Even water
changes its mind mid-
drip from
the bearded
skull of a
streetlamp
strange to
be given
proof sound
comes from
movement
and noise
chaos—I
am the still-
fumed center
of the world
holding its
breath on a
burned thing
cooled
John Freeman
I watched Queen Chandelier a while back and somehow didn’t finish the entire special. I usually didn’t care about the comedian’s outfit, but the wings on Sommore’s jacket were a bit odd for me. I finished the rest yesterday while tuning up our skis and snowboards. The listening experience was better than watching it. She was hilarious. The only thing I could recall from her special was that she’s pro-vaccine.
I was listening to Leanne Morgan’s Netflix Special while tuning up our skis and snowboards. I found her jokes light and relaxing. She shared a great deal about her husband and their sex lives. I enjoyed it even without watching the show.
I recently discovered Yaeji’s With a Hammer through Amazon Music. Yaeji has saccharine vocals. Her phrasings are both exotic and eccentric trading lines between English and Korean. The productions are the elements that pulled me in. I am hooked on the electronic dance, jungle beats. With a Hammer is an impressive debut with consistent tracks throughout the album. I enjoyed it immensely.
Every day at lunch the gray heron
canters down from her branch in the brook
leaving behind turquoise eggs. There were
two birds, but kids killed one with a slingshot, so
now she hooks alone, casting with her giant
beak. Stirring the water with a foot. The legends
tell of what revenge nature will wreak, we’ll
be torn limb from limb, they’ll feast on our necks.
None of this seems true of the heron in the
brook, using her wings to create shade, lure
small fish into the coves made by trash
visitors dump amidst the glades. Cans of Coke,
T-shirts, a dishwasher, an old skirt. It’s become
the breakfast table for her. And us, what are we for?
To watch, mourn, to exclaim gladly?
I’ve nothing to hunt, to trap, nothing
to own, walking these woods with a fading
map, miles from my suburban home.
The heron looks up, and seeing I am neither
prey nor threat, returns to her disguise,
vanishes again in the weeds, standing so still she
is simply a reed, a white bill, two eyes.
John Freeman
Sáng chủ nhật thức sớm định ra cắt cỏ lần đầu tiên cho mùa hè nhưng bãi cỏ vẫn còn ướt nên xuống basement điều chỉnh (tune up) lại đống skis và snowboards và cất lại cho mùa đông năm sau. Đến gần một giờ trưa mới xong. Ăn trưa xong lùa mấy thằng tứ quý ra cắt cỏ và dọn dẹp lại sân nhà.
Đến mùa hè là đến lúc đầu óc tôi cũng bị căng thẳng với bao nhiêu việc phải làm. Đường xe (driveway) bị nứt mẻ khá nhiều. Thuê thợ chuyên nghiệp phải tốn đến 5 đến 7 ngàn đô. Thôi đành phải xem YouTube tự làm. Cái cổng gỗ bị mục cần phải thay. Hai cây cột trước nhà cần phải sơn sửa. Cái deck cần phải rửa lại cho sạch. Dọn dẹp lại sân sau cho gọn gàng. Nhà tắm cần phải trét (caulk) lại. Tóm lại là rất nhiều việc phải làm.
Làm chủ một căn nhà ngoại ô mệt lắm. Bao nhiêu chuyện phải lo lắng thay vì ra công viên trượt với mấy đứa nhỏ, hoặc đi thư viện đọc sách, hay đi qua khu Hoa Thịnh Đốn dạo chơi. Mùa hè mà phải làm những công việc đó thì mất đi những giây phút dành cho con cái, gia đình, và bạn bè.
Tôi không có hứng thú trồng trọt tuy nó cũng rất thú vị. Thậm chí trồng trọt là một cách thư giãn. Nhưng nếu như tôi còn chưa có thể dọn dẹp khu vườn cho gọn ghẽ thì trồng trọt càng thêm căng thẳng. Thôi thì tôi chỉ làm những trách nhiệm của mình. Đến đâu hay đến đó.
Beef is an all-Asian-cast Netflix series starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. I didn’t know Yeun before, but he is outstanding. Ali Wong steps up her acting game. In fact, the entire cast is pretty damn good. Beef is dark, fucked-up, and edgy. Mad kudos to Lee Sung Jin. I hope to see more seasons coming in the future.
I stand before it
All that I own
What kind of heaven
would it be if
I couldn’t take you
John Freeman
Listen to what the air
is saying tonight
my friend, you’ve
been ashore a long
while, the time
for your sail
to fill is here.
We’re standing on
the verge with you,
take our arms
we’ll lift you into
this boat
you’ve been building
your whole life:
the beam-ends are
lined with your labor,
the arc of visibility
is clear,
everything that ever
was awaits you at sea.
Tell it to us when
we arrive
in due time, in ships
you taught us to sail.
John Freeman
Uncle Sidney Teitler passed away today. Truth be told, I didn’t know much about him other than he was married to my mom’s youngest sister. They lived a very private life. Before he left this earth, he wanted to be cremated and he didn’t want to hold any funeral service. My aunt and uncle didn’t have any children together. They only had each other. Now that he had gone and left her all alone. Rest in eternal peace, Uncle Teitler.
Sidney Teitler passed away at age 92 on April 14, 2023, at home with his devoted wife, Anh Minh Ly, at his side. In his youth, Sidney studied Physics and graduated with a Ph.D. degree from Syracuse University in New York. Later, he joined Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C., and worked in the Electronic Science and Technology Division (ESTD). He was promoted to the position of Associate Superintendent and worked in this position until his retirement in 1993. Serving in the capacity of an Associate Superintendent, he was instrumental in mentoring and guiding research scientists within the ESTD. He was particularly gifted in spotting and encouraging talented people to reach their potential.
Although his passion was in mathematics and theoretical physics, Sidney had a wide range of other interests including music, arts, religion, and history. He was amazingly knowledgeable in those subject matters. In his later years, he discovered his love for using computers and the Internet. He spent many hours reading new information and watching videos, researching in-depth on topics of his interests, and collecting and sharing many good articles from the Web. This hobby was the secret to keeping his mind sharp even at an advanced age. Though his health deteriorated in later years, he was able not only to maintain his physical strength by eating well but also to sustain his positive spirit through reading and learning from the Internet. Despite his chronic pain, he always tried to be pleasant. Whenever an opportunity arose, he was always eager to share his vast knowledge and experience with family members. There was so much to learn from Sidney, especially the wisdom in life flowing out from his sharp mind.
Sidney was generous, kind, wise, and caring to all who were close to him. Even though he is no longer around, he is reverently and affectionately remembered by his family. He is survived by his dear wife.