March 2008 Archives
From The Economist, the English take on preparing for business meetings in New York (what to wear, how to use money, how to get around). The narrator sounds like he's about to fall asleep.
Or, I suppose you could say it gets Sweded. In any case, check out the low-tech lightcycle race scene from "Tron" as recreated by Frères Hueon. As my French class mecs used to say, "Très cool."
Haven't been writing 'cause I've been feeling the need to produce things people can touch and taste.
This weekend, I was invited to a "welcoming spring" party. With the pending vernal equinox, it seemed like macaroons were the right thing to bring.
The hosts made tea sandwiches and cracked open homemade infused vodkas. (The vodka was store-bought but the infusions were done at home.)
It was a lovely evening — one where many of us discovered that we liked horseradish mixed into cream cheese and spread onto baby carrots sliced lengthwise.
To top off the evening, the hosts held a bookswap. I gave away "Subwayland" by Randy Kennedy (Amazon|BN|Powell's) and in return picked out "More Tales of the City" by Armistead Maupin (Amazon|BN|Powell's) and "Talk Talk" by T.C. Boyle (Amazon|BN|Powell's).
Meanwhile, the knitting bug has bitten again.
Well, maybe there'll be hugs once I get the hang of this thing.
After many months, my give one-get one XO laptop finally arrived.
The keyboard is tiny. And slow. But I managed to make some music and take some photos. I've yet to dig into the programming tools or log onto the Web, but hey, we're just getting acquainted, the XO and me.
It's a fun toy, and my greater hope is that the child who receives the "give one" laptop will have the desire and imagination to use and then outgrow it.
This year I will finally get some sports-related self-discipline and train properly for a half-marathon. At least that's what I've been telling myself.
Today, I broke out of my usual after-work routine and walked over to a running store to ask about their training program. Turns out I can run seven days a week with a group if I'm really ambitious. The best part? They feed you afterwards.
In years past, the half has been easy to fake — having spent a few years as a decent 5K runner, I allowed myself to run at 1.5 times my slowest one-mile time, since it's about three times the distance. So long as I crossed the finish line vertically I'd be happy, I told myself.
And that's been true. But the part of me that remembers what it was like to have stamina and an eight-pack knows I could go a little faster and be a lot fitter than I am now.
Frankly, I could use a little of that. This is the public declaration: This year, the snail gets sleek.
Play: "Been Missing" by Shapeshifter
Three things I've read in a row today have ticked me off. So I've put the reading aside and pulled out some knitting.
They say that every handknit piece carries emotion. Everything — from the way you hold your needles to the tension you put on your yarn pours into what you're making. I just hope I don't come out with a strangled work.
The cowl I made last year:
didn't suit, so I'm turning it into a scarf:
And for the life of me, I can't understand why all my digital photos lately have come out blurry.