Last month’s book-club pick was Marilynne Robinson’s HOUSEKEEPING, and it has taken me weeks to decide how I feel about it. Actually, I knew how I felt right away but discounted it because it doesn’t seem to match the tide of accolades the book has received. But I just didn’t enjoy it.
It seems to have [...]
On a recent rainy Sunday afternoon in Baltimore, I joined a couple dozen people participating in an experiment in neuroaesthetics, helping researchers try to take a reading on what art does to our brains.
The exhibit/experiment “Beauty and the Brain: A Neural Approach to Aesthetics” at the Walters Art Museum is a collaboration between the museum [...]
This year it’s the 15th anniversary of the worldwide event to celebrate the brain. To paraphrase my dentist (who asks me every visit, “How is everything in your mouth?”), how is everything in your brain? To learn more, and maybe understand more, check out an BAW event this week–there are hundreds listed on the Dana [...]
The last snowpile is only inches high, and in the backyard the crocuses herald a break in the weather.
This is the only bunch of white ones; all the others are lilac, like below:
Where have I been? Austin!
Best “club” show: Classical guitar stars Duo Melis at the Northwest Hills United Methodist Church.
Best food this time: migas outside at Juanita’s (formerly a red caboose) at 1120 W. Fifth.
Best exercise: Urban Dare Austin (we came in 51st of 150-some). Close second: Frisbee challenge in Wii Sports Resort.
Best stroll: Along [...]
We in the Washington, DC, area have broken our total winter snowfall record, and it’s only Feb. 11. Right now we stand at 55.9 inches, far beyond our season average of 10.4 inches. (And at the moment, Baltimore’s 79.9 is beating Syracuse at 75.9 and Rochester at 63.9, according to Golden Snow Globe.)
Yesterday, just to [...]
Snow is lovely, and shoveling can be fun. But I draw the line at storms that dump more snow after one has already cleared it away three times in 24 hours. Just saying. The flakes should stop, at least, while one is actively clearing them away. And DC, for sure, should never need to use [...]
Gifts from the spouse:
buds beneath
heavy snow on bough
spring will come
We are in final edits on a cute little video showing some of the fun stuff people do to celebrate Brain Awareness Week, which this year will be March 15–21. It’s my first foray into video-making since the early 1980s, and I am quite a bit rusty, so this will be an “unauthorized” version, but [...]
This is down our street 12 hours after the 24+ hours of snow stopped (4 pm, Sunday, 12.20.2009). No driving today! The car at the corner turned back and didn’t come down the street.
Taking advantage of the camera’s POV.
Cleo is tired from a day of running from window to window.