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Sunday, February 29, 2004

Where It's C-C-Cold



20F and Jet Lagged in Olde London Towne... But I can't say I don't have an interesting life. I slept 6 hours in a very comfortable American Business Class reclining chair, landed at 12:30pm, got to my hotel at 1:30pm, fell asleep, got up just in time to walk around chilly but stately Mayfair and watch the pretty red sunset.

Sunday is 'dark night' in London's theater district, meaning closed. Tomorrow evening, if I'm free of work obligations, I might try and see a revival of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes." Or maybe something more meaty if I'm rested.

Mount Street Gardens is a little treasure of a secluded park I found on my stroll. Surrounded by an banquet of beautiful row house façades with cute chimneys and gables, loveliness in red and white brick. With stubble, a cold nose, and no mittens, I wandered through listening to Donna Leon's "Night In Venice" Inspector Brunetti mystery, on CD, in Swedish of course : - )

Was feeling very lonely yesterday. Definitely need to find a boyfriend this year, if Allah wills it : - ) I'm even jealous of people whose lifestyle and location accomodate owning a dog. For the first time, my mind opened to that idea, how lovely it would be to have a barking bundle of joy that needed and loved me. My building is full of barking bundles of joy. My sister has Petey. Brian has Fiedel. I have a sweet, but decidedly silent gallery of Teddy bears.

Well, enjoy the Oscars tonight my friends. It's a 2am here, and I will be in blissful slumber...

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Saturday, February 28, 2004

Where It's Safe..




Just when it's lovely here and I want to stay.. I'm leavin on a midnight jet plane to London (that's 3 sixties songs in there). 11 1/4 beautiful hours of sunlight, 55F delicious degrees. I should be able to post from London daily if there's a PC in range. I'm back very late Tuesday (11pm NYT, 4am London time). As you can see, I visited a few galleries today. I felt a lot of 60s and 70s undertones - op art, collages - that pleased me. Even if you're in Phoenix, Paris, or Buenos Aires, you can stroll through Chelsea galleries on-line by clicking here.


Urban Myth Confirmed! NYT article confirms that the 'walk' buttons on street corners were disactivated years ago and do absolutely nothing, but would cost $1 million to remove. Placebo buttons. Meanwhile, 10,000 miles away in Thailand, the crazy prime minister is imposing a midnight curfew, which should put a damper on partying tourists and locals. Many Thai 'night workers' are protesting to keep it at 2am - better for business...

Love hurts... when 60% of the country wants to exclude you, personally, from legal marriage and the rights thereto. I expected this from the religious right, but with 60%, it's obviously coming from the center, too. Meaning that my office, neighborhood, and subway are full of people that will let me live, but not get married..... Oh, well...

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Friday, February 27, 2004

Spend Some Time With Osama




No, Not That Osama! Just saw the acclaimed Afghani film about "Osama", a 9 year old girl who masquerades as a boy to keep her family from starving to death (the Taliban didn't allow women to work). It deserves all of its many great reviews and awards. In 82 riveting and fascinating minutes, beautifully filmed and directed, and acted by locals, you see how love, quiet fear and desperation drive home the message more than brutality or hatred ever could. No cliches, no predictability, and only a touch of humor (a Taliban sex-ed class: how to re-purify your genitals after a wet dream).









Talk about being there! This film takes you to another universe, another century.. hard to believe they're on the same planet as our nation of video-game addled couch potatoes.. : - )



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Pay For The Fiddler



You wanted to dance, now pay for the fiddler... That's my Mom's saying. I wanted to stay up Wednesday to see a play (see below), and had to crash at 9pm yesterday to make up for it. Ah, the trials of a working boy...

Why Swoosie is Swoosie... On Wednesday night I saw Swoosie Kurtz in Bryony Lavery's award-winning play, Frozen, on the first day of previews. It's about three people whose lives are impacted by the murder of a child: the mother, the killer, and a psychiatrist researching how committing violent crimes may be the result of brain injury. Very thought-provoking, well-acted, and unpredictable. If you can't see this play, you can read it. Swoosie, by the way, was named after the plane her Dad flew in World War II.


