Up too early this morning, but getting some work done in the hours pre-dawn is always peaceful and relaxing. A little writing, then when dawn broke got to a few outside plumbing matters, and was delighted to see the sights above as the job finished.

Joe, Cristin, and Jackson will arrive very late tonight (more likely early tomorrow a.m.), and I think we’ve got the place ready for them. We’ll clean up the deck today, get cable service turned on, hang a few more pix…all easily accomplished with the full day ahead.

Yesterday’s drive here was surprisingly pleasant. Wanting to stop by a Home Depot in Jacksonville, the GPS led us on a very different, backroad route...

Police reform, confronting American racism, rising covid-spread numbers, pessimistic economic/unemployment news, looming election…what a stew.

My nephew’s 38th birthday today, he the eldest of his generation in our family. We really left him and his cohorts a mess; though at this point i imagine the generation that’s 20ish is blaming his generation.

Feeling old.

Cannot wait to see this little guy in a few days!

Back in Greenville for appointments. Will return to the beach on Wednesday, eagerly awaiting our NYers arrival at some point on Thursday. The place is certainly ready for living, but the extra 24 hours will let us get a few more things ready–the one remaining room (my office/spare bdrm), outside faucets, a few more leaky-plumbing spots, set up a tv and get service turned on, etc. Hoping the weather’s nice enough on Wednesday for me to ride my bike down there but we’ll see..

Covid numbers keep rising her ein NC, and in many other places. Yet people seem intent on making precaution-taking into a political issue. I just don’t see the logic in anyone’s arguments about this...

Yesterday was a wonderful day.

Anton Miller, the violinist preparing Six Humors for an ACA Shelter Recording, had sent questions which indicated he was really getting down to the fine details. The questions he asked will help me, alot, in preparing an undated edition for ACA. He has also been very positive in his comments about the piece, which he clearly likes, and is enjoying getting to know. I will save his emails to look at when I’m feeling unsure, as they’re more than encouraging.

After a few productive hours of work on the living space here–slowly but surely checking chores off the list (which is still quite long)–I connected with Chris Nappi...

We enjoyed a fabulous day of distraction yesterday. I spent the early morning doing some comp-work, responding to questions from performers preparing recordings of Anima/Animus (Chris Nappi, the marimbist it’s written for), and Six Humors for Shelter Recordings. The violinist working on Six Humors was someone I’d not known and, like Eliot and Ran who recorded On Balance, he’s just wonderful to work with.

When working with a performer on a project, it’s always via close contact. Together in a practice room or office; at the very least, phone conversations. But given that these are really introductions at a time of pandemic–‘shelter’ being the operative word in this project–the primary mode of connection is written via email...

At long last, we’re in Surf City.

We arrived yesterday morning at 1030, and the movers were here waiting for us, 30 minutes earlier than expected. And they were a super efficient and nice crew of 3 gents. 90 minutes later, furniture and tons of boxes were in the house, ready for unpacking and organizing.

Pattie spent the day cleaning some things, unpacking a ton. I mostly worked on repairing a few things around here. The workmanship we found was spotty; some things done very, very well, and other things done quite poorly. My main task yesterday was to fix very leaky shower/tub faucets. Two trips to Lowes (one for advice, one for parts), which then led me to Wilmington to a plumbing supply store, and three attempts to rebuild the faucet cartridge and, success...

I was raised to consider the police as a source of assistance. And there have been times–stranded on a highway with a car that won’t run–that I’ve felt a relief in the assistance offered. But that’s certainly not the bulk of my experience with police, and not at all the experience that non-white, non-males have had.

It shouldn’t be necessary to have videos of police abusing their power, their badges of authority, the intimidation of their sidearms to know that many in communities throughout this country have been killed, abused, effected in profound ways by police.

To see that so many are reconsidering what “police” are for, what sort of protection we, as a society, need/want from this public service–this is more than necessary...

These are learning days for me. Specifically, ‘attending’ a few days of workshops relating to online teaching; Canvas, our online system; ways to organize within that system; technical matters, etc.

What’s clear to me is that this is going to be a ton of work–but it seems equally clear that once it’s done this will save alot of work in terms of delivery of materials, and even in terms of grading/giving feedback. Each subsequent run will offer chances to improve/tweak, of course, but this first run will certainly be the most difficult.

And speaking of learning, this video came through this morning; Jackson clearly learning to shake his head ‘no.’

Yesterday was Joe’s 32nd birthday. This morning they video-called and we all enjoyed a nice visit. Jackson now crawling all over, very determined to get where he wants; when redirected, he turns right around to get back to his goal. Pulling himself up easily, even standing unaided for a few seconds on occasion.

The living room there has become his playroom, and there’s so much to play with. He’s a joy to watch, and now clearly becoming a handful. It’s good they’re both home to watch him, and to enjoy his milestones and antics.

What a relief from the day-to-day news to see Jackson, to know they’re all ok, healthy.

Maybe there’s solace in the huge turnouts for protests. So many cops still acting as though the anonymity they find behind armor, shields and masks (yet again, masks playing a role), makes their militaristic, third-world, power-hungry tactics acceptable.

Correspondence/dialogue with my dear sis has been helpful over the past day. Reaching back to memories of family, of the perspectives that molded our sense of ‘differences.’ So interesting as we found those starkly contrasted models among those who’d themselves been singled out.

So curious to me that the effects of being singled out lead o different paths. Like victims of domestic abuse, i suppose, some are led to follow in their abusers’ steps; others do whatever they can to stem the tide of such models...