Feb 122019
 

It’s February!

This never used to be a particularly celebratory time, mind you, but I’m turning over a new leaf. Maybe I’m working off a comparison chart. December isn’t particularly joyous to me. The days are short, the energy manic. It’s cold. I hate the cold. I don’t have a holiday tradition—Christmas with the family or some such thing. Nor am I a big fan of January. Same as above but without the slight boost holiday lights offer.

But this month! Short but with more daylight. Clearly the gateway to spring, at least if the clothing catalogues piled into my mailbox are any indication. Robins sit fat and plump on the brown grass and try out their best warbles. And while Valentine’s Day is minimally uncomfortable and even a little… sad for the uncoupled of the world, well, pet love is absolutely a thing.

I admit I’ve been energized by an unexpected spate of warm weather accompanied by the sun, which has been all too scarce this winter. The thermometer climbed past sixty and stayed there—not your grandmother’s winter thaw. My neighbors were out in force, blinking at the pale sun or madly engaging in activities like roller-blading, running, strolling, or kicking and throwing balls. I swear I saw someone in his garden. Of course, we plunged back into the cold because, well, extreme weather is the new normal. Not for long, though. As you read this, temperatures are climbing again.

February holidaysFor such a diminutive month, February features a number of holidays and festivals of varied significance. Did you know February is National Cherry month? Chinese New Year occurs in February this year,  although Fat Tuesday does not. We always begin with Groundhog Day, which seems more meaningful in those parts of the country besieged by extreme weather. Never mind it’s unreasonable to expect a rodent to perform as a meteorologist. Honestly, it doesn’t make sense that we’d greet the sun with an “oh no, six more weeks of winter!” just because some little creature is afraid of his shadow. Talk about seeing the glass as half empty!

We also celebrate Black History month and Presidents’ Day. In the first instance, we set aside a month to remember pieces of history we ought to be celebrating all year round. In the second instance, we randomly meld together the birth dates of two American presidents we consider great, although I wonder if many people under forty knows which two presidents we celebrate—or can name any of the others.

Then there’s Valentine’s Day, whose origin story remains murky. The Catholic Church acknowledges three different martyred souls named Valentine. One was a third century priest who arranged for young lovers to wed in secret. In doing so, he defied the Emperor Claudius II, who figured single young men made better soldiers. Another Valentine apparently helped Christians escape the Roman prisons. That Valentine was subsequently jailed and may or may not have written a note signed “from your Valentine.” Heroic and romantic. Sigh.

John Wick and beagleValentine’s Day seems to have replaced a rather pagan fertility celebration that involved the sacrifice of both a goat and a dog. Now it’s a multi-billion-dollar business that involves reams of paper and toys with the affections of millions. Nevertheless, I’m sure we all agree that exchanging cards is better than blood-letting an animal we’d prefer to see bouncing around on YouTube in pajamas or nuzzling a baby or a cat. In fact, most of us in 2019 would go all John Wick on anyone who hurt a dog.

Speaking of movies: February is a bit of a no-man’s land in terms of sports and entertainment. The Super Bowl and the Golden Globes are both past, leaving only the Oscars, Grammys, and a couple of talent and strength competitions that compete for “most dreadful.” On the other hand, the networks bring back our favorite shows and Netflix continues to pile on the programming.

Molly and me chillinAnd nothing beats reading. After wading through three books I disliked so much I won’t mention them, I read three books in a row I really enjoyed, including an extraordinary science fiction novel and Nebula award winner in 2016 (The Fifth Season by N.K. Nemesin), a lyrical 2018 best seller (Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Ownes) and an important non-fiction read that manages to be uplifting despite its painful subject matter (Parkland by David Cullen). Even better, I read these absorbing books in front of the fireplace with the dog curled in my lap.

That’s the best kind of February.

Jul 052016
 

Never mind that the June 21st solstice marks the change of seasons. Everyone around these parts knows summer “officially” starts on July 4th (July 1st if you’re Canadian). Shorter workweeks, longer days, summer movies (blech) and summer television (much better). Sure you could binge-watch the conventions (and I know you will, despite any warnings I could issue. Go ahead. Democracy at work and all that). There are other, simpler pleasures I’d like to recommend. Below, a small and highly personal list of things that can happily occupy your time.

READ THIS:

Charcoal Joe coverCHARCOAL JOE by Walter Mosley: I can’t think of a more consummate storyteller than Mosley. His Easy Rawlins books are studies in craftsmanship: suspenseful, well-paced, long on detail and short on excess. His ruminations on the black experience in America are unmatched among fiction writers and his evocation of particular time and place unparalleled. Even if you don’t care about any of that, you will still be entertained. Read them all or just this one.

WATCH THIS (television division):

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt logoI started watching “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” on Netflix and I can’t think of a comedy I’ve enjoyed more. It’s a valentine to  resilience and to New York. Not all the  jokes land, but the wit is prodigious and adorned with flashes of brilliance. Ellie Kemper is so darned likable, Tituss Burgess is the eighth wonder of the world and watching pros like Jane Krakowski and Carol Kane will make your heart sing.

WATCH THIS (movie division):

Eye in the Sky logoRent “Eye in the Sky” starring Helen Mirren, the late, great Alan Rickman, Aaron Paul and many other fine actors.  The movie defines suspense thriller; in the silent spaces between the action, my stomach ached from the tension. Underrated, IMHO, it’s a superb if deeply disturbing exploration of the politics and the personal involved in conducting long-distance, drone-operated warfare.

WATCH THIS (advertising division):

Check Molson Beer’s heartfelt tribute to being Canadian in 2016. No wonder everyone wants to move there.

LISTEN TO THIS:

I know “Hallelujah” is overdone but have you heard it sung by a chorus of 1500 backing the sublime Rufus Wainwright?

In a recent interview, master songwriter Paul Simon, 74, claimed to need fifteen hours of sleep these days. He’s clearly packed a lot in during his waking hours, given his tour schedule and his smart his new album, “Stranger to Stranger”.

DRINK THIS:

cucumber lime drinkCucumber Cooler: Combine mint, lime, gin and sugar to a shaker or closed container and shake vigorously. Then throw in cucumber slices and repeat. Leave out the gin, it’s just as refreshing. Other fun ideas are here.

EAT THIS:

taboulehTabouleh is a great summer dish and tastes great the day it’s made. On the other hand, it tastes even better the next day. As a side or main course, for breakfast or dinner, it’s healthy and truly satisfying. Just click on the link and you’re on your way to a simple, no cook tabouleh recipe.

DO THIS:

Sit outside with a book, take a walk without your phone, talk to strangers, talk to animals, think, breath, enjoy.

We’re off for the summer to read, relax and create some art of our own. Feel free to check out the rest of the site. See you in September.