The New Arb
April 20, 2025
I’ve been meaning to post these photos since last weekend when I took a beeeeeeautiful walk around the arb. The excavation & rebuilding project is done (I think). Now we have islands, and waterways within the waterway. And as a very cool embellishment, the arboretum folks have planted wildflowers on those islands. So.. here are some of my fave photos from last week.
Now That’s a Good Saturday
April 19, 2025
My idea of a near perfect Saturday:
I Start the day with the best workout in a loooong time. It was a great workout because this 69-year-old body was about as free of inflammation as I’ve felt in years, thanks to a 6-day course of methylprednisolone, which I took to reduce an inflamed nerve in my tooth, in preparation for yesterday’s pre-implant tooth extraction. (With me here?) The benefit of taking an oral steroid to reduce inflammation in my mouth, was the systemic effect of overall inflammation reduction.. which has resulted in astonishing mobility and flexibility and bendiness. It’s like my teenage self (only a small exaggeration). I may have reported — a couple of months ago — the effect of having taken a 5-day “prednisone burst,” prescribed by my primary to address very stubborn knee inflammation caused by last summer’s traumatizing Dolomites hike. That was a Hail Mary tactic that worked beautifully… but it was child’s play compared to the effects of this week’s steroid. So.. yeah.. started the day with fantastic stretching and yoga and bendiness — positions I haven’t managed in a very long time. Made for an exceptional workout and a fantastic start to the day!
(I have no pictures of this.)
II Then attend a HAND’S OFF rally right here in town. Life in these United States, for the next few years, is going to involve a lot of rage against the regime. In the first 85 days of this corrupt and dangerous administration, that has meant marches, protests and rallies in Sacramento, Ann Arbor, San Luis Obispo, Folsom…. and today: Davis! It’s a sad (and scary) statement about the state of our country, for sure, but it also feels righteous to turn the anger into action. And it’s especially nice to be in solidarity with people from my own town, to listen to members of my own community share their stories, to stand on a corner waving signs just a few blocks from my own house, to get honks of support from people I know.
III Then go listen to some jazz music at my favorite cafe. TH at Cloud Forest Cafe has been organizing a series of live music concerts in the Spring and Fall for a number of years now. This was my first time going and it was just lovely.
IV Then go to Janet’s for dinner. Always nice when someone else does all the cooking! Plus, good company and a post dinner walk around the pond.
Who’s a Baby?
April 18, 2025
Me, that’s who.
Not going to get into it, but let’s just say 1) I’m glad the first (worst) phase of this implant procedure is over (the tooth yanking out phase), and 2) thank the gods for xanax (and xanax-like anti-anxiety drugs).
Also, grateful, as always, for my ever level headed partner in life, who takes the sting out of everything unpleasant with his calmness, competence, kindness, patience, helpfulness, resourcefulness… all the good stuff. Jim’s the absolute best.
No pics of me, teeth, or blood-soaked gauzes (you’re welcome) … but how about a couple flower shots of a bouquet I’ve been loving these past few days.
Of the two side-by side: the one on the left is taken using the portrait setting, the one on the right just the normal point and click. Honestly, I’m not sure which I prefer
In a Villa in Tuscany…
April 17, 2025
As I write this (10:30 on a Thursday night in California, 7:30 on a Friday morning in Italy) Peter’s probably just waking up. Not sure what he’ll be doing today, but it’ll probably involve math. And hopefully some great Italian food and camaraderie.
The photo above is a screen shot of the end of a short video Peter sent to Maya, footage courtesy of a drone that started with the shot below… (also a screen shot from the same video), and then soared high above the group and villa and countryside. I imagine the woman in front is operating the drone.
Surmising this is the entirety of the gathered scholars..14 doctoral students and 8-ish professors? Look forward to hearing whatever stories Peter is willing to share about this group and the work they did this week.
Until then… I’m so pleased he got this opportunity and relieved that passport came through in the nick of time!
WTFJHT
April 16, 2025
Today’s WTFJHT takes my breath away. This is not normal.
WTFJHT (What the Fuck Just Happened Today) is a M-F summary, in one sentence, of the day’s top news, with cited references and expanded summaries below the one-long-sentence. It’s written by “Matt” a guy from Seattle who’s been writing this newsletter since T first took office in 2017. He’s a standup guy, he’s built a fantastic and huge community, and it’s just a great service. His email is the quickest and most easily consumable summary of the day’s news; I read it every weekday.
The kitchen window sill….
Fighting Oligarchy
April 15, 2025
I maintain — and I’m certainly not alone — that it’s essential that we show up. All the historians, all the scholars who study authoritarian/fascist regimes, all the resistance leaders.. are clear about the importance of being counted, using your voice, fighting in whatever way possible (including checkbook activism). But showing up is key because it shows everyone — those who are on the other side, those who are on the right side and those who are on the fence — that there is energy and momentum in the movement, that it’s big, it’s real, it’s powerful. Energy begets energy, mo begets mo.
