The Box

As modern commerce unfurled,
transport and manufacturing were twirled.
What I mean to say
is that they had to change ways,
for the box that changed the world


The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger
by Marc Levinson

Atlanta United FC News

Brilliant academy performance. For such a young team the U18s showed great team work, lovely strategic play. Add some speed and they have a winning formula.

And, now, we have a coach: Gerardo "Tata" Martino, who brought Argentina in to the Copa America final.

Ready for 2017

Hello Kafka my old friend...

I had to fill in a form.

In order to get a number

that would allow me to

fill in a form

in order to be registered

in a database with the same information

as the database of the original form

which matches any incorporation document/Companies House registration.

This all failed when

the second form did not recognize the information from the first form

which I re-added manually

both typing, and copying and pasting.

I phoned.

Telephone support is not allowed for specific queries.


Government, Kafka, whatever.

US Open 2016

With two of the best finals, Women's and Men's.

Respect. And yay Stan Wawrinka.

That is all.

Boats on the beach

Big props to Lake Lanier Islands resort - 45 minutes out of Atlanta and you're in another - well managed - world.

Question to the boat-owners: you were all there, sitting on your speed boats, with drinks and music and friends. And you didn't move. At all. All day. Which is what I did. On the beach. Without having to pay for a boat. So my question is: why do you have a boat?

Cleverness in search of a subject

For the series of "Sentences I like":

The list breathes satisfaction at its own supposed cleverness and profundity, but it is cleverness in search of a subject and profundity without anything to be profound about. 

The Knife Man

There once was a young Scottish farmer,
who, though neither graceful nor a charmer,
proved an in-born ability
for scientific inquiry.
Of anatomical studies, he was a reformer.

The Knife Man: Blood, Body Snatching, and the Birth of Modern Surgery

by Wendy Moore

Message to London

You are wonderful as always - lively diverse and with great theatre

However.

You could gain from figuring out your night trains. And your wifi - I should not have to register to a service to access free coffee shop wifi.

On the flip side: how has Come Dine With Me not been exported to the US yet??

AT - Southern Terminus

A hike down to the Appalachian Trail southern terminus, then up the Benton Mackay trail and around to the AT starter point. A night at Amicalola Falls Lodge. A morning hike to the waterfalls and up the AT approach trail. And home.

Grand & crumbling Rome is the chorus
for the Farneses, Orsinis, the Sforzas.
See power and might
betrayal anger and fright
of one's life under the Borgias.

City of God

by Cecelia Holland

USTA in Atlanta

That time my husband entered a USTA tournament and I channeled Marcie Tidwell and Jerry Maguire to become the perfect agent.

Sworn to Silence

A peaceful, rural locality
shaken by rash criminality.
Set amongst the Amish,
readers left astonished
by such unexpected brutality.




Sworn to Silence (Kate Burkholder #1)
by Linda Castillo

Guns N Roses

Guess who still got it?

Oh, Trumpeteurs

My initial thought, during the RNC Cruz speech, was "is he really going to give a whole speech without saying "Trump? He is really going to do it, he is really going to do it."

My second thought was "Cruz is not saying not to vote for Trump, why are all these delegates making that assumption?"

And that is all. This post is self-centered, but then the blog is called My Side of Every Story.

Good deeds

I saw a man walking down a busy, dirty city street picking up litter as he went.

Most unusual, and impressive. I wanted to shake his hand. But he had been picking up litter, so ugh.

The Singer from Memphis

Nicolaos now married and grown.
The challenge for a land not his own.
Off to discover
to whom goes the honour
of claiming the Egyptian throne

The Singer from Memphis

The latest in Gary Corby's series

A comment on all 6 books: reliable fun. Each book takes place in a different place or cultural event/setting, giving great insight to the ancient world. Corby's story-telling style is the right balance of descriptive and leisurely: the characters and places come alive but the story continues at a good pace. 

There is a strong element of humor - dare I say even satire - thrown in, as well as personality traits of historical figures that remove the distance of time and space, making them people we meet every day. 

