Is this what I get for imagining retirement this morning?

click on image to embiggen it

This came in the mail today -- an invitation to join the AARP. Only $15 for the privilege to join! I'm 5 months shy of turning 50. I'll be lucky if I can retire when I'm 65 (but by the same token, I feel very fortunate to have a job that I love right now, and will be honored to keep at it for a few years more -- with a strong union and a decent contract. of course.)

If I'm being solicited by the AARP, can my subscription to Modern Maturity be far behind?

Book Review: A Good Dog by Jon Katz

There are so many dog books around, and they are all funny and heartwarming and wise and ... and ... and ... it almost seems as if you've read one, you've read them all. In fact, I usually don't read them, because they become so ... formulaic (and manipulative) after a while. A few years ago, however, I was moved to check Katz's A Dog Year out from the library. It told the story of how Katz, a middle aged writer who was prone to owning Buddha-like labrador retrievers, acquired a troubled border collie named Devon -- whom he dubbed "the Hell dog." I read it, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

In this book Devon is back, although he has been renamed Orson (and Katz explains why this is so early on in the book.) The full title of the book is A Good Dog: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life. As I began reading it, I got the sense that Katz felt the first book had not done justice to Orson's story and what the dog meant to him, so he decided to tell it again. Yeah, it's a dog story and there are parts where he describes Orson's antics that are laugh-out-loud funny, as well as parts that moved me to tears. It's more than a dog story, though. It's also a rooster, sheep, and donkey story, and a people story. I found it very spiritual -- about faith, hope, and love, the ties that bind. Schlocky-sounding, I know. But there you have it.

The bottom line is, if you love dogs, you will most likely enjoy this book. If you like a good writer -- which Katz most definitely is -- you will probably enjoy this book. If you've ever dreamed about moving to the country you might enjoy this book.

Here is some of the highest praise I can bestow on a book: I plan to purchase A Good Dog. I don't buy too many books these days , and have to really love something to want to own it. Jon Katz also has a nice website, as I mentioned in the previous post, and he's becoming a damned good photographer too. Enjoy.

(Notice in the sidebar that I am now reading his most recent book Izzy and Lenore: Two Dogs, an Unexpected Journey, and Me. Stay tuned for the next review.)

One More Thing Before I Get Off This Infernal Machine

You might notice that I have posted a new book in my "currently reading" space on the sidebar, A Good Dog. I am a big fan of Jon Katz's work. He doesn't just write dog stories that are cute and heartwarming (although at times they are.) I look at his writing as much more of a road map for living. Anyway, I discovered his Bedlam Farm website, and contained within that, a lovely journal called Live Your Life. Check it out, if you've a mind to. He is a very good writer.

Highlighting a Recent Favorite Blog

My blogging has lessened recently. Blame it on being busy, blame it on being weary, or blame it on Facebook. I don't know. But my friend Dan writes a blog -- Fatherhood in 3 Easy Lessons -- that I think is really delightful. Check it out.

Another Birthday

Sophie Olivia Grindrod-Feeny, March 21-31, 1994

All of these photos were taken within the first hour after her birth. We had no idea that she had a heart problem until she was one week old. It was a blessed week, just enjoying our beautiful new daughter/sister. It's very hard to believe that she would be 15 today. I miss her.

Happy Birthday!

My firstborn turned 20 today. That blows my mind just a little. It doesn't seem like very long ago that she looked like this picture. I clearly remember singing the lovely Malvina Reynolds song Turn Around, and crying because my baby was going to grow up someday. Happy Birthday, Anna! You and your sisters are the best thing that ever happened to me! (And you can thank me for not publishing any of the naked photos ...)

Concert Review: Joan Baez

I went to hear/see Joan Baez on Saturday night. The only other time I'd seen her was in August 2005, in the blistering heat (105˚F) of Crawford, Texas at Cindy Sheehan's Camp Casey. That was an experience. Saturday night? Tickets were selling for $45 each; my mother-in-law treated me, which was extremely sweet of her, or I wouldn't have gone. I'm actually not a huge Joan Baez fan.

