Daily Entries for the week of
Sunday, September 4, 2022
through
Saturday, September 10, 2022
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It’s Saturday, September 10, 2022
Welcome to the 1,551st consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Queen Elizabeth II
Her Majesty the Queen during her visit to HMS Ocean in Devonport at a ceremony to rededicate the ship.
Original: Joel Rouse/ Ministry of Defence Derivative: nagualdesign - defenceimagery.mod.uk
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Commentary
The trip to Japan taking a lot of time.
Working on the Visa.
On staying in touch with my tour group. It’s been a bit frustrating.
On packing.
On electronics.
On getting my strength back before I leave.
On banking and finances.
I’m delighted that I have so much time before I leave so that I can get everything done despite the baby obstacles that always pop up.
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Wellness
I’m slowly getting my lifting regime in place.
Social Life
This was a busy week with friends Separately, Cindy. Stan, and Tucker.
A quiet several days in front on me.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that individual is crazy. ”
~Dave Barry, Dave Barry Turns Fifty
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
This link on Parent and Child relationships sent from my dear friend, Dr. Mike.
Loving The Parent You Hate – Eliz (elizwrites.com)
Blog meister responds: It’s an excellent article.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
I bought a tub of clam chowder from W Foods. I wanted chowder but didn’t have the time to make it.
I bought a dozen clams and steamed them open, reserving the broth.
I sauteed 4oz chopped onions in 2TB butter and added 1T freshly ground pepper and softened the onions. Then I chopped the clams and added them to the onions, melding all for 6 or 7 minutes over a low heat.
I added the fry pan to the chowder and served.
It was delicious.
I would do it again.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Pictures on pictures
This film crew has just posted warnings to passersby that by being on the bridge at this moment they are giving permission to be photographed for that film
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Short Essay*
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022.[a] Her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch and the second-longest recorded of any monarch of a sovereign country. At the time of her death, Elizabeth was queen of 14 other Commonwealth realms in addition to the UK.
Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, London, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth). Her father acceded to the throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother, King Edward VIII, making Elizabeth the heir presumptive. She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, a former prince of Greece and Denmark, and their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in April 2021. They had four children together: Charles III; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.
When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth—then 25 years old—became queen regnant of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (known today as Sri Lanka), as well as Head of the Commonwealth. Elizabeth reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom, the decolonisation of Africa, and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities and withdrawal from the European Union. The number of her realms varied over time as territories have gained independence and some realms have become republics. Her many historic visits and meetings include state visits to China in 1986, Russia in 1994, the Republic of Ireland in 2011, and visits with five Popes.
Significant events include Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum Jubilees in 1977, 2002, 2012, and 2022, respectively. Elizabeth was the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch, and the second-longest verifiable reigning sovereign monarch in world history, only behind Louis XIV of France. She faced occasional republican sentiment and media criticism of her family, particularly after the breakdowns of her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and the death of her former daughter-in-law Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. However, support for the monarchy in the United Kingdom remained consistently high, as did her personal popularity. Elizabeth died on 8 September 2022 at Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire. She was succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Friday, September 9, 2022
Welcome to the 1,550th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Akira
In a road, Kaneda is seen walking towards his red motorcycle with is parked in the center facing left. Various stickers are placed in the front sides of the motorcycle. Kaneda's jacket has a pill etched to it.
TMS Entertainment, Toho - CineMaterial
Original 1988 poster of AKIRA film, shown in lossless image quality.
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Commentary
Sometimes we find ourselves with too much to do. Can’t do it all. Choices have to be made.
I have a busy life and now the trip to Japan is getting closer and I have lots more stuff to do.
It's a lot.
Somethings have got to give.
I will spread out my omissions.
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Screen time
Am enjoying the Morning Show.
Social Life
Had a nice visit with friend Tucker today.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“I like the relaxed way in which the Japanese approach religion. I think of myself as basically a moral person, but I'm definitely not religious, and I'm very tired of the preachiness and obsession with other people's behavior characteristic of many religious people in the United States. As far as I could tell, there's nothing preachy about Buddhism. I was in a lot of temples, and I still don't know what Buddhists believe, except that at one point Kunio said 'If you do bad things, you will be reborn as an ox.'
~Dave Barry
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
We did not receive a promised questionnaire from our tour agency.
That will delay my getting a Visa for Japan.
Blog meister responds: That sucks.
On the plus side, we did get an article from Dr. Mike reminding us that covid is still with us.
Here's the link:
Epidemiologist Michael Mina: 'COVID is NOT over' (boston.com)
Blog meister responds: While covid sucks, the efforts of our health care workers to educate us is to be applauded.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
Tucker and I had a perfect lunch at La Voile.
Perfect in the sense that the afternoon out at a sidewalk café in beautiful weather with terrific food and generous wine pours can be perfect.
Was there a bee?
Yes.
Was the service a tad slow.
Yes.
Was an error made in the service?
Yes.
Did any of these detract from our experience?
No.
