October 2011
2 posts
“Brevity is the soul of wit.”
– William Shakespeare
September 2011
2 posts
Clippy must DIE!!!! →
As I struggled with getting a MS Word doc to format the way I wanted to late yesterday I was reminded of one of my favorite “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me” moments on NPR. And comforted by the fact that even though Word frustrated me with its inability to perform the simplest of functions consistently at least “Clippy” wasn’t around anymore to taunt me.
WatchA family lost…
The Whittington/Falkenberg family weren’t the only folks I knew and cared for that died on September 11, 2001, but something about the entire family being wiped out made their deaths all the more tragic. After the initial shock and grief came the practical questions - What to do with their house? What about all of their possessions? Who will organize the memorial?
...
August 2011
3 posts
Is that skunk? →
Every once and a while I learn something from TV. Last night I learned all sorts of things about skunks, yes skunks, on PBS. But beyond the fact that skunks eat bees (don’t their tongues get stung?!?), the most important thing I learned is that tomato juice doesn’t counteract the stink spray, but a precise combination of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and laundry detergent does. Now...
“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
– John Lennon
I love ketchup →
Ketchup (hold the tomatoes)
Chef Sang Yoon experiments at home with the condiment he doesn’t serve at Father’s Office.
July 2011
8 posts
Taking a nostalgic ride on the world's oldest... →
You can keep your fancy loopers and hanging harnesses. Nothing compares to a ride on a classic wooden roller coaster.
“You can go to heaven if you want; I’ll stay here in Bermuda.”
– Mark Twain
3,000 Words About Derek Jeter →
“Jeter plays, therefore he is.”
“Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep...”
– Ernest Hemmingway
Under the influence of Hemingway →
On the 50th anniversary of the literary giant’s death, a critic questions the writer’s relevance today but not the effect his style and authority have had on other writers.
Coyotes in the canyon
I live in San Diego. In the city. Technically. Although my neighborhood feels suburban with neat ranch houses and split levels tucked in on cul-de-sacs, I can see the downtown skyline from the street, hear airplanes as they take off from Lindberg field and watch police cars zoom by in high-speed pursuit. But I also live on the edge of a canyon, a wonderful ridge perched above Mission Bay and...
June 2011
17 posts
“After all, tomorrow is another day…”
– Scarlett O’Hara, Gone with the Wind
It's 4 a.m. something bad happened.
Unexpected late night phone calls are never good. So when I saw Jay’s number pop up at 4 am Eastern I didn’t have to answer to know that the news was not good. Our childhood friend Kim had been in the hospital for over a week now fighting the latest battle in her ongoing war with cystic fibrosis.
When we were 10 years old and running around on playgrounds together our parents tried...
Bad energy.
I grew up on the East Coast. The Northeast Coast more specifically. In and around New York City exactly. The world of my youth was fast, competitive and exciting. New York felt like the center of the universe, and, well, as Frank sang, “if you could make it there you could make it anywhere.”
After earning my college degree in New England alongside of a cadre of over-achievers I landed...
“Hates California, it’s cold and it’s damp…”
– The Lady is a Tramp
The long autumn of Roger Federer →
Tennis is a sport of generations, and Roger Federer dethroned the stars of mine. I didn’t want to like him. I didn’t want to admire him. He beat Pete at Wimbledon! The nerve, really. But his greatness is impossible to ignore. Now that his game is on the other side of its peak the funeral chants start. And I don’t want Roger to go away. I don’t want Andy Murray or Rafa Nadal...
The underwater "Serengeti" just off of the West... →
WatchHow to take better vacation photos (courtesy of National Geographic)
“You can not be serious?!?!”
– John McEnroe, Wimbledon and elsewhere
A deep fried innovator (goes too far?) →
First it was the Krispy Kreme chicken sandwich. Then it was deep-fried avocado, the zucchini weenie – a zucchini stuffed with a hot dog and deep fried – and, of course, deep-fried Oreos.
This summer brings another set of taste sensations: deep-fried Kool-Aid, deep-fried Girl Scout mint cookies, and deep-fried ribs. Think cholesterol danger zone with a high sugar punch.
The creator of these...
The Art and Science of S'mores →
I go camping for three reasons: that crisp, clean air filling your lungs in the morning after sleeping under the stars; the opportunity to get lost in nature and forget about so-called civilization; and most importantly, for the chance to roast marshmallows for s’mores over a roaring camp fire.
“My, she was yar…”
– Katharine Hepburn in ‘The Philadelphia Story’
WatchThere’s always someone at a different concert than the rest of the crowd. Two very excited ladies rocking out to the pre-show opening music before the U2 360 concert in Anaheim…
'The Tempest' rages at the Old Globe →
I’m a big fan of summer Shakespeare at the Old Globe in San Diego. There’s just something so special about sitting outside as the sun sets over Balboa Park and watching the Bard’s plays come to life. Last night I caught a preview performance of “The Tempest.” It was superb. And now I’m anxiously looking forward to returning to Bermuda for the first time in a few...
