I went out to the Quabbin Reservoir this afternoon. The original intention was to hike around, but I found that where was still about 3-6 inches of snow on the ground. Could not find any trails right away, so I walked around on the roads (must go back after the thaw). The weather was perfect and I quelched by Winter itch for a more weeks. Here are few pictures.
February 28, 2004
February 27, 2004
Robot Stories
This evening I caught a showing of Robot Stories at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge. The net has been buzzing about this film. I first caught mention of it on /. and most of the posters were raving about it. Having seen it I can say that it lived up to the audience hype (possibly the only type of reliable hype that exists). It is well filmed, well constructed, and executed. This is proof that you don’t need a big budget and Hollywood flash to produce a compelling work.
The director and screenwriter Greg Pak as on hand for a question and answer session. He stressed that this movie has produced and distributed independently. Most of the promotion is being done by word of mouth and via the Internet. Finally we are starting to see film capture the Internet momentum that independent music is now just starting to benefit from. I was also happy to hear that the post-production work was done completely on Macintosh systems. Digital video technology is making it possible to produce high quality works at much reduced cost. For example the total cost of Robot Stories was quoted as being “under $1 million.”
(more…)
February 24, 2004
Kitchen Stories
Caught a lovely little Norwegian film this evening, Kitchen Stories. It takes place in rural Norway in the 1950’s. The retro look of the film is almost mocking of the period. From the opening with Swedish “home scientists” watching a typical housewife (well, except for the very large respiration measurement apparatus strapped to her back) work in her green kitchen to the matching green trailers that the scientists live in for their field studies.
(more…)
February 21, 2004
Sequentia & Dialogos
Took in a wonderful concert in Cambridge this evening at St. Pauls Roamn Cathloic Church in Harvard Square as part of the Boston Early Music Festival Concert Series. Sequentia and Dialogs performed chant from the 10th and 11th century, focusing on stylistic differences between Roman and Carolingian Chant. A wonderful evening.
(more…)
February 20, 2004
Maureen Fleming
About 4 years ago my interest in contemporary dance (dance in general) as a mode of human expression increased greatly, perhaps as an extension of my own inner explorations. This was a mode of expression that I did not previously have a strong appreciation for. World Music started a group called CrashArts, focusing on bring in contemporary music and dance to the Boston area. Maureen Fleming was headlined in the first CrashArts season. That performance 2 years ago, “After Eros”, was captivating as was this years “Decay of the Angel.”
Fleming focuses on using the human form as a vehicle of transformation (her words). Her presentations are usually solo and minimalist in presentation (complemented by the music of Glass and Pärt). Her physical performance abilities are equal to her vision. Motion, lighting, vision, and form form a pure communication and expression that transcends experience bases. I find myself at a bit of a loss for words to fully describe the experience. It may be one of the purest ascetic expressions that I have witnessed.
February 19, 2004
Repair kit
I’ve had plenty of people ask me on the street for a cigarette or a light. Have you ever had a random person ask you for a tire plug kit?
February 18, 2004
The iPod Way
With the new Mini iPods coming out on Friday it may me think about mine. I’ve had my iPod about a year now. At first I thought it a frivolous buy and just a toy. The little guy has been really useful though. I’m hardly ever home and have about a 45–60 commute to work on public transit. Boston seems to have the tradition that no one in the train car or bus make eye contact, let alone talks to each other, so it is been a welcome diversion to incase myself in my own little world. I can have a chunk of my CD collection in my pocket to listen to whenever I want to. Kind of makes me wonder why I build up an low-end audiophile stereo system last summer (though I can enjoy it with my headphones it would be nice to use my speakers more often).
I remember talking with my friend Janice one and we were talking about it might be interesting of everybody had their own soundtrack (I think this was covered on a Family Guy episode when Peter got three wishes from a genie). If you tell you something about them and perhaps their mood. Sometimes the song that is playing on my iPod matches what I am seeing around me. For instance yesterday I was listening to a song from Combustible Edison’s last album “Impossible World”, think if Weber wrote music for an Atlantic City cocktail lounge in the early 80s just as I was talking past Franklin Park in the South End. It was early morning and a bunch of people were playing with their dogs. An unleashed Yorkie’s theme song was playing my ears. Quite amusing.
So I am in agreement with the review that say the iPod is one of the best MP3 players currently on the market. It is expensive, though I don’t think it is all that over priced for what you get (considering that it can double as a hard drive). At least in my case it is 20 GB of portable storage that has been put to good use.
February 14, 2004
Singles Awareness Day
My feelings about Valentine’s Day are always mixed as I have never been in a relationship during this time of year, must be the cold weather of something. Refusing to send the day at home and needing a break from my normal activities (aka labwork), I went for a hike up in the Middlesex Fells. On the way there were about as many couples as you would expect to see on at Saturday afternoon, but there certainly were more bunches of flowers floating about.
It is nice to have a holiday dedicated to love of another person, but really should there be a special day? If the relationship is true should not every day be one of appreciation of the other? Maybe I am just a romantic and a cynic. It should not be that it is expected that the man will go all out for his woman just on Valentines Day. It’s the daily gestures between the two people that really matter. Why do people get all hyped up over one day? I at least hope that the same people whole anniversaries as dear.
For myself I remain with a combined feeling of questioning and a touch of melancholy. Perhaps a bit of bitterness and jealousy as well. Guess I’m only human.
February 13, 2004
Now I get a break
Finally finished by abstract for a poster at the American Society for Mass Spectrometry conference. Been working my ass off trying to get some valid data to that I did not need to lie. Now I can take a day off. Too bad there is no one to share Valentines day with. Of course it is Friday the 13th today, so you never know.
February 11, 2004
Social creatures
This morning as I was walking to work I noticed one of my favorite tendencies common in groups of people. I was crossing the street at a fairly busy intersection. The road I am facing is one way and splits (straight and right turn) at the interaction. The right turn lane has its own signal and a crosswalk. From the other side of the crosswalk you can not see on coming traffic until it is too late (people tend to drive quite fast around the corner). Across from me was a group of about 10 people, apparently attending a conference as designated by their conformity tags, was waiting for the light change.
There was not any on coming traffic so I crossed against the light. Immediately the people at the head of the group started looking to their right, seeing if it was safe. They start across the intersection and the whole group follows suit. Now the amusing part is that, as far as I could tell, only the people at the front bothered to check for traffic. This is also a common behavior on the main campus of my University, which has a busy avenue and a trolly line as its Quad. Each year we have at least one undergraduate get pegged by a car or a train.
How many other creatures do you know that heard themselves and make their own stockades?
