Memories from Firefighter/Volunteer gatherings, New York City, 2001-2002

Fifteen years ago I was living in New York City when the World Trade Center attacks occurred. The following is taken from notes I wrote in 2001 and 2002, when I met and talked with firefighters who were working on the site, which they first referred to as “the pile”, and later called “the pit.”

I volunteered for the Red Cross in November 2001. We served meals at the Marriott World Financial Center, just south of the World Trade Center site, where meeting rooms were turned into rooms of food, recliners, and other amenities for the firefighters, construction workers and police … everyone working at the site.

The room was filled with letters and cards from kids and adults from around the world, that were sent to the rescuers. The rescue workers did sit and read them. Some wanted to talk, some looked like they just wanted some quiet.

When a firefighter dies, everyone goes to the funeral. Firefighters from Canada came to New York to help attend funerals.

Fireman Tom started organizing parties to thank the volunteers, having firefighters and volunteers meet at bars and pubs around the World Trade Center, giving business to the local bar owners who were suffering. For many months, I attended these casual fireman/volunteer gatherings, having a beer and talking with the firefighters. I had written down some of the pub’s names: Brady’s, Rosie’s, Suspenders, The Roadhouse. Don’t know if any are still in the neighborhood, 15 years later.

Talking to an older battalion chief, I was asking what they were going through, and what he did when he wasn’t fighting fires. He talked about his sailboat that he keeps out on Long Island, and he likes to go out alone on his boat for peace and quiet.  He talked about what they were finding, and I said I was interested to hear about it, but if he didn’t want to talk about it, that was okay.  He said, no, it’s probably better I talk to you about it rather than bringing it home and telling my wife and kids about it. I was glad I could be of some little help.

I remember hoping these guys find someone to talk to. Several told me they don’t talk to their wives or families about what they are seeing and going through. They don’t want to burden them.

Young firefighter was in his car, not working that morning. Turned around, headed back in to grab his gear and go help. In the Bronx, he ran into traffic, and had a hard time getting into Manhattan, as they weren’t letting people in. He showed his badge, and got in. He got stuck in traffic for around 10 minutes. He finally got downtown, grabbed his gear at the firehouse, and was running down towards the burning towers. He was several blocks away when the first tower fell.  All he kept thinking was if it hadn’t been for the traffic jam, he’d be in the tower by now.

Fireman was in his back yard, on 9/11, getting ready to paint his house, a beautiful morning, when he got a call, and… now, months later, he felt it was stupid, but he’s afraid on a nice morning, to go back out to his yard and get ready to paint.  I assured him that wasn’t stupid.

One man said their firehouse lost 7 firefighters, and had only found a few remains. One man was identified, they found his leg and recognized the tattoo on his leg.

Retired firefighters looking for their sons.

One firefighter lost 21 friends, and many more acquaintances.

Very soon, all they were finding were bones.  Raking through the dirt looking for bones.

The firefighters I met were tough, blue-collar type guys, with a love for their work, a positive spirit; they’re there to help people, to put out fires.

I have often wondered if it’s testosterone that causes men to often get some sort of adrenaline rush from charging into battle, wars, violence. But firefighters apply that drive for good, they run into burning buildings, charging into a fire, running into battle, but to help people, to save people, not to hurt people.

One said, a good day is when you have fires to go to and take care of. It’s a bad day for the homeowners, but a good day if you’re a fireman.

One loves working in the poorer neighborhoods, because the neighbors really know them, they get calls for help by lots of neighbors… and more fires to help with.

I don’t remember exactly what we were laughing and joking about, but with self-deprecating humor, one fireman told me, “Well, they call us New York’s Bravest, not New York’s Smartest.”

I asked one young firefighter, on your one day off, will you rest? No, he was going to Vermont, to go skateboarding.

I danced with a firefighter who was a good dancer... he may have had a few too many beers, but the other guys seemed to look out for him and make sure he was okay.

So many of them really love their jobs. They can’t think of anything they’d rather be doing.  One fireman said, all he ever wanted to be was either a policeman, a fireman or a cowboy.  He started studying to be a cop, didn’t like it, switched to firefighting, loves it.  “As far as the cowboy thing, I listen to country music, so I figure I’m covered.”  I guess if you live in NYC and want to be a cowboy, listening to country music is the closest you can get.

