Trekked up to Kripalu last night with two friends / fellow yogis to see Krishna Das. Quite a lovely evening of Bhakti Yoga, a yoga of devotion to the divine through music, movement, and chanting.
We got a little bit of a late start, but my driving was sufficiently fast (what is it with yogis and driving, KD himself said something about a speeding ticket) to get us there in time for a quick Kripalu dinner (healthy and yummy) and then to the concert. We started out in the back on chairs but soon migrated to the follor near the front.
Really wonderful to see KD after all these years of listening to him at yoga and playing at kirtan. In some ways similar to how teaching yoga has taken away from my practice, playing at kirtan is different than participating in kirtan, so it was nice to just be there, chanting, letting the music carry me. He and his ensemble were quite wonderful, especially the violinist. As Shankara noted to me "we have to manifest a violin for our kirtan ensemble" and well, I think we manifested a flautist. Actually, I think she manifested us. Either way....a very wonderful addition.
Bit of a long drive, and my body is cranky from the driving as well as the sitting on the floor, bouncing around, and jyfully chanting. But worth it - a night of devotion and song, some time spent with two wonderful people, and a chance to see a performer whose music has become an important part of my life.
March 15, 2009
March 11, 2009
One of Those Days
Worked late last night on a website, so got moving a little slowly Wed morning. Worked for a bit, then headed over to the studio for a 9:30 practice. As I walked in at 9:15 I could sense the panic in the work study person's eyes - the 9:00 am All Levels teacher had not shown up and could not be reached via phone. So of course, I got to teach a clas instead of practicing.....
Grab some lunch, then back to work for a bit, and then back to the studio for a noon gentle class. Very relaxing and killer savasana, anything to be in my body for a bit. Then back to work all afternoon before heading out to Bristol for my Adult Ed class. Grab some dinner en route home, stop in to check email and visit with Zippy, and then back to the studio for meditation. Lot of runnign around and a lot of yogaish stuff.
Tomorrow, guerilla yoga with NP. And then a day of work. I'm getting dug out slowly, but the more I finish up and send out, the more work comes in the door. In these economic times, I am not complaining.
off the bed. Too tired for my own good!
Grab some lunch, then back to work for a bit, and then back to the studio for a noon gentle class. Very relaxing and killer savasana, anything to be in my body for a bit. Then back to work all afternoon before heading out to Bristol for my Adult Ed class. Grab some dinner en route home, stop in to check email and visit with Zippy, and then back to the studio for meditation. Lot of runnign around and a lot of yogaish stuff.
Tomorrow, guerilla yoga with NP. And then a day of work. I'm getting dug out slowly, but the more I finish up and send out, the more work comes in the door. In these economic times, I am not complaining.
off the bed. Too tired for my own good!
Voices of the Faithful
The recent (and completely out of left field) bubbling up of the State of Connecticut vs. the Roman Catholic Church has caught my eye and ear.
As a former Catholic, I am interested. And perhaps surprising to some, I am on the side of the church hierarchy here - the state ought to keep out of the business of religion.
Of course, I hold this opinion for all the wrong (and nefarious) reasons. This proposal comes from internal church reformers (not from some legislative agenda to embarass the church), fearing the mismanagement and "old boys club" of the existing priest based financial management of parish assets and resources. Watching chuches close, watching diocesan and parish resources sucked dry by legal judgements or simple pilfering related to priest malfeasance. Who can blame them for wanting to try to save their church, their parish that they and their parents have invested in all these years?
But if one is happy to see the church buckle and fall under the weight of its own corruption, its timbers eaten away by corruption, scandal, and secrecy - well - keep on doing what you are doing, I say.
Voice of the Faithful - break away. Join the Episcopals, the Congregationalists, the Unitarian Universalists. Each person who walks away, who refuses to play by the existing rules, hastens the fall of the existing structure and perhaps the day of true reform.
I am perhaps a little harsh here. VOTF seems to have their hearts and minds in the right place. I am simply a bit more cynical, and have little hope that a popular uprising withing the church will make much of a dent in how things are run. Abosulte power corrupts, absolutely....at all levels of the church hierarchy.
As a former Catholic, I am interested. And perhaps surprising to some, I am on the side of the church hierarchy here - the state ought to keep out of the business of religion.
Of course, I hold this opinion for all the wrong (and nefarious) reasons. This proposal comes from internal church reformers (not from some legislative agenda to embarass the church), fearing the mismanagement and "old boys club" of the existing priest based financial management of parish assets and resources. Watching chuches close, watching diocesan and parish resources sucked dry by legal judgements or simple pilfering related to priest malfeasance. Who can blame them for wanting to try to save their church, their parish that they and their parents have invested in all these years?
But if one is happy to see the church buckle and fall under the weight of its own corruption, its timbers eaten away by corruption, scandal, and secrecy - well - keep on doing what you are doing, I say.
Voice of the Faithful - break away. Join the Episcopals, the Congregationalists, the Unitarian Universalists. Each person who walks away, who refuses to play by the existing rules, hastens the fall of the existing structure and perhaps the day of true reform.
I am perhaps a little harsh here. VOTF seems to have their hearts and minds in the right place. I am simply a bit more cynical, and have little hope that a popular uprising withing the church will make much of a dent in how things are run. Abosulte power corrupts, absolutely....at all levels of the church hierarchy.
