doppler

This is what I miss, the rumble of spring that comes out of nowhere:



ps. Spoiler alert for BSG. Stop reading now! But I was reminded of one of my favorite photographs (in fact, my monitor background image) after watching the finale. I always thought it was kinda like what you'd find when no one was around to spoil it and there was enough space to wander:



150,000 years ago..

G-Star love

I forgot I took this pix while on vacation.



Could use a big dose of that again, I have to say.

Stop making sense

A couple of random observations on this Monday.

I've been reading this series on grief in Slate. It's sort of nice/interesting to be able to read about that process from a more detached distance; and by detached, I mean able to recognize the feelings without having to feel them all over again. And by distance, I mean that it's less of an open wound that never scabs over and more of a pale full-body scar that you wear, reminding you of what happened. Or something like that.

I tweeted about two people who have been hit by the Metro; one was by choice, the other I'm not entirely sure but the circumstances suggest as much. Two things: 1) I've always been conflicted about suicide - I'm libertarian in my belief that people with free will ought to be able to make this choice if they want, though I understand that most folks who choose it are not in the best frame of mind to exercise that free will = a sad situation all around and 2) if someone chooses this option, I think it's unforgivably selfish to involve other people in the act - as callous as it sounds, don't make someone else do your dirty work - the Metro operators have to live with being indirectly involved in ending someone else's life. Not fair.

Finally and definitely unrelated to above, I took the Washington Flyer bus from the airport last night when I got back in town. (Aside: I must note the fact that it takes less time for me to fly to Canada than it does to drive the 18 miles from Chantilly, VA to Arlington, VA at 830am on a weekday - this is not hyperbole, it is truth). The bus driver happened to be one of those women who has made a choice I personally would/could not make, despite my heretofore undisclosed libertarian leanings. This picture offers a pretty accurate depiction of said choice.

The following thoughts crossed my mind in about this order: What's that clicking noise? What does she have on her hands? Oh, wow, those are her nails. Dang, they're long. Like Guiness Book long. I guess that clicking noise is from her nails touching together. While she takes tickets. She is going to take my ticket. How will she grab it? Clicking. I feel nails. On.My.Arm. ! Don't panic - think about the Habs, think about Celine Dion, no, stop, no Celine. Ok, she's driving now. Clicking. How can she turn the wheel without breaking a nail? For that matter, how can she: push a button? text with any speed? write with a pen/pencil? type? pick her nose? um, pleasure herself? not scare small children when she waves? On the other hand, she can: mix her drinks without a stir stick; easily hail five taxis instead of one; scratch that itch in the middle of her back that's always been out of reach; fix her weave and mine at the same time; be her own set of clicky castanets; be a hit at the club when someone's pinky nail breaks and there are no backup cocaine delivery systems in place; point out the obvious in a roundabout, curved way so as not to make someone feel picked upon; and serve salad at dinner parties - no muss, no fuss. Thank god this ride is over.

And with that, I leave you with this: La fois suivante, nous arriverons dans la piscine plus tôt!

Home of the 1994 Celine Dion wedding

Bonjour from Old Montreal:



Aside from a day almost lost due to (my ever-present) headache, this trip has been lovely, with my Canadian tour guide taking good care of me. Squeezing a tiny bit of sight-seeing in, but mostly indulging in vice/hedonism = eating/drinking/lounging/etc and by etc, I mean plus also attitude adjustment of the horizontal hanging out variety. Of which to say that I appreciate the hospitality of our friends up north. Especially when they speak french for me on occasion and go out for beers in their SB jacket. No complaints from me.



Time to go lounge about and enjoy a late afternoon drink. Adieu to you!

ETA: They love their hockey up here. Also, I miss you.

Manos

Speaking of hands over on Hobocamp, here's a good song for you: Manos.

And second of all, my mini-vacation starts in T-minus 48 hours. I'm going north for some serious R&R + etc = major attitude adjustment. As I understand it, Montreal is still in the thick of winter but no matter. I can assure you that I will not be blogging/tweeting/texting/emailing. I will be lounging about, enjoying Quebec-style hospitality with a certain Canadian habitant. French will be spoken. Allonge' will be sipped. Poutine will at least be considered. Et les mains. Most definitely.

Potomac

Two dogs, wet and stinky:

No one asks you to explain

I was sitting in an (over-priced) hotel restaurant for lunch today, when lo and behold, this song came on over the sound system. Much like the decor in the restaurant, I was transported back in time to the 70s. Seriously, when was the last time you heard that song unless you are a Helen Reddy fan like myself?? Some of you are saying never, the rest of you are saying 1978.

That's really all I have to say about that and my day, other than I was an unwilling participant in touchy feely 'small group discussions and breakout sessions'. More of the same tomorrow. Where's that magic radio when you need it, I ask?

Crossing fingers

Shhhh, don't scare it away...



I will be live-tweeting throughout the WINTER STORM WARNING! Oh you better believe it..



I ask for very little during the winter except an occasional snow situation, so I will be tiptoeing lightly today so as not to cause the system to push off to the east and bypass us completely. I am, as ever, cautiously optimistic.

Let's see, what else? I tweeted about making quite possibly the best fucking beef vegetable stew ever made last night. Upon having leftovers for lunch today, I have confirmed that statement. I'm not bragging, I'm just sayin' and what I am saying is this: Haters to the left, you don't even want to thrown down on my stew.

Other things:

1. Battlestar Galactica is killing me softly with Starbuck's song. Gah! That show, so good. Only three more episodes = tragedy.

2. I am almost finished with this this book. I've basically had this sitting on my bedside nightstand for like, oh, 4 years? As with most non-fictiony books, I like to read a little at a time etc etc which means I have multiple books going at once and it takes a long time to finish something, but I just discovered that I am almost done with this one. If you are into plate tectonics (like I am, hello), then you will most certainly enjoy this book. I like wrapping my head around the fact that the continental makeup of the earth has gone through at least 4 major migrations dating back as far as a billion years ago and that rocks and the elements within them are able to tell that story. What's even freakier is thinking about a time before continents were even able to form, when the earth was just a boiling mass of iron mantle and how oxygen played a major role in creating the elements and subsequent rocks, but also life. The end. Anyway, yes, it's a very good book if you're into that geek shit, which I am.

3. The work weeks have been long and I am closing in on being burned out by it all. Plus also the headaches have returned - I suspect the implants are starting to wear out and the robot brain is giving up the ghost. I turned down several social invitations this weekend because quite honestly, I just needed to tune in/turn off. Very much in need of a getaway to another country.

4. Hello, we are under a WINTER STORM WARNING, stock up supplies now!! This city will be shut down for DAYS (or until it hits 60 next weekend)!