She played a sold-out show to an audience that was largely in the 55 - 75 year-old range ... as you might expect. It is the 50 year anniversary of her first recording (made in 1959 -- the year I was born. That's just a little bind-boggling.) The songs she played ran the gamut, from the early ballads (Long Black Veil, Silver Dagger) to songs from a brand new album, produced by Steve Earle. She actually performed 5 songs by Steve Earle! (And only 1 by Bob Dylan.)

Overall it was an enjoyable concert but too often it veered over into being the kind of concert that PBS airs when they're having a pledge drive, if you know what I mean. A crowd-pleasing kind of concert for 55 - 75 year-olds. There was one flash of inspiration, when she sang Earle's wonderful song Jerusalem.

In her introduction to another Earle song -- Christmas in Washington -- Ms. Baez spoke about Woody Guthrie as being one of the first American singer-songwriters to take risks, and said that in her opinion, it was the risk-taking that distinguished a great songwriter from the others. I found that somewhat ironic, as she really took very few risks that evening. (She even edited a line in the song, changing "The unions have been busted and their proud red banners torn" to "and their banners have been torn.") Then again, at her age and this stage of her career, I think she's entitled to do a little laurel-resting.

I will admit that I was VERY pleased when she played Love Song To a Stranger. I think I probably wore out that song on my LP (you know those 12" round black thingies with the hole in the center) -- or at least made some family member want to throttle me -- back when I was a hopelessly romantic 15-year old. Sigh.

One more thing that happened at the concert. The venue where it was held chooses to hire outside security for some shows and not for others. When they hire security, the burly goons want to check everyone's purse for (management says) cameras, bottles, and cans. I have a problem with that. It's a public building (owned by the city, in fact,) not a private club, and I don't appreciate being treated like a potential criminal with warrantless searches. No other theater in town does it. So I refused. I spoke with the manager, who finally said, "I'll let you go in because you've paid for your ticket, but if you pull this stunt again you're never coming back here!"

Here's the thing: I was there to see Joan Baez, who is known for peace, love, protest, and civil disobedience. The concert was partially a benefit for Iraq Veterans Against the War. The concession stand was staffed by a guy wearing a "Resist Militarism" t-shirt. Every other person going in to that concert dutifully opened up their bag and allowed it to be searched. I was thinking, "What the hell? Does nobody else see a disconnect here, between what they presumably believe in and submitting to having their personal effects searched?"

When I refuse I look like a wacko troublemaker. What if ten people refused? Twenty? Fifty?

I felt a little ashamed throughout the rest of the evening, as if I had done something wrong. But I didn't do anything wrong. I stood up for the rights of the other 299 concert-goers! Anyway, it's perplexing and a little bit troubling. What do you think?

Decent People, Part 2

The innertubes are all abuzz today with Jon Stewart's interview with Jim Cramer. I highly recommend watching it. Stewart is dead serious and he never lets up. This is a man who gets it about ordinary Americans and the economic crimes that have been perpetrated against us, and he is speaking up on our behalf. Furthermore, Stewart does it with such respect. He is not ripping Cramer to shreds, but he is intent on holding his feet to the fire. To Cramer's credit, he submits with grace, and one hopes that this might be a thought-provoking experience for him. One hopes.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! *wipes away tears from ironic laughter*

Anyway, all told it is a little over 20 minutes and well worth the time spent. You won't get your usual Jon Stewart-induced laughs; indeed, you might be moved to tears.

Decent People

It was the kind of meeting that is taking place in restaurant kitchens, small offices, retail storerooms, and large auditoriums all over this city, all over this state, all over this country.

Paul Levy, the guy who runs Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, was standing in Sherman Auditorium the other day, before some of the very people to whom he might soon be sending pink slips.

He looked out into a sea of people and recognized faces: technicians, secretaries, administrators, therapists, nurses, the people who are the heart and soul of any hospital. People who knew that Beth Israel had hired about a quarter of its 8,000 staff over the last six years and that the chances that they could all keep their jobs and benefits in an economy in freefall ranged between slim and none.

"I want to run an idea by you that I think is important, and I'd like to get your reaction to it," Levy began. "I'd like to do what we can to protect the lower-wage earners - the transporters, the housekeepers, the food service people. A lot of these people work really hard, and I don't want to put an additional burden on them.

"Now, if we protect these workers, it means the rest of us will have to make a bigger sacrifice," he continued. "It means that others will have to give up more of their salary or benefits."