Most firefighters work other jobs, mostly construction.  We decided, if you are going to build a house, you may want to check your local firehouse, you’re likely to find carpenters, framers, masons ... many crafts are represented.

The firefighters told me, the towers fell to the west, and twisted slightly as they fell, so for example, the north stairwell would be found facing a completely different direction. 

The south tower fell into the Marriott World Trade Center, which had been evacuated, but people died in that building when the south tower fell on it. I later met a man who had worked at that Marriott. His boss was out of the building, but went back in to make sure everyone got out safely. He did not survive.

I remember when the EPA announced within mere days that the air was perfectly safe to breathe down there. There is no way that could be true. That smell in the air of burnt plastic and electrical, with a weird smell of powdered concrete persisted for months. Sometimes even many blocks uptown, the subway door would open, and there was that smell. Ugh. It was awful.

Every year in September, I do not need to be told to “Remember” or “Never Forget” the events of September 11th. I was there. It’s still difficult to see World Trade Center images, and I think that will always be true.

Keeping Up

Is it possible to keep up with technology?

Unless it's your full time job, that is.  If you even have a full time job anymore, in this ever-growing freelance kind of world, where the only people who get any help seem to be the billionaires and the giant corporations who appear to be destroying the world with their greed.

Check your email, check Facebook, post on Facebook, check Twitter, post on Instagram, on Snapchat, show everyone what you had for lunch, and oh yes, did you start a blog intending to write on it every day? Every week? Every month?

Tapping on your phone while you're walking down the street. Avoiding personal interaction? Avoiding having a face to face conversation with a person? Or it's just easier.  But is it?

Is it possible to keep up?

21st Century Overload.

WAR IS STUPID. VIOLENCE IS POINTLESS.

War is stupid.

Violence is pointless.

Stop it. Everybody. Seriously.

It's the 21st Century. When will we learn that violence solves nothing.

It just creates more violence.

Some people seem to enjoy violence.  I don't understand it.

Destruction is easy. Any idiot can destroy.

Show me you can make something, build something, create something. That is impressive.

Give peace a chance.  It's time.

Song Onomatopoeia - Song-omatopoeia?

If a word that sounds like what it describes is onomatopoeia (POP, POOF, THUD), then what do you

call a song with music successfully matching the feeling of the lyrics?

Best recent example is "Happy" by Pharrell Williams.  The music of that song just sounds happy! When it plays, it's impossible not to find yourself tapping your foot, or bobbing your head, just feeling happy-clappy!  If you need to boost your mood, just play this song. It sounds happy!

Another example of song-omatopoeia (I made that up) is from the Beatles.

"I'm So Tired,"written and sung by John Lennon, is from the White Album, 1968. The song starts and John sounds tired. The music, lyrics and John's voice, all sound so tired.

Not familiar with the song?  Try this link:
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Beatles/_/I'm+So+Tired

"I'm so tired, I haven't slept a wink. I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink.  I wonder should I get up and fix myself a drink.  No no no…… "

Sometimes when I am feeling so tired, I find myself singing this. It perfectly fits the feeling.

What other songs successfully match the feeling of their lyrics with the sound of their music?

The Beatles in America - 1964

It was 50 years ago today… The Beatles played on the Ed Sullivan Show.  I was just a kid, but I still remember it. It was the first music I listened to, followed, and saved my money to buy the albums. I think albums were around $4.00 at the time.  I still have a few of my originals: Beatles '65, Rubber Soul, Abbey Road...

If you watch the press conferences from that time, it seemed the press kept trying to trip them up with serious questions, since they were just kids in a pop band… but they always seemed to have witty and clever responses. And remember, they were all under 25 years old when they arrived in 1964.

It's also interesting to remember how shocked people were about their long hair.  Seriously. Look at their 1964 pictures, and think about how shocking this long hair was at the time.  Seems silly today.

A few years later, some religious groups gathered to burn Beatles records, because they decided they were evil, for some reason.  Even as a kid, it seemed silly to me at the time.  Just because they were new and inventive was no reason to fear them. At that time, I actually decided, that as I grow up, I should give new things a chance.  I still think of that today.  If I hear music that I don't like, I try to pause, give it a chance, and try to understand where they're coming from, and what they're expressing.  I still might not like it personally, but everyone has a right to their voice, and their point of view.  Truly inventive, creative people are sometimes not immediately understood, because they're ahead of their time, with new ideas.