History, satire and murder mysteries, it's a winning combo. 

My Hobbies

Include:

• Pub trivia
• A bocce league
• (Inordinate amounts of reading followed by) writing book reviews in limerick form
• Learning most FIGS languages on DuoLingo
• Making ice cream
• Walking / Hiking

It's a superficial miracle that I have any friends at all

There once was a lady from Boston
Her story was told, but not often
Along came wise Karin
Who said "This needs sharing!"
A book for you to get lost in.

The Gilded Years

by Karin Tanabe 

My apologies for the simple approach in this limerick: I have been wanting to use the classic "there once was" structure and this book afforded me the possibility. Also, full disclosure, Ocean and I are trying to find a business use for the situation in which Sharon is Karen and this was too good a chance not to use that rhyming ploy as well.

There is so much in this book - the impressive level of research is just one element to delight my nerdy little heart. The historical setting: in the 1890s some universities had started admitting African-American students, albeit generally one at a time. Vassar was not amongst these, I'm sad to report. But of course, what is race, really, in a body made up of who knows what mixes of people. (That may be my own typical anarchical view of life).

The character of Lottie Taylor is written to perfection, the reader can't help but get caught up in her spirit and friendship, feeling the whole time as the characters do that she is highly flawed but undeniably likable. She doesn't drop a beat throughout the book.

Karin also introduces the complexity of social views in America at the time. We know about racial views in the south, but she adds the contrast between north-east and west. The frontier-lands, as they were, were the most forward thinking of the time in most things social (drinking bans aside). I confess some ongoing frustration at the common (though not universal) north-eastern belief that there is "us" and then the rest of the country trailing behind. The social structures of NY and its environs, at the turn of the century, were especially strict, and I do believe that if women's lib had been left to these areas we would be wondering about it still today. Thank you Wyoming for leading the charge on that particular note (first female justice of the peace and, of course, first state to grant women's right to vote).

Iddio la creó

Ah, povera Italia.

We are out of Euro 2016. But with our heads held high.

It's a double whammy as Germany has broken our winning streak against them, great team that they are they had never beat us in a competition game. Until now. Having said that, we tied on the field. We lost in penalties after 18 shots taken. You can't call it more equal than that.

A few comments - Buffon, what a captain. Conte, I love your coaching style; coach as MVP. Pellé, too bad about the pre-penalty over-confidence, you played a terrific tournament. In the words of my passionate and wise husband: "Pellé le prende tutte!"

Grazie Azzurri, ci avete dato orgoglio nel calcio italiano.

Buying vs Renting

Alex Tabarrok on the subject. This is an excerpt though it is most of the post. Click for the whole thing.

Housing is overrated as a financial investment. First, it’s not good to have a significant share of your wealth locked into a single asset. Diversification is better and it’s easier to diversify with stocks. Second, unless you are renting the basement, houses don’t pay dividends. Stocks do. You can hope that your house will accumulate in value but don’t count on it. Indeed, you should expect that as an investment your house will appreciate less than does the stock market. You didn’t expect to get a great investment and a place to live in the meantime did you? TANSTAAFL.
Another problem with houses is that home ownership locks people to location making it harder to move for jobs. The problem is especially severe because no one likes to sell at a “loss” even when it is rational to do so. So when jobs disappear and home prices fall instead of moving, people hold on for too long just hoping that things will get better. It’s troubling that both across states in the United States and across countries higher home ownership predicts higher unemployment rates. See Does High Home-Ownership Impair the Labor Market?So why do so many people buy houses? Houses are lovely if you enjoy interior decorating, backyard barbecues and talking to your neighbors. Houses today also come bundled with a significant side asset – access to so-called public schools. One argument for school vouchers, by the way, which isn’t emphasized as much as it should be, is that vouchers would break the strong connection between where you live and what schools you attend. Poor people would have a better chance at attending good schools if schools and housing weren’t bundled together so closely

Leave Trump

The Leave Campaign and the Trump following are part of the same phenomenon, and we continue to mock and insult it at our own peril.

