July 10, 2008
Here it is-- some photos from this year! I'm sorry to post so many at the same
time, but in case you were curious...
May 20, 2008
I know I haven't been posting-- I think working deflated my will to be public
about anything for a while... but I thought I'd come back tonight to say,
officially... for the record...
That I feel optimistic.
My experience of the media this evening has been a rollercoaster-- from
campaign news (with opinions from such illustrious personalities as Erica Jong
and Warren Buffett) to watching the FDR "American Experience" to seeing British
Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Charlie Rose... let's just say I laughed, I
cried, I scowled, and I fell in love (but not necessarily in that order). In all,
though, as FDR said (and I will carelessly but respectfully paraphrase), I feel
things are on an upward trend.
The future looks bright, and following a friend's recent advice, I have opened a
little window in my heart to accept what may be.
So perhaps soon I will catch everyone up on the phenomenon of Margaret's
soccer games, Mitchell's deft use of the phrase "No way, Mom!", and all the rest.
April 03, 2008
If you've talked to me anytime in the last two months you would know that I was
freaking out about turning 30. I know it was ridiculous and I have no excuse for
my behavior... Anyway, the day came, and now I am 30.
I think turning 30 was like walking through a door: not momentous, but I am
definitely in a new place...
Outwardly, things continue as before-- but my internal monologue is insane.
Every time I open my mouth I feel like the crazy is trying to get out. So I try to
remind myself to not talk too much, lest it escape. So far I have very little
success, and still talk too much.
In other news, Seth continues his education in opera by devouring as much of it
as he can. He's an opera addict. His new favorites are Hansel and Gretel and
The Golden Girl of the West.
Margaret incessantly develops her own plans for her upcoming birthday party
(which I have little intention of producing after the Valentine fiasco) and feels no
need to run them by me before sharing them with the world.
Mitchell has come to a time in his life where he wants to control everyone, so I
find myself constantly brokering compromises with him. It is a lesson in
negotiations if ever I've had one.
Maybe I should put up some photos?
February 25, 2008
Say what you will, I just cannot help but be completely overcome with shivers
and tingles about 5 1/2 minutes into track 13 (Act 1 Vogliatemi bene, un bene
piccolino) from Madame Butterfly (an awesome version with Renata Scotto that I
got from the library of all places-- we had to return it-- boo hoo!). Who am I
kidding--this whole opera is amazing.
Everyone probably knows that Seth is very big into opera right now-- his
favorite of late has been Die Valkyrie. I was certainly raised with a pretty broad
exposure to opera, but I think I never gave it a good, serious listen. Tonight,
sitting in the dark at the computer with good quality headphones and no
distractions... with a little more perspective and having been around the block a
few more times... well, it nearly makes me want to cry. I even took a class in
college where I listened to many operas, but maybe I never really LISTENED...
With an open mind, and an open heart.
For anyone who wants to give opera a chance, I HIGHLY recommend this one
(and for everyone out there sneering and tsking... I can't help it, I love it).
February 21, 2008
Okay. I haven't watched the whole debate tonight yet (I was putting Mitchell to
bed) but we TiVo'd it-- I did see the last few minutes...
I must say that Hillary probably missed a great moment when she could have
looked into the camera and been completely frank about something personal--
when she was asked about trying times in her life (that ostensibly have led to
her leadership skills). She brushed it off with a comment about "Oh yeah, I've
been through some crises" and went on to explain that nothing that had
happened to her compares to what wounded Iraq veterans are going through.
All the commentators seem to think her last comments were so great (P.S. I
love Donna Brazille-- she's my new best on-TV-friend), but to me those
comments were TOTALLY EMPTY!!! They're holding up "that last comment" as so
revealing of her and her emotions, etc.-- IT WASN'T. She could have socked us
all with an acknowledgment of the public scandals, the difficulty of being held up
next to her presidential husband-- ANYTHING-- and then come back with her
story about the amazing people at the hospital... but she totally threw it away.
She did not talk about her own broken path at all, which is a path I believe I
could respect and look up to if only I KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I was
excited by the chance to see a little of her soul, and then disappointed that she
retreated from being real.
I've been waiting for Hillary to show some mettle. In that vein, I have decided,
under Seth's encouragement, to share a letter I wrote to a friend about Ms.
Clinton and what I wish she would do-- namely, start kicking some ass and
getting a little crazy. Well, you'll see what I mean... Read on, curious friends...
Continue reading "Candidates, anyone?"
February 18, 2008
Running is my new favorite thing to do. I never EVER in my life thought I would
be the kind of person that looks forward to running on a cold February morning--
no one who knows me would think this could be something I enjoy-- but I do! I
have a new, crazy mania for running around Philadelphia.
Yesterday was fantastic. I started out around 8:30am, walked a few blocks,
proceeded to run up Broad Street, and then up the Ben Franklin Parkway. I
didn't see a whole lot of other people running; in fact, I saw less than I had on
more random runs by Independence Hall or up Front Street. However, once I
hit the Art Museum, it was like the world of fitness enthusiasts opened before
me-- EVERYONE WAS THERE! Big mobs of jogging club-ers, 2-by-2 college
teams, bikers, rowers on the river, and serious-looking, solitary loners like me.