I recently read a comment from someone who asked what's the big deal, The Beatles were just another pop group.  But I'm not sure that person realizes the context.  What did music sound like before The Beatles, and what happened after they started writing and performing their own music?

The Beatles Anthology CD's are amazing.  There are 3 volumes, with 2 CD's each. They are chronological, so in Volume 1, you hear some early covers they did of other people's music. As time progresses, they start writing their own music, and you can hear the sound developing. These CD's also include early takes in the studio of music they later released.  I love hearing the process of creativity, so these CD's are amazing as you hear their rough demo tapes then get developed into what eventually became the finished song.

You can probably download the music, without actually having the CD, but the liner notes of these CD's describe what you're hearing, and add a lot to the audio as you listen.



The Beatles changed popular music, and we're still listening, 50 years later.

What's the opposite of Onomatopoeia?

Onomatopoeia is the term for a word or words that sound like what they define.
Examples:  Tick Tock, Kerplunk, Oink, Meow, Plop Plop Fizz Fizz.

My question is, what about a word that is the opposite of what it defines?
Example: Monosyllabic.

Just wondering if there's a word for that...

This is the oldest I've been yet

Every year our birthday gives us a time to reflect.  Sometimes we're happy with where we find ourselves, other times we wish we would have accomplished more by this age… whatever age that is.  It's part of life.

Often we complain about aging, getting older. But once you've known someone who never got the chance to get old, that changes.  For me, when my brother, Michael and my friend, Jana each died before they had a chance to get old, I realized that I could not complain about getting older, in honor of them. They never got to be this old.

Sometimes life is fun, sometimes it's difficult.  Some days are hard, some are easy. But onward we go, because, well, this is all we've got! We strive to keep a balance in life, aim to stay positive, and enjoy the time we have with the people we love. We continue to get older, because that's what we all do.

So, this is the oldest I've been yet, but I hope to get much older before I'm through.
Here's to a great year ahead!

So Much Time, So Little To Do

Wait... Strike that, reverse it.


This, I believe is a quote from Willy Wonka. It is how I feel about the world lately.  
Too much to do!  Computers were supposed to make our lives easier (weren't they?) but they  just give us more stuff to keep track of.  Access to more information, certainly, but how do we keep track of it all?

We can search the Web for answers to anything.  It is amazing, any question you can think of, someone else in the world has the answer, or has at least asked the same question.  The learning possibilities are endless.  It's exciting. And time-consuming. Especially when one page has an interesting link to another, and then to another, and then you see something else interesting, and that reminds you of another thing you want to look up and then... wait, what was I searching for?

Check emails, read, reply to some, save others till later, until the email box is overflowing, go back through the old ones, and try to remember, why was I saving this? Delete. Delete.  Check your Facebook page, update. Check Linked In, update.  And Twitter. And Pinterest. And all the others I don't use. Watch a video clip. Listen to some music.  Remember to write something on your blog, at least once in awhile.  Send out some pictures. Pay your bills. Check emails again. And Facebook. And Linked In.... it's truly neverending.

How do you keep up with it all?

Maybe it's just me. Some days it's hard to focus.  I have to work on that.  
But first, let me go read that thing I just found...

Speeding Towards The Red Light

When you're driving, and the traffic light up ahead has just turned yellow, then red, do you still step on the gas and speed towards it?  Then at the last minute, do you step hard on your brakes, causing your car to lean forward and then lurch back sharply when coming to a stop?

Why do you do that?  I guess if you're trying to get into the left turn lane in time for the next arrow, I understand it then, but otherwise, it makes no sense to me. If you're trying to beat me to the red light, then, well, congratulations, I guess. You win.

I'm no car expert, but it seems that doing this would cause you to use more gas and wear out your brakes faster.  You're also really counting on your brakes to work perfectly. Luckily that usually happens. But as someone who was once sitting at a red light, and watched in their rear view mirror as a fast approaching car coming from behind DIDN'T manage to stop in time...  well, maybe that's why I'm a bit sensitive to it.  It's just one of my driver pet peeves.

So I guess my advice is, if the light ahead has just turned red, slow down!  You have nowhere to go, and you can save a little gas with a little coasting.

Slower Traffic Keep Right

My mind seems to be on traffic pet peeves these days so here's one more.

