Mole Underfield

Birthday Shout Outs

2009-12-29T15:42:12Z

Happy Birthday Jennifer Ehle! Congratulations on reaching the big '40'.

Happy Birthday also to Tigger, who is a year old.

Christmas & Boxing Day

2009-12-27T21:47:13Z

Grinninfoole & Millari visited yesterday evening (Boxing Day). We had a fine dinner at home and enjoyed our presents. They were supposed to come on Christmas Day, but he was exhausted from overwork. The 25th was a low key day. My parents and I opened some presents in the afternoon, then had Christmas dinner with the extended family at China Blossom in the evening. It all worked out for the best for the holiday cheer was spread out instead of crammed in to one day.

Millari is of the Germany today to visit a friend. I hope she has a wonderful time.

Painting

2009-12-16T21:48:23Z

This is another painting I did at my MFA course.

Afternoon

2009-12-13T22:26:29Z

I have just spent a pleasant afternoon at the Boston home of my MFA teacher and his wife (I will call them BC & Kat) along with their friends and other students. Their apartment is cozy with nice decor. There are many steps though. BC gave me and other guests the grand tour. This was my first time meeting Kat and she was very nice and cheerful. One the guests used to be in Blue Man Group. Another guest lives in my hometown. I had hoped that classmate Maya would show, but she had indicated last week that was not likely.

It's as though a new world has opened for me. I was lucky to have this teacher for this beginner's course in painting because he has a non-confrontational style, i.e. he is mild mannered and encouraging. Part of this luck was due to a clerical error on the part of the MFA. My confirmation letter in September cited a female as the teacher and the room number, 304. I reported to 304 for first class and met BC and Maya. I found out a week later that the intended room was 302. I received a call from the MFA saying that the female teacher would not be in that week. When I explained what happened the previous week, I was told that continuing in BC's class would be fine. This circumstance shows that sometimes an error can make events turn out for the better.

"Againistan"

2009-12-02T04:31:30Z

I watched President Obama's speech about Afghanistan tonight. As usual he gave a fine speech, but this time I disagree with his decision.

Painting

2009-11-19T03:18:26Z

This is one of the paintings I have done at my class at the MFA.

The (new) Prisoner

2009-11-18T04:05:00Z

I have watched the re-imagined version of "The Prisoner". My impressions are as follows: intriguing, suspenseful, curious, confusing, but above all

DISAPPOINTING!

Weekend

2009-11-09T01:47:31Z

I was at Boston College on Saturday listening to the syposium “Soldiers & Citizens: Military and Civic Cutlure in America". There were three panel discussions about the military and its relationship to society at large. The talk was quite fascinating. Best of all, I met Rachel Maddow and had my picture taken with her. She moderated the third panel.

I also chatted with Paul Rieckhoff, the executive director and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), who is often on Rachel's show. I purchased his book 'Chasing Ghosts'. All in all, Saturday was awesome.

Today (Sunday) was more mundane. I raked leaves, visited the local bookstore, took a walk and went out to dinner with Mom & Dad.

Job

2009-11-05T20:14:35Z

I received an e-mail today informing me that I will not get the job for which I interviewed three weeks ago. At least I can continue on in the painting class at the MFA.

Funeral

2009-10-30T21:22:26Z

I attended the funeral of Dad's cousin today. The service at the church was predictably boring though my second cousins gave fine eulogies. The burial service was short and the luncheon at the Lanam Club very nice.

Mosaic

2009-10-23T02:36:36Z

This is a photograph I took at the MET of a glass mosaic by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Entry

2009-10-20T21:56:28Z

Yesterday (Monday), I had a job interview which went well. I think a have a shot at this job though I won't bet the farm on it.

Last night, I was taken out to dinner by Leigh & Chris to the Chateau for a belated birthday celebration. The food and conversation were very pleasant. I told them of my visit to NYC and showed photos and video on my iPod. Later, I invited them to the house for birthday cake and to meet Tigger.

Today I went to my painting class. The process is challenging, but I think I am improving technique. This may have been my last class if I am hired for that job. I will just have to wait and see.

Movies

2009-10-18T03:45:21Z

My friend, Cathy, and I watched The Hurt Locker this evening. It was an excellent thriller with outstanding performances by Jeremy Renner (as SSgt. William James), Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty. Ralph Fiennes had a small role as the leader of a team of British mercenaries. In a nutshell, the film was "Danger UXB" in Iraq.

Speaking of which, while in New York, I saw the movie The Damned United, which had Maurice Roëves (Sergeant James in Danger UXB) in a supporting role. The lead part of Brian Clough was played brilliantly by Michael Sheen.

Hmm.... both The Hurt Locker and Danger UXB are about defusing bombs and both have a character named Sergeant James.