March 10, 2009
Birthday Wishes
Kind of a quiet birthday.
I have been surrounded and overwhelmed with birthday wishes from friends. Thank Facebook for that one....funny because a week or so ago I considered removing my birthday from Facebook....go under the radar so to speak. That's been more typical of my style. But apparently I am visible this year. I wonder who I can blame for that? So I am basking in scores of birthday wishes: text messages, facebook messages, emails, calls, and in person.
Guerilla yoga this morning with my pal Nykki - notable because she and Amy got me a rather unique gift (a bag of Cheez Doodles, it's a long story). Also, one of the studio trees fell over, out of nowhere.
Some work before and after. Then lunch with my sister and mom who drove down from Massachusetts. We visited the studio, hit Elements for lunch (yum), and then drove over to Blue Back and WH Center for a little shopping and sightseeing. I picked up some things on the clearance rack at Lucy - sis and mom wanted to get me a little birthday something.
I have been surrounded and overwhelmed with birthday wishes from friends. Thank Facebook for that one....funny because a week or so ago I considered removing my birthday from Facebook....go under the radar so to speak. That's been more typical of my style. But apparently I am visible this year. I wonder who I can blame for that? So I am basking in scores of birthday wishes: text messages, facebook messages, emails, calls, and in person.
Guerilla yoga this morning with my pal Nykki - notable because she and Amy got me a rather unique gift (a bag of Cheez Doodles, it's a long story). Also, one of the studio trees fell over, out of nowhere.
Some work before and after. Then lunch with my sister and mom who drove down from Massachusetts. We visited the studio, hit Elements for lunch (yum), and then drove over to Blue Back and WH Center for a little shopping and sightseeing. I picked up some things on the clearance rack at Lucy - sis and mom wanted to get me a little birthday something.
March 09, 2009
Eight Weeks Later
Tonight was the final class of my first Intro Series. Ten students in the room; most of the class stuck it out until the end. And after seven weeks of working on individual parts - legs, hips, core, twists, shoulders, inversions, vinyasa - I took them through a more or less regular practice tonight. It was wonderful to see them moving through postures, catching the flow, letting go. So happy for them, and proud. As they moved into a well deserved savasana, it was rewarding and inspiring to watch them.
Probably not my last intro series. But there is something special about the first time one does anything, and this is no exception. I'm off to bed, happy and warm, feeling as if I've touched some lives, perhaps lit a fire or two.
This yoga thing has infected me, and I am more than happy to pass it along!
Probably not my last intro series. But there is something special about the first time one does anything, and this is no exception. I'm off to bed, happy and warm, feeling as if I've touched some lives, perhaps lit a fire or two.
This yoga thing has infected me, and I am more than happy to pass it along!
March 08, 2009
Raising the Bar
I'm subbing at the yoga studio this morning. Shankara's 10:15 All Levels class. Subbing a weekend class is the big time, a full room of folks expecting a good class, and I'm preparing a little more than usual. Most times, I get into the studio a little early, get into my body, and mentally assemble a class. I identify a theme for the class (hips maybe, shoulders, or vinyasa, or something) and then block out the time (seated meditation, some seated postures, work on particular body parts, slotting in abs, back stretches, vinyasa, standing poses, back to the floor). I'll mentally bookmark a couple of postures I want to get in, and also some prep postures. But mostly, I wing it. Student's seem to like my sequences, my postures, my energy, and my language - so I guess I am doing soemthing right.
Not today though, I'm subbing for Shankara. People expect a good class, the room will be full, so I am formally prepping!
Subbing for Shankara is a glass half full / glass half empty kind of thing. I'm honored and flattered to be asked. And I do recognize that people have favorably compared my style in front of the room and my classes to his, so it makes sense. But I'm also vaguely suspicious that nobody else wants to fill in for Shankara, he is most beloved and respected, and his regular students are often visibly disappointed when he is not there. It takes a certain personality to watch students turn tail and walk out when he is not teaching, and not take it personally. Maybe my self-effacing "I am not worthy" attitude provides some space for that sort of rejection. Maybe because I know that it's about him (positively) and not about me (negatively).
Anyway, 10:15 this morning, All Levels at West Hartford Yoga. Be there....I've got a nice class planned!
Not today though, I'm subbing for Shankara. People expect a good class, the room will be full, so I am formally prepping!
Subbing for Shankara is a glass half full / glass half empty kind of thing. I'm honored and flattered to be asked. And I do recognize that people have favorably compared my style in front of the room and my classes to his, so it makes sense. But I'm also vaguely suspicious that nobody else wants to fill in for Shankara, he is most beloved and respected, and his regular students are often visibly disappointed when he is not there. It takes a certain personality to watch students turn tail and walk out when he is not teaching, and not take it personally. Maybe my self-effacing "I am not worthy" attitude provides some space for that sort of rejection. Maybe because I know that it's about him (positively) and not about me (negatively).
Anyway, 10:15 this morning, All Levels at West Hartford Yoga. Be there....I've got a nice class planned!
It's the Economy Stupid....or Maybe Not
There is a catchphrase out there - "...in this economy". Not a day goes by when I do not hear it or say it. How's work? someone will ask me. Busy, I reply. That's something in this economy, they will say. And yes it is.
