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24 oct |
Voting in the USA | Well, today was the deadline for registering people to vote. Got over 120
folks registered and/or to fill out absentee ballots. This includes myself, since I won't be
home to vote on election day. Since most of the folks I helped register are not able to make
it to the voting booth, there will be two separate supervised elections next week. NO, I
haven't told anyone for whom to vote (indeed, there are folks I am quite certain would
not vote the way I have voted this year). It's the process that I have encouraged them to
be a part of. And now, what about you? If registered, it might not be too late to absentee
vote (if that's what you have to do), and if you have moved or if you become 18 before November
7th, then you can even still register.
The number of people who have expressed an interest in voting is dramatically different than in
non-presidential years. Millie Quinn, my home town's Town Clerk, reported that more people have
asked for absentee ballots this year than ever in the past. Furthermore, she noted that a
surprising number have gotten their absentee ballot applications off the Internet. Now all that's
left to do is the shouting
Wood time again. Makes me look longingly at the big maples at work that are earmarked for
cutting down. The pile shown here is now almost gone, split for the winter >>>
Shorn! | After over ten years, the long locks and mullet have gone. Shorn from my head by
two vicious Delilahs ~and conspired upon with by my own friend Bruce. I still automatically
reach for the ponytail, and find it disturbingly cold in the back of my neck. The reaction results are mixed. Women seem to like the new look while men
shake their heads and bemoan that I have let some women have their way with me. Truth be known
I suppose curiosity got the better of me that and a moment of weakness getting tired of the
gals for constantly haranguing me about its length. Oh well, I can always grow it back.
One thing I didn't let them touch, the fu manchu. Bonnie asked to let her trim it, protesting
that I "...look like somebody who splits wood..." which made her arguement pretty weak, since
that is among the things I do. (besides, the image sounds sexy to me, so why change it?) So
the long rangy look on the face is still there, and that'll stay that way.
All this said, I suppose it is apparent that I haven't a great deal to talk about today,
so with that I'll just call it a night. Later.
22 oct |
The Trilobite House | We have some neighbors who are having a new house built
the shape of which is based loosely on that of a trilobite. Three stories of openness
snug against a boulder cliff and lined with windows looking into the woods. An amazing
structure! After the building was framed out, the contractor dumped 30 tons of stone
on the surface of the top story floor ...making access to the material easier for the
stonemasons (a team of Macedonians) in selecting stone for one of the three chimneys.
It's an astounding piece of work. I go out and check on the progress weekends, in
wonderment that such work is being done around here. Can't wait to see it finished.
On domestic partners | ...and on what keeps people together.
OUT Magazine interviewed the team of Domenico
Dolce & Stefano Gabbana who made the following observations. First off, it isn't waiting for
"Mr. Right."
"Being part of a succssful couple is much more about having fun, about giving each
other permission to be ridiculous, than about monogamy, even though that may be a part of it.
The ability to make another person laugh is one of the most extraordinary things in the world.
When you find such a person, and don't grab him... you're an absolute fool. Life will pass
you by as you wait for something that may never materializes."
Why do I still love [Domenico- after 19 years]? Because he enjoys life! Everything!
Someone who doesn't enjoy life, no matter how well physically sculpted, can never be sexy.
Or rather, good looks can render them sexy ~a lust-inducing fantasy~ but they can never be
seductive ...a live, attentive, sensual reality."
A trip along the Connecticut River | Yesterday I was fortunate to be invited along with
Bruce's ladies and gents to take a cruise on the Becky Thatcher, one of
Deep River
Navigation's multi-level tour boats. Took my sketchbook and a set of pocket watercolors
to do some quick renderings but realized I had no water. So I used a beer. One of the
other folks on the voyage asked if beer was better to paint with and I told him it made the
image blurry. We went from Middletown~ passing CVH, Riverview hospital, two different power
plants (one of Connencticut's "filthy five" oil fired plants, the other the recently decommissioned
CT Yankee Nuclear, itself as old as Chernobyl), a Pratt & Whitney plant, and miles and miles of
forested lands. We went as far as
Gilette's Castle and the Hadlyme Ferry crossing before returning to
Middletown. The weather was perfect and the tree colors were just beyond peak but still
dramatic. Couldn't have planned a nicer afternoon.
We also got to go past the
Blue Oar which I pointed out to some tourists looking for places to go when taking in
a show at the
Goodspeed Opera House
next summer. Stupidly, I told then the food was great (which is true) overlooking that this means
even more people might zoom in on one of my favorite summer hangouts, and make it more crowded than before.
Ah well.
Only one moment was challenging, when Ruth woke from a nap and inststed we go upstairs
(on the observation deck) to find her grandchildren. Everything worked out fine, however.
