Wind in the grass 11 days ago
Overheard on my walk to work: a skilled violinist practicing in a bright yellow house, two doves cooing, three jackhammers, a well-oiled bike zipping by, a water fountain bubbling from a garden hidden by a tall fence, and church bells ringing the top of the hour.
For the last month, the trees along my walk to work have been filled with bright lavender blossoms. In the morning the petals that fell during the night litter the sidewalk. It smells wonderful.
Waterbug 18 days ago
Observed: a woman spends half an hour meticulously cleaning out her car, vacuuming it, hand washing it, and toweling it off. And then, right before she drives away, she uses duct tape to reattach her side view mirror.
Seen in Las Vegas: an old, decrepit neon sign on the border between the retro downtown strip and the no-man’s-land of blighted casinos and alcoholics’ bars: “The Future Starts Here.”
The new unofficial slogan for Las Vegas originally heard shouted by an announcer of a stunt motorcycle street performance but found to fit nicely for the entire city: “Look out folks, it looks like something exciting is about to happen.” And then nothing does.
Greetings from Santa Barbara 93 days ago
Well, Jamie and I are getting settled on the coast. Living in Santa Barbara is like living in an aquarium: the temperature is always nice, there is somebody cleaning it regularly, all of the buildings look the same, and there are a lot of beautiful fish swimming around.
Now, where did I put those sandals…
A Shaker design principle: “Don’t make something unless it is both necessary and useful, but if it is both necessary and useful, don’t hesitate to make it beautiful.” (via)
Quote from Douglas Hofstadter: It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take Hofstadter’s Law into account.
You know you’re talking to someone from the midwest when you hear someone say “I’m sorry” when they really mean “excuse me.”
Overheard: a man and woman talking in Arches National Park near the trailhead for a 0.75 mile, well-marked, semi-paved trail.
Woman: “Wait, do we need a map?”
Man: “Honey, if we get lost on this trail we deserve to die.”
Today: high of 26 degrees and sunny. A jogger passes by the house in shorts and a t-shirt (with no sign of hat, gloves or any other winter gear). Spring fever is in the air, I guess.
Observed: signs along I-29 in North Dakota. All had simple designs and huge letters. Most are funded by a local anonymous philanthropist and say things like “Be Thankful”, “Be Kind”, or “Forgive”. Another is funded by a local psych clinic and says “Stop faking being happy.”
Observed: a man holding a plastic grocery sack hiding behind a dumpster in the middle of the night.