In the UK, both major parties: Tory and Labour, were officially for Remain. There were elements in both parties who supported Leave and they went against party line. In England, Leave won.

In the US, neither party wants Trump in power: need I remind so many that the republican party did not take him seriously at first and have since done everything they can to keep him away from a victory.

In both cases: the political classes are so far removed from the will of the people, we are wandering blind here. This is not conservative vs left, this is people. They are angry and they are loud and they are winning.

Niccola Comucci - Professore del Calcio

Bel Canto

Surpassing their shared disadvantage,
to communicate they must manage.
No grammar or words,
will need to be heard:
Just music - their one common language

Bel Canto
by Ann Patchett

Align your legislation

One of the rules of the new health insurance landscape in America is that all policies are calendar year, and consumers have a window of about 2-3 months in which to purchase policies.

The government has ever-so-thoughtfully decided not to legislate the actual insurance companies in the same way - consumers must be regulated, companies can negotiate with government, we call this cronyism. So half way through the year it is acceptable for our insurance provider to drop the main health provider we use because of unsuccessful negotiations.

Government health experts, care to explain this one?

Euro 2016 - and we begin

With France-Romania

Haide Romania!

Respect Romania, some great chances and you made them sweat and that made me happy. We also found the most amazing Romanian supporter who was wearing France's colors and thus is either a trolling genius or completely clueless. Take your pick.

Today, at the airport, streaming Albania-Switzerland, as you do.

EUROS MY LOVE !

Bocce practice run, pre-season

More Parental advice care of my mother

Proof: The Science of Booze

Millennia of consumption and history,
experiments in science and artistry,
biology, chemistry, geology,
neuro-science agriculture, archaeology,
And yes still: booze is a mystery

Proof: The Science of Booze
by Adam Rogers

Lions, gorillas and parents. Oh my.

Never mind the drone wars. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, and the general uncertainly "about who will die".To name but a few. This points only to American aggression, bear in mind that the aggressors currently at work on the world stage are numerous. Add them up.

Hint: you are looking for the term "civilian deaths".

But seriously man, how are the lions??

Update, H/T Ornella

Privilege

Atlanta Memorial Day

When you enter the weekend with almost no concrete plans but you end up with birthday drinks at Skylounge, your morning park walk with Dr. P. preparing to benevolently take over the world, grill and whisky and freshly picked fruit at a friend's house, the Champion's League final, a hike in Sweetwater Creek Park, pizza on the patio, jazz fest at Piedmont Park, grilling again and mainly learning how to grill on the deck like a proper American and then just please let me go home and eat my home made cocoa ice cream.

The Golden Vanity

Three attempts to living life happily
Three women, succeeding but passably
A sudden turnaround
"[A] breath brought it down.
It was a soundless catastrophe.”

The Golden Vanity by Isabel Paterson

Gounod's Romeo & Julet

Well overdue, another great night at the Atlanta Opera

The Marathon Conspiracy

A journey through the Athenian legacy,
From tyranny to newfound democracy
With help from young Socrates,
old Aeschylus, and Pericles
Unveiling the Marathon Conspiracy 



The Marathon Conspiracy (The Athenian Mysteries #4) by Gary Corby

Mother's Day

I try not to compliment my mother too much - we don't want it going to her head, you see - but I will give her her dues today for never having complained about having children after she decided to have children which she knew a priori would require round the clock care for numerous years followed by almost a generation of clothing, feeding, educating and keeping healthy.

You only complain about my hair but that's legitimate.

UPDATE:
The afore-mentioned mother'
s reaction to my blog post:

Motherly Love level: Expert. 

50 Children

Before the deaths of 6 million
This small, yet strong noble mission
Against political reluctance
The Kraus's endurance
Did save these 50 named children.