I'd do the trip again in a heartbeat.
21 oct |
Web meandering | It's been awhile since I've shared choice finds
(or even just curious things that stimulate the synapses). For that matter, I have been so
caught up with other concerns lately that it took until this week to retroactively make
diary entries (but that's another story).
Perhaps not surprising to regular readers of my log, the subject matter is
all over the place. Yet here goes, and thanks to those who alerted me
to the following:
• Exqusite Corpse | A visual and intellectual
treat. Celebration of surrealism "...exploiting the mystique of accident..." . Thanks to
Marcus Maronn for this link.
•
Taiga Rescue Network | "An international network of Non Governmental
organizations, Indigenous Peoples and Nations working for the protetction
and sustanable use of Boreal Forests." Thanks to Tina Schaefer for
alerting me to the URL change.
•
Hoopla Megerski runs for President | Better get to this site soon!
In the spirit of Pat Paulson, a real alternative to the dem/rep hydra party
candiates. (heh heh).
•
Kirkpinar 2000 | Turkish Wrestling Contest results. A photo shoot by (apparently) a
Japanese photographer. Suggested by Urita Shigenori
• Liberty Yards |
Thanks to Mitch for keeping me posted on what sounds to be a grassroots push to get a new
stadium built, as contrasted with some back door smoke filled room choice for a similar
venue. Wish good luck to the proponents. The part of Philly where Liberty Yards
would be built could use a boost aesthetically and economically.
•
Space Views | Jeff Foust edits this regular online publication site
reminding us that some of humanity is still involved in the Quest
•
Comptche, CA Volunteer Fire Department | Alright. Maybe I ought to be
promoting my own town's volunteer fire fighters (and I do). But here's a
fine tribute to a tiny group working out of the northwest California woods
who warrant recognition.
•
Pierre Pouffe | Lypsinka's cartoon adventure of a vintage '50s
prissy homo. The stereotypical queer (if you aren'r gay this isn't
supposed to be funny).
•
AFSCME Steward Handbook | A solid, no-nonsense guidebook on worksite
problem resolution and some practical pointers on organizing labor rank-and-file.
Something that, in this corporate Gilded Age we have to take into consideration and support.
•
Modern Renegades | Quite possibly the outgrowth of a weblog, it's
a well designed promising e-zine.
•
Fragile Dwelling | Documenting the lives of homeless people in New York City.
More proof that Rudy Guliani's "socioeconomic cleansing" is just
another economic class eradication effort that fails. Yet another fine
freespeech.org website
•
Incubated in Terror | Research paper from the
Child Trauma Academy. Childhood Violence doesn't grow out of a
vacuum. A lengthy and complex review on the inpact of trauma (domestic violence,
exposure to genocide, sexual victimization, etc.) can have on development
(or destruction) to the central nervous system of a child.
•
USA Department of Justice Case Briefs | Looking for what's happening with civil
rights litigation? Check this site out.
20 oct |
What!?! No pictures? What gives? | Glad you noticed. Tell the truth I just haven''t
had the time to mess with this, and ~besides~ I've been having trouble with both my camera
and my scanner. Now, this has also forced me to re-evaluate the whole picture thing,
in part since I wasn't using thumbnails (the file sizes could be huge) and in part since I
know that folks have occasionally griped about how long it took to download the page as a
result. SO this is the "new" look, or text centeredness of the journal pages.
I'm also toying with the idea of going to
BLOGGER as a means of maintaining the weblog part of the page, but don't yet know
about this. Sugestions?
Welcome new viewers | It's been brought to my attention that a potentially new set of
viewers have stumbled on to my site. Welcome. Hope you find the site's content (and that of
my companion site rondak.org)
interesting. But, please, whether you like or dislike the content, feel free to tell this to
me directly. I'm far more interested in
constructive dialogue on issues than remaining lock-stepped in one POV versus another. Thanks.
And my apologies to the individual who brought this to my attention. There may be
those who thought one of the indirect references I made to a particular group might have
applied to you, but it didn't and doesn't. I guess that's one of the problems with being too
specific about an issue but lacking specificity in identifying accused.
aug 27-sep 1 |
sept 5 - oct 20
oct 21 - nov 6
Catch you on the rebound!
~Will Brady
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about "Short Notes"
"Short Notes" was the title of a column I wrote while
working for a newspaper in the Adirondack Mountains some years ago.
The format was similar to what you'll find here, except augmented
with pictures and maps. The subject matter shall sometimes be personal,
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LEGAL & DISCLAIMER NOTICE: © 2000 / Will Brady
I hope you've found this site interesting, even thought provoking || Occasionally
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