There are those who will know what this photograph means. For all the others, it’s just a cool image.
Happy Friday.…
Month: April 2012
Recent Images
I haven’t put up any new images just for the sake of art in some time. Yesterday, April 23, I was downtown, by the Arch, to photograph an event—ReadMob—and while there I took the opportunity to do some photography for myself. Here are some of the results. Hope you like them.
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More Music
I wish I had recordings. Sometimes, these monthly jam sessions just turn out sweet.
I don’t have much to say about this past Saturday night’s coffeehouse other than everyone had a good time and we had some surprising performances. So rather than try to recapture the musicality, I offer a few images.
Bob is a multitalented player, whose skill I envy. A pleasant surprise was his daughter, Diane, showing up, who turned out (not very surprisingly) to be musically adept as well.
The guy on the right is one of my oldest friends, Tom. …
Embassytown Aurality
I don’t post music videos normally, but I thought this was exceptional. It’s music based on China Mieville’s truly excellent novel, Embassytown, which I urge everyone to get, read, immerse yourselves in. This novel goes on my list of “novels to be used to teach science fiction” along with a handful of others. Enjoy.
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New Tree
So what do you do with a bare patch of backyard? Why, put a tree on it!
Donna wanted something for the front yard, which is admittedly rather plain and neglected. We spend most of our time in the back part of the house where the bay windows look out over an increasingly eclectic yard. (Donna keeps saying we need to simplify, get it more low maintenance, but…)
So we bought a Japanese Maple.
We both love Japanese Maples. We bought one shortly after moving into the house and it thrives to this day, but what we wanted was a red one and that first one, after an initial showing of red leaves, turned a lovely green and stayed that way. …
Missouri Has A New Poet Laureate
From the Governor’s Office we have the announcement of Missouri’s third state poet laureate:
Gov. names university professor poet laureate
Jefferson City – Gov. Jay Nixon announced the appointment of William Trowbridge, Lee’s Summit, as Missouri’s new Poet Laureate.
Trowbridge is a distinguished university professor emeritus at Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, Mo., and the author of more than 340 published or forthcoming poems. His appointment will run for two years, and during his term, he will present and lecture on poetry to school, community and civic groups throughout the state.
“Professor Trowbridge is one of the country’s outstanding poets, and we are honored to have him as Missouri’s poet laureate,” Nixon said.…
Melinda Gates on Contraception
As she says, this ought to be utterly noncontroversial. Yet it is, because a toxic meme has been released into the public discourse.
She’s more polite—more “politic”—than I might be, so I’ll just leave this to stand on its own for now.…
Work and Mothers
I don’t have a lot to say about this kerfluffle over the remarks of someone who, as it turns out, is not actually working for Obama regarding Ann Romney never having worked a day in her life. This kind of hyperbole ought to be treated as it deserves—ignored.
But we live in an age when the least thing can become a huge political Thing, so ignoring idiocy is not an option.
I remember back in the 1990s a brief flap over Robert Reich. I’m not certain but I believe it was Rush Limbaugh who started it by lampooning the Clinton Administration’s Secretary of Labor for “never having had a real job in his life.” …
LeGuin Again
Last July, I had the honor and privilege of interviewing Ursula K. LeGuin by video link, she in Portland, Oregon, I in Columbia, Missouri. It was a delight for me and, I hope, for you. I have finally been able to upload the video to the Missouri Center for the Book site. It’s on YouTube and now it is here.
Enjoy.…
Some Tribble Time
Last Friday, the 6th of April, I had the pleasure of being on-stage host to Mr. David Gerrold, writer. If you’re not familiar with his work…but what am I saying? Of course you are! Even if you may not know it. David Gerrold wrote one of the most loved episodes of the original Star Trek, the marvelous The Trouble With Tribbles. Even those who don’t especially care for the show tend to like that one.
But if that’s all you’re familiar with by him, then I urge you to correct that lack. David Gerrold is one of the best SF writers in the business. …