He had barely gotten the words out of his mouth when Sherman Auditorium erupted in applause. Thunderous, heartfelt, sustained applause.

Paul Levy stood there and felt the sheer power of it all rush over him, like a wave. His eyes welled and his throat tightened so much that he didn't think he could go on.

I'd like to keep an eye on this and see how it pans out. I often think about Mr. Ether's last employer. When he saw what was coming down the economic pike, why did it not occur to him to do something like this?

Trivial Pursuit #1

Sparkly has been tormenting us lately with pleas to play Lord of the Rings trivia. I don't know why. Mr. Ether plays with her and always beats her. I just refuse; there would be no way I could answer even a fraction of the questions. I got back at her though, by forcing her to play Trivial Pursuit with us. Once we started playing I soon realized that our "Genus Edition" of Trivial Pursuit is probably 25 years old.

Here's an example of how the game goes, played with Sparkly. I'm reading the question: "What Zigfield Follies dancing girl was portrayed in Funny Girl?" Sparkly says, "What's Funny Girl?" I answer, "It was a movie. It starred Barbra Streisand." Sparkly says, "Who's Barbra Streisand?" So we never even got to the real answer to the question, which was Fanny Bryce. ("Who's Fanny Bryce?")

I got to gloat over instantly knowing the answer to "Who was married to Oona O'Neill?" (Charlie Chaplin, DUH.) But we were all stumped by "What was the name of Sir Isaac Newton's Dog?" and the unspoken corollary question, "WHY on Earth would anyone know the name of Sir Isaac Newton's dog?" although I'm sure one of you dear readers is brainy enough to know the answer to that! (Diamond, by the way. Its name was Diamond.)

So in the spirit of fun, I will periodically choose a question from our vintage Trivial Pursuit game and post it here. Then I'll sit back and wait for the answers to come pouring in, before posting the correct answer. Whee! Won't we have fun?!

Question #1: What sport features small hops called pitty pats at the end of a run of plinkers?

Unspeakable Crimes Against Iraq

This week in Time Magazine there is an article entitled Iraq's Unspeakable Crime: Mothers Pimping Daughters.

While sexual violence has accompanied warfare for millennia and insecurity always provides opportunities for criminal elements to profit, what is happening in Iraq today reveals how far a once progressive country (relative to its neighbors) has regressed on the issue of women's rights and how ferociously the seams of a traditional Arab society that values female virginity have been ripped apart. Last month Baghdad's minister of women's affairs, Dr. Nawal al-Samarraie, resigned in protest at the lack of resources provided to her office by the government. "The ministry is just an empty post," she told TIME. "Why do I come to the office every day if I don't have any resources?" Yet even Samarraie didn't think sex trafficking was an issue. "It's limited," she says, adding that she believed the girls involved chose to engage in prostitution. (Read it and weep.)

Umm, can we talk about why this "once progressive country" is now home to these "unspeakable crimes"? It did not just happen. The war and chaos and ripping apart of the seams of society did not just happen. Never never forget that this is the result of the criminal war consciously perpetrated by the handful of people who pimped it, who all should be tried for war crimes in the ICC. Oh yeah, I forgot -- the freedom loving U.S. is one of the countries that has refused to sign on to the ICC.

Let's not forget also that Iraq was a once progressive country under Saddam Hussein. I'm not defending the guy, but the fact is when the "coalition of the willing" shocked and awed Iraq, irreparable damage was done. These are the implications of war. War is always unwinnable, immoral, and stupid. And this one, predicated on lies, is just heinous.

Finally, let's not let President Obama forget that he was elected with a mandate to end the shameful war on Iraq. To watch him flex his muscles in Afghanistan and Pakistan is horrifying. He's rumored to be smart and well-read. Has he not read his history of that area?

Note: This amazing photograph was taken by the lovely and talented Mr. Ether.

Interesting

I find it interesting that this story made it into the New York Times. I know kids who have gone to the Conserve School, and it sounded like a neat place. On the other hand, anyone who reads my blog at all regularly knows how I feel about private schools. Wisconsin's public schools have been suffering for 16 years under revenue caps that have choked off resources; urban schools have been the hardest hit. I think the problem is only exacerbated when people adopt the "I have to look out for my child" mentality and flee to private schools. This quote was a hoot:

[One parent] said he sent his son to Conserve because he was gifted academically and “our public school in Whitefish Bay does not have a gifted and talented program for the high school.”

