On Winter in the Midwest

'This is reality, whether you like it or not. All those frivolities of summer, the light and shadow, the living mask of green that trembled over everything, they were lies, and this is what was underneath. This is the truth.' It was as if we were being punished for loving the loveliness of summer.

                  ~ Willa Cather. My Antonia

I feel like this every winter...

The whole prairie was like the bush that burned with fire and was not consumed. That hour always had the exultation of victory, of triumphant ending, like a hero's death—heroes who died young and gloriously. It was a sudden transfiguration, a lifting-up of day.

                  ~ Willa Cather. My Antonia

Really enjoying this. It's not a page-turner, but Cather can really paint a portrait of a scene.

Focus

The first requisite for success is to develop the ability to focus and apply your mental and physical energies to the problem at hand - without growing weary. Because such thinking is often difficult, there seems to be no limit to which some people will go to avoid the effort and labor that is associated with it...

                  ~ Thomas Edison. via article on Johnny Holland

My Antonia

I had the feeling that the world was left behind, that we had got over the edge of it, and were outside man's jurisdiction.

                  ~ Willa Cather. My Antonia

Just started reading this after I saw an article stating that Willa Cather was one of the best and most under-rated authors of the 20th century. This phrase caught my eye.

"I would have liked to have seen Montana"

I'm heading out to Montana for a couple days to see some of my college buddies. I'm looking forward to it even though I don't ski. There is not phone coverage at all so I will be 'off the grid' for four days. I haven't been without phone service that much in over 5 years.

And the quote in the title bar, it's Sam Neill from Hunt for Red October.

Five Guys Burgers

so not good for me, but so so good

Meatballs

Just a test to see what an image from my iPhoto photo stream looks like unedited when I drop it in here.

The reason that Pandora exists

The Hans Zimmer channel

This is fantastic for when I'm working. I cannot have total quiet, and no vocals is better for working.

It was the best of times

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair

                  ~ Charles Dickens. Tale of Two Cities

Missed chances

But stupidity is one of two things we see most clearly in retrospect. The other is missed chances.

                  ~ Stephen King. 11/22/63