My Hovercraft is Full of Eels

Lots of snow recently. I went up with a few friends to Stowe for a day of snowboarding. Paul and I raced each other, and managed to crash into each other. I had no idea how fast we were going, but we were going flat out, I’d guess 40 to 50 mph. Paul bruised much [...]

Wandering aimlessly around Montreal, I came across a group of people carrying banners and shouting as they walked down the street. Always one to get involved without really understanding the situation, I walked alongside, then among the protesters, until one of them approached me to ask, first in French and then in English, for a [...]

Reading about Montreal, I was surprised to find that most residents would rather gripe about the snow on the sidewalk than the formerly all consuming effort at secession (the whole French-speaking thing). I now see why. Sidewalks are sheets of ice trapping pools of slushy water. Fashionable shoes are out, giant polar-expedition boots are in. [...]

Taking advantage of Spring Break, I headed north, through Connecticut where I saw old roomates and classmates, to Vermont, where I skied/boarded at Ascutney and Jay Peak, and headed to the border to Canada in my jalopy, which is behaving so far, though I’m suspicious . . .

The border guard interrogated me briefly, and I [...]

I just watched Darjeeling Limited, set in India. No, it’s set in Wes Anderson’s version of India. Beyond the beauty of the cinematography, I remember thinking, there should be more people. And traffic. What about the noise? Why are the trains so clean? Why is one of the characters barefoot – has he looked at [...]

I haven’t updated my blog in a while because I simply haven’t had much energy following my father’s death. I’m beginning to re-engage, though am also taking this time to watch some of the movies I’ve wanted to see for a while, and most importantly read a few books. Last night I finished a personal [...]