If we’re going to deny trump’s takeover and makeover of our government, we need the people to rise up. We need a massive resistance movement.
They say that in order to beat back an authoritarian takeover of government you need to mobilize around 3-4% (of the general public, I think). That the only time authoritarian advances have succeeded is when the resistance falls below those numbers. Or put another way, authoritarian takeovers can be stopped if the resistance can actively mobilize at least 3% of the population. Analysts and pollsters right now are saying we are close to that number. I haven’t done the math and don’t pretend to understand it well enough to defend the theory, I’m just happy (desperate) to do my part. I do NOT want to sit on the sidelines and watch trump and his goons destroy our country.
I’m 100% convinced that’s exactly his goal: to completely tear down government. It’s become evermore evident since he’s taken office and as Project 2025 has become so publicly visible as their obvious blueprint. Destruction of the state is exactly what their strategy is and I’m not here for it. If all I have to do is show up when asked, call my reps, give some money, stay informed… I can do that.
Especially when it’s fun and inspiring, especially when it includes hanging out with friends, especially when it involves some of the key leaders and fighters of our time, in our history, like Bernie and AOC.
To that end: The Fight Oligarchy rallies that are happening all over the country, headlined by two lions of the progressive left, Bernie and AOC. The rallies are attracting tens and tens of thousands of attendees at all of their stops.. even in red zones like Idaho, Salt Lake City, Bakersfield (and Montana tomorrow). It’s just awesome what these two are doing. They’re educating millions of people, and inspiring them to action.
Today, the tour came to Folsom… right up the street! Folsom is probably the only Northern Californian stop on this historic tour so it attracted folks from all over this part of the state.
I met Sarah, Gabe and their daughter Rachel in line on the campus of Folsom Community College. We arranged to meet at noon-ish and stake out a place in line. We set up our chairs, like everyone else in line, and ate our lunches. Organizers came by handing out free water, vendors sold t-shirts, hats and buttons. People were super friendly and joyful (and inside: angry, anxious and quaking in their boots). We were fairly close to the first entry point, which they opened up at 2:00. We made our way down to the security check point and waited there for almost an hour and a half. We were early enough to be in the first wave of folks to be checked and scanned; they had about 15-20 lines, we were about 6 or 7th in our line. That’s all to say, we got into the venue early (the college’s track) and found a place on the grass next to a pair of giant speakers and within about 25-30 yards of the stage. No obstacles.
Music started around 4:00 or so — two pretty great groups — then at 6:00 a number of pre-speakers spoke, then at 6:30 AOC came up to the podium and spoke for about a half an hour, then Bernie, also about a half an hour. Things wrapped about 7:30. The whole thing was exceptionally inspiring.
I like Bob Dunning’s stats on it: 35,000 folks in attendance (that may or may not include the people who did not make it inside, and def didn’t include the many who left because they couldn’t get inside), and a line to get in that stretched 3 miles.
Some pics:
As seen in the crowd (check out the t-shirt with a vintage picture of Bernie being hauled out of a protest):
The main attractions:
It was a beautiful day and a glowy, beautiful evening:
They greeted the crowd a final time, then walked together off the stage:
Here are a few other photos worth sharing, with attributions:
This was from Bernie, himself:
Will
April 14, 2025
Meet Will. Kalea and Justin’s little boy, who’s now 7 weeks old.
I got to hang out a bit with this little guy this morning.
When I arrived, Will was napping on Bill’s lap. Then he napped a bit while Sabrina changed his diaper. Then he napped for our entire walk — two laps around College Park. Then we got home, and he was still napping. I got to hold him for a couple minutes (or, more accurately, I snagged him from the stroller when Sabrina left the room). He didn’t really come to. But I had a great time!
More stories to come, I imagine.
Doris!
April 13, 2025
We completed tonight a three-film series at the Odd Fellows, our twice annual classic movies treat. It really is a treat: free (though we donate a little something); free popcorn; a pre-film 30 minute folk concert; followed by a pre-film Ted Talk full of fun film facts and Hollywood gossip as only Derrick Bang can deliver; and the presentation of a classic movie projected on a pull down screen as we crank our heads upward while sitting in folding chairs. These are always films I never saw when they came out, but should certainly have seen by now. And that Derrick… he is a deep well of info, presented with nerdy flare.
The Odd Fellows do this in the Fall and Spring of each year, three successive Sundays, 10 or 12 years running now. Whole thing’s a hoot.
