And then there were three...: November 2009

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Wings

Tomorrow, Helena will take her first trip on an airplane. She's not excited either, don't be fooled by her happy-go-lucky appearance above.

I am already keenly aware of subsequent blog entries revolving around this adventure; being harassed by the TSA for having too much baby food, sitting behind an I-don't-cover-my-mouth-when-I-cough-and-sneeze kind of passenger, and of course Helena's ear piercing musical offerings for the cabin and crew. This better be the best turkey I have ever eaten.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Merci Jean-Claude (1935-2009)

My freshman year at Virginia Tech I had no idea what I was going to do so I was in an exploratory ciriculum. One of the courses I took studied Jean-Claude & Christo's Running Fence, as shown above. I was fascinated- totally hooked on the life-changing effect that art can have on the individual. To this day, I credit that course and more specifically that single piece of art as two of the most influential experiences in my life. If you can, rent the documentary and see it for yourself. The beauty of an 18 foot tall, white nylon fence running 24 miles across Sonoma and Marin Counties in Northern California is inexplicably breathtaking.

More coffee

See this guy? That's how I feel BEFORE my morning jolt; like a big, fanged monster, ruthlessly gulping down any and every hot beverage in sight, growling along the way.

The other day I stopped into my favorite local coffee shop and asked for a large coffee. I normally get a small or maybe a medium, but never before had I ordered a large. It had been quite the night. The barista hands me the cup and I give him the first-day-on-the-job look and say, "No, I'm sorry, I said a large." Totally rattled, he apologetically took the cup back and went to the stockpile. "Ummm, this actually IS the large cup." All I could muster was an, "Oh" punctuated by a big sigh.