Perfect.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
This is the code for returning a dozen small rubber containers meant to hold liquids to take on board.
Problem: The rubber containers would squeeze open as they are crushed in the suitcase.
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Short Essay*
Akira (Japanese: アキラ) is a 1988 Japanese animated cyberpunk action film[4] directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, produced by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, based on Otomo's 1982 manga of the same name. Set in a dystopian 2019, it tells the story of Shōtarō Kaneda, a leader of a biker gang whose childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, acquires incredible telekinetic abilities after a motorcycle accident, eventually threatening an entire military complex amid chaos and rebellion in the sprawling futuristic metropolis of Neo-Tokyo.
While most of the character designs and settings were adapted from the manga, the plot differs considerably and does not include much of the last half of the manga, which continued publication for two years after the film's release. The soundtrack, which draws heavily from traditional Indonesian gamelan as well as Japanese noh music, was composed by Shōji Yamashiro and performed by Geinoh Yamashirogumi.
Akira premiered in Japan on July 16, 1988, where it was distributed by Toho; it was released the following year in the United States by Streamline Pictures. It garnered an international cult following after various theatrical and VHS releases, eventually earning over $80 million worldwide in home video sales.[5] It is widely regarded by critics as one of the greatest films ever made, especially in the animation, action and science fiction genres, as well as a landmark in Japanese animation.[6][7][8][9][10] It is also a pivotal film in the cyberpunk genre, particularly the Japanese cyberpunk subgenre,[11] as well as adult animation.[12] The film had a significant impact on popular culture worldwide, paving the way for the growth of anime and Japanese popular culture in the Western world as well as influencing numerous works in animation, comics, film, music, television and video games.[3][12][13] An iconic scene from the film, known as the "Akira slide" scene, has been widely referenced and homaged in many works of animation, film and television.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Thursday, September 8, 2022
Welcome to the 1,549th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Workers
Workers leaving the Tampella factory in Tampere, Finland in 1909
Eino Antero Bergius - http://www.uta.fi/koskivoimaa/tyo/1900-18/index.htm
Working day ends at Tampella factory in Tampere, 1909
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Commentary
Rather than beating inflation by debilitating working Americans with a recession and 5,000,000 job losses and 100,000,000 lives diminished, I’d rather see most energy prices capped for a defined period, say two years. Most, not all. We still want to encourage green growth.
BTW: Take a second look at the image just above.
Notice the stream of people.
Flesh and blood.
Members of families and local villages.
But economists treat them like tools for the rich.
Inflation?
Put 5,000,000 of them out of jobs.
Screw them.
They won’t complain of high prices anymore.
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Screen time
Am watching Guilt, a PBS series, the Morning News, and Rings of Power. Enjoying them all.
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Wellness
This is my second lifting session since my relapse. Hopefully I don’t suffer repercussions.
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Social Life
My fall social life begins with a dinner with my sweet nephew Stan and a working lunch with my friend Tucker. He’s helping me prep for my trip to Japan, esp. with technology issues like adapters. Working dates: I have four.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“Your hand and your mouth agreed many years ago that, as far as chocolate is concerned, there is no need to involve your brain.”
~ Dave Barry
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
This from an agent two days ago:
Dear dom,
Thank you so much for allowing me to review MYSTIC WARRIOR: REMIT TO HELL. Although I found your query intriguing, I'm sorry to say I am not going to request more pages at this time.
As you know, this industry is highly subjective and this rejection is in no way a reflection of the quality of your work. I simply do not believe I would be the right agent for this project, which is why I regrettably have to step aside.
Thank you again for considering me, best of luck with your agent search and happy writing!
Sincerely,
Clara
Blog meister responds: Hopeful that I’m in the ballpark.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
On Tuesday my nephew switched our meal to Thursday so I made myself a tuna sandwich.
I do love tuna.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Mussels anyone?
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Short Essay*
The workforce or labor force is a concept referring to the pool of human beings either in employment or in unemployment. It is generally used to describe those working for a single company or industry, but can also apply to a geographic region like a city, state, or country. Within a company, its value can be labelled as its "Workforce in Place". The workforce of a country includes both the employed and the unemployed (labor force).
Formal labor is any sort of employment that is structured and paid in a formal way. Unlike the informal sector of the economy, formal labor within a country contributes to that country's gross national product. Informal labor is labor that falls short of being a formal arrangement in law or in practice. It can be paid or unpaid and it is always unstructured and unregulated. Formal employment is more reliable than informal employment. Generally, the former yields higher
The contribution of informal laborers is immense. Informal labor is expanding globally, most significantly in developing countries. According to a study done by Jacques Charmes, in the year 2000 informal labor made up 57% of non-agricultural employment, 40% of urban employment, and 83% of the new jobs in Latin America. That same year, informal labour made up 78% of non-agricultural employment, 61% of urban employment, and 93% of the new jobs in Africa.
