Jason Brown Skates, Alright!

I'm sure there is a language for writing about figure skating although I don't know it; my only language to express skating is that of dance and music. I'm a music fan of Irish American ancestry, finding the Riverdance music particularly moving; I am culturally encoded to find the rhythms and expressions moving, sometimes enough so to bring tears to my eyes or me to my feet.

Jason Brown's performance at the recent U.S. Nationals held in Boston blended dance, music and skating with such breathtaking results that I find myself uncharacteristically at a loss for words. Indeed, his performance must be experienced to be understood.

No matter my previous awful schadenfreudeish new word inclinations, this is one skater I want to see execute without falling. The sheer joie de vivre of his performance deserves nothing less. Follow him on Twitter: @jasonbskates and stay tuned for his performance(s) in Sochi. #NotIrishAMERICANButDidUsJusticeNevertheless

Happy 4th of July!

Promoting Tourism in Boston

My mom Barbara and cousin-in-law Kim had long-planned to visit The Fahm in early May; our guests were also interested in doing a little touring in Boston. As a Hotwire devotee, I was tasked with finding lodgings for our sojourn in town. I knew of a lovely chain hotel located somewhat outside the city center that offered free parking and reasonable room rates along with a free shuttle to and from the nearest T stop but after the tragic events at the Boston Marathon finish line and subsequent city shutdown, I decided to look at other options.

Really? For Reals?

The Quabbin Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and primarily supplies Boston with drinking water. The Quabbin Reservoir's Winsor Dam is home to State Police Station C-7, Belchertown; since 2001 additional security measures have been in place to protect Boston's water supply. Exactly one month ago today the Boston Marathon bombings occurred, reminding everyone all over again how horrid humans can be to one another. It is entirely understandable then, when Massachusetts State Police were interested when they spotted a pair of illegally parked cars in the middle of the night at one of the park entrances, indicating the presence of trespassers.

Promoting Tourism in Boston After Marathon Bombings

My mom Barbara and cousin-in-law Kim had long-planned to visit The Fahm in early May; our guests were also interested in doing a little touring in Boston. As a Hotwire devotee, I was tasked with finding lodgings for our sojourn in town. I knew of a lovely chain hotel located somewhat outside the city center that offered free parking and reasonable room rates along with a free shuttle to and from the nearest T stop but after the tragic events at the Boston Matrathon finish line and subsequent city shutdown, I decided to look at other options.

Syrians Send Bostonians Condolences; Bostonians Respond

From Syrians to Bostonians:

From Bostonians to Syrians:

Via Americablog.com

A Fraction of a Fraction of a Fraction of a Percent

From Patton Oswalt.

"Boston. Fucking horrible.

I remember, when 9/11 went down, my reaction was, "Well, I've had it with humanity."

But I was wrong. I don't know what's going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths.

But here's what I DO know. If it's one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out.

(Thanks FAKE Gallery founder and owner Paul Kozlowski for pointing this out to me). This is a giant planet and we're lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they're pointed towards darkness.

But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago.

So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, "The good outnumber you, and we always will.""

Gotta love Big Papi...

"This is our f**king city. And nobody gonna dictate our freedom." - David Ortiz

Bizarre Events Unfolding in Boston Today

...unlike anything I have ever seen before.

Reasons to Love Boston

They know how to fix signs so they have the correct pronunciation. - via Buzzfeed

NHL Skates to Where the Puck is Going to Be

It turns out the NHL is actually a lover, not a fighter!

Just ONE MORE REASON to love the game.

Live-blogging Blizzard 2013

2:30 PM: It behooves us all to be reminded that I was raised in sunny southern California and this whole "blizzard" thing typically only ever occurred on set, or during the Universal Studios Tour and is complete bullshit.

2:16 PM: Light snow showers at 18 degrees F, feels like reading is 3 degrees F, in NNW 16 MPH winds gusting to 33 MPH.

2:12: Governor Deval Patrick just had a news conference and offered some post-blizzard advice for citizens.

12:55 PM: 15 degrees F, feels like reading is -2 degrees F, in NNW 19 MPH winds gusting to 38 MPH.

12:53 PM: A light snow has started falling again and the sun is still trying without success to emerge. It is therefore time to do that which any sane person knows to do during a blizzard: play Scrabble huddled next to a hot wood stove in the kitchen, while having hot cocoa and grilled cheese sandwich triangles.

12:13 PM: 14 degrees F, feels like reading is -3 degrees F, in NNW 21 MPH winds gusting to 42 MPH. The snow has finally stopped. Our power has been solid as a rock; Verizon's high-speed Intertubes via land line connection, not so much. Mobile hotspots are the new black.

