Thursday, January 03, 2008

Happy New Year!

Tingley Park, Albuquerque, NM

It's a new day, it's a new dawn.

Many thanks, once again, to the lovely Kelly (and her fabulous family) for feeding me the requisite black-eyed peas to ensure a prosperous new year. I'm already in rich in friends... now a little filthy lucre wouldn't go amiss.

May 2008 be a blessing to us all.

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Thursday, November 29, 2007

Not Too Cool to Boogie

Elliott Yamin at 9:30 Club

A poker buddy of mine, PK, is pals with Elliott Yamin of American Idol runner-up fame. He hooked me up with freebie tickets for Elliott's show at the 9:30 Club, so of course I invited fanboy David to join me.

It was a fun concert. I particularly enjoyed the encore performance, shown in the photo above, which featured just Elliott's splendid voice and keyboard.

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Thursday, November 22, 2007

Things to Give Thanks For

Some years I feel as if the list is longer than others. But I know that even on a short-list year, I am more endowed with blessings than I could possible enumerate, and my gratitude falls far short of what is truly owed.

This year, to keep it simple, I give thanks above all for the love and kindness of friends. An especial thanks to Kelly & Todd for their hospitality today, which surrounded me with warmth and fed me with affection.

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Sunday, January 21, 2007

You Don't Have to Live Like a Refugee

...When you have wonderful friends willing to put you up on a moment's notice.

It's nasty out there. I nearly died on my way over here, to David and Lynn's, for dinner, and if I'd been thinking straight I'd have turned around and gone home after seeing the first three accidents. But no, I forged ahead, and pretty much slalomed into a parking spot on the street, rear wheels fishtailing right up to the curb.

The prospect of wending my way DOWN one giant hill and then UP (as if) another to get home over the black ice and under the freezing rain, well, it was chilling.

The dear, dear friends offered me a futon in the basement and I accepted with alacrity. So I am happily online on a borrowed MacBook, wirelessly connected to the world wide everywhere. Ain't technology grand?

Well, yes, but friends are much, much better.

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Sunday, May 14, 2006

The world famous always amazing artichoke party!


Miss Abigail once again hosted this green globe globe extravaganza. See all about it here.

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Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Miss Abigail's *Fabulous* Book Party

Miss Abigail

If you weren't there, you missed the event of the season! Poor you!

Send me $29.95 and I'll send you a DVD of the not-to-be-missed goings-on. (Unless you are Miss Abigail, in which case you get one FREE!!! Just for being so incredibly fabulous.) Well, okay, a DVD with about 10 minutes of crappy video, but still! The glorious Miss Abigail holds forth and her stylish guests give an impromptu dramatic performance. It is wildly entertaining,

So, you couldn't be there... but you can buy the book ~ which, after all, is the WHOLE IDEA: Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating, and Marriage: Classic Advice for Contemporary Dilemmas.

Hey, if you can't shill for your pals, what's the point?

Miss Abigail and Miss Jocelyn

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Friday, December 16, 2005

Edlund-Tawshunsky Nuptials Album

You can see a smattering of photos from the social event of the season here.

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Monday, December 12, 2005

A Wish for the Future

Rose petals on table

Anybody who says marriage is no bed of roses clearly wasn't at the wedding I just attended. For ocular proof, see above.

For my dear friend Taina and her newly consecrated husband Alan, I wish happiness and a continual growing-together.

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Monday, December 05, 2005

This Year's Zinn Celebrity Dinner Companion

Howard Zinn and Nina Tovish

(Howard was in town presenting readings from his new book, a collection of primary source voices to supplement his People's History of the United States. Andy Shallal, restauranteur and supporter of worthy causes, hosted the event at Busboys & Poets, a beautiful new space with a socially-responsible bookstore, good food, and free wifi at 14th and V NW.)

This year: Julian Bond. I am not worthy.

I also found out that, in addition to Matt Damon, Howard's been doing gigs with Viggo Mortenson. Holy moly. I pointed out how much the Vigster and I have in common, what with the photography and the age compatibility, and requested an immediate introduction. I also argued with him vigorously (hah!) about the message and meaning of A History of Violence, which I rank as one of the most thought-provoking and well-made movies I've seen in a long time.

On much less flippant note: Julian Bond pointed out to me another person in attendance at the event ~ Ruby Sales. In 1965, during the civil rights movement, she and thirteen other people were arrested for registering African-American voters. Upon release from prison on a scorching August day, they went around the corner to get a cold drink from a local store. The proprietor, Tom Coleman, aiming a shotgun at Ruby, ordered them off his property with foul language. An Episcopalian seminarian, a young white man named Jonathan Myrick Daniels, pushed Ruby Sales down and out of harm's way, and sustained the full force of the shotgun blast. He died immediately.

(Coleman was later acquitted by an all-white jury.)

Julian Bond said that he'd heard the Episcopal church wanted to make a saint out of Daniels. I said I didn't think the Episcopal church had an official saint-designating practice. A modicum of searching leads me to believe that at General Convention, names are proposed to be added to the Calendar of Saints and voted on by the House of Bishops. So apparently I was wrong. (That'll teach me to argue with an icon.) I'll have to apologize next time I see Julian.

But just imagine being present at the moment, when one person sacrificed his life for another, without hesitation. We are indeed surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and some live among us to this day.

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Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Things I Give Thanks For

  1. My wonderful friends. Thank you all, you make life rich and joyful.

  2. My sister. Who is Jane-on-the-Spot in Boston dealing with very difficult circumstances.

  3. My health. Yeah, I'm a little creakier and a little more rickety, but I'm basically in okay shape (as far as I know). Which is a very good thing considering my lack of health insurance.

  4. My church. This community continues to sustain me and encourage me to grow spiritually.

  5. My work. You know I'm lazy and I don't like to work. But it beats the hell out of not being able to pay rent.

  6. My city. I love Washington. I just do. I don't CARE what anybody else thinks.

  7. My home. It's a pigsty right now, but it's livable and I can afford it.

  8. The internets. The internets are great; the internets have allowed me to make new friends I'd otherwise never have met, which far outweighs the hours I've wasted playing poker. Oh, and see "my work," above.

Happy Thanksgiving Day, all! Travel safely...

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Tuesday, November 15, 2005

David@47







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Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Sempervirens

Mike and Bonsai
I had the pleasure of a visit from Mike and Karin. Among other entertainments, we ventured to the National Arboretum to take in the fall foliage on the miniature trees.

There, we discovered this towering specimen of redwood, which was born in the same year as Mike. I like the way the sunlight just catches both their crowns.

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Wednesday, March 16, 2005

A visit with Gulnaz

Gulnaz

The lovely and charming Gulnaz is making another of her frequent visits to DC this week, on her Spring Break (oh, if only it actually were Spring!). She got her hair cut in Georgetown and then swung up Wisconsin in her spiffy new Celica to treat me to a late lunch.

Some people are just easy and fun to be around. Gulnaz is one of them. That, and apparently a kick-ass academic as well.

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