I am a bit dubious of the economic downturn, if the local restaurants are any judge. Last Tuesday, I went out to dinner with my studio owner (I figured I was about get fired or something, bu she just wanted to touch base). Since she is a fairly restricted food person (clean food, whole food, vegetarian leaning), and I am a gastronomic goat (I will eat pretty much anything), I let her pick a venue. Max's Oyster Bar. A Tuesday night around 6:30 - how bad could it be?
An hour wait; that's how bad. We crossed the street for Arugala, not quite so crowded but still relatively busy on a Tuesday night.
Last night, my friend Audrey was in town for a movie and wanted to go out to dinner. I let her choose - and she chose Plan B over on New Park. I was dubious (Saturday night and all) but it was early, 5:30, so I drove over there. We never got out of the car - the queue to get in was spilling out onto the sidewalk. Not unexpected (Plan B is a smallish place and popular) so I suggested Element's Bistro over on New Britain in Elmwood. Things looked good - the parking lot was pretty empty (I've seen it full), no visible line - but when we got in there, a 50 minute wait.
We ended up over at Bombay Olive. Which was also doing a nice business, with a number of tables marked Reserved, although there was room for us.
I dunno, it seems to me that if times are really all that dire, these reasonably upscale restaurants would be struggling a little bit. I know that lots of people are losing jobs, companies are downsizing, times are fraught with fear and paralysis. But so much of this economic panic seems to be based on emotion, on expecting the worst, on waiting for the bottom and the hoped for uptick. When I look around and see these restaurants still full, still a hot ticket, well, it's hard to not be just a little hopeful.
As a coda, you know I teach and practice yoga. Friday at noon, I had 25 people in my class. Granted, it was a low cost, $5 class, but it's nice to teach to a room full of people. And yesterday, I took a class with Nykki that was filled up with 60 bodies. People are still spending time and money. So I'll choose hope over fear, and maybe my economic optimism will float another boat or two.
I am a bit dubious of the economic downturn, if the local restaurants are any judge. Last Tuesday, I went out to dinner with my studio owner (I figured I was about get fired or something, bu she just wanted to touch base). Since she is a fairly restricted food person (clean food, whole food, vegetarian leaning), and I am a gastronomic goat (I will eat pretty much anything), I let her pick a venue. Max's Oyster Bar. A Tuesday night around 6:30 - how bad could it be?
An hour wait; that's how bad. We crossed the street for Arugala, not quite so crowded but still relatively busy on a Tuesday night.
Last night, my friend Audrey was in town for a movie and wanted to go out to dinner. I let her choose - and she chose Plan B over on New Park. I was dubious (Saturday night and all) but it was early, 5:30, so I drove over there. We never got out of the car - the queue to get in was spilling out onto the sidewalk. Not unexpected (Plan B is a smallish place and popular) so I suggested Element's Bistro over on New Britain in Elmwood. Things looked good - the parking lot was pretty empty (I've seen it full), no visible line - but when we got in there, a 50 minute wait.
We ended up over at Bombay Olive. Which was also doing a nice business, with a number of tables marked Reserved, although there was room for us.
I dunno, it seems to me that if times are really all that dire, these reasonably upscale restaurants would be struggling a little bit. I know that lots of people are losing jobs, companies are downsizing, times are fraught with fear and paralysis. But so much of this economic panic seems to be based on emotion, on expecting the worst, on waiting for the bottom and the hoped for uptick. When I look around and see these restaurants still full, still a hot ticket, well, it's hard to not be just a little hopeful.
As a coda, you know I teach and practice yoga. Friday at noon, I had 25 people in my class. Granted, it was a low cost, $5 class, but it's nice to teach to a room full of people. And yesterday, I took a class with Nykki that was filled up with 60 bodies. People are still spending time and money. So I'll choose hope over fear, and maybe my economic optimism will float another boat or two.
March 06, 2009
And Now for Something Completely Different
Trekked over to Samadhi Yoga in Manchester yesterday for a 6:00 pm class with Matt. I was supposed to meet up with my buddy Alison and take a class together, but we miscommunicated (or rather, I did, I thought I had posted a note to her via Facebook but I did not, stupid since I do have her email and cell phone information!). I've heard wonderful things about Matt's class (met him briefly back when I was thinking about teacher training over there, but have never practiced with him). So it was a good chance to practice with someone new.
In any case, an interesting, All Levels class. Very pranayama focused - there is a little tendency (on my part) to see pranayama as a waste of good asana time. So a little bit of patience and letting the pranayama do its thing. I picked up a few interesting postures or ways of working, which add to my repetoire. However, I walked away with a tweaky lower back - Matt does a lot of "side to side" stuff that does not sit well with my body:
* Seated side bend and seated twist, back and forth with the breath and not sitting and breathing into one side
* A standing twist sequence that was similarly "jerky" - inhale up, exhale twist, inhale, exhale forward fold, inhale up, repeat other side. Not a lot of room or time to sink in to the twist or let it stew, and not a ton of prep work for what becomes a pretty deep posture.
* A sun salutation sequence - Surya Namaskar A but adding a twisted triangle on each side coming up. Again, just a quick "in and out" of the twist and a fairly rapid left right sequencing. My body just likes to get in there a little slower and soak into a particular side. The "left/right and back/forth" thing was not so good for me, I think my body needs to work into a particular side before getting into the deep twists, and to warm up with posture more (pranayama is fine for getting the body warm but not particular muscles groups)
Some forward fold pranayama at the end (kapalabati, uddiyana) - and more lower back stuff. Marcia's classes do the same thing to me, a lot of forward folding and right at the start of class, so I really have to warm up my lower back before class, and be conscious of it during.