52 Card Roundup.... Check out Gothamist for the scoop on which cities have the longest commute. NYC wins of course, with an average 36 minutes, adding up to nearly 7 days a year! Yes, a week per year just commuting...



Ice picture is by Masiar Hooshmand from Toronto, check out his wonderful photoblog mused.pixelflake.com

Friends in Motion: Celia's back (to Argentina) from Uruguay today, Bart's in Florida, Doug's headed for Moscow, and I'm going to London Saturday..... My sister Deena had a great birthday, and I have promised to post much better pictures of her going forward.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Dee-na! Dee-na! Dee-na!


Happy Birthday, Baby Sister!

You'll always be 4 years younger than me, kiddo....

Here's a nine-pack of my sister with her son Danny. If my sister had been born three days later than she was, she'd be the exact same age as her son! Figure that out! Please send Deena a birthday greeting by clicking here
























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3,000 Miles Away




Reasons to Be Cheerful, Pt 3... I'm trying to not dwell too much on unpleasant things. Geography always cheers me up (should get an office globe), as do connections with people. My mind wanders back to the fun I had hobbling through Europe this time last year with my Mom, my sister Deena, my ex Andres, and good friend Denis. Much great food was eaten, wine was sipped. Many hilarious moments, which I'll share going forward. Top left picture: The St Martin Canal in Paris, which my friend Denis' building faces.


Eggs-Periment.... I wanted to see how fast I could post using a new method. 15 minutes I think.

I may do several short posts daily this week... Scroll down, since you probably haven't yet seen yesterday's very colorful entry.....

Click here to e-mail me, always a welcome distraction....

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Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Love Never Fails : - )


At least, I hope not : - ) Today we'll focus on sensual beauty and creativity, to help chase away the blues, prejudice and intolerance coming from certain quarters. Let me take you to Rio de Janeiro to enjoy the best moments of Carnaval 2004. It's like a four-day Halloween Parade simmered in cachaça rum, sugar and sensuality. It begins Friday Night, and lasts till the wee hours of Wednesday morning, when all is cleansed by a kiss of gray ashen love, followed by 40 days of Lent.

Meanwhile, back in the States, beautiful plastic pandas are marching on Washington, bringing some well needed diversity : - ). NYC's own Gothamist reminisces about our own plastic invastion, the cows of 1999.




Right On Maude, Part 2! Good piece in Newsweek on Elizabeth Edwards, the other half of Team Edwards. Ever notice how the coolest people are always democrats : - ) More on her later.


Uh-Oh Spaghetti-Os The most spellbinding documentary since, well, Spellbound, was certainly Oscar-nominated Capturing The Friedmans, which examens the extensively filmed private life of an alleged pederast and suggests justice was miscarried. The DVD-with-extra-footage ad campaign is plastering the subways. Problem is, alleged victims surfaced this week and are crying foul. More on this later. One of my friends, who'll remain anonymous, was their neighbor... can't wait to hear what that person thinks....

Heard from Celia today. She's enjoying Punta del Este, Uruguay, and staying at a lovely chalet (pictured below). Hi Cousin Richard! (He's one of my sanest relatives)




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Monday, February 23, 2004

Oops! Oh, Well....



I accidentally deleted my February 23, 2004 entry about civil twilight, Celia's trip to Uruguay, her cousin Ernestina, and I asked you what 4 books you'd bring to the beach...


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Sunday, February 22, 2004

Punta Penelope



Will a Zippie from Bangalore have my Job? I'd better work real hard. As Thomas Freedman notes in today's New York Times, India is crawling with bright youngsters willing to work via modem, on NY time, for much less money. Freedman thinks this is a good thing, I'm ambivalent. There's got to be a way to develop poor countries without decimating our middle class.



Penelope Glamour heading Eastward... My friend Celia Elman from Buenos Aires leaves tomorrow for four relaxing days in Uruguay's Punta del Este (pictures right and below). This happy place is where Rio de la Plata (almost a gulf) meets the Atlantic, and Punta's two faces are calm beach and wild surf. More from Celia later.