When you're on a multi-lane highway or freeway, with at least 3 lanes in each direction, it used to be common knowledge that slower traffic should stay to the right lane, and as cars wanted to drive faster, they would move to lanes to the left.

There were signs that said "Slower Traffic Keep Right" but I don't see those much anymore. So I wonder if people still know or follow that basic premise, that as you want to drive faster, you move a lane to the left.

You often see people zipping up the right lane, going fast, passing everyone. And in the far left lane, also known as the fast lane, or passing lane, you see people there, driving too slow, compared to how traffic is moving. This forces other drivers to go around them on the right.

Is it true that some drivers get into that left lane, and purposely drive exactly the speed limit, just to teach other drivers a lesson, that they shouldn't be speeding? I've heard some do and that seems silly. And dangerous. If people want to speed, they're going to do it. Blocking the flow of traffic in the fast lane doesn't teach anything, it just annoys other drivers and could encourage them to try more dangerous maneuvers, as they weave through traffic.

We're all in such a hurry, it's easy to lose our temper while driving. What they used to teach as "Defensive driving" I like to call "Driving as if every driver around you may be about to do something really dumb." It's hard to stay calm sometimes, and other drivers will occasionally do something really dumb.

While some traffic rules seem silly, most are designed to keep traffic moving safely. So, take a deep breath, stay calm and if you don't want to speed, stay to the right and let the speedsters fight it out in the fast lane.

Cars No Longer Equipped With Turn Signals

... or so it seems.

Okay, it's not true, but doesn't it seem like it sometimes? Turn signals, indicators, blinkers... call them what you will, but they're a very simple and fairly clever way to give other drivers a little advance warning, so they know what you're about to do, before you do it.  "Yes, I am slowing down, but you see, it's because I'll be turning up ahead."

They're so easy to use, why do so many people choose not to use them?
A simple form of communication, a safety device, and at the very least, a common courtesy to other drivers.

So, unless you're assuming that all the rest of the drivers on the road have ESP and can predict ahead of time every move you're about to make, next time you're about to make a turn or change lanes, just take that one finger and flip on your blinker. Everyone else on the road will be glad you did.

New City, New Year

Moving to a new city is
Exciting
Exhausting
Expensive
Exactly what I've done.

Moving is the only time you touch everything you own at least once. And usually you start to wonder where all this stuff came from. But you pack it up and move it with you anyway. Because, well, I might need it! It's a good time to purge out some unwanted things, but we do carry lots of stuff around with us, don't we?

In a new city, a sense of exploration is important. Figuring out where things are, how to best get to where you need to go. Meeting new people. It's fun. Tiring sometimes, and time consuming, but fun.

Many things seem more time consuming these days. There never seems to be enough time to keep up with everything. That seems true now more than ever. How many online accounts do we really need?How many passwords do I have to remember? Check the phone, check emails, check snail mail, check Facebook, and oh yeah, write a post for my blog. Time flies, whether you're having fun or not!

So here I am, in a new city in a new year. 2012. An interesting year. Maybe. Is it the end? An end? A beginning? Or just another year. The end of the world has been predicted before, many times, and yet, here we still are. Nobody knows for sure. So I guess we'll find out.

If 2012 is the end of something,  I have decided to think that maybe it's the end of the world, as we know it. Maybe this year will usher in a better world, a more peaceful world. a happier world. Maybe that sounds very Pollyanna, and usually, I can be as cynical as anybody, but in this one thing, I'm holding out a bit of hope.

"You could say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." John Lennon said it best ... in his own write, of course.

New City, New Year. What will we be saying about 2012 next year at this time?

Souper Simple Soup Starter

If you keep these three ingredients in the kitchen, you can always make yourself a nice pot of healthy soup! Cannellini Beans are high in protein and fiber, so this can be the start to a great healthy vegetarian soup. This is a minestrone-type soup, but feel free to add whatever vegetables and meats you have on hand, to these three basic starting ingredients:

1 32 oz. Carton Vegetable Broth

1 14 to 18 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes

1 Can Cannellini Beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained

My favorite way to prepare this soup is to first put a little oil in a pot (about 4 quart). Chop up a handful of onion and garlic, (no, I am not very precise in my measurements) and saute in the oil, stirring occasionally while gathering and cutting other veggies. You could also cut up celery and carrots and saute them with the onions and garlic.

When the onions are soft, stir in the Broth and the Tomatoes.

Add the rinsed and drained Beans.

