Wow. Who would have thought...

Our beloved Minnesota Twins lost tonight 1-0 in a playoff game in Chicago. While I am disappointed that we lost, wow does our future look bright. We have first or second year players at second, left, center, and right (or a fourth outfielder) and three or four starting pitchers. I can't wait until next year. I think the Twins are going to be very good for a number of years to come.

Nick Blackburn pitched a great game tonight. Jim Thome hit a mistake and that is the difference in the game. I don't think the White Sox will go far. I look for them to lose the series in four games to the Tampa Bay Rays. I think the White Sox pitching will tire, their defense is poor (their outfielders never adjust to different batters), and they don't take the extra base because they are so old and slow.

Our future is bright and next year we get to watch games in a real baseball park. Go Twins.

Pam

Our wonderful neighbor died yesterday morning (September 22, 2008) after a long battle with cancer.

I will miss Pam a great deal. She stayed connected with everyone in the neighborhood, and she help raise two wonderful boys. If the most social responsible thing you can do is raise great kids, then Pam is tremendous activist.

Pam would give me the key to my house when I locked myself out (a once a month occurrence during the summer months).

We will all miss Pam a great deal.

Godspeed Pam.

Woodpeckers, Beer, and a Long Good-bye

This weekend was delightfully warm. Our dead elm tree has become a haven for the local woodpeckers. Both Hairy and Downy woodpeckers are feasting. Shortly after taking this picture, four more woodpeckers joined the fun.

While I was shooting woodpeckers (with a camera) my neighbor came to tell me that his wife was in hospice care. He was very reassuring that this was a good thing, but that news was unsettling to say the least. Thirty-eight year old mothers aren't supposed to die of cancer and leave behind two young boys. The boys will be okay, because their father is great, but it is a rotten deal for Pam and for the family.

Later that evening, Karyl and I went out on our weekly date. We went to Saint Anthony Main and had a beautiful dinner outside and watched everyone else take pictures while we ate. The black-haired woman on the park bench who was posing for God-only-knows was entertaining.

In the course of a lovely evening I had a couple of beers and then came home and retired early in the evening. As fate would have it, I didn't have a restful night's sleep. I wonder how much was the day's news and how much was the beer....

As the weekend closes down, I sort of feel like I let this one get away from me. I worked with Paul on the bathroom project both mornings, and I did some reading about assessment, and I have some plans for the week, put I don't have that sense of great accomplishment that I would like to have.

Sigh.

So Hillary, What's it Going to Be?

The conventions are over, the bouncing is done, and its time for the main event.

My question is, how will Senator Clinton weigh in on the Sarah Palin issue. I see Hillary as being uniquely qualified to go after Sarah Palin and hold Palin's feet to the fire. As the number one woman in the Democratic Party, Senator Clinton can speak to the Palin issue without being accused of being unfair, misogynistic, or having a double-standard.

So, what is it going to be? Is Senator Clinton going to step up, be a team player, and help Obama, or is she going to give McCain and Palin a pass, with the hope that she, Clinton can run in 2012.

We are all watching.

Really?

As I finished my dessert this evening I tuned in the Republican convention. I joined in time to hear Michael Williams, who if I heard correctly, is a railroad commissioner or executive from Texas. Mr. Williams was very articulate in expressing his support for John McCain, but the overwhelming feeling I had was that the Republicans picked Mr. Williams to speak because he is African-American -- any port in the storm to discredit the Obama campaign.

My sense of Republican desperation was enhanced when the next gentleman, a leader from Puerto Rico, proposed that American be energy independent by 2025. I like the goal, but the date seems a bit out there -- is that really the best for which we can hope?

******

I did like a commentator, who I believe was a Republican Senator, who spoke on PBS about how the Republicans need to get back to fiscal responsibility. The man was gracious, but direct in stating how very disappointing the last eight years have been because the lack of fiscal discretion. How very refreshing to hear someone discuss that we can keep spending money like a drunken sailor.

******

I am watching the Republican Convention on PBS. Can they fit any more white people in that room?

Another shot. They have labeled the Obama campaign as "politically correct" and that we should put our country first, and "political correctness" second.

Lost in Paradise...er, Portland

Last week Karyl and I dropped off Erik at Lewis and Clark. This was a bipolar event for me. On the one hand I was trying to see my son off gracefully, and on the other I was quite happy to wander around downtown Portland and sigh deeply. The weather was wonderful; Mt. Hood watched from a distance as we toured the campus.

I kept having to remind myself that Erik is going to be fine. We are dropping him off at a beautiful liberal arts college, not shipping him off to Fallujah. Still, it was a bit off a tough time trying to walk the line between being helpful and being a pain in the butt.

********

Whenever I visit Portland, I seem to fall in love, and I don't know why. I suspect that my affections for Portland are based largely on having lived there when I was 18- 22 - and so by power of association, I find the city so alluring. But then, how can you not fall in love with a city that has a salmon going through a building (on the same street as a great independent guitar store --"Pioneer Guitar").




Even the manhole covers grab at my heart. They have roses in the middle.






As we walked around there were all sorts of architectural wonders that caught our eye. The building to the right has great arches and the view out our hotel window reminded me of Harry Potter -- with its wide variety of characters with mythical powers.








We felt safe in our hotel room with lions and cupids supervising the coming and goings on the street below.









One morning Karyl was kind enough to humor me and walk to Stumptown coffee for a morning beverage. Here is the view from the inside looking out. If you can block out the fact that one is hemorrhaging cash, there is nothing like traveling. A leisurely morning walk through the crisp air, only to be greeted by a latte that is a work of art.




As we left Stumptown, I couldn't help but get a shot of this work of art. The front tire needs a little TLC, but was a gem. I love that Portland is such a biking town. I love that it rains there a ton and it is still the number one city for bicycling in the US. That is powerful. Karyl was very patient as my head would snap back and forth looking at all the different bikes that went hither and yon.



Much about Portland has changed, but the Outdoor Store still hangs on. Sigh.

Fiona Hits Campus

I am blessed to teach with one of the all time greats. Here, my colleague, Mary Jane, welcomes here first grand child - to the world. Fiona was born Friday, 28 August and everyone seems to be doing well. I just can't imagine a happier picture. Welcome Fiona!

Darwin Award Winners

This photograph is from today's New York Times. This is the levee at Industrial Street in New Orleans where Hurricane Gustav is blowing water over the top of the levee.

I can't believe that anyone would walk on the other side of a wall where the wind was pounding water. These two people are either very trusting or as dumb as a sack of hammers. Unbelievable.

What are they doing? Looking for lost quarters?
If the wall were to let go, these two would be found somewhere in the next county....