Particularly after an economic crisis, laborers tend to shift from the formal sector to the informal sector. This trend was seen after the Asian economic crisis which began in 1997.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Welcome to the 1,548th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Rings of Power
Screenshot
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Commentary
First rainy day in a long time.
I spent the morning working on the budget of the trip to Japan.
Some charges from Japan I won’t understand until they are explained to me.
Then I went out to the Thinking Cup and wrote the post.
Spent the rest of the day quietly at home.
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Screen time
Tucker recommended Grave of the Fireflies as good background viewing.
How did I miss this?
What a wonderful movie for me when a visit to the Hiroshima Peace Garden is part of my trip to Japan.
Warning.It’s sad.
Social Life
I used my quiet time over the Labor Day weekend well. Tuesday and Wednesday I am hosting two dinners that will break the quiet. Come Sunday, I will be only five (5) weeks away from my departure.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“There's nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean. Staying on the surface all the time is like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent.”
~ Dave Barry
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
This review from none other than Tucker J.
Ok here it is!
Thank you for always reading
Tucker
Blog meister responds: Loved it. Scroll below for the review.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
Eataly had a pop-up sale on Wagyu steaks. 50% off. I bought a rather large one, even though my prior experience with the same steak was not fine.
This one was great.
I slow-roasted it for 15 minutes then simultaneously seared and grilled it for 3.25 minutes.
Perfect.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Newbury St. Car Free Sunday II
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Short Essay*
”You see, a mountain’s like a person, it’s a long and ever changing story made of countless small parts”
The first episode of Rings Of Power doesn’t have opening credits, but when they appear in the second outing, they express an idea that is central to the whole enterprise. Bits of stone roll into a ringed shape, visualizing an idea expanded upon midway through the second episode: Resonating. As explained by the Dwarf Princes Disa, resonating is when “we sing to the stone. Sing to it properly and each of those parts will reflect your song back to you. Telling you its story, showing you what might be hidden, where to mine, where to tunnel, and where to leave the mountain untouched.” This idea is a big part of Tolkien’s work. Just as Bilbo’s adventure in The Hobbit fed into the larger narrative of the Lord Of The Rings, every little piece in Rings Of Power has its place. The show has great respect for this idea, like ripples in water. Ripples are small but they matter; enough ripples and you have a wave.
If the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien teach anything, it’s that the road goes ever on and on. On Middle-earth, stories don’t end, they live on in the characters who survive them, the characters who tell them, and the people who read them. Stories are a living thing to Tolkien. He often likened them to trees, with deep roots and changing leaves that grow taller and fuller with each addition. It is only in this context that a billion-dollar adaptation of the appendices of Tolkien’s masterwork, The Lord Of The Rings, makes any sense.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power doesn’t delineate between the end of one story and the beginning of the next. Each beat resonates with the other, bouncing off the history and legacy of Tolkien’s creation and our relationship with the author’s work. J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterwork of literary wonder isn’t a hill. It’s a mountain, made of Earth and ore, air and water, and countless small parts that reflect back to each other. Every bit of its ecosystem has a story to tell that illuminates and enriches the others. In The Rings Of Power, the viewer never consumes one story, but a whole history in a few lines.
The good news is that in its first two outings, Rings Of Power isn’t just good; it’s stupendous. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay’s interpretation of Tolkien’s world doesn’t just fit neatly with the world Peter Jackson created in the early 2000s, but it also folds into a larger cultural story about Tolkien and what his work continues to inspire in people. Rings Of Power makes clear that every story in Middle-earth is part of the larger whole and treats each moment, big and small, with appropriate grace and splendor, where a fresh berry is as miraculous as a sorcerer’s seeing stone. The optimistic Rings Of Power finds the world to be a place of majesty and mystery, a world worth fighting for.
With so much history to unpack, director J.A. Bayona swipes a page from Jackson’s book and opens with a prologue narrated by Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), who immediately personalizes this story to reel us in. “Nothing is evil at the beginning,” Galadriel says in the opening shots, slowly unveiling Valinor, the equivalent of Middle-earth’s heaven, in the First Age. Galadriel gives us the recap of this time period, explaining how the first Dark Lord Morgoth destroyed the two trees of Valinor. This led to the centuries-long “War Of Wrath,” concluding in the death of Morgoth, the rise of Morgoth’s apprentice Sauron, and the Elves leaving Valinor for Middle-earth. After the war, Galadriel’s brother Finrod goes hunting for Sauron, making it his life’s mission to stomp out this evil. When Sauron’s forces kill Finrod, he’s left with a mark on his shoulder that Galadriel spends the rest of the prologue hunting. Finrod’s death sparks in Galadriel a drive hunt down Sauron’s forces wherever they roam.
No doubt, people will take issue with this interpretation of Galadriel. We’ve never really known her to be much of a fighter. However, canonically, Tolkien mentions that she fought alongside Finrod, and the show smartly expands upon this. Galadriel makes this threat personal, providing solid ground for the audience. With so many Dark Lords and strange Elven names and words, it would be so easy to get lost in the thicket. Payne, McKay, and their writers’ room were right to give her a very clear target with Sauron while not losing sight of the bigger picture. This is a personal fight for Galadriel, but one that affects every character in different ways.