Here’s Derrick, himself:
And these are the flicks we saw… all featuring the adorable Doris Day:
Millionth Annual Picnic Day
April 12, 2025
Jim and I did our traditional thing: Jim set out early to procure a parade-side table at Crepeville, I arrived about 90 minutes later, and we watched the parade go by, peering over the heads of people we wished would sit on the curb instead of stand in the street. But it was fine. There are few surprises anymore.. mostly the same ol’ same ol’.
Here’s something new this year: the city showed off its new ladder fire truck! Jim’s been kvetching about this for awhile as an unnecessary expenditure. Here it is.. quite impressive (it was a few parade entries behind the University’s ladder truck, which is always in the parade).
Best of show right here… I took this picture because Welsh Corgis are Peter’s favorite dog. (Speaking of Peter, see note below!)
We returned home after the parade. A bit later I took a walk around campus to check things out. Rounding the corner at A and Russell, I saw this scene in front of the Sigma Nu fraternity:
Resting, sunning or passed out?
Campus was abuzz with picnickers, food trucks and a raucous rock band.. it was a nice vibe:
Battle of the Bands took place on the north side of Mrak Hall… lovely shady spot for gathering. It was dense with folks and numerous marching bands from universities all over the state. Also great energy.
All was not well in town, however. Literally minutes before I took the above photo, there’d been a shooting up at Community Park. Unbeknownst to Picnic Day revelers on campus, somebody opened fire at a band concert in the park, injuries were reported and police and ambulances — sirens blaring — were dispatched to the scene.. followed by a helicopter directing folks to evacuate immediately. Lots of hysteria ensued, a stampede formed, there was at least one injury from that… all the while, Picnic Day continued on a picture perfect afternoon, blissfully consuming folks on campus who were oblivious to the drama just a mile away.
I’m sure we’ll find out in the coming days what all happened up there.
For our part, we hunkered down, made a great dinner, Janet came over and we just talked politics and kids.
~~
Speaking of kids.
I’d texted the Corgi photo to Maya and Peter earlier in the day. Maya responded a bit later with the news that she’d just dropped Peter off at the Detroit airport for his flight to Italy. We were flabbergasted. Backing up: A few months back, Peter had been accepted to participate in a one-week program organized by a prominent fluids professor/researcher (from Zurich). It would be a week of collaborative problem solving among a small group of fluids doctoral candidates from around the world… a rare and fantastic opportunity to mix with some of the best in the field. We were flabbergasted because, one, we hadn’t realized the Italy trip was so soon.. we knew it was in April, but thought it was later in the month. Two, we were dubious that Peter’d actually be able to go as he’d run into a passport snag. His passport was due to expire within six months of his departure, requiring him to get a new one (weird rule). He’d applied for a replacement, albeit late, and the application was further delayed due to a missing signature (yikes). As of last week, he was still passportless. It was looking very dicey. Jim and I chose to keep our anxiety about this to ourselves and to let the cards fall where they may. Consequences, you know. If Peter was anxious about it, he didn’t share that with us. As a result, we were sweating it out on our own, keeping our parental handwringing to ourselves, and committing never to mention the not-to-be Italy trip ever again. So imagine our over the moon-ness! The passport arrived and Peter was on his way to a castle in Tuscany to rub elbows with 13 others scholars from around the world (Peter’s one of two from the US), learn new stuff, do math, cook, see the country side… I mean. We’d have hated for him to miss out on the experience. But now he won’t miss out. Super happy parents. I fully expect that no matter what happens, it’ll be a trip to remember. (And as of this writing, he’s arrived safely in Italy, so texted about an hour ago.)
Oh my goodness.
Music at the Odd Fellows
April 11, 2025
Jim and I went to hear Duo Quartet tonight at the Odd Fellows Hall. Duo Quartet comprises two duo groups: Chris Webster & Nina Gerber, and Pam Delgado & Jeri Jones. When they all play together, they’re the Due Quartet. Plus a dog, who lay quietly in her doggie bed right on stage.
This is who I really wanted to see.. Nina and Chris.
Jim and I have heard Chris sing countless times, mostly at Home for the Holidays annual concerts (like, almost 20 of them) and a few Mumbo Gumbo events. Her voice is just buttery gorgeous. Nina accompanies a whole bunch of singers (the ones I know and have heard live are: Greg Brown, Kate Wolf, Lucy Kaplansky, Eliza Gilkyson). I just read on Nina’s website that she and Chris are performing twice this summer in Sac, just the two of them… might have to pitch that to Jim.
~~
Had a nice lunch at Tower Cafe this afternoon with Susan. A sad percentage of our lunch was taken up with fretful, angry conversation about the current president and all that he’s doing to tank the economy, topple the world order, strip us of our civil rights, rewrite and whitewash history… horror on every front. But it was good to see her and it’s always good to share perspectives on the politics of the day.
Life of Wry 