What I Have Been Reading

1. Recently finished David Mitchell's impressive though not as mind blowing as 'Cloud Atlas' novel, 'The Thousand Autumns Of Jacob De Zoet'.
2. Too many to name books on the Irish Potato Famine
3. Book of Irish Folktales
4. Walt Whitman: miscellaneous selections from Leaves of Grass
5.  John Berger- 'Sense Of Sight'
6.  Willis Thorton- 'History; Fact & Fiction'
7.  Barry Yourgrau- 'Man Jumps Out Of An Airplane'
8.  Diane Ackerman- 'A Natural History of the Senses'
9.  More books on Irish History and Irish Slang
10. Yi-Fu Tuan- 'The Good Life'

Dog Days

                                      

                           Why do some days inevitably feel half-lived? Why do some decisions cause deep regrets? Why don't I have a 'planner' like most respectable adults? Why don't I settle down, get married, have 2.5 kids, get a good job that has benefits like health insurance, buy a big flat screen t.v and just try to be fucking happy? Live closer to my family? Why don't I do sit-ups even though I know my stomach is out of shape from too much pizza and junk food? Why am I still so hung up on creating something beautiful that has meaning and is relevant for human beings besides myself? Why do I live in NYC? Why do I go to the cinema alone sometimes? Why do I care about the anti-eye-candy art of Richard Serra? Why am I frustrated by three well known NYC Art Museums featuring exhibits where 1980's style video games are employed? (I love the 80's too but enough is enough.)
Why do I sigh late at night alone in my room wondering what could have been, should have been? Why must I still be thinking on you? Why did Rilke see that marble torso of Apollo and say to himself, "you must change your life"?

Impressions Of Boston On A Recent Visit

            


                First impressions: Boston is cleaner, more restrained and more tasteful than NYC. Manhattan and the outer boroughs lambast one with a million different advertisements on buildings flashing products like clothes, cars and technology. Not so in Boston. There is a quaintness that I appreciated as I walked along the esplanade next to the Charles River. Even in the middle of Summer the nights are cool. Intrigued by American History as I am, I visited the graves of Paul Revere, Sam Adams and the five victims of the Boston Massacre; an event I took a guided tour for later in the day at the place where it actually happened.
               Walked along the Boston gardens in full sun shine as the Swan boats ferried eager faced kids and their parents thru the park. Every other male wore a Boston Red Sox hat. Boston Harbor was nautically cool and old feeling with areas where rich people ate expensive food outside at table with fancy umbrellas probably owned a sail boat as well. My friend and guide remarked to me, "There's alot of old money in Boston."
Another impression: Boston is a white-bred city. I haven't heard that much of my own language since I was back in Ohio. What else? Several surrounding neighborhoods with tree lined streets, small yards, huge old houses converted into apartments. Three blocks from where I stayed JFK was born on such a quiet residential street. I walked and saw it from the outside. My Irish Grandma would be smiling knowing I visited his house(being the huge Kennedy fan she was when alive). Safe areas from what I could see in my limited time. I didn't see the ghettos or the run down areas. Saw the statues commemorating the Irish Famine and the emigrants who fled to Boston. I toured King's Chapel and sat in weird box pews I had never seen before. A person could get comfortable in this city yet for some I could see how it might not be enough. Enough what? I am not sure. Better ask Ben Franklin. He split to go live in Philadelphia when he was 16.