Comings and Goings

   The Unhurried Life

I appreciated hearing from my good friend Gregg Beldock following my last post when he wrote,

“I have searched for a word that articulates an unhurried life, an unhurried lifestyle. The “word” is unhurried life.”

“It’s apparent that life is more colorful, more satisfying, more fulfilling, more exciting when you learn to live it more unhurried.”

While I am still at beginning of the sabbatical, Gregg’s reflections, reminiscent of something Forest Gump may have iterated, resonates with me because yes, my experience is moving in slow motion, and I have unhurried time on my hands.  I am reminded of speaking to students about slowing down periodically to create space for reflection, a novel pastime for teenagers and for many of us, as we all choose and are culturally forced to move throughout our lives at breakneck speeds.   I am still following Westminster faculty and community emails, and the sheer volume of daily communiques reflect a new normal and serve as a proxy, I think, for the intensity and the pace of all lives in 2018.

   The Farnsworth Museum

I forgot to mention that while studying photography in Maine several weeks ago, I had a chance to visit the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland which features many pieces reflecting beautiful American art.  I recall last year teaching some of Rennie Mcquilkin’s poems that, in particular, highlighted several of Andrew Wyeth’s more notable paintings. Interestingly, I learned that three generations of Wyeths enjoyed noteworthy acclaim for their respective paintings.

I also lucked out at seeing a temporary exhibit of Ai Weiwei, the Chinese contemporary artist and activist.  His exhibition of gold sculptures, reflecting a “circle of animals/ Zodiak heads,” was stunning and beautiful. At some point I would enjoy learning more about how Ai Weiwei’s work manifests his view on Chinese authority and the detrimental effects of globalization.  Political commentary aside, Weiwei’s gold heads demonstrated his amazing artistry and craft.

   Hatteras

Certainly not as cultural as the Farnsworth but no less entertaining, Nick, Will, and I ventured to Hatteras for Columbus Weekend to manage our testosterone and advance our kiting skills.  We met in Norfolk on Friday (Will had taken the red eye from SF on Thursday night so that he could work remotely, and Nick landed from Chicago at 9:30pm).  The 2.5 hour drive to Waves, NC put us at our destination just before midnight and after providing the three of us with time to solve the problems of the world and to ponder the assumptions of Occam’s Razor.  Although we waited patiently on Saturday, clinging to even the slightest wisp of wind, it was not until Sunday when the wind gods shifted in our direction and provided conditions for kite “shredding.”

Nick and Will previously “self taught” themselves over the last two years in San Francisco, so once again I found myself pushing hard just to be a part of the team.  Our instructors, Georgus and Eric, from Greece and Florida respectively, were outstanding and guided us beautifully along the kiting progression curve.

With plenty of time for conversation (remember we were watching and waiting for the wind a lot), I was struck by how both instructors – married and with college degrees, fluent in several languages – were choosing more unconventional and less secure lifestyles because of their love of kiting and the opportunity to travel.  Given my own background, too often, I know that I become very myopic about our Westminster students pursuing “traditional” careers, and I forget that many up and comers are taking certain risks to pursue what they truly love, acting as entrepreneurs of a sort to create  financially viable and satisfying careers. Something to consider to be sure. By the by, when Eric is not teaching at Real in Hatteras, he is in Key West instructing at Upwindkiteboarding.

I have included a few kiting videos for your entertainment and possible amusement:

Nick and Will in tandem

Will catching “big” air

A little shaky but in the game

According to Amy, Nick, Abby, and Will

I wanted to include some varied content from the “Family” as we – like so many other families – are continuously sharing articles, videos, humor, and podcasts which may, in effect, be one of the ways to slow down the momentum of a day or serve as a healthy mode of procrastination.

Nick listens to lots of podcasts, usually during his morning and evening commute, and really enjoys Patrick O’Shaugnessy:  http://investorfieldguide.com/trailmagic/

Amy recently highlighted an NPR piece, Weaponization of social media and its real world consequences,  and found it fascinating.  And, as a librarian, Amy wanted to put a plug in for Michael Lewis’ new book, The Fifth Risk. In my opinion, Lewis is an extraordinary writer who draws readers quickly into the quagmire of his eclectic literary investigations.

Also of note is Amy’s curiosity for  Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels of our nature/ why violence has declined, a book that Bill Gates describes as one of the most inspiring that he has ever read.