Overall, I got very deep in the practice (a nice seated meditation just prior to savasana was a particularly nice touch), I really liked Matt's languaging and style, and I picked up a couple of interesting postures. But the sequencing and postures were just not all that good for this particular body. So, a good practice from a "know thyself" perspective, and I really do like to broaden my horizons with different styles and teachers, to keep from getting stale.
Hopefully, I'll get my rear end over there again some time - the rush hour drive through Hartford kind of bites, and it's hard to actually pay for yoga (I practice free down at WHY). But I do want to get together with Alison at some point....
In any case, an interesting, All Levels class. Very pranayama focused - there is a little tendency (on my part) to see pranayama as a waste of good asana time. So a little bit of patience and letting the pranayama do its thing. I picked up a few interesting postures or ways of working, which add to my repetoire. However, I walked away with a tweaky lower back - Matt does a lot of "side to side" stuff that does not sit well with my body:
* Seated side bend and seated twist, back and forth with the breath and not sitting and breathing into one side
* A standing twist sequence that was similarly "jerky" - inhale up, exhale twist, inhale, exhale forward fold, inhale up, repeat other side. Not a lot of room or time to sink in to the twist or let it stew, and not a ton of prep work for what becomes a pretty deep posture.
* A sun salutation sequence - Surya Namaskar A but adding a twisted triangle on each side coming up. Again, just a quick "in and out" of the twist and a fairly rapid left right sequencing. My body just likes to get in there a little slower and soak into a particular side. The "left/right and back/forth" thing was not so good for me, I think my body needs to work into a particular side before getting into the deep twists, and to warm up with posture more (pranayama is fine for getting the body warm but not particular muscles groups)
Some forward fold pranayama at the end (kapalabati, uddiyana) - and more lower back stuff. Marcia's classes do the same thing to me, a lot of forward folding and right at the start of class, so I really have to warm up my lower back before class, and be conscious of it during.
Overall, I got very deep in the practice (a nice seated meditation just prior to savasana was a particularly nice touch), I really liked Matt's languaging and style, and I picked up a couple of interesting postures. But the sequencing and postures were just not all that good for this particular body. So, a good practice from a "know thyself" perspective, and I really do like to broaden my horizons with different styles and teachers, to keep from getting stale.
Hopefully, I'll get my rear end over there again some time - the rush hour drive through Hartford kind of bites, and it's hard to actually pay for yoga (I practice free down at WHY). But I do want to get together with Alison at some point....
Busy Friday
In case you are wondering why I have been off the grid the last week or so, life has just gotten busy. Today:
* Work this morning, I have quite queue of pending reports (some marked URGENT or ASAP) to crank out. Hope to put a big dent in that list today.
* Yoga at 12:15 - teaching my normal gentle class
* Set up for kirtan - between my armada of guitars, my wireless mic, and the group sound system, it's quite the production
* Wake for Maria and Mike Bollea - 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Sheehan-Hilborn-Breen Funeral
Home on New Britain Avenue (a blessing that it is right down the street)
* Dinner possibly with balloon friends, hopefully nearby
* Kirtan at 8:15 pm
Needless to say, Saturday will be a day of rest, recovery, and catch-up!
* Work this morning, I have quite queue of pending reports (some marked URGENT or ASAP) to crank out. Hope to put a big dent in that list today.
* Yoga at 12:15 - teaching my normal gentle class
* Set up for kirtan - between my armada of guitars, my wireless mic, and the group sound system, it's quite the production
* Wake for Maria and Mike Bollea - 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Sheehan-Hilborn-Breen Funeral
Home on New Britain Avenue (a blessing that it is right down the street)
* Dinner possibly with balloon friends, hopefully nearby
* Kirtan at 8:15 pm
Needless to say, Saturday will be a day of rest, recovery, and catch-up!
March 04, 2009
Amazon.com On Demand Rental now available for Roku....
Dear Judith,
You don't have to fetch your car keys or grab your wallet to watch Hollywood's hottest new releases.
Your Roku digital video player now offers more than 40,000 movies and TV episodes available to rent or buy instantly from Amazon Video On Demand—many on the very same day they’re available on DVD. Prices start at 99 cents and no subscription fee is required.
Choose from newly released movies such as The Dark Knight, Tropic Thunder and Pineapple Express, or catch up on the latest episodes of your favorite TV shows such as House and Battlestar Galactica.
The new software update to access Amazon Video On Demand will be automatically delivered to you, free of charge, within the next five days. From there, just link your Roku player to your Amazon account to buy or rent right from your TV. No PC required.
New releases are just a fraction of the more than 40,000 choices available instantly from Amazon Video On Demand. See for yourself! Select the "Amazon Video On Demand" button from your Roku player's Home screen and start exploring. Amazon Video On Demand is an addition to your Roku player. Your Netflix service remains unchanged. Check out the Amazon Video On Demand Special Deals section, where you'll find popular titles like Speed Racer and Journey to the Center of the Earth for as low as 99 cents! And for a limited time, the 2009 SI Swimsuit Show will be also be offered for free.
