father Tony, now deceased, wrote a series of books which take place among the Navajo in the South West. I have never read any of his books, but I understand they are terrific. Her's certainly is. I don't know very much of anything about the native belief system, and without being preachy, the book takes me there through the day to day of, of course, a police investigation. It is certainly written from a sympathetic point of view, but also shows warts and all. I will certainly seek out her other books, and those of her father. Two new authors! I am excited!
Had dinner with (still grieving) friend John - I am trying in a small way to fill the hole that is left when you lose your bridge partner, your best friend and your life partner, which, as noted, he did in December. We had Indian food, a small local place called India Oven. I ate there a number of years ago, and was again pleasantly surprised.
And, to close,
....my buddies Desi and Lucy (little Rickie comes by too). I love these guys....
So add all this to zumba, the gym, and lots of bridge - well, I am blissfully happy.
And although I wouldn't mind a valentine, I seem to be muddling through pretty well without one....
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