28 October 2008

It's officially snowing in Oxford.
This does not bode well for the coming winter.

One of the coolest things ever!

I had the great pleasure to attend the wedding of Alex and Kim. No words can express.

Alex and I go back years (to a contentious email -but never mind) and to meet Kim sealed the deal. Wonderful + Amazing = Outrageous!!

Tomatoes (sp?)

As I mentioned earlier, I tried to cultivate a garden this summer. It was a mixed bag.

The herbs: basil (dead), cilantro (dead), dill (dead), Neidermeyer! (dead).

BUT, the tomatoes decided to make a late arrival and have all turned red despite the cold and rather wet weather. I believe that they are rewarding my hours of vocalized encouragement (you can see one hiding at the bottom in the picture). I did also get one red chili. It was hot.

Boston

As part of the ongoing responsibility of work, I had to travel to Boston (MA, USA) recently. It was the conference of conferences, the biggest gathering of political scientists of the year, APSA. While I was pleased with our paper (that we were to present), my computer died and I spent most of my time trying to rebuild out paper and presentation from email exchanges and scraps on my computer (thanks Best Buy!).

I signed up late so ended up staying a bit out of the city center at one of the lesser hotels. However, I learned more about Boston by having to travel through it.

I also promised the bartender at my local (the Kite) that I would bring him an authentic Sox cap. So, during a slow part of the day, I slipped out of the conference and went down to Fenway - during a Red Sox/White Sox game no less (!) - and got him one.

Bona Fide.

Magyarorszag

I recently went to Hungary to give a talk at the Institute for Social and European Studies. I was warmly welcomed by Dr. Ferenc Miszlivetz and spent a few days enjoying his and the institute's hospitality.

What made this trip more enjoyable was that I used to live and work in Hungary, specifically the same town, Kőszeg.

I got to enjoy the company of old friends. Imre, Tibor, Kati, Andras....

If you have the chance, go to Hungary.

Inspired Art?

My flat needs something. I need to hang something on the walls. Art, or semblances of art. After spending several years slowly collecting and often turning things into things that one hangs on the wall, I am at a loss here. All that work is packed and stored in the States.

So, what am I to do here?

An American friend and agent provocateur, Chelsey, pushed me (under duress) to make my own. Make my own art to hang on the wall.

What?

I prefer the single line drawings of Picasso,

Japanese artists,

or just pictures that I've taken myself (just about everything else in the blog).

But MAKE YOUR OWN?

So we each bought a canvas and acrylic paints... Now, in a fit of inspiration (that can hit at any time), I might actually paint something.

Photos to follow.

UPDATE:

Final product. No need to comment, I know, I know....

Making life a little better..

The Colbert Report hosted the band, Rush, for an evening (here), marking the first time that they had played American television in 33 years. But, I guess they've been busy making gold and platinum albums in the meantime.


For those of you who know my musical preferences, this was no small event. They can still make some noise. Albeit highly synchronized, guitar-, bass-, and drum- driven (not even sometimes taking turns), progressive and technical noise.

Somehow it comes together - like nature herself - to form a beautiful simplicity.

Simplicity that rocks!

Gardening

So, the seeds have taken and the herbs are growing: Basil, Cilantro, Lovage, Thyme, Dill, Parsley, Rosemary, Mint, and Lavender.

And to round out this ensemble, tomatoes, a chili plant, and lettuce!

Oh, look! It's the Queen!

Apparently, the Monarchy of England has come under some recent scrutiny. The actual costs of having the Royal Family live (and to some degree work) but have everyone else in the country pay their bills is increasingly viewed with little favour. As unlike a working class family, this one gets the best of everything (nice house(s)!) and works to essentially be able to say they work for a living.

That actual cost of supporting the Royal Family is not outrageous at 66p per person (see it here). And yet, despite a long history and the tradition of a constitutional monarchy, the U.K. is flirting with the idea (as seen with the slow erosion of power from the House of Lords) of having them get off the public dole.