This is just the first of many exciting new additions coming to your Roku digital video player in 2009.
Keep watching and enjoy.
Tim Twerdahl
Vice President, Roku
More information here
You don't have to fetch your car keys or grab your wallet to watch Hollywood's hottest new releases.
Your Roku digital video player now offers more than 40,000 movies and TV episodes available to rent or buy instantly from Amazon Video On Demand—many on the very same day they’re available on DVD. Prices start at 99 cents and no subscription fee is required.
Choose from newly released movies such as The Dark Knight, Tropic Thunder and Pineapple Express, or catch up on the latest episodes of your favorite TV shows such as House and Battlestar Galactica.
The new software update to access Amazon Video On Demand will be automatically delivered to you, free of charge, within the next five days. From there, just link your Roku player to your Amazon account to buy or rent right from your TV. No PC required.
New releases are just a fraction of the more than 40,000 choices available instantly from Amazon Video On Demand. See for yourself! Select the "Amazon Video On Demand" button from your Roku player's Home screen and start exploring. Amazon Video On Demand is an addition to your Roku player. Your Netflix service remains unchanged. Check out the Amazon Video On Demand Special Deals section, where you'll find popular titles like Speed Racer and Journey to the Center of the Earth for as low as 99 cents! And for a limited time, the 2009 SI Swimsuit Show will be also be offered for free.
This is just the first of many exciting new additions coming to your Roku digital video player in 2009.
Keep watching and enjoy.
Tim Twerdahl
Vice President, Roku
More information here
March 01, 2009
Just Like That
A very sad story in today's news. Two Dead of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. I was channel surfing the evening, keeping an eye on the weather, and I happened to catch this story on the local news.
Turns out I know the victims - Mike Bollea, a local balloonist, and his mother, Maria. The media is finally releasing the names, Hartford Courant story here.
I just saw Mike last night - he was at our balloon club safety seminar. He procures and funds a custom sheet cake with balloon decor (and often a frosting photo) made for these events - 2 or 3 times a year. As I chomped on the cake (yummy, with way too much sweet frosting), I chatted with him, teasing a little - what it would take to get a cake for our annual Gemini party? My buddy Robert chimed in "be careful what you wish for". M was likely to bring a few albums full of photos of his last flights, and would happily supply great detail you about each photo. He was quite the talker, and quite the character! Later yesterday, as he detailed how he had photoshopped his balloon and one other into the cover photo for our annual calendar, I teased him again. "Be honest, were there actually any balloons in that photo to start with?"
Yesterday he was detailing his annual expenditures - thousands of dollars in printer ink, photo paper, albums, sheet protectors. He was the de facto photographer of record of the CT Lighter than Air Society - if you wanted a photo of the balloon you were flying back in 1994, he could go back in the archives and pull it out. Last year, for the banquet, I put together a slide show for cocktail hour, and M sent several hundred pictures. This year, mostly aimed at him lest he overwhelm my In Box, I limited it to 30 photos per person. He sent his photos - and made sure I know he had plenty more if I needed them....
Mike never married - he lived with his mother, retired a while back from Wiremold in West Hartford. He was a kindly soul, would never hurt a flea and was always willing to step up for someone else. He was one of those balloonists who was often on the field without his balloon - helping out a friend by driving the chase van, flying for fun, or happy to take some pictures of a new balloon - he just loved the sport and the people. It's heartbreaking to know that he was just here - and is gone so quickly and unexpectedly. But as my friend Robert noted, it was also odd in a way. He and his mom were inseperable, and if she had passed away he would surely have been a lost soul, as would she if he had gone first. So doubly sad that they died together, but also a very small blessing at the heart of this great loss.
I'm quite sure he had a good day yesterday, surrounded by friends, talking about balloons, doing what he always did - take photos of the event, show off pictures of his most recent flight, talk about ballooning and plan the upcoming balloon season. I got an email from him a few days back - he flew on Wed 2/25. As usual there were 30-40 photos - documenting the entire flight - inflation, scenery, people, breakfast afterwards. I'll share a couple of photos from that email:
Right: Mike (left, with knit cap) in his balloon
Right: Mike's beloved balloon Checked-mate
Rest in Peace, Mike. Balloonists throughout the region will miss your friendly face, your passion for photography and ballooning, and I am sure as 2009 comes through, not a balloon weekend or event will roll by without something going undone, and we realize "Ah....Mike used to take care of that....". There will be an empty space on the field, and an empty chair at every post-flight breakfast, from here on.
Time for a little cry....
Turns out I know the victims - Mike Bollea, a local balloonist, and his mother, Maria. The media is finally releasing the names, Hartford Courant story here.
I just saw Mike last night - he was at our balloon club safety seminar. He procures and funds a custom sheet cake with balloon decor (and often a frosting photo) made for these events - 2 or 3 times a year. As I chomped on the cake (yummy, with way too much sweet frosting), I chatted with him, teasing a little - what it would take to get a cake for our annual Gemini party? My buddy Robert chimed in "be careful what you wish for". M was likely to bring a few albums full of photos of his last flights, and would happily supply great detail you about each photo. He was quite the talker, and quite the character! Later yesterday, as he detailed how he had photoshopped his balloon and one other into the cover photo for our annual calendar, I teased him again. "Be honest, were there actually any balloons in that photo to start with?"