50 Children: One Ordinary American Couple's Extraordinary Rescue Mission into the Heart of Nazi Germany

Pressman, Steven

Libertarians at election time, 2016

Prepping for the TV show about our Private Eye/Publishing business

This:

+

 =

Working title of my future auto-biography

Du' Coccole e un Campari

One of my jobs is with a translation agency, somebody at Acahi please find the appropriate English language version of the above

The Biebs and me

Lives paralleled, once again

Taiwan

I recently learned that the Vatican is one of the few countries in the world - indeed the only country in Europe - to maintain full diplomatic ties with Taiwan. So I begrudgingly admire the Vatican.

In the (bitter) words of Ocean:
"... Unlike certain other countries, that say they stand for democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, etc.. So when they have to choose between a country that has all those and one that has none of those, they choose to recognize the one that has none of them. Not naming any names."

You know, read between the lines, so to speak.

Sacred Games, Gary Corby

At the greatest games of the nation
A troubling accusation.
(Nico) Fending off war,
his victory soars:
the first Olympic Investigation


(The Athenian Mysteries, #3)

Libertarian Forum, Part Deux

Another energizing performance. It warms my heart to know that there are people interesting in running for office AND in speaking to voters as if we were all adults. What?!

Sadly Petersen failed on this note. Compared to the main stream party candidates he probably would have sounded impressive: clearly well prepared and also well read. However next to two people who gave concrete answers, he sometimes fell short.

Example: gun control. We got an educational session on the fight against tyranny, but not a word on what would change, if anything, in access to guns. It's a big issue, highly contentious, you can't get away with a non-answer.

Johnson, again, has the most experience and of all three can probably have the broadest appeal. He is saying things that both Cruz supporters and Sanders supporters want to hear. I wasn't happy with his answer on the EPA (anecdotes do not policy make) and he was also too vague on guns, as if he was not finishing his thought.

McAfee stands out as both principled and intelligent. My view on him remains constant: I wouldn't so much want to see him as president as I would consigliere, so to speak, to the president.

Watch the whole debate below

On Discrimination

The free market gives people choices. There are lots of bakers, but just one government. That's why government must never discriminate, but if private businesses cannot, does "private" have real meaning? What about freedom of association?

How the Libertarian candidates disagree on private business service decisions.

"Should a Jewish baker be forced to bake a cake for a Nazi wedding?"

24 Hour Opera Project

5 composers
5 librettists
5 stage directors and 5 musical directors.
20-25 singers.

5 teams: each team is given a theme and 2 props.

Composers and librettists have 12 hours in which to compose an opera.

The following day, musical directors, stage directors and singers have another 12 hours to stage, rehearse and learn their given opera.

At 19:30, on the SCADShow stage, they performed. For our entertainment.

5 operas, composed learned and rehearsed in 24 hours. Each one 15-20 minutes long. It was phenomenal. My vote (there was an audience appreciation winner) was for the Purple team, the first performance. Reasons: their use of props; rather than working them in to a story, they made the story entirely about the props. The music; operatic, highly pleasing and strongly thematic throughout. The performance; flawless on the part of the singers.

As we waited for judges' deliberations, the team staged 3 improv operettas. I had never seen anything like it, and it was simply wonderful. Humorous, of course well sung, highly entertaining. I could watch this every week.

Election 2016 - Libertarian forum

There are three parties involved. And if ever there was a year to look for a third option... 2016 may be it.

I was expecting something much crazier, but Stossel only hosted Petersen, McAfee and Johnson. All were adults, McAfee even wore a suit and tie, thank you for the effort.

Petersen was the politician on stage. Close your eyes and you can almost think you're listening to Rubio pre-election. This is a weakness on his part. The whole "sounds like a politician" thing. He has policies but they tend to sound far-fetched.

McAfee is a madman. He should probably not be president. What he should be is a senior adviser to a president. He is smart, he is on point, he knows that of which he speaks. Hear him around minute 19 on how to use technology to trace terrorist communications. Find his comments from previous debates about the TSA.

Johnson is sincere. He is also smart and has experience (as governor of New Mexico). And he has sound policies.