12:07: The sun is trying hard.

12:04 PM: Our Front door.

Noon: Roof scrapery over the kitchen is complete. Snowshoes were required although not much use in 30" of fresh powder. I wasn't in over my head (that would've been during our first winter here at The Fahm) but I was in over my knees!

Before

After. What isn't documented are my screaming triceps.

10:17 AM: Still procrastinating. Briefly contemplated the wisdom of having a medicinal bloody Mary stirrup cup as encouragement to get outside and rake snow off the roof. In 3' of fresh powder. During a blizzard. But noooo, we hearty pioneers do this shit SOBER.

10:09 AM: WBUR's Bob Oakes just asked for an update on the situation in Scituate. Hell was described as breaking loose there. Which is a helluva Scituation.

10:03 AM: I'm almost done with my morning procrastination which means it is time to put on the 39 layers necessary to sustain life outdoors in a blizzard, pick up my damn snow rake (with extensible handle), and go rake the damn snow off the damn roof so The Fahm doesn't end up encrusted with malevolent ice beasties.

9:43 AM: We have the great good fortune of our closest neighbor being kind enough to plow our driveway during the winter. That neighbor has arrived! He's plowing us out for the second time in less than 24 hours. We like our neighbor very much. :)

The Plowful Neighbor

9:37 AM: Travel ban is still in place. 13 degrees F, feels like reading is -5 degrees F, still snowing in NNW 25 MPH winds gusting to 40 MPH.  Wachusett Mountain ski area, 5 miles up the road, is open for business and reporting 28" of fresh powder on the ground.

8:40 AM: 14 degrees F, feels like reading is -3 degrees F, still snowing in NNW 16 MPH winds gusting to 33 MPH. Looks like 2 - 3' on the ground; I have the dreadful feeling that we'll be outside raking snow off roofs before this is over.

8:32 AM: Princeton Municipal Light Department once again saves the day! We never lost power. Verizon's high-speed Intertubes via land line connection was up and down (mostly down) all night.
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8:43 PM: Verizon's high-speed Intertubes via land line connection goes down AGAIN; switching to service via mobile hotspot.

8:38 PM: 16 degrees F, feels like reading is 1 degree F, snow blowing every ding dang way in N 25 MPH winds. Very blizzardy.

7:55 PM: 16 degrees F, feels like reading is 1 degree. We are going to eat potatoes and play Scrabble now.

7:28 PM: 17 degrees F, feels like reading is 1 degree F, light snow blowing every damn way in NNE 17 MPH winds.

7:20 PM: We're out in the country and without streetlights it is now too goddamn dark outside to see WTF is happening.

7:00 PM: The wind is picking up and The Fahm (aka Brimstone Manor) is starting to creak and groan in protest.

6:59 PM: Potatoes are done and ready for supper.

6:28 PM: Verizon's high-speed Intertubes via land line connection is back UP. Yee haw! Turning mobile hotspot off.

6:15 PM: Verizon's high-speed Intertubes via land line connection goes down; switching to service via mobile hotspot.

6:05 PM: I put two russet potatoes in the coals of the wood stove in the kitchen, for our supper.

5:24 PM: 18 degrees F, feels like reading is 3 degrees F, light snow blowing every damn way in NE 16 MPH winds.

5:19 PM: Out my window.

4:00 PM: Raj made popcorn.

3:45 PM: 18 degrees F, feels like reading is 5 degrees F, light snow blowing sideways in NE 13 MPH winds.

3:07: Out my window.

2:07 PM: Currently 20 degrees F, light snow.

2:00 PM: Listening to more breathless news and disaster predictions on WBUR radio!

1:45 PM: Travel Ban Throughout MA just announced, all traffic and all roads except first responders in effect from 4:00 PM "until the travel ban is lifted". The wording of the announcement is ominous, don't you think? The ban is in effect "until the travel ban is lifted".

Because ... Wind Chill

Right now, at the onset of cocktail hour EST, it is 12 degrees F in Princeton. Tonight's low is forecast to be 4 degrees F with one caveat: wind chill readings will be as low as -18 degrees F, or as described in local parlance, "really fuckin' cold". I should be commended (as someone raised in the sunny environs of the Los Angeles area) for being out and about in parts of Boston today where high temperatures reached no more than 20 degrees F (I'm talking to you Chinatown, Leather District, and Southie), or as described in local parlance, "fuckin' cold".