Worth the Read/ Worth a View

Recently, I heard an interview with Steve Carell, best known for his run with The Office, and Timothee Cahlamet who both perform in the recently released movie, Beautiful Boy, focusing on the very real challenges of addiction and family.  While I don’t anticipate that this will be a feel good movie, I also realize that the current opioid crisis will sadly and inevitably intersect with the lives of just about everyone.  The above link provides both a review and the movie trailer.

Articles of interest include:

O.C.D., My Exhausting Best Friend

This Canadian Hockey Star Doubles as a Law Enforcer

How Feminist Dystopian Fiction is Channeling Women’s Anger and Anxiety

Your Dog May Be Smart, but She’s Not Exceptional (a must read for dog lovers)

The Jocks Will Inherit the Earth (a provocative article about social power in school and careers later in life)

Am I a Lawn Mower Parent

The Science behind a Frog’s Leap  (short and amusing)

And Finally

With many of you involved in youth athletics, you may have missed the peewee football coach’s brawl that once again sheds light upon the ongoing challenges of youth sports.  I am reminded of Tom Earl’s cautionary warning when we coached hockey together.  He said something to the effect that, following a heated athletic contest, “Nothing good usually comes from saying anything  during the handshake with the opposing coach.”  Some wisdom and truth there, to be sure.

Speaking of hockey, if there is only one link that you explore on this blog, this is the one.  Thanks to Francois Morin for sharing the story of hockey pioneers in Kenya, footage that will surely put a smile on your face while eliciting a host of other emotions.

Lastly, Amy and I have enjoyed several nice, albeit long hikes this fall, first on Mount Greylock near Williamstown and last weekend along the southeastern ridge of Stratton Mountain in Vermont, a seven mile round trip journey with perfect temperatures on a quintessential foliage afternoon.  In both cases we interacted at the peak with engaging groups of college students, enjoying wilderness overnights and outdoor rigor.  Gotta love college outing clubs.  We also climbed the fire tower and witnessed striking vistas.

We built our first fire of the season, another rite of autumn, and I look forward to stacking a cord of wood, which currently sits in our driveway (many years ago I actually cut and split our wood), an annual ritual that oddly provides me with great joy and satisfaction.

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Comings & Goings

It hasn’t taken me long to become accustomed to the rhythms of my day as Amy rushes about in the a.m. to ready herself for school, and I pour another cup of coffee in anticipation of some morning reading.  Truth be told, this new pattern felt pretty strange during the opening days of school, but I have, not surprisingly, added some structure to what has become a wonderfully liberating outlook on the days and weeks ahead.  Amy too has adjusted, I think, and only raises her eyebrows every now and then.

Being a Student Again

Recently, I concluded a weeks long course at Maine Media in Rockport, ME where I had an opportunity to explore a workshop focusing on the “Process of Portraits.”  Like most students scanning their classmates in a first meeting, I looked around the classroom and quickly realized that within our group of 6 students, I was part of the rearguard in photographic experience and technical proficiency.  Recalling one of my former graduate school success strategies, I quickly attached myself to Bill, a retired engineer and astrophysicist, who kindly and quietly provided technical guidance throughout the week.

Starting with Michael Wilson our engaging and insightful professor who appeared to me to be right out of central casting for a freelance photographer (see photo below), I knew the week was going to be a good one. His abstract random approach to the curriculum effectively impacted me and provided plenty to ponder as I worked to understand, explore and improve my photography skill set.  The group of students were outstanding in all respects, and we developed a kind of an esprit de portrait together.

I encourage you to take a look at Michael’s website and have no doubt that you will recognize the likes of Lyle Lovett, Waylon Jennings, John Hiatt, EmmaLou Harris, and others he had the opportunity of photographing over the years when he worked with a number of record labels.  Personally, I find his photos stunning and provocative, especially as he eschews flash photograph and prefers to seek out “available” light for his photos.

In a week that focused more on the portrait aesthetic and less on the technical (but remember that I had Bill helping me with that) we studied a number of famous portrait photographers including Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, and Gary Winogrand, to name a few.  Our schedule consisted of classroom time learning principles for portrait photography, spending afternoons “on location” shooting models, and becoming more proficient with techniques for light, setting, and subject. Back in the classroom, the group critiqued what we had each produced, a serious yet fun part of the curriculum that helped me advance my understanding of effective portraits and the nomenclature surrounding the medium.