What was nice was seeing three adults on stage (even Petersen, though at times one felt he was trying to earn his place at the grown up table). No insults, a fair amount of laughter, and sound answers that mean something.

See for yourselves, I will comment more later.

Bocce

We won.

And I mean properly won. Points ahead through the whole game, with the occasional display of skill.
Our opposing team were not amused. The seemed annoyed by our apparent flippancy, but as they did not raise this with me directly, this is only hearsay.

But who cares we won.

Greenville, SC

Has it's own Porcellino. A Florence landmark

Easter hike and dinner in Greenville. 

Happy Easter

The Tragedy of Liberation

War, tumult and great agitation
And then hope for Utopia's foundation.
Now the records unsealed,
read and studied, revealed:
The Tragedy of Liberation

Not always brilliantly written but informed. 

My Limericks, Tweeted

That's me!

Thanks to author Gary Corby for finding and tweeting my limericks. Tee hee.

How to boost Trump's poll numbers

1. Deny his right to speak
2. Insult his voters

The Ionia Sanction, Gary Corby

Our young agent now must seize
The chance to impress Pericles
If he can first of all
Save Athens from a fall
To invasion by Themistocles        

Update

Sometimes Rubio is right

Words have consequences:
Posted by Marco Rubio on Friday, March 11, 2016

The Protest Cycle

Considering Trump is the candidate for anti-establishment protest.

And of course I have an opinion to share.

People will say despicable things. They have a right to say those things. If we suppress that right then they simply think them and fester in anger. Better to hear them said and to know with whom I disagree.

The most disturbing parts of the Trump phenomenon have been the invitations and commendations - sometimes subtle, sometimes not - to violence and intimidation. To ridicule and fear. This is how bad people come to power. This will only work, however, if everybody else stands aside and lets it happen. The forces and law and order first of all, and also the citizens.

A commentator on CNN said it best (sadly I forget her name): this has been going on for months but because Trump was not taken seriously, neither was his outlandish behaviour. Any other candidate would have suffered the consequences of his language.

From this stand point I was glad to see people out protesting the Trump rally. Political rallies are protested all the time, and I was happy to see citizens saying "enough with the violent and hateful rhetoric".

Shutting the rally down?

Not so happy about.

Of course I personally am happy to see Trump destabilised and denied a chance to spew more rubbish. I also realise that is self-centered and somewhat petty of me. Does he have a right to bring his followers together, and stand on a podium, and say stupid things? Yes, he does have that right.

And let's not forget: people are reactionaries. 

So continue to protest, and certainly always - citizens, media and police - highlight his incentives to violence and hatred, every single one of them.

That's all I have on that.

Be naive! Buy Local!

Pirates of Penzance

Atlanta Opera positively knocking it out of the park with this production. Humorous, clever, a good complement to the music. It is clear they had fun with this one.

Kevin Burette - splendid as the Pirate King
Maureen McKay - equally splendid as Mabel
Matthew Newline - Frederic
Curt Olds - Major-General Stanley

Trivia

That time our team was two non-US-raised people and we didn't come in last.

#Winning!
Or close enough

Ethan Frome

The story: most everyone knew
Yet its sadness and mystery grew
With a framed composition
A message - its mission:
Beware should your wishes come true

Trump Supporters - Talk to me

Candidates are - or should be - about policy. This is why there are politicians with whom I disagree but still understand why others vote for them. We just disagree on the policies. 

I confess, however, to not understanding the Trump phenomenon. So I ask those who have cast their vote in his favor: explain it to me. My question is one of policies: what are his? I have not actually heard him explain a single policy through. What is his tax plan? What is his plan for health insurance (yes - removing the lines around the state, but how when and with what tools)? What is his foreign policy? What is his immigration policy? What is his plan with US troops abroad? What are his trade policies?

Watching him in debates and interviews, I still do not know. I don't each of these things about each candidate, but I get pretty close with any candidate who has had as much air time as Trump. 

So I repeat my question: what are his actual policies on these issues and others, and why do they speak to you?