Stir in your favorite Herbs (parsley, basil, marjoram and oregano are all good).

To add some heat, you can add Crushed Red Pepper Flakes.

Stir in the fresh or frozen vegetables you have on hand. Broccoli, carrots, spinach, cauliflower, peas, zucchini are all good options. Shelled Edamame (soy) beans are good too, and add even more vegetarian protein.

If you don't want to depend on the bean protein, feel free to stir in cooked chicken or beef, or even meatballs. (Trader Joe's Frozen Turkey Meatballs are good in here. Sometimes I cut them in quarters so they'll heat faster)

If the soup starts to get too thick, just stir in a little water, or a little red wine.

You could add small pasta early on (when you first pour in the broth), but allow more time for the pasta to cook through (smaller pasta cooks faster).

Keep a spoon handy, so you can taste as you go, and add more herbs or salt and pepper, if it needs it. (I don't use much salt, but I know many people do.) It's fun to improvise and add your favorite flavors.

Cook until the vegetables are tender, ladle into bowls, and top with shredded Parmesan Cheese.

Simple, delicious, hearty and healthy!

Easy Peachy a la Mode

Peaches are in season right now. Picking out ripe fruit is not something I'm very good at. It's always a bit of a gamble when I get them home and cut them open. This week I was very pleased with my peach selection; they were juicy and sweet.

Of course they're delicious just eaten fresh and raw.

But I also have a fast and easy way to get the flavor of peach pie a la mode. (without the crust)

Easy Peachy a la Mode

Peel and slice Fresh Peaches. Place in a microwave safe bowl.

(if fresh peaches are not in season, just use a bag of Frozen Peach Slices)

Sprinkle liberally with Cinnamon.

Microwave for just a minute or so, until they're hot and juicy.

(Exact time depends on how many peaches you are using)

Remove bowl from microwave and top the hot peach slices with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream.

If you really miss pie crust, you can always eat a few vanilla wafers or butter cookies with the hot peaches and melting ice cream.

Simple and delicious!

Lemon Vermouth Fish Fillet

After reading that vermouth is made of wine with added herbs, I thought it must be good to cook with. And it is. I've experimented a bit, and came up with a light sauce that tastes great poured over fish fillets before baking. I've used it on salmon and orange roughy fillets, and I think it could be used on many types of fish. The combination of lemon, dijon mustard and dry vermouth has a great aroma while it's cooking. It's quick, easy, and delicious!

The exact amount of liquid to make depends on how much fish you're cooking, but make enough to pour over the fish fillet pieces, leaving some in the pan. The fish doesn't need to be swimming in sauce.

The amounts here are approximate, and meant for about 2 small to medium fillets, but feel free to experiment!

Lemon Vermouth Fish Fillet

A pat of butter, melted in the microwave in a cup or bowl large enough to add the other ingredients.

(Be careful, it melts very fast, in a few seconds)

Into the melted butter, stir:

1 Teaspoon of Dijon Mustard

1/4 Cup of Lemon Juice or Lime Juice

1/4 Cup of Dry Vermouth (the white kind, that's used in martini's)

Stir in dry or fresh herbs. Use whatever you like. Parsley, Basil, Thyme, Dill are all good.

Black Pepper (add salt if you wish, but I don't think it needs it.)

2 small to medium fish fillets

Combine the ingredients, and pour the liquid over the fish fillets, in a baking dish deep enough to hold the liquid.

Bake it in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.

Timing will vary a bit, depending on the size of your fillets and if they are fresh or frozen. Typical wisdom is to always thaw a frozen fillet, but, if the fillets are not very large, I often don't thaw them first. If you have an enormous fillet, you will want to assure the center is cooked before the edges get crispy. So in that case, thawing first is a good idea. A fresh fillet will cook faster than a frozen one. Check that fish is baked through in the middle, and flakes with a fork. Leave it in longer if it needs it, checking every 5 minutes. This liquid helps keep the fish moist and adds lots of great flavor. When it easily flakes with a fork, it's ready.

Enjoy!

Herbal Green Iced Tea

Green tea is good for you, according to many articles I've read lately. I don't drink it very often though. My preferred morning beverage is a cup of coffee.

But I have come up with a way to drink more green tea. By combining green tea with herbal teas, and chilling it, I can make up my own flavored iced green tea concoction.

