2006 October

Eerily accurate skewering of indiscriminate rural white 80’s culture (with a Mormon slant) as it’s “rescued” by urban & hispanic influences. I enjoyed it, but remain somewhat mystified by the popularity that originally made me wary of the film. Maybe it’s attributable to the absolutely bizarre presentation, or the apparent idiocy of the characters. Somehow I can’t believe we’ve suddenly developed an appreciation of thick, deadpan satire, but maybe I’m wrong…

Referred by random stranger in mugs with a 10-year-old saying quesa-dee-li-a.

Before the music begins we’re intrigued by the sight of four different clarinets waiting at center stage. We’re not sure what they all are, but after some wikipedia digging I’d guess we saw soprano, alto, bass, and conta-alto clarinets there. These mysterious instruments do nothing to prepare us for the music that will come from them. Todd Palmer emerges with yet another clarinet, and proceeds with a string section to play The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind by Osvaldo Golijov. It launches me immediately into images of steamy, moonlit alleyways, through raucous dance-filled barrooms, and in to deeper mysteries. This may approach the intended effect - the program says the music is inspired by mystical Kabbalah and other Jewish traditions. It’s almost entirely original to my ear, imbued with a pulsing phantasmal energy.

After the intermission the full orchestra returns to render Berlioz’s grandiose Symphonie Fantastique. During the intermission Dad told me that his first experience of stereophonic music in headphones was on the flight back from his first tour of duty in Viet Nam, when piped-in music was a new feature on the plane. He was enthralled, listening to the piece over and over on his way “out of Hell and towards Heaven”. I made this my context for the piece as I listened, marveling at all that has transpired since my dad made that journey.

I catch a ride with Mark and Kate and their friends Rachel and J.D. to Golden for a little sport climbing. It’s a clear, hot, beautiful day for climbing. We were all up late last night, maybe a little dehydrated and worse for wear, but we all get some good climbing in. Routes:

Interface 5.8. First time I’ve lead this - not so easy to reach that first bolt!
Big Dihedral 5.8. Always one of my favorites up here, Mark enjoys a good trad lead.
Kevin Spies The Line 5.6. Mark hangs some extended draws and clips the first bolt on this for Rachel, who makes it her first lead. Mark looked a little shaky on that first clip!
Table Top 5.10b. I was afraid of this overhanging column, but managed the flash! Third bolt clip was a touch hairy.
Henry Spies The Line 5.10a. The second bolt has been chopped. I was impressed with Mark’s stance that allowed him to slot a nut there.

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I must admit this show was a kind of addiction for me, stronger at some times than others, but present at some level in my life for over a year. Now that it’s over, there is both relief and withdrawal. I’ll miss hanging out with the engagingly dysfunctional Fishers now and then.

The first season of this show is close to perfection. After that the quality is less consistent, but the characters consistently evolve and grow in interesting but believable ways throughout the series. At times it yanks your chain, as nearly all dramas do, but never unforgivably. The overall message I take away is that life is better if we can learn to face ourselves without denial, but better does not mean easier. I think that’s a worthwhile message, and it is conveyed artfully and forcefully in this series.

We have to break our routine to catch this chance to see Olga Kern play, one night only, on a weeknight. We have four tickets, birthday gifts to Ann from Dad last April. Ann, in continuity with our departure from habit, invites two twin boys we know to come for their first classical concert. This lends an air of significance and excitement to the evening. (more…)

A whodunit suffers at first from over stereotyped characters and some stiff dialogue, but recovers nicely by taking an original turn. The idea that our investigations in the world are inevitably investigations of ourselves is a good one.

Referred by Ted

The weather forecasts for the weekend have been dismal, so when the sky is blue this morning I decide to see if we can take advantage of whatever window the weather might leave open for us. Mark and Kate agree to join us. It looks pretty good going up the canyon, though there’s a dusting of snow on the hillsides. The river crossing looks really cold, so I attempt an intricate rock-hopping route, made possible only by my two ski poles. Mark follows me, Ann plows straight across, and Kate hops halfway then gives us and plunges in. We’re all thankful for some warm sun on the other side. But it doesn’t last. We set up two routes (Battle Axe 5.9+ and Ogre 5.10a), when it begins to graupel on us. Before this weekend I would have said it started snowing, but being in the company of an atmospheric scientist (Kate) improves our understanding of the situation. We’re in the base of a cloud where the water is crystalizing into little pellets that pelt & melt on the skin. It’s facinating, but not very comfortable climbing. We all get up both routes, then bail perfunctorily back across the river and down the canyon to Coopersmiths, where our sprits recover fully with a good meal and fine microbrew.

This book represents one of two epiphanies I’ve experienced this year. Both involve discovering something I’ve been ignorant of most of my life, but relied on heavily nonetheless. In this case the discovery is an entity crucial to my daily survival - the food chain that sustains me. It’s very revealing of our powers of denial that we can live in both complete dependence and complete ignorance of something in our daily experience. More astounding yet is that our food chain depends on us as well, and the choices we make. Yet I’ve made these choices throughout my life with nearly no understanding of their origins or consequences. I think most of us do. One reason is that the choices are quite difficult, presenting us with The Omnivore’s Dilemma. This book provides an essential step forward by making the dilemma a conscious one.

A real story of extreme amnesia debunks some of the Hollywood amnesia mythology, leaving the piercing philosophical questions exposed. Our good fortune is that the amnesia struck a financially independent man with a video camera, who previously had a nosey friend with a video camera. So we’re able to see what might happen to a person born into an adult body on a New York subway, with all the habits and resources needed to survive but no past experiences. It’s facinating.

Referred by NPR Review

A bright, warm Fall day introduces Sean, Ann, and I to Mark and Kate, and the Poudre Wall at The Palace. A little later cousin Doug and Liz show up. It’s a great group, reminding me of the many fun group outings I took part in in the Eastern Sierra Nevada with the Ridgecrest social climbers. The Poudre Wall, facing east, had sun all morning, but just as it started getting too hot we got a bit of cloud cover. Bliss. Our routes:

Cheerleaders Gone Hippie 5.9+ Slopey holds get my attention on the start, but it’s the offwidth-style crux that dominates this route. I waffle for 10 minutes before thrusting myself up into the notch with little idea what will happen. A shoulder jammed into the wall seems to hold me in when the chalked finger cracks feel like they’re doing nothing. The next clip, however, is behind me, and the fall is not one I’m willing to take. I twist and writhe until I’ve clipped that bolt, breathe a sigh of relief, and enjoy the final moves. This is one 5.9+ I’m proud to have done on sight.

Crossbow 5.10b Mark pulls a number of loose rocks, big and small, off this one. Scarey but we all try it, and fewer chunks come off. This will be a nice route if it gets clean.

Check Your Head 5.10b/c Really nice stem and lieback crack, tenuous in spots, pumpy in spots, but with a few good rests. Good moves throughout, and the rock seems good. Kudos to Mark for the onsight on this one - it challenges all of us.

B.A.H. 5.9 Short for Big Holds. It delivers some jugs and overhangs, and some fun for a final route of the day.

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