23 September 2009

"A high station in life is earned by the gallantry with which
appalling experiences are survived with grace."
--- Tennessee Williams

22 September 2009

Pond Project












Here are some pictures of the progress so far on rehabbing an existing diverted trickle-stream. Drained the lower pond and cleared out a good depth of silt. Moved rocks out of the way. Shoveled in some ledges where rocks will lay to hold down the liner (will be doing the other side tomorrow). Built a small section of wall at the lower end nearest to where the water-in-the-lawn problem is --- used rounded rock toward the inside so there will be no sharp edges against the liner. Plan on doing a small trench down the middle of the lower pond section to allow for run-off of stream water that may trickle underneath the liner through the dividing berm / dam. These were taken after a bit of rain, so there is more pooled water in the lower section that is mostly drained now. After the lower section is completed, the homeowner wants some of the water lilies moved there (they are in baskets) as it is getting crowded in the upper pool. Also says that mosquitoes are not a real problem, probably owing to the number of frogs that reside there.

21 September 2009

After the Emmys

Was happy to see Michael Emerson (Best Supporting Actor, as Ben Linus on "LOST") and PBS Masterpiece Classic miniseries "Little Dorrit" (Best miniseries, as well as in six other categories for writing, directing, art direction, costumes and cinematography) take home Emmy awards.

I cannot think of any other actor who could bring more to the Benjamin Linus character --- a character that was originally a bit part on the show until Emerson fleshed him out. Fleshed him out, indeed, into the most devious, creepy, sly, lying / prevaricating, and brutal screen character ever. The man who always has a plan, and with complicated schemes, almost always gets what he wants. Credit the show's writers for subsequently crafting Ben into all that he is. It includes the qualities above, but what makes Ben such a great character is his ability to reconnect with the audience, and even make us feel pity for him, even after the darkest of his turns. It's the wry sense of humor, our knowledge that he holds so many secrets to the mysteries of the island that we want to find out about, the losses he endures as he watched his leadership crumble (as well as the humor-in-defeat philosophy this produces), the hilarious silent scene with Hurley and the Apollo candy bar outside of Jacob's cabin, and the sense that this man is destined to be screwed by fate. To this point, the best moment in the series was the scene where Ben moves the island. Emerson won the Emmy this year for his work in "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" alone. I also appreciate Emerson's own level of interest in the show. In so many interviews celebrities talk about themselves ad nauseum, but in a show where virtually any character can be killed off at any moment, his enthusiasm for the work shows. Emerson is as much a fan as us.

I was thinking last night while watching the "Inspector Lewis" series that I've been really impressed with the redesign of Masterpiece under Rebecca Eaton. A couple of seasons ago, it was divvied up into Masterpiece Classic, Mystery, and Contemporary, given much better intro and end graphics, along with less stodgy hosts that give a brief introduction --- among them, Alan Cumming, Laura Linney and Gillian Anderson. High-definition television has really helped the program as well --- technology that PBS was the first to really embrace. It's brought new life to the series, and it's nice to see them get recognition. "Little Dorrit" in particular was a very good Andrew Davies adaptation of the rags-to-riches-and-back-to-rags classic. The character of Rigaud was overplayed (then again, it was overwritten by Dickens), but Matthew MacFadyen, Claire Foy and Tom Courtenay were top-notch. Also, an under-valued performance from James Fleet as the pitiable Frederick Dorrit.

'Course, I didn't watch the Emmy Awards. Honestly, who does?

19 September 2009

"The perfection of a life with a gun dog,
like the perfection of an autumn is disturbing
because you know, even as it begins, that it must end.
Time bestows the gift and steals it in the process."
--- George "Bird" Evans in "An Affair With Grouse"

14 September 2009

An Abstract Art

I have to include a link to Christoph Niemann's Abstract City blog. There's one in a left-hand column, but it really deserves some headline linkage space of its own.

Always find myself laughing out loud at his work. Loved the "I Lego N.Y." entry and the most recent post about sleep is something we all can relate to. They entries are sporadic (then again, a fair amount of graphic design work goes into them) but they are can't-miss.

Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory Since 2001

Tonight, my Buffalo Bills once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on Monday Night Football.

Really, they've done this almost every game since the Marv Levy / Wade Phillips era ended. Whenever they do keep a game close into the 4th quarter (or, like tonight, have an 11-point lead with 6 minutes left), we Bills fans know exactly what's coming. Some flub, fumble, bounce or bollix, and the game is given away. Your heart is pounding for those several minutes where it's close. This is a vestigial endorphin rush, you do not know why your heart is pounding so fast --- because what always happens seems as inevitable as the sun rising tomorrow morning --- it just does. Fourth quarter anguish is part of the Bills fan experience.

To talk about the organization for a minute, they've had quite a bit of shake-up in the past week and a half. Dick Jauron, the Yale man / nice guy / perennial loser of a head coach, fired the offensive coordinator, Turk Schonert, after the final preseason game. Schonert said he was fired because Jauron "wanted a Pop Warner offense." Then, a short time later, they released Langston Walker, the player tagged in the offseason as the left tackle (the key spot on the offensive line, for anyone who may not know about football), who got all the starting LT snaps in minicamps, through training camp and during preseason games.

Jauron has to be aware that his job is on the line. Even 90-year-old owner Ralph Wilson will only put up with losing for so long. Jauron received a 3-year extension last year based on the first 6 games (5-1) of the season. Then the team nose-dived and finished out 2-8 --- an epic collapse. The contract was signed already, though, and old man Wilson doesn't like to eat contracts, so he threw out a "continuity is good, mmm-kay!??!" excuse.

Well, now, we have just witnessed continuity for sure. The team continued getting dumb penalties, continued game mismanagement (clock and time-out use), continued general "keep it close" small-ball, continued to play our CBs 10 yards off the line of scrimmage (thereby giving offenses free, guaranteed 5 yards a clip if they can just connect a slant or screen pass), and continued to give up big plays late in the game.

I hate that I love this team.

06 September 2009

"Let everyone sweep in front of his own door,
and the whole world will be clean."
--- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe