Here we are, surpassing the number of Covid-19 cases from the spring. As in Europe, this second wave is horrific. Our inability to take basic steps, i.e., wearing a mask and keeping distance, is just astounding. Smart enough to figure out the steps to avoid disaster, but not smart enough to implement those steps.

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An ‘album’ of a few of my pieces seems to be nearing completion and release. The recordings took place January 28-29, 2019, the first edits made available for my review on November 7. A year later, things may be getting closer to completion.

I’ve checked in with some friends and colleagues with more experience than I, and it seems that this is actually normal...

’tis the season

Hoping you enjoyed a reasonable day yesterday, wherever you were. As large gatherings aren’t really something I particularly enjoy, our day here was quite relaxing. Joe, Cristin, Jackson, and Ellie departed before 10am; clearly it was a good idea to travel on t-day, as they were home before 6pm. Less than 8 hours is quick, so. that worked out well.

Just a sheer joy to have them visiting. All day fun with Jackson, a pleasure to get to see him growing. One of the biggest treats was when we all just leave him alone and watch him play on his own. He’s enjoying time on his own–of course, at his age, wanting to know that someone was nearby. He’s doing great.

We pretty much spent the day giving th...

One final day with our special guests, as Joe, Cristin, Jackson, and Ellie will try to avoid traffic by driving back north on t-day. They’ll have been on the road more than three weeks; similar to what they did in early July. Really glad they’re able to get these trips in, and just hope they find a way to get closer to us sooner, rather than later.

A few shots from Crystal Beach, Jackson’s first visit to see the clan there.

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Feeling a bit defeated this morning, so it’s good that Jackson, et al, will reach us at some point this evening.

Defeated and deflated as it now seems Surf City will remain out of reach until well into January; and flights to Bonaire (3-week scuba diving trip booked in February) are cancelled. So, in short, feeling just like the rest of the world.

The headlines continue to make one thing so very clear to me: Trump and his minions are vile. Absolutely vile. I truly wish I understood how 70 million people find him a good leader, a good person to hold the seat of POTUS. It seems obvious to me that it’ll take decades for US politics to straighten out, and it’ll take a major crisis to bring the country together; likely a war. I don’t believe I’ll see a day when the country comes together.

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I’m fascinated by this idea of “silent meetings.” I’d like to find a way to use this in teaching. I’ll continue to read up on the role of facilitator of such meetings, and see if I can come up with a way to execute this in a solid pedagogical setting–either remote or in-person.

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Joe, et al, are he...

Yesterday was our end-of-semester conference day for composition students. The four comp faculty gather to chat with each young composer, individually. While these sessions are brief (15′ for most, 30′ for grad students), it’s a chance for students to talk about the term’s highlights, how things went relative to their expectations; and for faculty to try to prod them in new directions. Mostly, it’s a chance for faculty who’re not familiar with a particular student to gain some acquaintance, and for students to meet and engage all of us.

The conferences went ok, about the same as usual, though done virtually, of course. This 4 hour slice of the day is by far the most time I’ve spent with my colleagues this term...

An anniversary today, of ma’s passing ten years ago. A relatively brief illness–fifteen weeks from emergency room visit to her death–that sent more than one type of tremor through our family. Tremors that didn’t only make us all orphans, but also leave still-gaping wounds, some deeply unexamined and unlikely to be healed through time, it seems.

Our parents’ generation, born in the 1920s, was raised by 19th c. parents of the ‘old world,’ lived through a horrific economic depression, and served and sacrificed family and friends in an even more horrific world war and genocide. At least for our parents, it’s no small feat to have raised five relatively healthy children, put us through schools, and set us up to understand enough to be good parents ourselves.

It’s odd that I’m offeri...

The week just passed has brought increased activity to the house, as Ellie has been with us. Joe and Cristin adopted Ellie, a true mutt rescue, about 3-4 years ago from the SPCA in Queens. She’s an easy, older dog, about 7 yrs old or so. As Cristin’s folks’ place isn’t conducive to dogs, we’re keeping her with us until Joe/Cristin/Jackson pass through again on their return to NY, some time next week. At home in NY she doesn’t play all that much, but here, Frankie is constantly pestering her to play, and she’s really come around.

And we’ve been getting some basic puppy training (more like puppy-owner training, to tell the truth) the past four Saturday mornings. Yesterday was the last class–

The ...

Posted this image in the spring, and now, here we are, seeing this massive 2nd-wave surge: