Daily Entries for the week of
Sunday, December 29, 2019
through
Saturday, January 4, 2020
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It’s Saturday, January 4, 2020.
Welcome to the 638th consecutive post to the blog,
existentialautotrip.com
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1.0 Lead Picture
Photocopy of reproduced image taken during the Irish War of Independence. Seán Hogan's (NO. 2) Flying Column, 3rd Tipperary Brigade, IRA. T
For more details, see 11.0 Thumbnails in this section
2.0 Commentary
So Thursday night when we had planned to set up the professional recording studio in my apartment.
We gathered the equipment and started with the most complex of the pieces: the lighting.
And indeed did it prove to be the most complex: lots of parts.
We got it done but that alone ended our night.
We resumed Friday morning and completed our mission: the first podcast, Chapter 14 of Conflicted, in the new recording studio in the books, to be published on Sunday, on schedule.
Not so for the video.
The lighting is washing out the subject.
But we are being reinforced.
On Tuesday, Marc will come by with some ideas.
Wish us well.
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4.0 Chuckles/Thoughts
If I’m the best man,
then why is she marrying him?
— Jerry Seinfeld
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11.0 Thumbnails
The Irish War of Independence or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-military Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and its paramilitary forces the Auxiliaries and Ulster Special Constabulary (USC).
It was an escalation of the Irish revolutionary period into warfare.
In April 1916, Irish republicans launched the Easter Rising against British rule and proclaimed an Irish Republic.
Although it was crushed after a week of fighting, the Easter Rising and the British response led to greater popular support for Irish independence.
In the December 1918 election, the republican party Sinn Féin won a landslide victory in Ireland.
On 21 January 1919 they formed a breakaway government and declared Irish independence.
That day, two RIC officers were shot dead in the Soloheadbeg ambush by IRA volunteers acting on their own initiative.
The conflict developed gradually. For much of 1919, IRA activity involved capturing weaponry and freeing republican prisoners, while the Dáil set about building a state.
In September, the British government outlawed the Dáil and Sinn Féin and the conflict intensified. T
The IRA began ambushing RIC and British Army patrols, attacking their barracks and forcing isolated barracks to be abandoned.
The British government bolstered the RIC with recruits from Britain—the Black and Tans and Auxiliaries—who became notorious for ill-discipline and reprisal attacks on civilians, some of which were authorized by the British government.
Thus the conflict is sometimes called the Black and Tan War.
The conflict also involved civil disobedience, notably the refusal of Irish railwaymen to transport British forces or military supplies.
In mid-1920, republicans won control of most county councils, and British authority collapsed in most of the south and west, forcing the British government to introduce emergency powers.
About 300 people had been killed by late 1920, but the conflict escalated in November.
On Bloody Sunday in Dublin, 21 November 1920, fourteen British intelligence operatives were assassinated in the morning; then in the afternoon the RIC opened fire on a crowd at a Gaelic football match, killing fourteen civilians and wounding 65.
A week later, seventeen Auxiliaries were killed by the IRA in the Kilmichael Ambush in County Cork.
The British government declared martial law in much of southern Ireland.
The center of Cork city was burnt out by British forces in December 1920.
Violence continued to escalate over the next seven months, when 1,000 people were killed and 4,500 republicans were interned.
Much of the fighting took place in Munster (particularly County Cork), Dublin and Belfast, which together saw over 75 percent of the conflict deaths.
The conflict in north-east Ulster had a sectarian aspect.
While the Catholic minority there mostly backed Irish independence, the Protestant majority were mostly unionist/loyalist.
A Special Constabulary was formed, made up mostly of Protestants, and loyalist paramilitaries were active.
They attacked Catholics in reprisal for IRA actions, and in Belfast a sectarian conflict raged in which almost 500 were killed, most of them Catholics.
In May 1921, Ireland was partitioned under British law by the Government of Ireland Act, which created Northern Ireland.
Both sides agreed to a ceasefire (or 'truce') on 11 July 1921.
The post-ceasefire talks led to the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921.
This ended British rule in most of Ireland and, after a ten-month transitional period overseen by a provisional government, the Irish Free State was created as a self-governing Dominion on 6 December 1922.
Northern Ireland remained within the United Kingdom.
After the ceasefire, violence in Belfast and fighting in border areas of Northern Ireland continued, and the IRA launched a failed Northern offensive in May 1922.
In June 1922, disagreement among republicans over the Anglo-Irish Treaty led to the ten-month Irish Civil War. The Irish Free State awarded 62,868 medals for service during the War of Independence, of which 15,224 were issued to IRA fighters of the flying columns.
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It’s Friday, January 3, 2020.
Welcome to the 637th consecutive post to the blog,
existentialautotrip.com
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1.0 Lead Picture
Vaxholm Fortress is a historic fortification on
the island of Vaxholmen in the Stockholm archipelago just east of the Swedish town of Vaxholm.
Vaxholm Fortress
ArildV - Own work
in the RAÄ buildings database.
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2.0 Commentary
Following my cold, I wasn’t really fit to return to my club.
But I had to go out for tomorrow’s dinner.
And I was feeling a little better.
Using just 75% of my normal weights, I did get through the reintroduction to my routine.
On Thursday night, all of the equipment should arrive for us to set up in my apartment a more ambitious recording studio than I had in the past.
On Friday I’ll record my first video and podcast under these circumstances.
Wish me luck.
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4.0 Chuckles/Thoughts
“Dogs are the leaders of the planet.
If you see two life forms,
one of them is making a poop,
the other one’s carrying it for him,
who would you assume is in charge?”
— Jerry Seinfeld
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6.0 Dinner/Food/Recipes
Slow-Roast Gochujang Chicken.
A family favorite at Tory Stearns home and the main course for a dinner she and I will be preparing in concert for four guests from the Microsoft Store and the adjacent Blue Bottle café.
My contribution will be the Linguini w White Clam Sauce.
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11.0 Thumbnails
The first structure, a wooden blockhouse, was constructed by King Gustav I in 1548 as a defensive structure and customs post at this strategic site on the sea approach to Stockholm.
It was replaced by a round stone tower during John III's reign.
The present buildings date to 1833; their design was inspired by ideas on fortifications propounded by French engineers the marquis de Montalembert and Lazare Carnot.
The fortress has been listed as a state monument since 1935 and now houses the Vaxholm Fortress Museum.
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12.0 Diary of the Surrender of a Private Car
Six days from the sale of the car I’ve not missed it at all.
And I’m $318.00 richer.
Or more accurately, I’m not $318.00 poorer.
Sly devil.
Just signed another treaty with another tribe.
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20.0 Acknowledgements
Thanks to Kat Capossela for sharing a moment of her experiences in the Middle East.
And to Kali L for her generous thoughts.
And Tory Vance for agreeing to a cook with me.
And to the Microsoft staff for their regular contributions to our knowledge of the technologies so important in our era,
And, of course, to Wikipedia, for their immeasurable contribution to making knowledge accessible.
21.0 Good Morning
Or should I say “Good decade?
In any case, tick tock.
Gotta go.
See you tomorrow.
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It’s Thursday, January 2, 2020.
Welcome to the 636th consecutive post to the blog,
existentialautotrip.com
Celebrations past.
We’ve begun the new decade.
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1.0 Lead Picture
The Battle of Calais took place in the morning of 1 January 1350, during the Hundred Years' War.
Froissart - Bibliotheque Nationale de France, MS Fr. 2643, Folio 399
Depiction of the Battle of Calais, 2 January, 1350 in Froissart's chronicles
For more thoughts on this moment, see 11.0 Thumbnails within this section.
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2.0 Commentary
My goodness but it feels great to feel well.
I’ve been under the weather for the last couple of days and it’s been unpleasant.
Now? Life is worth living.
And I’m back to being friendly with strangers.
Generous to servers.
Patient with learners.
Forgiving.
Although last night’s New Year’s Eve dinner at Abe and Louie’s was marred by their first service failure in 20 visits. Fortunately, the not-friendly service didn’t become onerous until after the main course was served. I’ll spare myself the agony of reliving the details.
But the food was predictably good: baked clams, escargots with puff pastry, salad, and a Lobster Savannah which my cousin and I split.
After dinner, I went home, leaving my cousin to bolt and carouse with her friends until who knows when.
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4.0 Chuckles/Thoughts
“I am so busy doing nothing …
that the idea of doing anything
— which as you know, always leads to something
— cuts into the nothing and then
forces me to drop everything.”
— Jerry Seinfeld
5.0 Mail
We love getting mail.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
This from Kat Capossela, she visiting Israel and Palestine as part of her studies.
Hi Dad,
On the last day of 2019, we left the Ambassador hotel to visit the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We heard from two Israeli politicians—Akiva Tor and Itai Bardov—about Israel’s regional concerns and relationship with Palestine. Once through the Bethlehem checkpoint, we walked along the graffiti-decorated separation wall to the Walled Off Hotel. And then we went to the Church of the Nativity, were granted a shoportunity in Bethlehem, and now are eating dinner at our host family homes!
And later she added:
Selma and I are in Beit Sahour, the town from a movie we watched in class called The Wanted 18. We mentioned this to our hosts, who said they helped hide the cows that inspired the documentary! We also learned a cup-based game called warsanant and drank a lot of tobozena 🥰
Web Meister responds: Sounds like very busy days. Memorable.
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11.0 Thumbnails
The Battle of Calais took place in the morning of 1 January 1350, during the Hundred Years' War.
English troops who occupied the French city of Calais ambushed and defeated an unsuspecting French force which was attempting to take the city.
Despite a truce being in effect the French commander Geoffrey de Charny had planned to take the city by subterfuge, and bribed Amerigo of Pavia, an Italian officer of the city garrison, to open a gate for them.
The English king, Edward III, became aware of the plot and personally led his household knights and the Calais garrison in a surprise counter-attack.
The French were routed by this smaller force, with significant losses and all of their leaders captured or killed.
Later that day, Edward III dined with the highest-ranking captives, treating them with royal courtesy except for Charny, whom he taunted for having abandoned his chivalric principles by both fighting during a truce and attempting to purchase his way into Calais rather than fight.
As Charny was considered a paragon of knightly behaviour, the accusations struck deep, and were frequently repeated in subsequent English propaganda, as Charny was to write several authoritative books on chivalry.
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It’s Wednesday, January 1, 2020.
Welcome to the 635th consecutive post to the blog,
existentialautotrip.com
And Happy New Year.
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1.0 Lead Picture
Fanciful sketch by journalist Marguerite Marty of a New Year's Eve celebration.
Marguerite Martyn - Original publication: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 4, 1914, Editorial Section, Page 1
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Computer users:
For the “Hello, my friends” video series, use this:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOCcrbbzsbguN0k4zs-OEyurcVd-kl56b
For the podcast series of Conflicted, use this:
https://soundcloud.com/user-449713331
Smartphone users:
The QR Codes immediately below are activated.
The text links are not activated.
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2.0 Commentary
Last year we celebrated the advent of the New Year with dinner at Abe and Louie’s.
So successful that a repeat is in order.
Last year’s ‘we’ included myself, cousin Lauren, daughter Kat and her boyfriend, Will.
This year, Kat on her Israel/Palestine trip, Will with family, so Lauren and I alone.
Not feeling super – at the end of a head cold.
Lauren is moving to Texas, she who bought my car from me.
She who has been my splendid roommate for the last year.
Who has graduated U Mass with a degree in Biology and a 4.0 GPA.
We are discussing my accompanying her in her new car as she drives to Texas.
The prospect of the alternative, she driving 1500 miles alone, not appealing.
Likely I will go.
In two weeks.
For one week: fly back.
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4.0 Chuckles/Thoughts
“I made a bucket list
turned the ‘b’ into an ‘f’
and was done with it.”
— Jerry Seinfeld
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5.0 Mail
We love getting mail.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
This from our dear friend, Kali L:
Dear Dom,
I love that Sally sees the opportunity to learn from the multiple age groups she surrounds herself with on Christmas.
Children are magical and they were certainly in good company with Sally there!
How refreshing to read about a lovely Christmas!
I love how aware Kat is in her airplane note.
She recognizes this trip is not about her.
It is sure to change her and I cannot wait to see her reflections on how it did -later on of course. Keep us posted - what a beautiful daughter you have!
Happy New Year to you Dom
With love,
Kali
Web Meister responds: Certainly agreeing with Kali on the particulars, but struck myself at her generosity in spreading holiday cheer. God bless us all.
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12.0 Diary of the Surrender of a Private Car
So on Monday, 12/30, I took cab into the North End, with tip, $7.00.
Not an offset to private car ownership since we were in the middle of a storm and parking in the North End is impossible. I walked back.
But on Tuesday, the 31st, I took a cab to Whole Foods at 7.00am.
Did some shopping.
And took the T back.
So I spent $8.00 on a taxi for an errand for which I would have used a car.
I’ll make a note.
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It’s Tuesday, December 31st, 2019
Welcome to the 634th consecutive post to the blog,
existentialautotrip.com
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1.0 Lead Picture
The Turn of the Screw DVD cover, showing a three-quarter portrait of a young woman, with two children side-by-side in the background.
This is the DVD cover art of The Turn of the Screw. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the distributor, Acorn Media UK, the publisher of the video, BBC or the studio which produced the video.
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2.0 Commentary
How important is it that we connect with people with whom we interact?
Everything.
For illustration, I direct you to section 5.0 Mail, in this date.
I recorded several podcast and video episodes at home using lesser quality equipment (the early entries in the series and playlists) before I was convinced of the efficacy of these expressions and of the amateur quality on my offerings.
One day, as a guest of Colleen Getty’s Room to Write podcast series, I visited WCTA studio. Both Adam and Ryan made me feel welcome, urging me to try recording at their studio. Barbara Worley, the Studio Manager, and Tom, the station manager now retired, made my visit warm and personal.
They took me in hand and assuaged my fears of the technology involved.
I would still be recording there if it were not for my decision to abandon private car ownership.
So we established a work rhythm wherein each of us respected what the others brought to the venture and all of us thrived in our respective roles.
Instead of being a chore, I anticipated my visits to that terrific town of Wakefield.
And I made new friends.
How special is that?
I loudly and publicly thank you, my friends and urge all of our readership to make every connection special.
It’s not that hard to be complimentary, understanding, and upbeat.
A soupcon of effort.
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4.0 Chuckles/Thoughts
“Make no mistake about why these babies are here
— they are here to replace us.”
— Jerry Seinfeld
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5.0 Mail
We love getting mail.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
Got emails from WCAT bemoaning my withdrawal from our regularly scheduled recording sessions:
From Adam:
Hi Dom,
I’m bummed out that you won’t be coming back for a while. I hope you find continued success with your podcasts and videos. If you ever need anything don’t hesitate to reach out. I enjoyed our time together professionally and personally.
Hope to see you again,
Adam
and from Barbara:
Dom,
What???
I’m sad to hear you won’t be coming back regularly – sold your car – you are so charming. Maybe you will stay in touch – and stay in touch with Colleen’s group. Thank you for the books!
Here’s Ryan’s interview with Lily…
Peace and stay in touch – send links? Put us on a list?
Barbara
Web Meister responds: Yes, of course on the email list.I had a few additional words to say so I shoved them into the 2.0 Commentary section, above, in this date.
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It’s Monday, December 30, 2019
Welcome to the 633rd consecutive post to the blog,
existentialautotrip.com
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1.0 Lead Picture
Horse-drawn hayride. Better than private car ownership?
See Section 14.0 Surrendering Private Ownership, a diary of auto deprivation, this date for an update on the impact on an city dweller of not having a car.
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2.0 Commentary
Spent a portion of yesterday ordering the equipment needed to set up a serious recording area in my apartment.
Recall that I started my podcasts and videos in my apartment with pretty rinky-dink equipment but having met with success I moved to a professional recording studio in Wakefield, a light half-hour car trip from my apartment.
Back when I had a car.
The studio productions were far superior to the home-grown.
But when I sold my car the weekly Wakefield routine became onerous and expensive (although nothing like private car ownership.)
After consultation with my Boston-based techies, we undertook to equip my apartment with a quality setup: camera, lighting, and a microphone which should produce excellent podcasts and videos.
The equipment will arrive Thursday, I’ll record Friday, and we will publish the next installments without breaking stride.
Cost?
$432.00.
One time only.
Will enjoy weekly savings of money and an hour and a half commute.
Hopefully, the quality will be fine.
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4.0 Chuckles
Is this about me?"
"No."
"Then I’ve lost interest.”
— Jerry Seinfeld
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5.0 Mail
We love getting mail.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
This from Sally C:
Dear Dom,
After spending Christmas Eve at my #3 Brother's house, I can't say that all of my engagements with young people are educational or enlightening. This year's four-generation family gathering was the silliest yet. While the youngest generation (ages 2-8) flaunted my brother's remote-control fart machine around the table, we so-called adults could barely eat for laughing so much. And then my oldest nephew, in his 50th year, reneged on his cousinly duties by telling this horde of roaring children crawling all over him that I was a much better wrestler than he was, so they all jumped on me. How did I end up on the floor under such a pile of squirming arms and legs? The seven-week-old infant was the best behaved of all of us, I swear.
I guess it's time to face reality - I'm a sucker for playing with little children.
Bring it on!
Sally
Web Meister responds: Sweet memories of sweet holidays. Why we celebrate. Important vignette to remind those, whose holidays not so cheerful, that out there are moments for you to relish.
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8. “Hello, my friends,” Video
This week adds Number 6 to the video series: “Kat still asks me” (introduced by a trio of chuckles.) The short video discusses a child’s seeking out her parent’s advice.
The entire series may also be seen on You Tube, iTunes, Stitcher, Pinterest, Pocket Cast, and Facebook.
14.0 Surrendering Private Ownership, a diary of auto deprivation
Sunday was day 2 without a car parked outside my apartment.
I had zero need of a car this day taking two rides on the subway.
Day 2 of cumulative savings: 100.00
Just reminded that I recently renewed my AAA membership: 144.00.
I should get most of that back.
I hope.
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It’s Sunday, December 31, 2019
Welcome to the 6332nd consecutive post to the blog,
existentialautotrip.com
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1.0 Lead Picture
Kat’s notes the plane to Jerusalem.
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2. Commentary:
As parents we want our children to attend the best schools.
Without a deep analysis of what best means.
They learn, hopefully early enough, that when it comes to colleges, best is what best suits the individual.
Happily, Kat has found Swarthmore to be her best choice.
She just finished a Russian literature discussion course held in a prison in Pennsylvania in which half the participants were inmates.
And now, for her Mid-Eastern Studies course, she’s off on a school-sponsored trip kluged with visits to Israel and Palestine.
Last night I asked her to send us some inflight thoughts, and here they are in the Lead Picture.
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4. Chuckle
“Who buys an umbrella anyway?
You can get them for free at the coffee shop in those metal cans.”
— Jerry Seinfeld
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5. We love getting mail.
Contact me at domcapossela@hotmail.com
This from Tommie T:
Congrats for selling your car! I would love to live in a pedestrian city or town with ample transportation choices! One can always rent a car when needed!
Web Meister responds: Car rentals, zip cars, Uber/Lyft, car sharing, subway, etc. Cities abound with alternatives. I must admit some trepidation in getting familiar with these alternatives.
Thank you for the support.
Love
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7. “Conflicted” podcast
Conflicted, by Dom Capossela, is a spiritual/fantasy story about a sixteen-year-old mystic-warrior conflicted internally by her self-imposed alienation from God, her spiritual wellspring, and, externally, by the forces of darkness seeking her death or ruination.
The podcasts are also available on Sound Cloud, iTunes, Stitcher, Pinterest, Pocket Cast, and Facebook.
Search: dom capossela or conflicted or both.
Or should I say “Good decade?”
In any case, tick tock.
Gotta go.
See you tomorrow.