Yesterday he was detailing his annual expenditures - thousands of dollars in printer ink, photo paper, albums, sheet protectors. He was the de facto photographer of record of the CT Lighter than Air Society - if you wanted a photo of the balloon you were flying back in 1994, he could go back in the archives and pull it out. Last year, for the banquet, I put together a slide show for cocktail hour, and M sent several hundred pictures. This year, mostly aimed at him lest he overwhelm my In Box, I limited it to 30 photos per person. He sent his photos - and made sure I know he had plenty more if I needed them....
Mike never married - he lived with his mother, retired a while back from Wiremold in West Hartford. He was a kindly soul, would never hurt a flea and was always willing to step up for someone else. He was one of those balloonists who was often on the field without his balloon - helping out a friend by driving the chase van, flying for fun, or happy to take some pictures of a new balloon - he just loved the sport and the people. It's heartbreaking to know that he was just here - and is gone so quickly and unexpectedly. But as my friend Robert noted, it was also odd in a way. He and his mom were inseperable, and if she had passed away he would surely have been a lost soul, as would she if he had gone first. So doubly sad that they died together, but also a very small blessing at the heart of this great loss.
I'm quite sure he had a good day yesterday, surrounded by friends, talking about balloons, doing what he always did - take photos of the event, show off pictures of his most recent flight, talk about ballooning and plan the upcoming balloon season. I got an email from him a few days back - he flew on Wed 2/25. As usual there were 30-40 photos - documenting the entire flight - inflation, scenery, people, breakfast afterwards. I'll share a couple of photos from that email:
Right: Mike (left, with knit cap) in his balloon
Right: Mike's beloved balloon Checked-mate
Rest in Peace, Mike. Balloonists throughout the region will miss your friendly face, your passion for photography and ballooning, and I am sure as 2009 comes through, not a balloon weekend or event will roll by without something going undone, and we realize "Ah....Mike used to take care of that....". There will be an empty space on the field, and an empty chair at every post-flight breakfast, from here on.
Time for a little cry....
February 28, 2009
Instant Netflix: State and Main
From 2000. David Mamet's quirky film. Philip Seymour Hoffman. William H. Macy. Sarah Jessica Parker. Alec Baldwin. Charles Durning. Patti Lupone. What could go wrong?
CLAS Safety Seminar
Today, at the New England Air Museum. Mostly, a day of hanging out and listening to talks about ballooning and safety. Not a lot of new ground, but a nice refresher. My first such seminar; not sure if I will make it a regular thing, but its a nice chance to catch up with the balloon peeps during the off season.
The keynote / special guest was Don Piccard, who has a bunch of pet projects and associated websites. He is purportedly "The father of modern sport hot-air ballooning." and his biography certainly supports that. His history goes back as far as Lakehurst NJ (remember the Hindenburg?) and although he was a wee bit young for that particular event, he worked there, knew people who witnessed that, and has his theories about the event. So very interesting to listen to him.
He has two pet projects going. The XAP (eXtreme Altitude Project) is a proposed hybrid hot-air / gas balloon intended to fly to 150,000 feet (yes, that's nearly 30 miles up) into the mesosphere. Really interesting stuff (the concept, the technical challenges) although I have yet to really understand the switch-over from the gas bags (which can / will be cut away upon descent) and the hot-air system. Never did quite understand that.....but it sounds like a critical piece.
And finally, he is working on an affordable gas balloon (using Hydrogen or Methane gas) called the Piccard Pleiades - he's quite the salesman for the sport of gas ballooning (far less pedestrian than regular old hot air ballooning).
Hope I'm that spry and have so much passion and drive at 83. It was neat to meet him.
There were other presentations - a piece on crew safety (by local friends), a bit on pilot decision making by Bill Huighes of the Liberty Balloon School, and a nice overview of reading the weather by Mark Schilling, who put together a weather website for CLAS members. And the requisite number of scare stories about various accidents (real and imagined) to keep the pilots and crew honest.
I've been crewing for hot air balloons for almost 25 years, and have never witnessed a serious incident. But things do happen. So best to be prepared.....
The keynote / special guest was Don Piccard, who has a bunch of pet projects and associated websites. He is purportedly "The father of modern sport hot-air ballooning." and his biography certainly supports that. His history goes back as far as Lakehurst NJ (remember the Hindenburg?) and although he was a wee bit young for that particular event, he worked there, knew people who witnessed that, and has his theories about the event. So very interesting to listen to him.
He has two pet projects going. The XAP (eXtreme Altitude Project) is a proposed hybrid hot-air / gas balloon intended to fly to 150,000 feet (yes, that's nearly 30 miles up) into the mesosphere. Really interesting stuff (the concept, the technical challenges) although I have yet to really understand the switch-over from the gas bags (which can / will be cut away upon descent) and the hot-air system. Never did quite understand that.....but it sounds like a critical piece.
And finally, he is working on an affordable gas balloon (using Hydrogen or Methane gas) called the Piccard Pleiades - he's quite the salesman for the sport of gas ballooning (far less pedestrian than regular old hot air ballooning).
Hope I'm that spry and have so much passion and drive at 83. It was neat to meet him.