In her first proper scene, atop the mountains of Forodwait, Galadriel and her Elf battalion find an old outpost, where she discovers the same marking branded on her brother, and it looks curiously like the Eye Of Sauron.
We leave the grand adventure of the Elves and head to the wilderlands of Rhovanion, where a nomadic race of halflings, known as Harfoots, have set up camp for their harvest festival. Their camp recalls the Lost Boys village in Steven Spielberg’s Hook, with secret compartments and clever, twine-based mechanisms. It’s probably catnip to kids with growing imaginations, and yet, our main Harfoot, Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), aspires for something more.
Nori has a lot of Took energy, which is to say, she wants an adventure. “I can’t help but feel there are wonders in this world beyond our wandering,” Nori tells her mother, Marigold (Sara Zwangobani). If we think back to what we know of Hobbits, like Bilbo, this is a very un-Hobbit thing to say, and yet, sometimes they surprise you. It’s the same urge that drove Bilbo out his door. Marigold responds with typical Hobbit isolationism, and we’ve heard all this before. It’s a strong counterpoint to Galadriel, who will soon choose whether to abandon Middle-earth or remain and hunt Sauron.
In the Elven city of Lindon, we meet another familiar face. Elrond (Robert Aramayo) is scribbling away, trying to find a perfect metaphor for Galadriel’s efforts. Aramayo gives us such a warm introduction to what’s traditionally been a very cold character. He’s introduced here in a very similar fashion as Bilbo or Frodo. Nose in a book and at peace with nature.
Finally, we jump over to the Southlands, where a curious Elf named Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) keeps watch over the men of the south, who generations earlier were followers of Morgoth. Samwise Gamgee may be excited to meet the Elves, but those who didn’t grow up with Bilbo’s stories are skeptical of their powers and temptations. Long story short, the men of the south would like to get those pointy boots off their necks. Arondir, however, has a special relationship with humans. Like Aragorn and Beren, he loves a mortal, Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi), deepening Arondir and Bronwyn’s stake in the larger story through a deft remix of the Elf-human romance found in the Lord Of The Rings between Arwen and Aragorn and The Silmarillion with the ballad of Beren and Lúthien.
As if all the character introductions and plot points weren’t enough for the pilot, the first episode comes to a head toward the end as a flash of light slices the sky and a meteor falls to Earth near Nori’s camp. At the crash site, Nori finds a giant bearded man known as “The Stranger” (Daniel Weyman). It would seem that there are more to Middle Earth’s wonders than the Harfoots’ wanders. The Harfoots will be confronted by those wonders, whether they go looking for adventure or not.
When we return to Nori and the Stranger, we start to see the bigger parts of her story come alive. Two hunters and the wolf definitely did not bode well for the Harfoots as they proved a prophecy true. But now that this giant has landed, what are they to do with him? Nori, we learn, likes to bring in weary travelers, usually in the form of an injured bird. But this time, the task is bigger than she nor Poppy can handle. Nevertheless, Nori feels drawn to the Stranger as if he were meant to find her.
From new connections to decaying ones, at the end of episode one, Gil-galad introduces Elrond to Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), the great Elven-smith who asks Elrond’s help in building a mighty kiln that can create exquisite and probably world-ending jewelry. Elrond takes Celebrimbor to the Dwarven kingdom of Khazad-dûm, where he finds estrangement with his friend Durin (Owain Arthur). For all his talk of friendship, Elrond has ignored Durin for two decades. That time may be the blink of an eye for an elf but not a dwarf. Friendship and relationships require active care, not just the assumption of goodwill. This early focus on companionship is encouraging for the series overall as the deepest bonds in Tolkien’s work have always been friendships.
Just before being welcomed into the eternal grace of the Gray Havens, Galadriel jumped off her boat. She treads water until coming across a raft of people being pursued by a giant sea-serpent they call “the worm.” The battle with the worm features some heavy CGI, but it’s worth noting how cleverly director Bayona shoots around the monster. With our perspective locked to Galadriel, we only see what she sees, which are flashes of a tail and the floundering crew of the raft falling dead into the water. It’s honestly surprising to see a big expensive show like this not show off its computer-generated creations. The restraint is appreciated.
Taking their time as they set up their pieces, Payne and McKay establish the type of world that Tolkien popularized, one with hope but not guarantees. There’s plenty of that here, as allegiances are tested, and relationships require tending. Still, they all feed into the one story. Rings Of Power seems just as focused on the ties that bind communities and people to each other, not just the darkness that binds the Ring. As long as they remain true to each other, our heroes will have a much better chance at surviving the tests that await them.
