Archive for December, 2009

Various & Sundry, part eighty-four

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

— Year of 2009 workout totals: Swim-43; Bike-38; Run-1; Lift-3; Pilates-16; Lupus Drill-3

— Back spasms and muscle injuries shut down my gym time early in the year, and I never could recapture the momentum. Eventually had to curtail the Pilates work, too, but assigned myself an improved swimming and cycling pattern. Running played no part in the annual effort. My new hope is that 2010 will take on a more balanced character, otherwise my long-held exercise habit could turn into a flab-it.

— An even more regular fitness regimen is on my list of New Year’s resolutions. I also need to:

•   Partake of the great writers—
     Conrad, Hugo, Dickens, plus more Hemingway, Kipling, Tolstoy
•   Gain new levels of skill with hand, eye, and mind—
     Brush Stroke, Graver Line, Digital Effect, Options Trade, Chess Move
•   Spend more time in the knobs with Marty
•   Take Dana to the west coast — somehow . . .

— Another year has passed, and it is ever gratifying to create things which satisfy one’s own artistic urge, while promoting commercial activity that helps provide abundance and livelihoods to others. But, as always, it is never pleasant to continually justify the role of the design professional in an environment of declining visual literacy, where everyone can stand their uninformed, subjective ground to affirm the inappropriate, or declare that mediocrity is “good enough.”

— An unexpected viral assault has threatened my long-anticipated year-end participation in Louisville, but a counter-barrage of immune system boosters is under way, and, so far, I successfully made it to the city intact for the wonderful rehearsal dinner last night. The final day of the year is a bedridden affair, with fifteen back-to-back Twilight Zone episodes to suitably infuse the atmosphere with surreality.

To Caitlan and Kyle— Happy New Year!

V & S

J O H N

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

Fisherman, Disciple, Evangelist, Visionary

apostle_john.jpg

“. . . peace to men on whom His favor rests.”

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

“To be politically correct, I can say
that I’m scoping out the Norwegians
when I get on a plane, but face it,
if there’s a shaky Muslim cat near me,
I’m going to be keeping my eye on him.”

        —Dennis Miller

News of a thwarted terrorist act has popped the bubble of holiday euphoria, and yet, to maintain a festive mood is remarkably easy for those of us who weren’t called upon to celebrate Christmas by clambering over an airline seat to subdue a suicidal fanatic.

Yesterday morning found us at Terie and Marty’s for Christmas brunch gift giving. After arriving home we had some private time (I got a new bicycle helmet from Santa), before relaxing with afternoon victuals, enjoying the company of our dear friends, David and Lee, and a sensational Sonoma County Zinfandel from Dana’s brother Bill. A trip to Lexington followed, where we watched the new Eastwood picture and shared our evening at The Pub. Not surprisingly, “Invictus” pushed my buttons, but the editorial pacing of the World Cup championship match fell a bit short of my expectations. In any case, Freeman’s portrayal of Mandela was outstanding, and it’s my understanding that he has wanted to play the character for many years, having brought the adaptation to Clint while developing the property himself.

Today is Boxing Day, so it’s off to Kelley Ridge for more conviviality. Things just keep getting better during this splendid countdown to a landmark New Year’s Eve wedding in Louisville!

Friday, December 25th, 2009

Merry Christmas!

(A tip o’ the hat to Johnny Crawford for this uplifting holiday link.)

Eventidings

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

Our Christmas Eve celebration with Clan is over. Joan captures it best.

Earlier today I was trying to locate a print for us to give as a gift and ran across a collage that I barely remembered creating. Interestingly, I was not overly impressed, although I had to admit the piece is visually striking. So much of my life involves the effort to exact compensation for my creative abilities. My impressions have given rise to the typical holiday-season musings:

First thought . . .
I’ve neglected mixed media for inappropriate reasons.

Second thought . . .
My original investigations were unrelated to economics.

Third thought . . .
I must reject any temptation to invite commercialism.

Fourth thought . . .
I am capable of pushing this medium beyond previous levels.

De jure belli ac pacis

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

I was disappointed to discover that my copy of War and Peace is “edited for the modern reader.” Should have realized it much sooner, since it’s “only” 741 pages long. Nevertheless, I’m feasting on the translation with immense pleasure, while at the same time skimming General Armand de Caulaincourt’s memoir, With Napoleon in Russia. I don’t know why I dart around like this, just when I was beginning to take a new interest in the American Revolution. Perhaps this will bring me around again to our second war with Great Britain, or a fresh look at Tecumseh. 1812 was certainly a landmark year, and right at the heart of my favorite period in our national story. I shall never exhaust my curiosity with this era. But here’s the real question— How can I turn my attention away from the works of Tolstoy? He understood, as Shakespeare did, just about everything there was to know about anything.