Hello gang. I’m back. I took a little break but that’s just given me time to gather up some things to share with you all. There are three things making me really happy today–more than that really, but I’ll share at least three with you.
Hamilton — Believe the hype. At the end of April, I got tickets from Craig’s List to take my visiting Mom to see Hamilton in San Francisco. When they went on sale, the tickets were gobbled up by resellers who wanted ludicrous amounts of money for them ($1000/each+). Even in the Silicon Jungle where everything is overpriced and money seems to be no object, I found those prices intolerable. So I scored some reasonably priced tickets on Craig’s List, but then had to content with the fear that they might be fakes (they weren’t, thank God). So anyway, off we went.
Seriously, it amazed me. As you might imagine, I hadn’t studied the story or listened to the sound track or done anything, really, to prepare myself. So it struck me as so relevant, so hip, and so smart that I just felt cool being a part of it. When he wrote it 5+ years ago, how could he have know that “Immigrants, we get the job done!” would be such an appropriate rallying cry today. The set wasn’t the most elaborate I’ve seen, but there is so much going on in the lyrics, the music, the hip-hop storytelling, and the dancing that I was just enthralled. Since then, I’ve been listening to the soundtrack and I think I pick up some new subtlety each time. Really, I can’t say enough. I know I’m late to the party on this one, but run, don’t walk, to your chance to see or hear it!
Goliath— This Netflix original has also been around for a while, but I just wasn’t inspired to check it out. Billy Bob Thornton rocks as a once larger than life trial attorney now swimming in an alcoholic morass until a perky slip-and-fall attorney offers him a big new case. This sets him up against his old, powerful law firm and its big, bad client. Beware. Bad sh**t happens. But the ending is one of the most satisfying I can recall. I’ve been watching it time and again, savoring the much deserved downfall. Check this one out.
Finally, I’m leaving you with some of my newest photos from the Santa Cruz botanical garden. Those of you who’s been with me for a while know that I’m constantly working on my craft. Pictures of flowers can be pretty, but boring, so I got to take a class focusing on composition. You be the judge, but I think they are pretty great. More importantly, photography turns out to be one of those activities (like running or a hard uphill hike) which forces my mind to focus on aperture, light, other settings and composition. So I can’t indulge in my normal queries like… Why won’t XX call me back?…Why didn’t that work opportunity pan out?…I wonder when the bottom is going to fall out of the stock market?…and so forth. Photography casts a spell on me which relieves me of all those nagging worries and for that I’m really, really grateful.
It never lasts, as you know, but taking a break from my own craziness restores me every time. Enjoy the fruits of my labor.
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Boonedoggler 