Lost in Translation

When you said "Meet at bar at 7AM" I thought we were doing a whole "it's 5PM somewhere" wine thing.

Turns out, there is no wine at barRE at 7AM.

Now I know.

Spotlight

Faith or anything more than the most general interest in the Oscars was lost long ago (Gwyneth Paltrow for a RomCom? Really guys).

Having said that I realise they pit people and films on to the world stage in a grand way and this is one of the reasons I am oh so happy to see Spotlight won. Because if ever there was a film of merit. And not just for the story it tells but for how it tells it. For showing all the complexity and mistakes and in-capacities of man-kind, even in the face of something so obviously deplorable.

This is an excellent film, which spares nobody, and it is brilliantly written, directed and acted.

More from the High - Basquiat and Muniz

The Unknown Notebooks by Basquiat. Complete with a scribbled Italian phone number for which G and I found the address.

And a Vik Muniz collection which was full of fun and fantasy. He mixes the skills of draftsmanship, creativity and photography. Good stuff.
(both images below, Vik Muniz pieces)

Lustrum (Cicero)

He came to the battle well-armed
With words, which has previously charmed
But against such brute force
Of Caesar's unbending course
No man walks away unharmed

(not my best work but give me a break, it's 7:00 AM)

Diario di Bordo - Steamboat Springs

How amazing is Colorado? Beautiful outdoors, friendliest people, tons to see and do. All of the best America has to offer.

In my humble and all that jazz.

After a wonderful if brief family reunion with aunt and uncle, complete with a tour of their old homestead, Giuseppe and I made our way west and north to the stunning Steamboat Springs.

A car-less holiday: the hotel offered a free shuttle to the slopes and back, and the town has a free transit system to get around. We rented our skis at the base (shout-out to Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare for excellent service), and the shop would also store our skis over night. That is nice enough, but they also keep your ski boots on a heated rack to dry, so in the morning: warm boots. It's the little things.

Another shout-out is due to the Ambassadors Ski Tours, run by volunteers and completely free of charge.

A word of caution: if you are in the witness protection relocation programme, do not try to move to Colorado. It is impossible to be anonymous in this state.

Disgraced

I worry a little bit with highly topical content, but I needn't have done so with this play. It neither lectures nor teaches, it simply lays it all out, sparing none of those present (hurting them either through their dialogue or their representation). You will talk about this play for days.

Note: major spoiler alerts beneath the image

Is it bigotry that keeps Amir from his promotion? After all, it is given instead to an African American woman. Hardly the photo image of the older Jewish men who run the firm. So it is not as simple as bigotry, it's a specific occurrence that causes his downfall, an occurrence he did everything in his power to avoid. His wife is the one who pushed him to it.

"We never talk about this," she laments. Yet when he wants to challenge her views on Islam, it is she who refuses to engage. She is trying so hard to be ... open-minded? ... she creates this image of the world based solely she wants to see. She can accept no challenge, no dissenting voice. She has to insult the Renaissance for having caused "individualism" as opposed to Islam which remains subdued to a "whole", yet agrees with her friends the Bible should not be law. And is completely blind to her own husband's situation, she is entirely uncomprehending of how her decisions affect him. Her self-involvement is total.

Each character is def to others in his or her own way. Isaac praises the beauty of the Quran, without ever having read it. Amir himself chooses those linguistic interpretations of the Quran that make it sound the worst it possibly can.

Jory stands out as an interesting mix of hypocrisy and honesty. With everybody on stage fighting their angle, Jory lies about liking the salad. That appears to be her worst crime. The worst thing she says. She feels guilt over her promotion, coming as it does at Amir's expense. Though, of course, she will still take it. Order over Justice. That's how the world can function. It's a harsh view but she is credible when she explains it.

Ali/Hussein is the character that most broke my heart. He is young and is still trying to understand who he is. He is jostled by the examples in his life, everything that he is told will work, fails. Everything he admires, fails. Despite his smaller appearances on stage we are taken through various transformations and he leaves us feeling desperate at the end, not knowing what the correct answer is.