Tucker
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Tuesday, September 6, 2022
Welcome to the 1,547th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Parenting
Timothy L. Pesto and Kaitlyn E. Pesto play football as their father watches, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Carol M. Highsmith - Library of Congress Catalog: http://lccn.loc.gov/2010638252 Image download: https://cdn.loc.gov/master/pnp/highsm/06800/06838a.tif Original url: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/highsm.06838
Title: Timothy L. Pesto and Kaitlyn E. Pesto play football as their father watches, Tuscaloosa, Alabama Physical description: 1 photograph : digital, TIFF file, color. Notes: Title, date, subject note, and keywords provided by the photographer.; Gift; George F. Landegger; 2010; (DLC/PP-2010:090).; Forms part of: George F. Landegger Collection of Alabama Photographs in Carol M. Highsmith's America Project in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive.; Photo shows the annual spring practice scrimmage game called A-Day. The Alabama Crimson Tide team began playing in 1892 and has claimed many national championships.; Credit line: The George F. Landegger Collection of Alabama Photographs in Carol M. Highsmith's America, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
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Commentary
Children are educated primarily at home, primarily by their parents.
Professional educators are tools parents use and change as they seem right for the moment.
My daughter sent me a preliminary itinerary of her imminent trip to Paris.
I can see myself written into it.
Her respect makes me proud; satisfied.
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Writing
Recently my writing is reduced to a packing list. It’s been a lot of fun.
Although I’m still 6 weeks away from my flight, I’ve started packing.
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Screen time
I’m watching the second season of ‘Guilt’ on Masterpiece Mystery.
It’s elegant.
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Wellness
After my premature return to the club after the bike accident, a return marked by a serious relapse and long interim, I returned to the club today. Taking 30% off most weights and 50% from the weights that engage the sore area, I successfully got through the routine. I don’t believe I’ll feel anything harmful tomorrow.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be 'meetings.”
― Dave Barry
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
This from my daughter after she researched her impending trip to Paris:
Dad,
Would love to hear what you think!
Love
Paris
Friday (Travel Day)
Depart JFK at 5:47 PM
Arrive CDG (Paris Charles de Gaulle) at 6:55 AM on Saturday
Meals: Dinner, Breakfast
Saturday (9/24) //Settle in, hit nearby spots
Drop off bags at Hotel Cordelia
11 rue de Greffulhe - 75008 Paris-France
Arc de Triomphe (needs tickets)
10am
TIMED ENTRY: Musee de L’Orangerie //20 min walk SE from Hotel, Monet’s museum
Closed Tuesdays, open until 6pm
Probably go first thing in AM
$12.50/ticket
Jardín de Tuileries
Dinner: ACCENTS at 7:15pm
24 rue Feydeau, 75002 Paris
Near the hotel and museums
$85/person
Sunday (9/25) //long, slow walk south. Start early, go home to hotel b4 din
TIMED ENTRY: Musee du Louvre //35 min walk SE from hotel
Closed Tuesdays, open until 9:45pm on Wednesdays and Fridays
$17/ticket
Closes 6pm
Note: Make a checklist of what you want to see - very large
Jardine de Luxembourg //45 min walk SE from hotel
The park is open between 7:30am/8:15am – 4:30pm/9:30pm depending on the season. You can find the park in the 6th arrondissement.
Catacombs //20 min walk from Luxembourg Gardens
Closed Mondays. Tuesday to Sunday from 9.45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; ticket window closes at 7:30 p.m.
Get audio tour
Dinner: L'Homme Bleu //let’s find something similar that is closer
Not Michelin, but Mino’s recommendation
North African cuisine
Far: 50 min walk east from hotel
Monday (9/26) //Casually explore iconic sites
Musee d’Orsay //25 min walk SE from hotel
Closes Tuesdays, best days Wed and Fri, Thurs open until 9:45pm
Moveable
$16/ticket
Eiffel Tower (needs tickets) //45 min walk SW from hotel
Walk along Champs-Elysées
Dinner: Contraste at 7:30pm
$85/person
Tuesday (9/27) //busy AM, free afternoon after lunch
~ 10:30AM: Musee Rodin //30 min S from hotel, romantic gardens
$13/ticket
Closed Mondays
12:30AM: Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet Lunch & Sightseeing Cruise
Order Total: $147.92 | $73.96 x 2 Adults
Your card will be charged on 09/25/22
Booking reference: BR-926692808
Out by 2:45pm
Dinner: Granite at 7:30pm
Right next to Louvre
Can cancel up to 2 days before
$120/person
Only available on this day
Wednesday (9/28) //busy afternoon / night up north, free AM
Trek: Montmartre (Amelie neighborhood!)
