Onomatopoeia

Boyboy Goes To The Edge Of The World

Sometimes you have one of those experiences in which you willingly and knowingly put up your usual defenses and see how shabby and useless they ultimately are.  Not situational-rationale-defenses, but defenses more visceral.

This week I went to New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  I went with some semi-ex-colleagues/friends.  We are all in the What's With Catastrophes business.

Dude we saw some shit. Guess we got what we wanted.

I am still "processing".  More later.  Yes, pics will come as well.

In Dark Trees, Brian Eno

Jiggety-jig

I am just back from a short trip to London: 3.5 days on the ground.  That is much shorter than my usual 10 or 12 days.  And we even lost most of one day because we took the team to the races at Lingfield Park (very Dick Francis - I even bet with a bookmaker instead of on the tote!) as a team jaunt since I don't expect to be back in the UK this year.  The question I am asking in making a purposefully shorter trip is:

"Do I get more done on a longer trip, or do things just take longer?"

It certainly seems that the short time frame forced focusing of all our minds.  I might make this more the norm.

Don't get me wrong!  London is a fabulous city and a great place to work in (plus I get to stay at the Stafford, which has wonderful amenities).  But no matter how groovy and swingin', it is still not home (albeit a work in progress).

Oh, yes!  I also am pondering "what do you want to be when you grow up?" at the behest of those with whom I work. I am thinking Cowboy.  Or maybe Spaceman. Suggestions welcomed!

Found A Job, Talking Heads, especially the bit at the end.

Easy Come. Easy Go. Again.

We visited C up in the Hudson Valley this weekend. On Saturday (my 45th), C and I went to the Rhinebeck Aerodrome. I have been wanting to go for a while.

Hog heaven does not begin to describe it. 2 old Bleriots. A Caudron G3. Sopwith Camel, Fokker Dr I (triplane) and a D VII. Albatros DV, Nieuport 11, Spad VII... Most of these are airworthy, folks. Never seen anything like it.

And they offer biplane rides. So of course I went up. It's a 1929 New Standard biplane. We sat in front of the pilot, Captain Mike. When he revved the engine for takleoff I got that adrenaline surge that goes from your rear-end to the tips of your fingers and toes, and a small feeling of "maybe this ain't such a great idea..." Then we glided up as if falling asleep, over the flaming treetops (autumn was on full blast), the wind whipping, everything for real man. In an open cockpit biplane you truly feel what flight is about; you feel the plane play over the air, when the engine's power is pulling and when the aerodynamics are allowing a glide. We climbed to maybe 1500 feet and he took us over Bard (he know C goes there) and did a circle or two. everything looked so clean and hyper-real. We were actually seen by C's roommate and her family! Then over the Kingston bridge and headed back towards home.

Not over yet, folks. Captain Mike drops the nose (stomach goes up), then pulls back into a climb (stomach goes down), and then does a wing-over and hung the plane on its tail. We arelooking (almost) straight down into the flaming brilliant trees in a steep dive. Howling. He pulls out gracefully. Yes, I hung on for dear life and it was great, albeit terrifying. On the way in he buzzed the airfield and we popped up over the trees at the end of the strip, executed a lovingly delicate turn, cut the throttle, sideslipped into the runway (again coming in right over the treetops) and touched down without a bump.

Gives me somethignt to think about when I imagine dogfighting in the old kites.

And now the lesson part of this post. All of the picturees I took are gone. Into the digital ether. Don't know what happened, except maybe the card got temporarily corrupted. Yes. All C and I have of those moments are our memories (like Rutget Hauer at the end of Blade Runner). You never know what will turn out to be fleeting. It must have been my birthday gift.

Romance, R.E.M.

"That's a big twinkie"

London is a forward thinking city. No doubt. The most recent addition to the City skyline is the Swiss Re building, affectionaltely called the Gherkin (i.e. pickle). Yes, yes, there are various comments about the architect - or the swiss - trying to compensate for something - hey, this is England - and a huge variety of opinions.

You can of course, make your own. IMHO, actually, I go hot and cold. Is London turning into another Shanghai, with it's Astro-Boy futurama look? Certainly this isone of the tallest buildings in town, but London is careful to avoid Manhattan-ization.

Our offices are right next door to this (no matter how you feel about it) impressive building. Up close and personal it surprisingly does not loom over one, just sits there as if poised for take-off. One of our team has been up inside the bar at the top and the views are supposed to be incredible. I will let you know if I get up there...

Entire contents of More Songs About Buildings And Food, Talking Heads. Had it all week...

Heathrow Shuffle Sep 2004

Yep, I'm packing the old bags. Heading our to Old Blighty for 10 or 12 days. Actually I am going to Edinburgh first - will take the camera and hopefully post some pix. 2.5 days up there at a Conference and then into London. Promises to be a very busy trip indeed.

I am really interested to see what the house looks like when I get back! They are pouring concrete here Tuesday and after that I think it's time to start framing! Mary said she would send me some pix so I may update Remake Remodel from the road.