Brew a pot of tea, using one or two green tea bags, and two or three herbal tea bags, using your favorite flavors.

Remove the tea bags after a few minutes, when it has brewed enough. Let the pot of tea cool down, then pour it into a covered container and put it in the fridge.

Whenever you're thirsty, you have a ready-made healthy green tea beverage. If you've made it strong, just add more ice cubes and cold water, to suit your taste.

Using fruit-flavored herbal teas adds a refreshing sweet fruity flavor to the green tea, so you might not have to add any sugar or sweeteners. Your iced tea will be healthier than many pre-made, pre-sweetened tea beverages that are out there. I like to use herbal tea flavors like berry, pomegranate, apple cinnamon, and lemon.

Green tea does have caffeine in it, so using more green tea and less herbal tea will give you a tea with more caffeine. To reduce the caffeine, use only one green tea bag and several herbal tea bags.

Brew up a pot once a week, and experiment with different herbal flavors. You'll have your own personal flavor of iced green tea.

My Favorite Healthy Oatmeal Add-ins

We know oatmeal is good for us. But what can we add to make it more delicious and still keep it nutritious?

I'm not a serious health food nut, I eat plenty of junk. But whenever I read about a food that's healthy, and it's something that I like, I try to add it wherever possible.

For me, breakfast has to include protein and should not include sugar. Eating sugar in the morning seems to just make me hungrier all day. And artificial sweeteners all have an aftertaste that I just don't like. So... no sweeteners here.

Use the standard measurements of 1 part dry oatmeal to 2 parts water (i.e., one serving: 1/3 C oats and 2/3 C water). Sometimes I cook it in a saucepan on the stove, but I often nuke it in a glass bowl in the microwave.

Here are my favorite healthy, tasty oatmeal additions (the amounts can be a spoonful, a handful, a pinch... whatever tastes good. Start with a little, add more if you like.)

Before cooking the oats, add any of these:

• Cinnamon (adds good flavor, and no sugar)
• Walnut pieces or Almonds (Trader Joe's unsalted dry toasted sliced almonds are great)
• Blueberries, fresh or frozen (and they turn your oatmeal a lovely color purple)
• Peach Slices, fresh or frozen (delicious with the cinnamon)
• Flaxseeds, freshly ground. (If you've always wondered what to do with a mortar and pestle, that works great for this, a spoonful of flaxseeds grinds up in a minute)

After cooking your oats, (about one minute for Quick Oats, 3-5 minutes for Old Fashioned Oats) add any of the following:

• Sliced Bananas
• Raspberries, fresh or frozen (these are better added cold or at room temp., not cooked)
• Plain Nonfat Yogurt (adds protein and calcium, with no fat, and no sugar)
• Natural Peanut Butter (natural, where the only ingredient is peanuts and maybe salt. Trader Joe's natural peanut butter is great.) And if you add peanut butter while the oatmeal is hot, it melts in and gets gooey and is surprisingly tasty in here. Plus it adds a nice protein boost.
• Milk (I use skim milk, but use whichever kind of milk you like: soy, rice, almond.)

When I eat a bowl of this oatmeal, with any or all of these healthy things stirred in, I don't get hungry for a very, very long time. It's a healthy, filling and delicious breakfast.

Do you have other healthy oatmeal additions that you enjoy? Feel free to leave a comment and share your favorites.

ALEXANDER CALDER at OCMA

Sunday I attended opening day of a new exhibition at the Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach, CA, which I highly recommend, if you're in Southern California. It runs until September 4, 2011, and it's called:

Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art

Form, Balance, Joy

Calder (American artist, 1898-1976) invented the mobile. They did not exist before him. And if you think building a mobile is easy, I encourage you to get some wire and some shapes, cut out of whatever material you find, (even pipe cleaners and paper) and try it. It's very hard to get the balance right, and to create something that looks so effortless. And graceful. And joyful.

Apparently, Calder's art has not always been considered serious enough to be important. It's interesting, because what I like most about him is his joyfulness and playfulness. Maybe Calder makes it look too easy...

It's just shapes hanging from a few wires...

A funny bird, made from old cans and wire...

A face made from discarded glass and wire...

Or one of many figures and faces he sculpted from wire. He called it "drawing in space" with wire, creating a sculptural line drawing.

Just go to Google and search Images for Alexander Calder, to see some of what he created. And then search for Calder's Circus, to watch a big kid at play. So inventive, creative and fun.