A word on the Atlanta production: it is a fairly intimate theatre, as these things go, and that helps the intimate stage setting. Tinashe Kajese in the role of Jory was a stand-out for me. The production was followed by a Q&A with the actors, and she spoke at length about the Jory we don't see on stage, it is clear she has created a whole character who lives beyond the lines of the script. This was apparent, in my view, in her interpretation. 

A Head Full of Ghosts

Preparing a book to be read
of a story both televised and lived
Three versions are shown
Doubts securely sown
Are the ghosts in my house or my head?


Yes: read and lived is not an effective rhyme. Work with me. 

Boxed Wine

Here is a brief but good comment on boxed wine. The format has its benefits, it just needs proper attention

Sommelier tastes box wine

Atlanta life, again

A wonderful morning chat over coffee discussing the renewal of our opera season tickets for 2016/17 and seat selection for our Atlanta United FC season tickets in 2017.

Then out in to the sunshine to start our day.

Life is good.

The Astors

Meeting the Oracle I'd ask her
Could anyone accumulate faster
the incredible wealth
longevity and health
Of the fortune of John Jacob Astor

Jetlag Jems

I just told a colleague how happy I am to be "in a time zone"

I should get more sleep now.

Becky

The two trouble makers from whom I learnt all my worst tricks:

Ciao Becky. Thank you for being a friend, a mentor and also a safe place. 

The Pericles Commission

More series' of historical mysteries
Democracy's founder: Ephialtes
his murder retold
a theory proposed
An enjoyable leap back through history

The Island at the Center of the World

A notion, often thought extreme
Yet recurring wherever man schemed
Named and made formal
It now seems so normal
Liberty: The American Dream

Words in battle

I attended my first ever word battle this weekend. That's not what it is called, I believe it is Write Club?

In any case, props must be given for creativity.

• Circle of Life outweighed by I walk the Line
• A journey to Squareland
• A treatise on eating children for a good cause
• And a thousand and one nights

Murder in Macedon

Here's a resolution for you: I will review all the books I read with limericks.

Here is Ana Apostolou's Murder in Macedon, a light hearted murder mystery in the kingdom of Philip II of Macedon.

The ancient whodunit we knew
the setting and people all true
A hypothesis is served
For what may have occurred
In the death of the Philip no. II

Meet Your Opponent

Powerball update

We did not win.

PowerBall planning

My lovely significant other caved and donated $2 to the crowd tax of lottery tickets.

So, here we are, awaiting the number extraction tonight. And what would I do with the biggest lottery payout in US history?

1 - upgrade our health insurance plan to silver
2 - set aside a couple of hundred to take my husband on a shopping spree (I can do it, I'm the master of bargain shopping). 
3 - invest the rest in a retirement savings fund.
4 - continue life as before.

Ok one caveat: time permitting all around, I would jump on a plane for a 1 week visit to the Taiwan family branch.

Bocce victory

First one in two seasons thanks in part to this beautiful 4-point round.

Cultural weekend, family legacies

Inherited talent, father & son, senior and junior, Strauss' and Creeds.

As in Johann and Apollo/Adonis.

Saturday, via the High Museum, an organ concert at the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta with organ master Jens Korndoerfer. I had never been to an organ concert, to the best of my memory.

Giuseppe now has a great desire to be an organ master's assistants to get to pull buttons all day.

The concert was rather wonderful and ended with well-received crowd pleasers by the Strauss father and son team. In any case note: the Radetzky March is constant joy.

And Sunday we got to celebrate another famed and loved father-son duo: the Creeds. Thank you Ryan Coogler for continuing a legacy that will never get old and will entertain me forever. Brilliant work of course Sly and Michael B. Jordan.

Executive Power is all well and good

as long as you agree with the decision being made.

Just saying.

Semi-Conductor

Picture of Pater ready to conduct the orchestra = 3 new follows from fashion accounts on Instagram

The Hateful Eight

No story spoiler alerts, suffice it to say: nothing new.