Ronald Searle's Cats

Anyone who has taken a cursory glance at my blog can tell that I like cats.  I have liked cats since I met the first one, and it has generally been a mutual admiration society.  I always like it when I run across other people who like cats, especially if they draw great cats.  Perhaps the greatest cat artist is Ronald Searle.  I don't really know his bio nor much else of his career (except those Saint Trinnian's cartoons), but I have been a fan of his cats since the mid-70s when I stumbled across "Searle's Cats"...Read more

Cat and Orchid

My office--May 20, 2009, 5 p.m.

My office:  one hopes there is some method to the madness on abundant display wherever you turn your eyes.  Look at these pictures as though you were an Egyptologist trying to make sense of a jumble of objects you found in situ in a tomb you are excavating.  Taken as a series of artifacts, they say much about the one who lives in this space, even though, in my case, it is not a "House of Eternity".  What stories do these pictures tell?  I would be curious to know.  Don't be afraid to be fanciful and "make up...Read more

THIS is what flamenco is all about

Camarón, voice and Tomatito, guitar.  Both were truly inspired that night in Málaga.  The audience was going wild, Tomatito was playing like the devil himself and Camarón was the voice of flamenco.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEj7wL4I1c8

The Cat is in the Bag

I don't know what got into Henry this afternoon, but, for the first time ever, he climbed inside of a plastic bag and curled up.  He was awfully cute, so I could resist taking his picture.

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These Memories Can't Wait--Talking Heads

Everything has gone very quiet

Everyone has gone to sleep

I’m wide awake on memories

These memories can’t wait.

Talking Heads, Memories Can’t Wait (from Fear of Music, 1979)

I’ve been in a strange frame of mind for the past week, ever since I started listening to the Taking Heads again.  I hadn’t listened to their music in quite a few years, other musical genres like flamenco, Latin pop, Early Music, tango and Cantopop have taken up all of the available airtime in my busy l...Read more

Peonies

The peony bush in my yard is in bloom, and glorious blooms they are!

Here are some of the flowers close-up.  I am surprised that my camera takes such good pictures.

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For all those who loved Leslie Cheung

In your memory

you hungered for love, drowning in it like a fish in the sea; how could you not feel the intense love of so many millions? yet it could not fill the gaping hole in your soul.

cautious, few glimpsed the man/child you so carefully hid away, convinced they would close their hearts against you if they saw your truth.

but when those who truly loved y...Read more

Spring 2009 at my house

I promised to post something about spring at my house.  Spring has been going on for quite some time, now (since late February), so there is a lot to see.  I'm not a gardener, so my yard isn't a showplace like most yards and gardens here in the Southern US.  But, nevertheless, nature puts on quite a show, if you know where to look.

Early Spring

Daffodils still in bu...Read more

Wrestling with the beast

I've been working on a new poem for the past couple of days.  Most of the work has been done late at night, when I really should have been in bed.  This has its advantages, sig other is asleep and so I can concentrate totally on what I'm doing, but I've been up for about 18 hours already, so the brain alternates between fog and mush.  Things that look really good at midnight, look less cool in the brain fog at 6:15 a.m. the next morning, and downright awful by 8 p.m.

The feel of the poem is there, at least I'm...Read more