proteanme

reading

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During my time off, I finally got a chance to tackle reading something more than the New Yorker and the New York review of Books. I finished off 3 books in a week, which felt great and gave me lots to think about. I’ll list them now and talk about them more later. First up was Alain de Botton’s “The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work” - a philosophical look at what work means in our lives and to our culture. Funny and smart overall and lots to think about. Second on the list was Daniel Mendolsohn’s “The Elusive Embrace.” This is one of my favorite writers. Part memoir, part cultural essay, he uses the classics as a springboard to to talk about the mysteries of identity and desire. And last but not least, Jhumpa Lahiri’s pulitzer prize winning “Interpreter of Maladies.” I’m a number of years behind of this one, but it doesn’t matter. Great writing and memorable stories.

tram at top deck

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This is how I get to work at my new job. Trippy, huh? But seriously, I’ll be riding my bike to the south water front and taking the tram up to and down from the OHSU campus everyday.Or at least that’s the plan, It’s like the Jetsons or something.

Just because it takes a lot to surprise me and I don’t believe in astrology doesn’t mean that’s that I’m a cynical. For a while now I’ve been letting people call me cynical and I’ve really got to stop doing that because what they really mean is I’m skeptical.  And doubt, which I have a fair amount of,  isn’t the same thing as scorn, and me being doubtful doesn’t make me contemptuous or bitter.

If I wanted to add to my credo I’d say that the planets don’t figure into my experience of how the world works. I try to figure the world out by looking at what people do and people do wonderful and horrible things in equal measure.

Also, I’ve had it with snarkiness. I think when people say snarky things they think they’re being witty and clever. But really they’re just being mean.

Uncut pie

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I haven’t made a pie for a couple years. But it’s RU’s birthday and that meant it was time. The crust was the bomb, but the peaches got a little under cooked. Still good though. We’ve been celebrating in one or the other since Friday night tacos. We saw this really wonderful French film this morning while we were waiting for the skies to clear - The Father of My Children. I can’t recommend it enough. So sweet and sad. And all the nuance and beauty that American films don’t trust their viewers to get

Front door

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On Friday I got obsessed with trying to capture how the sunlight was filling up certain spaces in the factory where I work. I locked up that day so it was just me, the sun, the shadows, and the creaks of warehouse. I only got two good pics (camera phone), but I think this one maybe gets at the experience a little.

Yesterday witnessed the pleasure of unexpected company and more sun and blue skies. I wore flip flops, which almost seemed decadent. Today I think I might drink some lemonade.

The sun.

I’m dumbstruck.

2 Moyers and a Fritchman

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I traded in celebrating Pride in Portland to spend time with my family at the coast. That wasn’t the original plan, but long story short, that’s what happened and here we are. Or there we are.

I missed Pride, but not as much as I thought I would and the family time was good. It was the first time my mom, sister and me have been together since my dad died. We are all a little softer with each other these days. There’s more give between us now, which is welcome. We enjoyed one stunning day of sunshine and warm air and then then rain came back in all it’s relentless oppression.

It always seems so poignant to stand anywhere on the Oregon coast, which some people call the beach, but I just can’t because I associate beaches with warm water, sun tan lotion, bikinis, et al, and that is not the shore line in Oregon. Anyway, I stand on the beach and think to myself, I’m standing at some point on the end of the continent. having grown up in the middle of the country, that still seems kind of exotic to me.

Still life

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If you sat at my desk and turned your head to the left, this is what you’d see, unless you were wearing the headphones and then of course they’d be out of the picture.

I kinda like the way the camera phone shoots. The light gets blown out a little and there’s no getting a close up. Reminds me of the Kodak Instamatic I had as a kid.

On Friday, the weather forecast promised something like 10 straight days of sun. Everyone was talking about it. Seriously, they were. So on Saturday I didn’t get up out of bed until I saw blue skies through my blinds, which was about 9am. And man it was beautiful. I loved the feel of my bare feet on our deck. I loved squinting into the sky. I loved the sweat behind my knees. It was sunny for 2 whole glorious days and then yesterday the rain came back. Today the showers have been relentless. It’s just too heartbreaking to keep longing for the sun. I don’t feel resigned or defeated, as much as I feel like I have to let go of this part of myself, this dreamy part that’s always been in love with summer.