Common Decency and Obeying the Muse
2011 end-of-year reflections on sincerity, common decency and the elusive ways of “the muse.” And you can even hear me sing if you have the stomach for it 🙂
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The Underbelly of Race and Jazz
It seems like everyone is throwing their hats into the ring in the aftermath of the scrum catalyzed by Nicholas Payton’s blog post this week (suggesting that the word “jazz” be replaced by BAM, an acronym for “black American music”). Here is my $.02.
Continue ReadingOvercoming Overeating Without Deprivation
Last winter I dropped 20+ pounds and have kept the weight off for over a year now, even though I feel like I’m enjoying food more than ever. Since many of us in the U.S.A. now find ourselves smack in the middle of the biggest period of food-excess of the year, it seemed like a good time to discuss the insights that have allowed me to pull this off.
Continue ReadingThe Grand Pizzexperiment Part 1: The Preparation
Pizza is so simple and it can be so good or so crappy. This week began Kate’s and my quest to find the best pizza in Middletown, CT.
Continue ReadingThe Ethics of “Doing Your Best”
One fascinating element of the scandal at Penn State is how people are having to grapple with the moral question of whether they did the best they could to deal with the situation. I’m realizing that evaluating whether people have done the best they could requires a deeper philosophical look at what that actually means.
Continue ReadingLessons Learned from Kenny Barron
Pretty much every time I play the piano is an opportunity, however indirect, to appreciate all that I learned from 6 years of study with Kenny Barron. This year has been a particularly fertile year for that sort of reflection, as he played two concerts in CT this summer. Beyond that, I’m currently gearing up…
Continue ReadingPesto (with variations)
The recipe below represents an approximation of what we typically do. It’s interesting to note, however, that there is a lot of variation possible with not only amounts (you’ll learn how you like it best) but also actual ingredients, and there are satisfying variations for people who have allergies and sensitivities.
Continue ReadingTop 10 Soul Jazz Tracks
Because I wasn’t sure whether to focus on the swinging end of soul jazz or the more backbeat-driven form, I decided (it’s my blog, after all) to do 10 of each, with brief commentary.
Continue ReadingLucky 13
I initially thought about presenting this as advice, even a set of “guidelines” for a successful marriage, but what the heck do I know? What I am pretty sure that I know is that marriage takes commitment to a code of ethics and behaviors that is conducive to the well-being of the partnership.
Continue ReadingEDS Awareness Month 2011: Accommodations
Welcome to this year’s installment of EDS Awareness on the blog, this time on the topic of accommodations for an “invisible” disability.
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