Not that I look serious... in my H&M hoodie, I look more like a pile of rags
compared to the people in their super-tech running gear.
Just being among these fitness-minded people was incredibly inspiring. Taken
together with the music on my iPod, the quietness of the early morning, the
comfort of the cool air (imagine feeling hot in the winter! That's benefit enough
for me)... I don't think I had a runner's high, but I felt great. So I kept going. I
ran and ran, and then I had to turn around and run home.
All told, I was out for about an hour and a half. I probably ran for all but 15
minutes of that time. And I don't run fast... but it was a lot for me.
Then I taught an LSAT class for 3 hours. Standing. In high-heeled boots.
When I got home, I could hardly walk. My legs felt like lead, and my labored
effort to get around made me think of the difficulty of walking up a snowy hill
with skis on. It was GREAT! I felt lighthearted and physically exhausted, and
enjoyed laughing at myself when I could barely make it to the top of the stairs
at night.
I never understood why anyone would enjoy running, but now I do. Isn't that
the most amazing thing, really-- to find yourself understanding what you never
imagined you would. It happens to me more and more as I get older, and I find
it very reassuring.
February 11, 2008
My soon-to-be bilingual daughter just taught me this word, termómetro. She is totally amazing.
My brother-in-law's birthday is tomorrow and we made him cards but didn't send
them.
When I went outside today, every extremity of my body burned with the cold.
And didn't stop burning, ever. They burn, still.
Our shower has been replaced with one that doesn't fit the nice cool shower
head Seth's parents bought for us, and it also makes an annoying screaming
sound like a gigantic teapot whistle THE WHOLE TIME YOU'RE SHOWERING...
like, teapot x 1000.
I recently bought some really kick-ass jeans and boots because I am turning 30
in a few weeks and totally freaking out about it. Maybe if people are fixated on
my boots they won't look into my haggard face.
I can't stop watching Barack Obama speeches and CSPAN pie charts. I wake up
in the middle of the night and cheer for CSPAN pie charts.
This is a partial list detailing my insanity. I encourage everyone to send me
insanity lists so I don't have to feel like I'm the only one going crazy over
here...
January 29, 2008
When Madeleine Albright was confirmed as Secretary of State in 1996, I was a
few months into my first year at college, and I payed no attention. But in the
years since, I am enamored of her whenever I see her.
Listening to Radio Times this morning in the car, (the podcast version will no
doubt be posted on the Radio Times website soon) I heard Ms. Albright expound
on our (the US's) relationship with the rest of the world. Her manner was sassy
but also incredibly refined and respectable. During the course of the discussion,
she summed up the US's responsibility to use its undeniable power for the good
of all by saying something close to:
"Look, whether you learn it from the Bible or Batman, from those to whom much
is given, much is expected."
And I thought, look at this woman who can take a bible passage and redirect it
to fans of comic books and action movies. Look at this charismatic, well-spoken
woman who has an incredible insight into the affairs of the US and the world.
Why isn't SHE running for president? On the walk from my car to the
apartment, I couldn't figure out why no one was making her at least TRY for a
nomination...
Wikipedia gave me the answer-- she's not a natural born citizen of the US.
Phooey. But all is not lost because there's lots about her life that is completely
inspirational to me, including the fact that she was raising kids while getting a
PhD and generally being a superstar of all things international. I also followed
the link to her 2007 Commencement speech at Wellesley, which is a wonderful,
quick read.
Madeleine Albright, welcome to my personal hall of heroes. You are lovely and
important.
January 28, 2008
Remember those commercials for pork that were all over the TV in... what? The
90's? And the beef commercials, too, which used the heartily awesome music of
Aaron Copland's "Rodeo" (a cowboy ballet)-- do you know, apparently 88% of
the population immediately think "Beef: It's what's for dinner" when they hear
Rodeo! 88%!
Googling these famous meat campaigns, I just discovered that Beef has not
finished selling itself. The new campaign for 2008 will be "Discover the Power of
Protein in the Land of Lean Beef". Honestly, I don't know why anybody wants to
spend money advertising meat to a nation whose citizens, on average, already
eat half a pound of it a day. Eat more meat? Ugh. I don't even want to think
about it.
But I have been thinking about it. Thanks to the popularity of books like Michael
Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and more recent "In Defense of Food", and
articles like "Rethinking the Meat Guzzler" from the NYTimes,
I'm realizing that our pace of meat consumption is bad for more than just our bodies.
Continue reading "Food... the other white meat"
January 23, 2008
I can breathe easier now. I received my acceptance letter from Temple
yesterday, along with a nice little scholarship (fingers crossed that I might be
judged to have some financial need also). I had actually started watching the mail
with the hopes that my admission decision would be made in less than the
advertised 8-12 week time frame, and -- aha!-- my envelope arrived in 5 weeks!
So I'm awfully glad to know that my future plans do in fact rest with Temple and
the law-- now to see what I can do with it, eh? Hopefully some good...
More family updates to follow soon-- I PROMISE!!
