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We combined fire and
We combined fire and cottonwood last night after Tod discovered that it burns beautifully. With lighters in hand, we walked the neighborhood looking for patches and drifts of the white, fluffy seeds. Touching flame to an edge caused the seeds to catch fire in a wavefront like a fuse burning down. Fire consumed them so…
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Grilled leg of lamb.
Grilled leg of lamb. Pierogies and blintzes. Falafel and hummus. Coming to Chicago is always an excuse for feasting on things that are hard to get in Tokyo. And the prices can’t be compared. Our leg of lamb was $18 from a local slaughterhouse. (I’m sure it would be $18/lb in Tokyo). Our filling Polish…
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Yesterday morning’s fire was
Yesterday morning’s fire was more appropriate than I imagined. We spent the day marvelling over the blizzard of cottonwood snow that blew from two local trees. The soft, fluffy seeds fell from the sky, drifted across sidewalks, collected in the gutters, stuck in our hair.
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It’s 7:45 in the
It’s 7:45 in the morning. Tod & John are out getting wood to start a fire. I’m not sure why–perhaps for atmosphere, or maybe someone’s going to cook breakfast over it. Kris is about to start a summer job as a camp councillor, so I suppose this could be for her benefit. All I know…
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A year ago my
A year ago my sister, a poet from Pennsylvania, came to visit me. We talked about how experiences, like a roast hot out of the oven, need a while to settle before we dig into them. They want time to grow inside the cocoon of self before taking fight. Pick your metaphor. We have to…
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If you’re well travelled,
If you’re well travelled, you know that packing for a trip is an art. Maximise the combinations of clothes, minimize the space, and you have yourself a well-packed bag. Fortunately for me, my entire wardrobe follows that rule (everything is black or goes with black) so packing’s not too challenging. Until you consider where the…
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Since I was a
Since I was a teenager, I’ve wanted to see the Royal Shakespeare Company perform live. Small dream accomplished. The touring company is playing The Tempest at the Tokyo Globe and it’s an excellent production. They’ve blended music with Prospero’s magic to create something really powerful. The stage itself was fantastic–a sinuous rolling wave, raked sharply…
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I’m often surprised how
I’m often surprised how American culture and habits sometimes rub me the wrong way. Other times I cuddle up comfortably with them. Case in point. Last night at midnight, I attended a conference call. (Don’t even get me started on the “joys” of global telecomm and its use at wicked hours) Most of the particpants…
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Geek celebrities. It’s weird
Geek celebrities. It’s weird how in any field there are those who are well-known and respected practiioners of their craft. But in the Internet world, the widespread sharing of communication allows some to become celebrities and household names. Among my circle of geeky friends, Slashdot is a news portal of choice. And last night, we…
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Nothing list a new
Nothing list a new trash can to brighten up a kitchen. Sounds like a silly thing, but we have to separate our waste into five categories, so we have a lot of trash cans. Or rather, we should have had. Actually, we had a lot of paper shopping bags. Now we have a nice collection…
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