Summer

Summer has arrived in Oxford. Everything I said before now can be discarded. In the sunlight (which comes up very eary 4:30 am and stays up late 10pm), the buidings look beautiful. People put out windowsill flower boxes, gardens are over-flowing, and the sunight makes everyone smile.

Nuffield College

Nuffield College is celebrating 50 years of existence. It is one of the newest colleges at Oxford and was founded by Lord Nuffield, creator of the Morris car manufacturing plant (in Oxford).

Here is the Guardian's short article.

Barthelona

I have - or maybe had - the good fortune of a friend who lives in Barcelona. Unfortunately, he is leaving at the end of May so I needed to visit immediately. It was fantastic, seafood, Gaudi, the Med.

I did it properly by spending the days at either the beach or in the museums. I was particularly drawn to the architecture and artistic visions of Antonio Gaudi. He designed a city within a city at Park Guell and the church for which posthumous work continues, the Sagrada Familia (here).

Spent too much money but spent it all on food and entrance fees. Perfect.

Scotland

I recently took an unrepresentative tour of Scotland. It was limited to Aberdeen. The first day was meetings and work but I did get a chance to see the university and its cobblestoned streets. Quite lovely actually.

Day two, however, introduced me to the sea harbour that Aberdeen actually is. Aberdeen sits on the North Sea and is home to many Americans, Swedes, and Scots. The city is a sturdy one, and necessarily so at the pronounced latitude of 57° 9' N (for comparrison, Oslo, St. Petersburg, and Stockholm are in the 59's).

However, there was a greivous miscalculation as to how much granite is suitable for building. Every single building - including houses, flat, businesses, the City Hall, churches - was grey, unpainted cinderblocks. I thought at first it was the grey sky overhead that was clouding my vision, but no.

Now, the peope that I met were fantastically pleasant and I did find a nook of green from which I could see the sea. But other than boats (and the accompanying oil museum), it was granite all day and all night.

Spring

Spring decided to finally show up.

Pullman Trains

A blast from the past. You can ride the Oxford-London link in style by taking the Steam Engined Pullman train. The ride inlcudes drinks and a brunch with a guided tour of Oxford on your arrival. A steal at 350 Pounds Sterling.

More info here

Tony Judt

Excellent articles by Jony Judt:

The Wrecking Ball of Innovation

and

The 'Probem of Evil' in Postwar Europe

Sunrise

Tuesday, 5 February 2008

Sunrise 07:39 (GMT)
Sunset 16:57 (GMT)

Now we are starting to get somewhere and to put this in perspective, it is on the 26th of February (a Tuesday in general and a special day in specific) that the sunrise will be in the 6 o'clock hour

26 February 2008
Sunrise: 06:58 (GMT)
Sunset: 17:38 (GMT)

If you want to know A LOT more, you can go here:

Stating the obvious

In other startling news, a news correspondent writes that the sun has risen in the east again. Scientists believe this may be the beginning of a trend.

Grande

And he's off! Let's wish luck and godspeed to our boy who is employed (however briefly) to get that dissertation done!

Herzog

A few ideas from Werner Herzog:

"A grown up man should eat his shoes once in a while or do certain things that make equal sense."

"Tourism is a sin and travel by foot a virtue."

I am fascinated by Herzog's films. It would be useless to try and differentiate them into preconceived genres as his documentaries take on fictional elements and his movies incorporate fanciful elements.

Start at the end and work your way back. His early work requires a great deal of understanding of what he is trying to do with film. Although, I would suggest that many of the early works are my favorites.

See his website here

Rising Tide

Back in Oxford to the rising waters of the Thames. Again.

An alliance of affected persons in West Oxford (my neighborhood) are taking preemptive action to engage the city council in action before - not in reaction to - a flood.

Other than that cold, grey, and rainy. And interestingly, very windy!