Had a wonderful discussion about creativity with Kate R (of BeadMo), since she is on a panel discussing the creative process this Sunday. Fabulous outlook on this area has that woman. Much of our talk had to do with the process: where does design come in and thow do the materials influecnce the actual design. Do you start with an end in mind or does the creative process happen almost on it's own, growing out of you as you interact with the materials? Beading/jewelery degin as Kate does it is relaly an organic process, and that shows in the unity and harmony in her pieces; each is what it is because that is what the material asked of Kate nd she of them. Cool conversation. Haven't had one like that in a while.

Hanging Around, Counting Crows

Notes From Forum6

The Wellington Underwriting Inc. 6th Underwriting Forum is at the Westin Resort on Hilton Head this year. So far not bad at all!

The format is that we have meetings in the morning and goof-off in the afternoon. Friday is do-your-own-thing day, Saturday is the Green Jacket Golf Tournament (yes, I am going to try to play: "FOOOOORE!"), and Sunday I am going to try deep-sea fishing!

We also have Hawaiian shirts and visors. There are different colored visors which will deisgnate which team you are on for the Beach Olympics Sunday evening.

I'll let you know...

Very warm, abit humid, and a squall just swept through - no fireworks, just pounding rain.
No Woman No Cry, Bob Marley

A Country Jaunt

I went up to Duxford in Cambridgeshire today. Duxford has an old airfield that has been operational since 1918 and is now an Imperial War Museum site. They have 6 hangars and a large number of aircraft, including the largest fleet of flying Spitfires. I spent about 3 hours roaming around.

This was my second visit, the first being fall of 1997. Things have changed and are changing. Last time although there were some white chains, it was very easy to get right up next to the aircraft (I even have a photo I took looking into a Spit cockpit). This time there were many more people, including lots of kids, and the chains were up to keep everyone in order.

This airfield was operational during WWII and thye have kept the Operations Room intact from the Battle of Britain. This includes the map table with the phone/headset stations, wooden blocks with slots for identifying information for different squadrons and their status, and sticks to push the latter about on the former. Yes, they did film part of the film Battle of Britain there (it's the "Don't you yell at me, Mr. Warrick!" airfield), and even demolished one of the old hangars while filming - I think that was intentional.

I will post the best pictures when I get back to our high speed connection back home. Meanwhile, if you are into aircraft I can not recommend Duxford highly enough should you get the chance.

Brilliant day with puffy clouds, light breeze, just glorious.
Cinnamon Girl, Neil Young

The Breakers Rocks. Oh Yes.

So we pull up and it is like the Overlook Hotel in grandeur in West Palm Beach. Cathedral-like lobby, there is a guy to guide you to the check-in desk, we got upgraded, we are ON THE OCEAN and can hear the Atlantic waves breaking not 30 feet from our window...

If you have to travel for your work, then THIS is what I am talking about! As K quotes: "Slap my hand now in celebration!" It is the set of The Imposters without the boat.

Oh, yeah. I am supposed to be working here...

Fab, 70's a little humid, but hey it IS Florida...
Papageno's theme from The Magic Flute, Mozart

Life Is Bigger

I am reading Roald Dahl's Going Solo. This is the second part of his autobiography, the first being Boy. This book is about his post-school experiences, and starts with his embarking to Tanganyka to work for Shell in 1938. He later went on to fly for the RAF in WWII.

This book is a transport. First, I love Roald Dahl's conversational invitation. There is no way you are not going to let this gentleman talk. And he not only has interesting things to day, he has that best-of-the-brits turn of phrase and congeniality. It is so bloody engaging...

And the experiences he is relating! I am only halfway through and he has done some of the wonderful things one could only do in the first half of the 20th century. My favorite so far is his description of flying a Tiger-Moth over Kenya at 60-70 feet, over herds of water buffalo, impala, kudu, eland, not to mention all the other animals prevolent outside Nairobi in 1939. Different planet. It is gone now but the fact that he writes so lovingly about it makes it seem reachable again. So frikkin' cool.

Claudia and Katie have been recommending this to me for years and it is long past due. I am already earmarking passages for rereading. Thanks, girls! Enough of this - I need to hit the book!

Wonderful day in the low 90's but dry. Wonderfully cool now.
Quintet for Clarinet, 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello: I Allegro Mozart

Blood sucking fiends are everywhere…

No, I am not talking about the IRS. I have come across a series of novels by Laurell K. Hamilton (that’s right, 2 l’s) built around a character named Anita Blake. Anita is a some-time vampire slayer and full time animator. In her world vampires are legal, and when they get out of hand she sometimes gets a warrant for their execution. Meantime she makes a living raising zombies. Definitely darker than the Buffster, more traditional vampire stuff with mind-play and super-strength and hierarchy in the vamp community. Geared towards older readers, but not more mature. Anne Rice meets Mickey Spillane. Anyone heard of her? Questions, comments, suggestions?

Ahh, hotel life. Gotta love the Big Apple. I am here because I am speaking at an industry gathering along with a cohort (we hope to hit Vong tomorrow night). Pounding rain – I cancelled plans with friends because it would have involved travel on their part and it is not worth the risk. Never stayed at the Helmsley before. Guess I have to behave myself, if legends about the owner are true…

Weather as reported – bombing down rain.
Piano Concerto No 17 in G Major 1st Movement, Mozart