Or go to the Calder Foundation page at

http://calder.org/home

His art makes me smile. How can bits of steel, scrap metal and paint cause a positive emotional reaction like that? How can he make heavy steel look so graceful and balanced? I think that's an amazing accomplishment for an artist.

This exhibition also includes the works of several contemporary artists who show the influence of Calder's earlier works. It's interesting to see his influence in more recent interpretations. But his pieces are still my favorites in this group.

This exhibition first opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. (In fact, I viewed it there, on Day One of my 30-days of travel in September 2010.) In Chicago they included more of Calder's pieces, and I'm glad I got to see them. But I'm thrilled to be able to see it again in California.

For information, go to the OCMA website:

http://www.ocma.net/index.html?page=current

Click on "Visit" for directions, admission, etc.

And while I encourage you to support the museum by paying admission, if you're on a tight budget here's a tip.... Free Second Sundays, sponsored by Target (thanks, Target).

For more information about Calder, Artsy.net has compiled some great information. Here's the link to their Calder page:   https://artsy.net/artist/alexander-calder

Would you rather type than talk?

While I appreciate the value of emails and texting in many situations, I'm curious how many people are typing, primarily to avoid talking to people.

Originally it seemed that texting was a way to use the phone when you shouldn't be on your phone at all ... in class or in a meeting. Then someone told me that they didn't actually want to talk to their friend and get into a long phone call, they just wanted to send a message to them. It's more of a one-way communication to me ... until your friend texts you back, I guess.

So, would you rather text a friend than actually speak to them? There are situations where typing is better than talking, but are those situations becoming more frequent for many people? Is there an age gap in how we think about texting? It seems that kids, teens and 20-somethings may spend more time texting than talking. But I start to wonder, are they still learning how to have conversations or are they avoiding that by texting?

Is there any danger that people will lose their verbal skills? It is still important to develop the ability to quickly verbalize your thoughts on the phone, or make eye contact in face-to-face conversation, isn't it? It's something that you can really only learn by doing. We've all been in awkward social situations... feeling shy, standing alone at a party or at a business function, trying to find a friendly person to talk to. By going through this, we begin to learn how to connect, verbally, face to face. Small talk may seem unimportant, but it can lead to great connections and conversations. It is different than typing into a computer or phone keypad.

Both written and verbal communication have value. I just hope we're not losing the ability for face-to-face verbal conversations.

With new technology, it takes awhile for us to figure out the best balance, the proper usage, and how it fits with other technology. In the New York Times article that got me thinking about this talk vs. text subject, the writer says it was the same when telephones first appeared. What was considered the proper usage for the telephone has changed quite a bit through the years.

The article, "Don't Call Me, I Won't Call You" is an interesting and amusing take on it. Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/fashion/20Cultural.html?ei=5087&en=c81b98c29f1a5ea0&ex=1316491200&pagewanted=all

What do you think? Do we still know how to converse with each other? Would you rather type than talk?

A New Year. Friends. Experiences. Balance.

2011 Where did that first decade of the 2000's go anyway?

Though I know it's a cliche, time does seem to travel faster as we get older. But it is always a good time for reflection. How did we do last year? What would we like the next year to look like? What choices will we make? What is important? How do we find the balance that works for us?

Most people have limited amounts of money and free time. And we never seem to have both at once... When you have money (you're working) you don't have much free time (that work thing takes up way too much of our precious time!). And when you have free time (as in unemployed) you usually don't have money.

So when you have a little extra time and money, what do you do? Would you rather acquire more things, more stuff? Or do you spend it on experiences, like travel? Finding a good balance is the key. And living in small apartments has taught me a lesson about owning too much stuff... "but where would I put it?"

So last year, I took some money out of savings, and opted for an experience, a travel adventure. Using the JetBlue All You Can Jet Pass, I travelled for 30 straight days, spending money on transportation, food and lodging. More importantly, that pass enabled me to visit many friends and family who are scattered all over the country.

Maybe the secret to making choices in the new year is to keep in mind the relationships that are important to us and try not to lose track of them. It's hard to do because everyone's lives are so busy. But enjoying time with our real family and our "chosen family" (our friends) is valuable. And I always like to shake up the routine, see new places, explore new horizons.

So now the obvious question for me in the new year is .... where can I go and who can I visit in 2011?