Perhaps the exercise that was most challenging and enjoyable occurred when our class set up a white screen backdrop in the parking lot of Renny’s, a Maine convenience store, and asked strangers whether they might allow us to take a few quick photos.  Below, are a few from this experience along with a some others I shot elsewhere during week.  As my classmates and I found, there were more than a few shining moments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Articles of Interest

One of the true sabbatical pleasures I am finding is having the time to read articles that I might not otherwise have, given the fast pace we all move with our lives.  The two pieces from the Times focusing on learning to love classical music and listening to the sounds of the world (a truly amazing cacophony of sounds) were particularly noteworthy and, while I am not formally trained in classical music or world sounds, I enjoyed listening to both.  Come to think of it, I am not formally trained in lots of things but with time on my hands, I remain curious and interested in all that surrounds us.

A piece focusing on Sally and Bennett Shaywitz life’s work in decoding dyslexia and advocating for educational change was inspiring in many ways.  I also liked reading about the young visionary who has created an enormous sea boom to gather up plastic in the ocean, an invention that may end up being revolutionary for the environment.

I was struck too by a recent article focusing on beer (which I like) and Brett Kavanaugh, and what the Supreme Court nominee’s many references to that beverage during his hearing might have been signaling.  And if you missed SNL’s lampooning of the hearing, I encourage you to take a look.

Worth A Read

If you are looking for a powerful, rich, and inspiring memoir, you need to go no further than Tara Westover’s recent book, Educated.  Her raw and compelling voice throughout a narrative about faith, family obligation, self-creation, knowledge, and the power of one’s past over the future should advance this story to the top of your book pile.  Her style and syntax are refreshingly natural, impactful, and lovely.  I am already looking forward to teaching her memoir in one of my classes next year.  Next up for me, at the suggestion of my favorite librarian, will be The Day The World Came to Town by Jim Defede.

And Finally

I took a quick look at the trailer for the new production of King Lear and, as with almost everything that Anthony Hopkins stars in, this movie is a must see for those who love the actor and Shakespeare.  I am imagining and hoping that we might see resonances of Hannibal Lecter in Hopkin’s portrayal.

I will inevitably have a camera in hand throughout the year ahead, so please be sure that you are looking your best when I next encounter you.

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By returning to the Greek origin (sabbatikos) for the word sabbatical, signaling a “ceasing of work” for study and travel, I invite you to peruse adventuresabbatikos from time to time as I share exposures from the year ahead. It is my hope to include observations, reflections, photographs, links to articles, videos, book titles, musings and more that may be of interest to you. I welcome any and all followers as well as ongoing feedback from you. I guess that there is no time like the present to get the adventuresabbatikos blog underway, so here goes.

No matter what lens we look through, this summer was one of great sadness with the tragic losses of two close friends, Lindsay Crosby and Cindy Swank, two amazingly talented, beautiful, and good people.  While I, like so many others, continue to move forward with living, both women are never far from my thoughts, and I reflect often upon them and their far too short lives.  I know that all of us stand behind Evan, Mark, and their wonderful families.

In early August I had an opportunity to join the Pan Mass Crus11tour as a rider to help raise funding for glioblastoma, the type of cancer that took Davey Hovey’s own life a little over a year ago.  From the very beginning of the two day 192 mile event, I was inspired to a part of a community of 6,500 riders, 4,000 volunteers, and countless supporters who lined the roads from Sturbridge to Provincetown, shouting encouragement, cheering the riders, and thanking everyone for his or her efforts to support the fight against cancer.  The Crush11tour team to date has raised over $500,000 and the total Pan Mass effort hopes to exceed 52 million for research.  A pretty incredible event that reminded me of the goodwill of so many.

As for summer reading, my three most recent books include Wallace Stegner’s classic, Crossing to Safety, David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, and Sheelah Kolhatkar’s, Black Edge: Inside Information, Dirty Money, and the Quest to Bring Down the Most Wanted Man on Wall Street, all compelling reads in their own way.  Stylistically, Crossing to Safety (one of Amy’s favorite books 40 years ago) was both beautifully written and insightful as the narrative explored the complicated nature of friendships and marriages over many years. I just picked up Tara Westover’s Educated, a memoir some of my colleagues have already read and enjoyed.

I thought too I would include a couple of recent articles of interest.  The first focuses on the iconoclast Bryson de Chambeau who is quietly making a name for himself during the final couple of PGA tournaments of the season.  The second, The Last Butterfly, reminds us of childhood and nature, and the last highlights the relationship a young woman had with J.D. Salinger many years ago.

Finally, next week I head off to Maine Media for a week long photography course focusing on portrait photography.  While I have had very little formal photography training, I have always found a camera in my hands, especially during my years at Westminster. In addition to Maine Media, I anticipate taking an online course with Annie Leibovitz, one of the great American portrait photographers.

More later..