Deputy Dawg

Sorry for the delay in updating. My PowerBook's hard drive died last Wednesday and I just now got it fully functional. Thank God for backups and extended warranties.

I went to New York over the weekend and saw Laurie Anderson. Amazing concert; she continually reinvents herself. This incarnation: jazz musician. Proof: she played at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

New York is worth about ten entries, and I doubt I have the time to put that effort in. Highlights: for weirdness, the Chinatown bus up. For comfort, the train back. For the wow-I'm-so-glad-I'm alive, my view of the World Trade Center site from the 18th floor of the Millennium Hilton on Church Street. For remembering, the same view. For optimism and hope for the future, the same view. For Only-in-New York, the same view.

A great time chillin with good friends. Thanks Neil, Jan, Jean Marc. Elmo, next time.

On a hot summer night

would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?

Tonight was one of them - a hot summer night. I saw a bunch of wolves; none had roses. Today is not a bad day at all, even though it started out pretty bad.

Shoulder keeps improving. It's all good.

Trinitite

Last night I sat in the front row of the Woolly Mammoth Theater and watched an astounding monologue by Mike Daisey: "If You See Something Say Something." Amazing storyteller, and an even more amazing set of stories, all woven together to form an uncannily honest description of our life in "post-9/11" America. He says all these things that all of us think, including some disturbing stuff about how much of a police state we've turned into.

He talks about the history of the Department of Homeland Security, about White Sands, about George Washington's farewell address, and about the little worm that is inside him, that I know is also inside me. The worm is the insurgent, the insurrectionist in all of us as we wait in line at airport security. He had one way with dealing with it; I have another. When I know I am not hurried for the flight, I simply refuse to take my shoes off. When asked why not, I explain the truth: it hurts me when I walk without my shoes. It always requires an inspection, but if everyone did this, I think that they would stop asking us to take off our shoes.

If you live in Washington, go and see this show! He really says it like it is. He also makes clear that we need to do something about this.

Why is the title called "Trinitite?" Click on the word and see ...

Shoulder update July

I've been going to physical therapy again and starting to make some good progress in increased flexibility and strength. Amazing what happens when you do your exercises!

Fun Stuff

Philip and I went for a great bike ride. Here's the part I did:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2072125

Beautiful day, a little warm.

Stuff

When getting settled in, there are all these things that one must have. Spices that you threw out from the last move have to be replaced, cleaning upplies, all these things. I had to get a new vacuum cleaner, ironing board, iron: the list goes on and on. Lots of stuff.

Moved in

My niece came down from Rutgers in Newark to help me move in. The movers moved all the boxes on July 2; we made a giant dent in the unpacking. The kitchen is pretty much done; actually most everything is unpacked. I need to downsize and get rid of many things, and this is quite apparent when there is so much furniture in the place.

My niece is so great. We spent almost the entire time talking - asking each other serious questions, and not so serious questions. Comparing who we thought was hot, serious discussions about relationships, about what's important in life, like good health and family and friends, and what is not so important, like material goods.

Speaking of good health, I did a great bike ride last weekend:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2033013

46.4 km or 28.9 miles - really wonderful ride, mostly along the C & O Canal Towpath

Then yesterday my niece ran, and I rode my bike, along this route:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2051595

Total distance was 18.45 miles, or 29.7 km. She ran all of it but two miles. I would switch places with her and run for a half mile or mile - for a total of two miles running for me. So she ended up running almost 16 1/2 miles.

This morning we did this run, together:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2053444

It's the first time I ran since October 2007, and I wanted to do over 3 miles. We did it. And with no pain. (I have had foot troubles too.) I am so happy about that.

Post-moving

Moved ... more to come