Sacré Cœur basilique, amazing view of Paris
Place du Tertre (a bit touristy) but very cute with little bistros and artists drawing
Pigalle neighborhood
Dinner: Abri at 7:30 // awaiting approval from restaurant, need to cancel L’innocence
92 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière 75010 Paris
Near Montmartre
$65/person
11PM show: Moulin Rouge
Thursday (9/29)
Day Trip: Giverny's House & Gardens plus Versailles Palace Day Trip with Lunch from Paris
· Departure: Paris' Trip, 41 Av. de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris, France
· Guided Tour in English inside the Palace of Versailles
· Lunch with Drinks
· Small-group tour (Groups of 16 or fewer)
· Guaranteed to skip the long lines
· Entry/Admission - Fondation Claude Monet
· Entry/Admission - Palace of Versailles
· Guaranteed to skip the lines
Details
$230/person
Confirmation #: 1315022520 on TripAdvisor
Booking Reference #: 925388664
Free cancellation before 8:15 AM Central European Standard Time on Sep 28, 2022.
Dinner: Restaurant Pantagruel at 7:45pm
25 min walk from hotel
$100/person
Friday (9/30) //day in nearby southeast neighborhood
$11/ticket
From Tuesday to Friday: 10:30 - 18:00 pm.
Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays: 9.30am -18:00 pm
TIMED ENTRY: Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral
Tickets $11.5
Notre Dame Cathedral //50 min walk SE from hotel, can only see the outside
Next to the Isle St. Louis, gorgeous and home to the original Berthillon (ice cream)
Neighborhood: Latin Quarter
Look for Shakespeare and Company bookstore
Dinner: L'innocence at 7:30pm
28 rue de la Tour-d'Auvergne, Paris, 75009, France
Near Montmartre, comfy walk to hotel
$95/person
Saturday (Travel Day)
Depart CDG (Paris Charles de Gaulle) at 12:15 PM Arrive JFK at 2:36pm on Saturday
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OTHER
6 days, $78
We don’t have to pay for any museums
Bar Hemingway //15 min walk SE from hotel
Walk in only
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The Loire Valley //2-3 hours from Paris, great wine and bike tours
More info here.
Day trip tour option: https://www.getyourguide.com/paris-l16/from-paris-fairytale-loire-castles-with-wine-tasting-t13987/?partner=true
Bike tour option
MORE INfo https://www.lonelyplanet.com/france/the-loire-valley/a/nar-gr/planning-tips/359306
+++
Recommendations from my French friend:
Restaurants
· Les fabricants (gigantic western style salads, and super nice owners!): 61 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011
· Ô Comptoir du Sud-Ouest (south western food + good wine): 19 Rue de Miromesnil, 75008
· Pain, vin, fromages (Melted cheese diner “raclette” or “Fondue”): 3, rue Geoffroy-l'Angevin, 75004
· Au Bretzel (North Eastern food): 1 Rue Léopold Robert, 75014
Pierre Herme (macarons) several around Paris
· La Crêperie de Josselin (Tasty crêpes + Cider): 67 Rue du Montparnasse, 75014
· Au pied de cochon : 6 Rue Coquillière, 75001
· Kong (Japanese restaurant, great view if you ask for it when you make the reservation. A little pricey): 1 Rue du Pont Neuf, 75001
· Berthillon (best Ice cream, on a little island near Notre Dame): 29-31 Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île, 75004
· Ober Mamma (Italian cuisine): 107 Boulevard Richard Lenoir, 75011
Wine bars
· Willi's Wine Bar: 13 Rue des Petits Champs, 75001
· Chez Nous: 10 Rue Dauphine, 75006
· Frenchie bar à vin: 6 rue du Nil, 75002
· La buvette gastrothèque: 28 Rue Henry Monnier, 75009
· Le comptoir Général: 80 Quai de Jemmapes, 75010 Paris, France Caribbean kind of bar super nice for rum and Caribbean music/ dancing
Must see / Activities
· Montmartre: there is a funicular train to go up to Sacré Cœur basilique, amazing view of Paris, then go to place du Tertre (a bit touristy) but very cute with little bistros and artists drawing then from there you can do down to Moulin Rouge and Pigalle neighborhood
· Musée d’Orsay (my personal favorite)
· Louvres Museum
· Eiffel Tower
· Notre Dame (not reopened)
· If you like biking I recommend taking a city bike (called Velib’) and biking along the seine because you can see a lot of the monuments that way and it’s quite nice :)
· Rodin museum (Museum + garden): 79 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris
· Versailles palais: 1 hoir train away but worth the day trip. I recommend going early and buying tickets in advance to avoid long lines
· The Centre Pompidou (Modern Art): Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004
· Grand palais (Near Champs Elysée, you can easily go to Tuileries garden or Invalide from there): 3 Avenue du Général Eisenhower, 75008 Paris
· Montparnasse tower observation desk (Best at sunset!): 33 Avenue du Maine, 75015
· Luxembourg gardens: 75006
· Parc de Belleville (beautiful vue of Paris, walk to the top of the park. Once you get there the restaurant Moncoeur Belleville has nice food and wines): 1 Rue des Envierges, 75020
· Tuileries Garden: 113 Rue de Rivoli, 75001
· Place des Vosges, 75004 (A lot of art galleries nearby)
+++
The Loire Valley info
After a short drive from Amboise, your day begins at the Chenonceau Castle. This castle is one of the most famous monuments in the Loire Valley, notable thanks to its two-story gallery standing over the Loire River. The castle and its gardens are extremely well preserved and provide the perfect place to learn more about France during Renaissance times.