My Aunt Eleanor, who lives in Tel Aviv, called today. She'd love it if I'd visit her there. Dare I? Just kidding, Mom : - )


Ketching Up with Teresa Heinz Kerry This would be the most delightfully quirky first lady ever. Born in Mozambique to European parents, this half-Portuguese dynamo speaks her mind - the opposite of scripted and pre-fab, she lets it all hang out. Right on, Maude!

Made dinner yesterday for my friends Bart and Will and their boyfriends Ashley and Patrick. Very good time. Had dinner with Pat Stumpp on Friday at Rossini's, also really lovely.



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Saturday, February 21, 2004

Pretty Pictures Pt. 1


I've made no secret of my fondness for weblog photography (aka photoblogs). As I scurry about preparing dinner for some friends, I invite you to feast your eyes on the excellent work of Toronto's Sam Javanroux, alias topleftpixel.com - he posts these compelling images daily to his site.








Read this week's Onion! Good 'person on the street' survey!








...and amusing op-ed piece "If I Were Gay..."







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Friday, February 20, 2004

The Most Selfish Jerk In America?



What can he possibly be thinking? I saw this coming, and tried to avert it 3 weeks ago. Is he trying to ensure we have 8 years of GWB? Two former Nader boosters in Colorado have founded a Web site called www.RepentantNaderVoter.com.
Or, send him an insult card or an angry note to info@naderexplore04.org.

Work may take getting used to... I put my head down to rest 3 minutes and fell fast asleep in the middle of the day... : - )


Do you Gothamist? Gothamist.com is the Essential New York group weblog. This week read all about the Gestapo Coop Board and Can't Buy Me 867-5309...

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Thursday, February 19, 2004

Mr. Big Deal Press Release : - )



One sure sign of my return to "glamour" is that I feel exhausted : - ) But better each day... ABN-AMRO announced my arrival today with great fanfare, by sending a press release to specialty publications that cover such things. "EuroWeek" asked for my photo. : - )
I've been summoned to London on March 2 to present a 'business' plan. Trips to Brazil and Mexico are likely, and perhaps even to a few destinations I've never seen, such as Colombia and Venezuela. When and how do I fit this in? Anybody's guess....



Honest Abe would honestly have been proud of San Francisco (if he had been part of our generation).



Dinner with Pat Stumpp tomorrow! We go way back. Pat is not only a financier extraordinaire but an accomplished linguist, violinist, and musical crusader via Music Of The
Spheres.

Today marks 1 month of Aaronblogging!!!



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Wednesday, February 18, 2004

Don't Blame Celso! (RIP)



I was sad to hear that the doctor who delivered me, Celso-Ramon García, passed away Sunday in Boston, my birthplace (click for obituary). Dr Garcia was among the developers of the birth control pill (beginning in the 1950s, and certainly NOT inspired by delivering ME : - ). Much later, he wrote and published the lovely "Menopause: A Guide For Women And Those Who Love Them." Farewell, Dr. Garcia. See, I never forget a favor....

Titanium Hip... This just in from Brian's mom: "Hi! I came home from rehabilitation last night with a lot of interesting equipment that allows me to function quite well without making the motions that could pop out my new titanium hip before it is all healed. I just wanted to let you know that I'm doing very well and am happy. Love, Jean." This brave lady beat cancer three times, was an abstract painter, and many years ago was on the (large) team that invented the computer...

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Tuesday, February 17, 2004

Wha? Huh? ¿Cómo?



Submitted, a picture of my brain after Day 1 at the job : - ) Paperwork up the kazoo! It was a lot of data to absorb at once, even for a research geek! Medicine by mail. Ugh. The people are nice, but today was very dis-orienting, wandering through white corridors and cubicles and trading floors. Not a very high-pressure environment, on first glance.


My nicest moment was right after being fingerprinted (!), when I had to fill out SEC & NASD forms. They showed me what I filled in 7 years ago, and I was able to list my weight as 144 and not 160... : - ). I have to go to a testing center Friday to update my registrations by doing screen-quiz penance. Tomorrow I see the dentist. Ugh Ugh. Oh dear. Oh dear.


Thank you Bartholomew F. Bland for identifying as Paul Cadmus the artist that painted the naked Fire Island sailors we saw at Williams.


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