We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
I have always felt that the most wonderful people are those who make their own music at home. Voice, piano, violin, guitar - whatever.
When I was a kid my Dad was always working on Mozart on the pianny. It used to be the only time I would hear "Damn, damn, damn" from him. Like him, no talent but much desire.
Music in enchanting for me, but not as background sound. Furthermore, I am slow to get it. I need to listen to a piece many times to learn what it seems to be about. Many decades ago, I felt that weed really helped me get the idea of listening to music and it was a help. Reading about it too.
Anyway, I am long past weed but sometimes like to listen to music at night as a break from reading. However, wifi music is not good enough. I use CDs, a good amp, and fancy speakers. Problem is now that Mrs. BD's decorator friend does not want wires around. Too late to re-wire the house. What to do?
Made it to Swan Lake and other Balanchine things at NYCB yesterday. Mrs. BD was enthralled, so that's good.I love the live music. I told her that I was sorry that I still, after all of these years, could not differentiate NYCB from the San Francisco Ballet. She said "Even you can tell great from just OK."
They were sold out, of course. All ages. Yes, we missed Sara Mearns. That will have to be next time, but all perfect enuf for me. By this time I should understand dance, but it eludes me. It is one of many flaws.
If you listen to our WW2 posts, you will learn that Craps was a popular pastime among soldiers. They played street craps of course, not bank (aka casino) craps.
6:27 "But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
6:28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
6:29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.
6:30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.
6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
6:32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
6:33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
6:34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
6:35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven;
6:38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."
Alexander Joseph Bohen, Sergeant US Army, World War 2 (DOB: 6 APR 1925, Hometown: Brooklyn, NY)
He recalls England, where the Brits hated the Yanks: "Overpaid, over-fed, over-sexed, and over here." A tough guy, took it all in stride in the fight. I recommend.
Mothballs seem to be obsolete, because of their old-lady odor and some possible carcinogenicity.
Cedar seems to deter these bugs to some extent, but only if fresh or freshly-sanded. "Deters," not eliminates. There are moth trap things on Amazon. I do not know whether they can eliminate moths
Wool is what their larvae like to eat, plus spills in the kitchen pantry.
Have you ever faced culling the books you have accumulated in your cabin?
We are eliminating an overflow of bookshelves and books accumulated over decades. I kinda hate to do it with books (and furniture), but, on the other hand, getting rid of accumulated stuff makes our cabin feel lighter.
Found a few jewels on my kids' shelves, along with a few remaining textbooks for the garbage.
Examples of jewels:
-Intro to Paleoclimatology -Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh - I'm sure I read it but do not remember it - Biography of John Paul Jones by Samuel Eliot Morrison - Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. I read it in youth (who did not?) but can't remember much about it. -Tristram Shandy: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (1759), a comic novel by Anglo-Irish clergyman Laurence Sterne. What a crazy book, almost stream of consciousness. The sort of book that you can put on your pile and read a few chapters when in the mood because it has, really, no plot.
It is really a goose gun isn't it? I have never used one. They are not necessary for Snow Geese because, as my pal says, Snows "go down like a prom dress."
An average professional football game lasts 3 hours and 12 minutes, but if you tally up the time when the ball is actually in play, the action amounts to a mere 11 minutes.
What is termed "schizophrenia" is not a unitary diagnosis so there is surely not a unitary genetic cause, but this sort of discovery is still a big deal.
Magpies Outsmart Scientists by 
Image via P'line's 
Photo: P.J. O’Rourke