Ummmm, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Whitefish Bay an extremely wealthy Milwaukee suburb? I find it hard to believe they do not have AP or TaG classes.

I also wonder about the conflict of interest in a school with an environmental focus being run by a steel corporation. I assumed it was started on a shoestring by tree-hugging Euell Gibbons worshipers.

Well, it will be interesting to see how it all pans out. I just love it when the privileged fight among themselves.

Welcome To Our Home ...

... in the Great Bayou of the North.

Here is the pass-through between our house and garage. Don't forget your hip waders!


Some of the resident water fowl. It's the spring migration (from the bathtub to the backyard.)


But in all seriousness, yesterday I had my first sighting of red-winged blackbirds at the bark park. Today I saw a whole passel (gaggle?) of robins in our backyard, also a first for the year. I know that spring is on its way.

WeRead

Our whole family just loves this book, Richard Bradford's Red Sky At Morning. As you can see from these photos, we've all read it. (As usual, there is no photo of me.) Well, all except for one family member. But she'll get to it. Tomorrow. :-)

Mr. Ether:

Young Sparkly Ether:

Daisy:

Feather:

Molly:

Pocket Petey:

Hello Kitty:

Have you read it?
(Note: Mostly conceived and photographed by Mr. Ether)

Oy vey!

The ignorance of some people sometimes just makes me want to hit my head against a brick wall. Like this story:

CRESAPTOWN, Md. (Map, News) - You've heard of kosher salt? Now there's a Christian variety.

Retired barber Joe Godlewski says he was inspired by television chefs who repeatedly recommended kosher salt in recipes.

"I said, 'What the heck's the matter with Christian salt?'" Godlewski said, sipping a beer in the living room of his home in unincorporated Cresaptown, a western Maryland mountain community.

By next week, his trademarked Blessed Christians Salt will be available at http://www.memphi.net, the Web site of Memphis, Tenn.-based seasonings manufacturer Ingredients Corporation of America. (Read the rest of it and weep.)

Can you say, "Missing the point?" (Saw this at Boing Boing, one of my favorite diversions on the internets.)

Book Review: Fluke by Christopher Moore

Alternatively titled I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings, this is a novel about humpback whales and the people who love them. Marine behavioral biologist Nathan Quinn has spent his adult life recording and analyzing the songs of humpback whales, trying to answer the question "What is the meaning of their songs?" Just as he feels he is closing in on an answer (pastrami on rye with mustard???) Nate disappears at sea, leaving his longtime collaborator Clay to carry on his work and untangle a handful of mysteries, with the help of perky assistant Amy Earhart, Kona the white Rastafarian surfer dude from New Jersey, Nate's ex-wife and her lesbian lover, and his benefactor the Old Broad. Moore's characters are inspired: Kona and the whaley boys will stick with you for a long time.

I've read a handful of Moore's books. (Mr. Ether has read them all, thanks to me. Or did I read them thanks to him? Debatable ... ) They are smart, well written and highly entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed Fluke. I also recommend Lamb, the surprisingly poignant retelling of the life of Jesus as seen through the eyes of his best friend Biff. Moore's books are a good antidote to the blues brought on by too much seriousness.

Tales From the Halls of Learning, part 3

Last week I was in my classroom while my students were coming in from lunch. It's a little bit of a chaotic time, with some kids in the room getting ready for rest time, while the pokey ones (same ones every day) are still at their lockers, usually up to no good. Suddenly there is a bloodcurdling scream followed by loud wailing. I am alarmed. I run out into the hallway and see one of my girls -- I'll call her Eugenia -- sitting on the floor, crying. I ask her what happened. She says, "Matilda* pushed me really hard!" I look at Matilda. She's about 6 feet away, putting her coat in her locker in a seemingly innocent way. I beckon her over and she comes, a little reluctantly. I ask, "Did you push Eugenia down?" Almost imperceptibly, she nods. I ask, "Why did you push her?" Matilda blurts out, "Well she was in my face going, 'MEOW MEOW MEOW' and she wouldn't stop!!"

Sigh. *hits head against wall* Kindergarten.

*not her real name