There were other presentations - a piece on crew safety (by local friends), a bit on pilot decision making by Bill Huighes of the Liberty Balloon School, and a nice overview of reading the weather by Mark Schilling, who put together a weather website for CLAS members. And the requisite number of scare stories about various accidents (real and imagined) to keep the pilots and crew honest.
I've been crewing for hot air balloons for almost 25 years, and have never witnessed a serious incident. But things do happen. So best to be prepared.....
Bummer
Ambassador of India (one of my fave Indian restaurants) has gone out of business - with all four restaurants closing. Kimi sent a heads up; a simple note on their website confirms this.
And who is covering this "sign of the economic times" story? The New Haven Independent, of course. Props to them.....
And who is covering this "sign of the economic times" story? The New Haven Independent, of course. Props to them.....
February 27, 2009
No Relation, I Swear
Family Behind Bars In Plainville
A family of four ended up spending part of Thursday night in the town lockup after a mom and 13-year-old daughter were charged with shoplifting and the father and teen son charged with probation violation when they came in to bond out the women, police said.
Elizabeth Russell, 45, of Cromwell and the juvenile were arrested at 7:30 p.m. after store security at Kohl's Department Store alerted police that a woman and child were stealing clothing and jewelry, Mullins said.
Daryll Russell, 47, came into the police station to free the two and was arrested on a warrant alleging he violated conditions of probation for burglary and larceny case in Cheshire.
Jonathan Russell, 19, came in next to free the three and was charged when police checked his name and found he was wanted for violating probation in a Southington larceny and motor vehicle case.
Not relatives, I swear!
A family of four ended up spending part of Thursday night in the town lockup after a mom and 13-year-old daughter were charged with shoplifting and the father and teen son charged with probation violation when they came in to bond out the women, police said.
Elizabeth Russell, 45, of Cromwell and the juvenile were arrested at 7:30 p.m. after store security at Kohl's Department Store alerted police that a woman and child were stealing clothing and jewelry, Mullins said.
Daryll Russell, 47, came into the police station to free the two and was arrested on a warrant alleging he violated conditions of probation for burglary and larceny case in Cheshire.
Jonathan Russell, 19, came in next to free the three and was charged when police checked his name and found he was wanted for violating probation in a Southington larceny and motor vehicle case.
Not relatives, I swear!
Yoga Sunday
I'm subing for Sharon on Sunday morning - 9:00 am gentle yoga down at the studio. At noon, I'm assisting at the Teacher Training practice (inversions, they need someone with a bit of height I think). And Sunday afternoon, I'm leading the Community Yoga class at 3:00 pm
So if you're free, come on down. I do not get in front of the room on weekends too often, so this is a nice change of pace!
So if you're free, come on down. I do not get in front of the room on weekends too often, so this is a nice change of pace!
CT Lighter Than Air Society (CLAS) - Safety Seminar
I have been chasing hot air balloons pretty much all of my adult life. I started in 1984 (yes, 25 years ago) when I took a room in a duplex apartment with two women, one of whom was dating Robert, my pilot buddy. After getting off to a slow start (I assumed the propane tanks strapped to the back of his truck were related to welding) - we discovered some mutual interests, chief among them the music of a certain New Jersey rocker. And so began my life as a balloon chaser.
I've always been a bit of an outsider, hovering on the outside of social circles - and the balloon world was no different. For a while I was Alison's roommate, showing up with her. Then I was a last minute crew person when the regulars were unavailable. I got married which took me away from the sport, moved to Danbury, moved to Waterbury. When I got separated in the early 90's, I started to get called more often. When I became self employed in 1996, I became a regular crew person (nice to have someone available on weekend mornings)
Now, in all this time, I have never formally been trained. There is a certain amount of common sense involved (i.e. - do not smoke near the propane) and there is a lot of "checklist" style repetition. And finally, do something long enough, you pick up the tricks. So it's not hard to become a proficient and professional crew person. I'm the one who knows the back roads from Point A to Point B (my GPS helps, I confess). I'm the one who likes to be at the landing site before my pilot even tells me where it will be. And when new chasers come on board, I provide helpful hints, such as "Park the chase vehicle downwind of a light pole because its the one place your pilot will not be landing...."
I've come through a long time in ballooning - in the early days (pre-cell phones, even pre-radio) we'd arrange to call the Southington police if we lost the balloon (hard to believe, but it happens). Robert would keep street maps of the area under the driver's seat, and we'd be digging out the map for Middletown or Durham if the flight seemed like it might go that way. We'd chase for milk runs (north-south flights along Rte. 10) or venture "over the (Metacomet) ridge". We'd tease pilots who never ventured out of their zip codes.
Then we got small two-way radios, and now everyone has a cell phone and GPS are rampant. We had a passenger updaing facebook using a blackberry while in the air last summer. So it's a dIfferent world!
The balloon community is a loose confederation of pilots and crew members, who mostly meet on wet fields in the spring, summer, and fall. We set up, we fly, we land, we toast, we hit the diner for breakfast after. In between - chit-chat on the field, banter on the radio, teasing about a particularly amusing landing or chase incident (much todo about backing up trailers). A few times a year, the community gathers en masse - the annual Plainville Balloon Fest, a winter dinner, and finally, a Safety Seminar.
I've been a late-comer to all the "community" stuff - although the last few years I've been on the winter dinner organizing committee. This year, I'm actually going to the safety seminar (if I feel OK). It's up at the New England Air Museum (never been there before, can you imagine?). Don Piccard, the founder of recreational ballooning in the US, is speaking.
