‘The Habit of Art’

17 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by Richard in Escapes and Pleasures

Being deprived of Broadway theater because of my favorite younger daughter’s move from the NYC to Miami (previously discussed Here) and because I felt i needed to repair my tarnished reputation with my wife for the Chinese ‘Debacle’ (also discussed earlier), I took my good friend Mary L’s advice that the only DC theater currently worth attending was Alan Bennett”s The Habit of Art **** at the Studio Theatre.

Ah, thank you Mary.

At last, a Studio Theatre presentation that I could both understand and recommend to others.

Occupy Wall Street: What Is It?

14 Friday Oct 2011

Posted by Richard in The Outer Loop

≈ 2 Comments

Early morning checking of the news (via Twitter) brings word that the owners of the square being occupied in NY (how does someone/a business own a square in NYC?) have asked the city not to clear the demonstrators. And so an impending confrontation seems averted for the moment.

But a larger question: What is Occupy Wall Street really?

Is it just a bunch of middle and upper middle class folks out protesting?

And is it even clear what they are protesting?

Four Films: Something for Everyone

13 Thursday Oct 2011

Posted by Richard in Escapes and Pleasures

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I’ve seen four films over the last couple of weeks, all quite different, and all worthy of your attention.

(Note that I rate the films from one to five stars – */***** – and also at the end of each mini review, I am now adding the ratings from both individuals and the critics from Rotten Tomatoes. Also, I try to avoid any ‘spoilers’ when writing about the films.)

More Results from 2011 MillersTime Baseball Contests

11 Tuesday Oct 2011

Posted by Richard in Go Sox

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Needed: at least eight folks to vote for the winner of Contest #1 – The Best Prediction for the 2011 Season. See Below for details.

But first, some other results:

I. The wisdom of the ‘masses’ (aka ‘MillersTime Baseball Wizards’) was anything but…

Of the three top predictions made by the 44 contestants, only one came true. And that one was only partially true.

Not True: Phillies and Red Sox in the World Series

Not True: Sox will beat the Phillies in the WS.

Partially True: Nationals will improve this year to a season record of 71-91. They actually ended with a record of 80-81.

Two Terrific Reads

10 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by Richard in Escapes and Pleasures

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My two most recently enjoyed ‘reads’* are Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and In the Garden of Beasts by Eric Larson.

Last year, Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese, seemed to be the book most often mentioned by readers of MillersTime. For 2011, Unbroken seems to be the leading contender for the book most enjoyed.

Not Such a Good Idea After All…

09 Sunday Oct 2011

Posted by Richard in Escapes and Pleasures

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It seemed like a good idea…at the time.

A play about a 100 year old Peking Duck restaurant, an award winning, long running, and frequently revived play about the ups and downs of this restaurant, its owners, the issues of inheritance, management, the human condition, Chinese culture, cuisine, etc.

Performed by the Beijing People’s Art Theatre, an award winning national theater company of China established in the 1950s.

And the production was to be in Washington, at the Kennedy Center, for only three performances.

So of course I rushed to get tickets, congratulating myself on finding a way to secure two tickets even before they went on sale publicly. I was sure that my wife Ellen would enjoy it and be impressed at my being au courant.

Three MillersTime Baseball Contest Winners Named

30 Friday Sep 2011

Posted by Richard in Go Sox

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We have three winners in two of the 2011 MillersTime Baseball Contests.

In Contest #2, asking if the Nats would have a better or worse record and what their won-loss record would be, there is a tie.

The Nats improved their record from last year’s 69-93 to 80-81, quite probably the best gain of any team this year. They didn’t have a chance to end their season at .500 because a rained out game with the Dodgers was not rescheduled as it would not have affected any of the standings.

And so who were the winners?

Rays, Cards Deserve It. Sox, Braves Didn’t

29 Thursday Sep 2011

Posted by Richard in Go Sox

≈ 4 Comments

in the light of the new day, now that I have survived the night (having put away all sharp instruments yesterday afternoon and confining myself to the first floor last night), here are my morning after thoughts:

*Give the Rays and Cards all the credit. They took advantage of the Sox’ and Braves’ decline, had terrific Septembers, and won when they had to. I wish them well for the playoffs and will be rooting for them both in the postseason.

Cory Booker: “Not on Our Watch”

28 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by Richard in The Outer Loop

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Some of you have probably know of Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark. Some of you may have heard his name. Lots of you probably don’t know him at all.

When you have 25 minutes to devote to a YouTube video, do yourself, me, and the country a favor by listening to what he recently told an audience.

Click on the link below. You won’t be disappointed.

Each of us, All of us – Cory Booker at Zeitgeist Americas 2011

Elizabeth Warren: The New ‘Values’ Candidate?

25 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by Richard in The Outer Loop

≈ 2 Comments

Elizabeth Warren has only been on the campaign trail for a few weeks in her MA run for the Senate against Sen. Scott Brown. Already, however, she is exciting many Democrats and worrying some Republicans.

If you haven’t heard or read much about her, check out what she said recently:

“Moneyball” – See It

24 Saturday Sep 2011

Posted by Richard in Escapes and Pleasures, Go Sox

≈ 1 Comment

If you like baseball. See the movie Moneyball.

If you don’t like baseball and/or have never seen a game in your life, still see Moneyball.

Daughter Moves. Father Loses.

24 Saturday Sep 2011

Posted by Richard in Family and Friends

≈ 2 Comments

“If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant’s life, she will choose to save the infant’s life without even considering if there are men on base.” — Dave Barry

As you probably know, or have read in an earlier post (“Life After New York City“), my favorite younger daughter recently left NYC for Miami and a new job.

And apparently she didn’t even consider, a la Dave Berry, what that would mean for her dear father.

As I was supervising the moving of her furniture a few days ago (she was already off to her new life), it suddenly dawned on me that this move was going to be costly for me. To wit:

Book Club Anyone?

21 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by Richard in Escapes and Pleasures

≈ 1 Comment

Anyone out there in the DC area interested in a daytime book club?

How about adding a ‘remote’ link/group for those of you who are wise enough not to live inside the Capital Beltway?

Jane Bradley and myself were talking the other day and thought we might like to start one.

The Nats Do It Better Than The Sox

21 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by Richard in Go Sox

≈ 2 Comments

Not only are the Boston Red Sox struggling, but in comparison to the Washington Nationals, they come in a poor second when it comes to stadium tours.

On my recent failed trip to Boston, I finally took the one hour plus tour of Fenway Park. It was disappointing.

I Failed

20 Tuesday Sep 2011

Posted by Richard in Go Sox

≈ 1 Comment

I failed.

Miserably.

Both Fenway games I attended (with Sox fans Chris B., Rigo Molina , and MillersTime Baseball Contest winner Jeff F) ended in defeat for the beloved Sox.