a little culture

for my birthday, j. took me to the berkshires.

we got all dressed up yesterday afternoon and packed a picnic. then we traveled over two hours across the middle of the state, passing a mcdonald's every four miles. (hungry? not yet...but maybe in four miles...?!) we talked about j.'s internship a lot, and about his various clients. i'm always so impressed at the ways in which he is able to connect with and give guidance to his clients. i could never do what he does. he's so naturally talented at it. it felt good to look at j. with admiration and to just think "i get to be married to this man!" it feels like a privilege. i don't get to think about that enough, and i really should remind myself of that at times when, for instance, i'm the one breaking out the toolbox to fix something.

we arrived in the berkshires around seven. such an affluent area with gorgeous houses. there are more small mountains there than here, which reminded me of VT and made me ask "want to live here?" we passed by a pub called "the cork and screw". or something like that. when we found tanglewood, we parked our car and wandered around until we were sure we knew where we'd have to go to get to the "shed". then it was picnic time. i'd spent my morning grilling chicken and red peppers and zucchini to make gourmet wraps and salads. i also made us some chocolate pudding for dessert, and we had a bottle of rex goliath pinot grigio that we split.

the concert was incredible. we sat in the back of the amphitheater. it is enclosed up front, but the sides and the back are open to the sky, so a nice breeze flows through and many patrons buy lawn space and bring blankets and umbrellas to sit behind those of us in chairs and just listen. there must have been capacity for thousands (i'm not good at judging that sort of thing).

when hilary hahn stepped up to play, the entire theater went silent. she played the dvorak violin concerto. watching her play was like watching a little robot or an old silent movie being played in slight fast-forward. she looked so mechanical and moved her arms and upper body and head in quick, jerking motions. but the sound...was flawless. her transitions from note to note were seamless. she held one long high note for seemingly forever with barely any movement of her hands or the bow. i fell in love with that dvorak last night.

the ride back was late. i kept falling asleep for a few seconds, then waking enough to ask j. another question about boxing. because as long as he was talking he was also awake. we were so glad to see our home. i think we'll go again to tanglewood next year. but this time, maybe, we'll stay the night.

okay, i get it... i'll eat some crow about this one.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3939362007652613603&q=america%27s+got+talent&hl=en

just this one.

America's Got No Taste

jeez america. what are you thinking???

i am continually annoyed/shocked/disgusted with the overwhelming evidence that america's got no taste. where's our culture? where's our identity? are we really a nation that drags in the box office revenue for films like "big mamma's house" and "little man"? do we really vote for taylor hicks (hey, i like him too, don't get me wrong...but...) over Chris??? do we really vote out the ventriloquist who can simultaneously talk for two other characters as well as himself and the magician who made a person disappear in front of our eyes and a family of celtic dancing violin players and instead vote for a yodeler in pigtails and a couple who can change their clothes quickly? did we really give a million dollars to one little girl for singing adequately while looking cute? can we not distinguish between talent and cuteness?

no wonder GWB won the last election.

something out of the ordinary for me.

went out with a large group of people last night for "social social" time and drinks and dinner and neon candlepin bowling. all j.'s friends from high school, plus a czech girlfriend and a fiancee. i'm not used to making new friends nowadays. we get so busy that the free time we encounter goes towards the maintenance of friendships we already love. and even those, lately, i feel have struggled. for when that one good-but-peripherally-good friend calls, i often am too tired to engage with her--letting the message machine pick up and then deciding i'd rather have a quiet evening at home than put in the effort.

so going out with a large group of people who are not even peripheral friends is something i don't really do.

i had fun. mostly i sat quietly and listened as the others talked. but the fiancee was so friendly and the czech girlfriend started smiling if you asked her about the czech republic (i've traveled there) and the boys all were so unawkward and just willing to laugh at themselves, so it was easy. then j. and i played host at the end of the night as the boys all watched a boxing match. it felt good to give what i could and feel like the atmosphere was so pleasant.

i don't know why i'm so intimidated by these new situations. they usually work out just fine.