I've always been a bit of an outsider, hovering on the outside of social circles - and the balloon world was no different. For a while I was Alison's roommate, showing up with her. Then I was a last minute crew person when the regulars were unavailable. I got married which took me away from the sport, moved to Danbury, moved to Waterbury. When I got separated in the early 90's, I started to get called more often. When I became self employed in 1996, I became a regular crew person (nice to have someone available on weekend mornings)
Now, in all this time, I have never formally been trained. There is a certain amount of common sense involved (i.e. - do not smoke near the propane) and there is a lot of "checklist" style repetition. And finally, do something long enough, you pick up the tricks. So it's not hard to become a proficient and professional crew person. I'm the one who knows the back roads from Point A to Point B (my GPS helps, I confess). I'm the one who likes to be at the landing site before my pilot even tells me where it will be. And when new chasers come on board, I provide helpful hints, such as "Park the chase vehicle downwind of a light pole because its the one place your pilot will not be landing...."
I've come through a long time in ballooning - in the early days (pre-cell phones, even pre-radio) we'd arrange to call the Southington police if we lost the balloon (hard to believe, but it happens). Robert would keep street maps of the area under the driver's seat, and we'd be digging out the map for Middletown or Durham if the flight seemed like it might go that way. We'd chase for milk runs (north-south flights along Rte. 10) or venture "over the (Metacomet) ridge". We'd tease pilots who never ventured out of their zip codes.
Then we got small two-way radios, and now everyone has a cell phone and GPS are rampant. We had a passenger updaing facebook using a blackberry while in the air last summer. So it's a dIfferent world!
The balloon community is a loose confederation of pilots and crew members, who mostly meet on wet fields in the spring, summer, and fall. We set up, we fly, we land, we toast, we hit the diner for breakfast after. In between - chit-chat on the field, banter on the radio, teasing about a particularly amusing landing or chase incident (much todo about backing up trailers). A few times a year, the community gathers en masse - the annual Plainville Balloon Fest, a winter dinner, and finally, a Safety Seminar.
I've been a late-comer to all the "community" stuff - although the last few years I've been on the winter dinner organizing committee. This year, I'm actually going to the safety seminar (if I feel OK). It's up at the New England Air Museum (never been there before, can you imagine?). Don Piccard, the founder of recreational ballooning in the US, is speaking.
February 26, 2009
And for Roku / Netflix Fans......
Instantwatcher.com - Netflix for Impatient People
They seem to have done a pretty awesome job of categorizing Netflix's "watch instantly' catalog. Nice!
They seem to have done a pretty awesome job of categorizing Netflix's "watch instantly' catalog. Nice!
February 25, 2009
La Morte du Courant
An expansion on a comment to Colin McEnroe's facebook post, regarding the Mardi Gras Massacre, linked to Dennis Horgan's blog piece naming today's layoffs at the Hartford Courant.
I've been thinking about this myself; I feel bad for not supporting the Courant. I have not had time to read it front to back in years, and feel environmentally bad seeing the pile of unread issues heading out to the recycling bin which, with the variable price for recycled material, might well be heading to the landfill. For year's I'd subscribe to the Suanday paper at a minimum; if I did not get to the paper on Sunday I'd digest it through the week, and save Northeast magazine (and the beloved crossword puzzle) for airplane reading.
And I've certainly migrated - to craigs list, to the online version, to national news feeds, to blogs. I click through to the Courant pretty much every day to check out the local news, but I might read one or two pieces of interest, unless there is something big brewing.
So for someone like me - who would just as soon not have a piece of paper in my hand (for lots of reasons) but would like to support the local news source - what are the options?
I'd be happy to donate the buck or two a week or whatever the Courant is charging for a paper subscription (and having a website "donate" button would be a start, kind of a public radio model) - but I kind of think that's not enough; the real revenue is not the subscription fees but the ad revenue, and they are not getting enough of that for my eyeballs or clicks as it is.
It is sad, like watching a car crash is slow motion. Lot of good people getting hung out to dry in this one. And we're losing a vital cog in our information machinery.
I've been thinking about this myself; I feel bad for not supporting the Courant. I have not had time to read it front to back in years, and feel environmentally bad seeing the pile of unread issues heading out to the recycling bin which, with the variable price for recycled material, might well be heading to the landfill. For year's I'd subscribe to the Suanday paper at a minimum; if I did not get to the paper on Sunday I'd digest it through the week, and save Northeast magazine (and the beloved crossword puzzle) for airplane reading.
And I've certainly migrated - to craigs list, to the online version, to national news feeds, to blogs. I click through to the Courant pretty much every day to check out the local news, but I might read one or two pieces of interest, unless there is something big brewing.
So for someone like me - who would just as soon not have a piece of paper in my hand (for lots of reasons) but would like to support the local news source - what are the options?
I'd be happy to donate the buck or two a week or whatever the Courant is charging for a paper subscription (and having a website "donate" button would be a start, kind of a public radio model) - but I kind of think that's not enough; the real revenue is not the subscription fees but the ad revenue, and they are not getting enough of that for my eyeballs or clicks as it is.
It is sad, like watching a car crash is slow motion. Lot of good people getting hung out to dry in this one. And we're losing a vital cog in our information machinery.
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