New York City

2009-10-14T02:54:55Z

American Museum of Natural History

Empire State Building

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

These are some of the attractions that I visited in New York this past weekend. I had a fabulous time in spite of my compulsive habit of worrying. I am very grateful to Grinninfoole & Millari for their company and especially grateful to our cousin from KY for the use of her apartment. Many thanks.

Central Park looking west about 5:45pm on Sunday.

Weekend

2009-10-13T03:03:08Z

I have returned from a weekend visit to New York City accompanied by my brother and sister in law. We had a great time. I will write more later, but now I am tired. Good night.

Lecture

2009-10-02T01:40:50Z

I attended a lecture at the Boston Athenaeum this evening conducted by Scottish author, Andro Linklater, who has written a book titled An Artist in Treason: The Extraordinary Double Life of General James Wilkinson. The tale he told was fascinating and I look forward to reading the book. I bought a copy and had it signed.

I asked him what part of Scotland he was from. He replied that he was from Orkney Islands in the far north. I said that I visited Scotland once with my mother and that her maiden name was Stirling. He sounded bemused.

On Tuesday, I attended my first painting class at the MFA. The subject was a still life and the paints used were acrylic. As a complete novice at this medium, I was intimidated at first. But after diving in - so to speak - I became more relaxed though it was still a challenge. I think my prior experience in charcoal drawing helped me.

House Tour

2009-09-26T20:14:55Z

Mom and I have just returned from a house tour sponsored by the local historical society. The houses on display were quite interesting each in its own way. The floor of the front hallway of one house had big black and white tiles -- just like in a Vermeer painting.

Another house had solar panels and an elevator. The star attraction was a house built in 1759 and has been recently expanded but with the historical integrity preserved. There's a pool and jacuzzi uphill from it with a 3/4 scale replica of the original house the functions as a storage shed. The weather today has been picture perfect.

Visit

2009-09-19T21:37:51Z

I had a nice time visiting friends in CT Thursday & Friday. I spent a few hours at the New Britain Museum of American Art; it was marvelous. Among the art were sculptures by Solon Borglum (younger brother of Gutzon Borglum), and paintings by Mary Cassatt and Winslow Homer. It was so nice to get away from home and be with congenial people for a while.

Art

2009-09-14T03:56:33Z

I have finished watching the BBC produced drama "The Impressionists" on DVD. The story of Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Frédéric Bazille and Alfred Sisley is told in flashbacks by the elderly Monet (Julian Glover) to a young reporter. The visuals, as one might expect, are colorful. Curiously, Camille Pissarro is never mentioned in the series, even though he knew the others well.

For fans of Jane Austen dramatizations, there are performances by Crispin Bonham-Carter & Amanda Root.

Walk

2009-09-06T20:23:02Z

I saw nine turkeys yesterday when taking my daily walk. Regrettably, I did not have my camera. So, today, during my extended walk to downtown and back, I brought my camera. I did not see any turkeys, but I did see this cute white dog.

Movie

2009-09-04T21:31:35Z

I watched Julie & Julia this afternoon and thought it was delightful. This drama is lighthearted and touching and well worth watching. Amy Adams was beautiful and awesome as Julie Powell. Meryl Streep, always superb, looked like she was having fun as Julia Child.

In another note, most of the backyard has been scraped and re-seeded. The task took the landscapers three days. It was Dad's idea and I hope, for his peace of mind, that the lawn will look nicer.

Mad Men

2009-09-01T02:40:54Z

I watched another episode of "Mad Men" (Season 3). I am impressed by the acting and writing and the look. The show makes the 1960's look like a series of Edward Hopper paintings. Hopper did live until 1967.

Art

2009-08-28T02:27:30Z

I saw "The Golden Age of Dutch Seascapes" at the Peabody Essex Museum today. The paintings were nice, but the exhibition as a whole was underwhelming.

Movie

2009-08-27T01:52:26Z

I watched Possession on DVD tonight. This is my second viewing; the first was in a theater. I gave the DVD to Mom for her birthday last month.

The movie is good, but not great. The visuals are well done. Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam are fine, but Aaron Eckhart is annoying. The only reason to watch the film is Jennifer Ehle, as the bisexual poetess, Christabel LaMotte. She is breathtakingly beautiful here.

Birthday

2009-08-16T01:46:08Z

Today is Millari's birthday. I drove out to join her, Grinninfoole, sydneycat and other friends to participate in a celebratory picnic on Mount Sugarloaf. The weather was sunny and hot, but the patio roof in the picnic area kept the air reasonable. The view was nice in spite of the haze. Some hornets came to pay a visit; no one was stung fortunately. The cake was delicious.