After this interesting visit, you will enjoy a wine tasting lunch with a wine specialist who will let you sample some of the best pours in the Loire Valley region, such as Vouvray, Chinon, and Montlouis. As the Loire Valley wines pair really well with local cheeses, you can expect to see them on the menu as well.
In the afternoon, you will head to the Royal Castle of Amboise, where the young future François Ier grew up alongside his mother and sister. The castle is also where Leonardo Da Vinci is buried in the castle’s chapel. During your visit, you will see the chapel, the castle, and the gardens while your guide explains all the details you should know about the history of this place.
Finally, your guide will take you to Leonardo Da Vinci’s residence during the last three years of his life: Clos Lucé Manor. There, you will be able to see how the master used to live and get a glimpse of his invention room where he could express his genius. Da Vinci was a really close friend of several Renaissance French kings, which is why he chose to have a residence so close to them.
At the end of the tour, your driver will drop you off in Amboise.
Blog meister responds: After reading the itinerary, I sent Kat this email.
Sweetheart,
This is a brilliant itinerary. Perfect. I'd tweak it with two thoughts.
The Louvre is unfathomably large. Without a minimum of a checklist you might lose out on seeing things you must see.
The only one that is mandatory for you is the Mona Lisa, if only because you can compare it to the da Vinci 'Ginevra de Benci' you studied so well in Washington. But there are other art works that make the top ten of all time and you should decide what's important to you. One's desirable 'random' discoveries, so exciting, are part of the walk from one 'greatest piece' to the other. I doubt if you'll see five of these, the distances are so great.
BTW: There will be a crowd of 100 gathered around the MLisa. They just want to take her picture and they'll leave quickly, permitting you to access the precise spot you want. Take your time with it.Great cafes add a layer of brilliance to the trip. No reservations are necessary but use your sense of timing. For example, Les Deux Magots, is the iconic American expatriate spot, still brilliant today. Esp with its location. You might want to get Patricia Wells' book.
BTW: you know the prices per person at the restaurants are the beginning. Drinks are important. Select local wines, very reasonable and impossible to get outside of France. They don't travel well.
Love you, my dear.
Fun! Fun! Fun!
Dad
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
On Sunday, I sliced the remaining pork roast thinly, bought some mortadella and sharp provolone cheese, and made a brilliant cold cut sandwich for dinner.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Vivi meets the AI robot in the now dissembled Microsoft store
__________________________________
Short Essay*
A parent is a caregiver of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is the caretaker of a child (where "child" refers to offspring, not necessarily age). A biological parent is a person whose gamete resulted in a child, a male through the sperm, and a female through the ovum. Biological parents are first-degree relatives and have 50% genetic meet. A female can also become a parent through surrogacy. Some parents may be adoptive parents, who nurture and raise an offspring, but are not biologically related to the child. Orphans without adoptive parents can be raised by their grandparents or other family members.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Monday, September 5, 2022
Welcome to the 1,546th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
TSA
The new seal of the Transportation Security Administration, unveiled in 2020.
Transportation Security Administration - TSA.gov
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Commentary
Powell’s interest rate hikes are bludgeoning economy.
Let’s address energy costs and find a solution specific to this inflating part of our economy.
There’s a limit to interest rate hikes and we are already at that limit.
No more.
Drive that unemployment rate down.
Lure more Americans back to work with higher and higher wages.
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Word of the Day:
3-1-1
For definition, see below, immediately after the Short Essay
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Screen time
“The Beast.”
Unlikely but actually good entertainment.
A pleasant surprise, and for $3.00, on the Saturday of National Movie Week.
Social Life
Does going to a movie qualify as a social event?
Saturday was Movie Day across the nation and all or most theatres charged $3.00.
I went.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“It is a well-documented fact that guys will not ask for directions. This is a biological thing. This is why it takes several million sperm cells... to locate a female egg, despite the fact that the egg is, relative to them, the size of Wisconsin.”
~ Dave Barry
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
This from our good Dr. Mike passing along medical information he deems important.
It's from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Email alert.network@mass.gov for additions/unsubscribe to listser
Good afternoon,
Please see the following letter regarding the August 31 FDA authorization of both Moderna and Pfizer bivalent boosters. These updated COVID-19 boosters will be ready to administer if the ACIP votes to recommend them and after CDC endorses an ACIP recommendation. Administration of the bivalent COVID-19 boosters can begin only after CDC’s official recommendation.
AN IMPORTANT NOTE: Monovalent mRNA CVOID-19 vaccines are NO LONGER authorized for use as boosters in people ages 12 years and older, effective immediately.
Additional details in the attached.
Thank you for your continued support of our vaccination program.
