Technology is a Wonderful Thing

No, really. I was listening to my new favorite podcast, the Checkout, a jazz show from WBGO in New Jersey, and they had an interview with Spike Wilner, who is manager of Small’s Jazz Club in Greenwich Village (as well as being a great pianist – check out this.) I’ve been itching to go to Small’s for the longest time …

No, really?

Last night was the finale of the 2009 “Hot Summer Nights” Music Festival which is held every year at the Missouri Theatre in Columbia. Second half of the program was Tchaikovshy’s Fourth Symphony in F Minor. So far, so mainstream. But the first half of the evening was given over to a world premier, no less, by the harpist Deborah …

From one musical masterpiece to another…

… This is from last Friday’s talent show at the kids’ school. No quite as cool as the SF Jazz Collective playing Wayne Shorter, but hey. It’s actually wonderful to watch Catherine listen to music. She sways, she beams, she sings along – she completely gets it. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6Nw77CQoB8&hl=en&fs=1&]

Sunbathing, French style

Seeing this piece in the Guardian about the apparent demise of one of the many reasons why I love the French, I was reminded of one of my mother’s favourite stories about me as a young ‘un. We were on the beach somewhere in France, and I was apparently gazing at the unending parade of nipples with mounting distaste. (How …

Gay Paree

Two weeks in France, the last few days in Paris, and I’m ready to come home. Our children, to paraphrase Mr Bennett, have delighted us quite enough. At least here we have proper internet access. I had 10 days of 56k dial up in the south of France and was pulling my hair out. We’ve had a great time in …

Blast from the Past

I received this in my inbox this morning. Hard to believe that the offending book was published ten years ago now. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I think maybe she had a point. Hi Alex This is the first time I have ever been inspired to seek out an authors email address to comment on their work but here goes. …

Thanks for That

Here’s a cheerful quote from Ernest Hemingway that I came across this evening. It’s from Lillian Ross’s inspired portrait that appeared in the New Yorker in 1950. “After you finish a book, you know, you’re dead.” Still haven’t sent the manuscript to Bruce. But I’m not dead, either.

OK, so now what?

It’s an obvious enough question. I still woke up at 5 o’clock this morning, even though I’ve no more book to write. Here I am, twiddling my thumbs, and finally doing some blogging. (Whether that’s a good thing or not is open to debate.) Well, here’s what going to happen next: I’m going to spend the long weekend with my …