This is the link to the Mass Dep’t of Health missive:
Mail - dom capossela - Outlook (live.com)
Blog meister responds: Thanks, Dr. Mike, from all of us
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
On Saturday I had a roast pork with smothered onions and garlic, sweet potato, and steamed broccoli.
Delicious.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Horses rear ends
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Short Essay*
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that has authority over the security of transportation systems within, and connecting to the United States. It was created as a response to the September 11 attacks to improve airport security procedures and consolidate air travel security under a dedicated federal administrative law enforcement agency.
The TSA develops broad policies to protect the U.S. transportation system, including highways, railroads, buses, mass transit systems, ports, pipelines, and intermodal freight facilities. It fulfills this mission in conjunction with other federal agencies and state partners. However, the TSA's primary focus is on airport security and the prevention of aircraft hijacking. It is responsible for screening passengers and baggage at more than 450 U.S. airports, employing screening officers in airports, armed Federal Air Marshals on planes, mobile teams of dog handlers, and explosives specialists.
Previously part of the Department of Transportation, the TSA became part of DHS in March 2003. It is currently led by Administrator David Pekoske and is headquartered in Springfield, Virginia. As of the fiscal year 2020, the TSA operated on a budget of approximately $7.68 billion and employed over 47,000 Transportation Security Officers, Behavior Detection Officers, Transportation Security Specialists, Federal Air Marshals, and other security personnel.
The TSA has screening processes and regulations related to passengers and carry-on luggage, including identification requirements, pat-downs, full-body scanners, electronic device restrictions, and explosives screening. The agency has faced criticism and controversy throughout its history for the effectiveness of said procedures, as well as baggage theft, data security, and prejudicial treatment towards certain ethnic groups.
Definition of Today’s Word of the Day:
3.1.1
The bane of every traveler who does not check their suitaces.
Containers of liquids and gels may not exceed 3.4oz.
All containers must fit into a 1-quart plastic bag.
And one such bag per traveler is permitted.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Sunday, September 4, 2022
Welcome to the 1,545th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Restaurant painting
Garden café of the Hôtel Ritz Paris (1904), Pierre-Georges Jeanniot
View author information
Public Domain
File:RitzParisGarden.jpg
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Commentary
What’s more difficult – finding a literary agent or booking one of Japan’s great Guide Michelin restaurants?
My most recent request for a reservation in Kyoto, made through a Concierge service that’s proven efficient and effective, has been accepted, with provisos. Here are several that are particularly interesting:
Please carefully read the rules below.
※Collared shirts are required and overly casual wear such as non-collared shirts, T-shirts, hats, caps, shorts, or sandals are not allowed. Guests wearing any of the above will be denied entry from the restaurant.
※Guests wearing perfume will be denied entry into the restaurant. The restaurant highly values the fragrance of the dishes as a critical part of the experience of the meal.
※No toasting due to fragile glasses
※Cameras, tablets and other types of photography equipment not allowed. Only smartphones are okay, please do not take pictures above food (due to some customers dropping their phone and breaking the dishes).
※Please keep voice down. No tablets, games or any devices that emit sounds are allowed. Phone calls may be made in the waiting area only.
Our Note: Payment for dinner is made within three days after the reservation is accepted or the reservation is cancelled.
☆Menu：￥103400 Carefully-Selected Sake and Wine Pairing Course x 1
※ It is not necessary to pay for anything at the restaurant if there are no additional orders. Any orders not included in the payment invoice are to paid for at the restaurant after the meal.
※ If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at My Concierge Japan. Please contact us in advance as English-speaking staff may not be available at the restaurant.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“Electricity is actually made up of extremely tiny particles called electrons that you cannot see with the naked eye,
unless you have been drinking.”
~Dave Barry
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Social Life
Between September 3 and October 16 are forty-three days.
I expect ten of them to be in someone’s company.
To that end, I booked three of the ten today: my nephew Stan whom I love, my friend, the movie critic Tucker J, and the Friends of the North End. It’s our group’s fiftieth anniversary. The years have taken their toll.
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
This from Tucker J:
Hey Dom,
Saw in your post today that you were in search of more Japanese media.
Have you seen Grave of the Fireflies? It’s an animated film but it’s staggeringly good.
Quick synopsis - A teenager (J. Robert Spencer) is charged with the care of his younger sister (Rhoda Chrosite) after an Allied firebombing during World War II destroys their home and kills their mother.
Highly recommend if you haven’t seen it - Grave of the Fireflies - Wikipedia
· Tucker
Blog meister responds: I did and it was wonderful.
Sad.
I’m not a big fan of sad.
Recommending ‘sad’ requires a disclaimer.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
I slow-roasted some rib and then I glazed them with sesame oil.
Served with sweet potatoes and spinach with a garlic sauce.
Delicious
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Community Photos**
Greenway Art
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Short Essay*
A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers.[1] Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearance and offerings, including a wide variety of cuisines and service models ranging from inexpensive fast-food restaurants and cafeterias to mid-priced family restaurants, to high-priced luxury establishments.
*The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Community Pictures with Captions are sent in by our followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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