Pragmatik » fall

Wind took away the leaves.

Johnny — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 02:00:14 +0000

Since we’re still sick, Charlotte and I had a pajama day. The wind was whipping up while we were inside making a pot of chilli and having tea (decaf for Charlotte). When I put her down for her nap, I noticed that the few trees I can see out of my windows (in this most sylvan part of Baltimore City) were stripped today from the wind.

I feel like I’ve missed this fall.

But, in my defence, we had such a wet spring, summer and early fall that a lot of trees never really changed color. Truly, it’s the most visually disappointing autumn I can remember.

The chilli was very good, though. Helped to open up our stuffed-up noses a little bit.

End November/begin December.

Johnny — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:39:07 +0000

Yesterday, as Charlotte and I met Mommy when her bus got home, the day smelled like the end of November, namely, dead leaves, an alarmingly warm breeze and the end of something.

Today, for December, we have sideways rain and a tornado watch.

Fall’s really crept up.

Johnny — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:10:29 +0000

Charlotte had to wear this hoodie and pants outfit with the hat that Mommy made her last weekend at Ocean City (note the beachy couch!). And that’s her first tie-dye, from her Grandpa. With the hot summer we had, we were ready in this apartment for another fall like 2007, when we sweated through 90-degree temps in Washington on October 4th for our anniversary. I assumed September would be hot, and now it’s gone. Bizarre. I was so prepared for a long summer that our AC units are still in. The living room is drafty tonight.

But now it’s October, which is supposed to be my favorite month. The windows are closed, and I wore socks last for movie time and a very late dinner at about 10pm, because babies make you busy. I put out the fall decorations while Charlotte napped and Mommy had to work today, a Sunday. Pumpkin time, and all that. Mommy was super pissed that she had to work. I didn’t realize how long window stickies take to put up by yourself.

In other shitty news, a family friend passed away the other day, suddenly. She was about my parents’ age. Of course this has me thinking, in a bad way. And Charlotte gets to attend her first funeral, in the same local Catholic church where I was an altar boy for around 100 of them (no foolin). This lady was very freakin cool, too. But we ran into her when Charlotte was only a few weeks old. So they got to meet, and I know that I gave her a hug and was glad to see her when last we met.

Still, this is sad.

Nothing looks like this, not lately.

Johnny — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:15:44 +0000

This week: grey, rain, rain, rain, grey. With recently broken bones and my still-smashed right hand, I’m tempted to sound like one of those people who acts like crappy weather was invented just for suffering and just for their suffering at that.Â It doesn’t feel good.

However, in search of better times and making the best of what’s left of autumn, Mrs. P. and I will venture to our very favorite bookstore and perhaps have dinner somewhere in Charles Village, Hampden or Roland Park.Â I will have a waterproof messenger bag, so treasures will make it home unscathed.Â At least it’s going to be in the upper 50s/lower 60s.Â I hate when it rains just shy of the freezing point.Â Unless I’m cycling.Â I do get a kick out of that.

Curiously, Normal’s is on 31st Street, where I blew a spoke last Sunday and had to miss the ride I’d spent so much time helping to plan.Â Much better tidings today, I think.

My bike is out of commission currently.Â Yes, breaking a rear spoke on the drive side can make your wheel no longer turn without hitting the frame.Â No, this does not, as has been suggested, make me a wimp or perfectionist.Â It’s a matter of my understanding bike wheels, at least a little bit.Â Plus, there’s the empirical smack-your-ass part where my wheel literally does not turn.Â The shop will take care of it; it’s under warranty.Â It’s a good excuse to visit my favorite bike shop.

I need to get some new books and spend quality time with the Mrs. and our little belly/Baby.Â As if it’s not obvious, I’m growing increasingly less patient with people’s bullshit.Â A nice walk usually helps a lot.

Where did autumn go?

Johnny — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:51:40 +0000

Damn, I miss it every year.Â This year, I have an excuse: Little One on the way.Â I think we’ll be able to slow down next year.Â I always think that.Â But the dissertation defenses will officially be over.Â And, for the first time since I was probably still wetting my pants occasionally, I will officially be out of school.Â I think I’ve completely under-estimated how much that is hanging over my head.

Very crappy weather now, but you should have seen Thursday.

Johnny — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:47:25 +0000

It looked like this.

Almost late October bike ride.

Johnny — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:52:35 +0000

Took a long ride around the city yesterday and witnessed some overwhelming colors. Photo Friday: Autumn 2009.

Ravens season, chili, new music.

Johnny — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:03:54 +0000

These are things which are awesome today.

Check out new records from Collective Soul, Third Eye Blind, Arctic Monkeys. Also see Shiny Toy Guns, Ashes Divide, Yann Tiersen.

As for my chili recipe, I can’t help you.Â I don’t think I’ve ever created something that is as universally hailed as my chili.Â So I have taken to guarding the recipe.Â It also evolves a little sometimes, with experimenting with different kinds and blends of fresh chili peppers.

(Me in front of Penn Station on a little ride one Sunday morning a few weeks ago.Â Taken by Mr. Dan.)

Pumpkin Spice Latte’.

Johnny — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:52:59 +0000

I know. Chain coffee is the devil. Etc. I’ll cop to visiting chains regularly, but I do hit the local joints when I can — which, with the amount of coffee I drink, is often. But I got birthday gifts in the form of giftcards, and well, hell, I love pumpkin spice. So there it is. I did decide to only use my giftcards for pumpkin spice stuff though. Those buggers are expensive.

Cold early this year?

Johnny — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:56:38 +0000

Geez, it got cold quickly! I just started wearing shoes (not sandals) last week. Fall came so early this year that I feel like I missed it. But I’m glad to have some winter. It started early in the Dale three years ago, but then the winter was warm and depressing afterward. Maybe we’ll get some nice winter wonderland this time around in Charm City? I’d better get some better fenders for my bike!Â My storm windows are closed at home, and I actually wore my scarf at lunch yesterday at a nice cafe’.

Leaves up the street.

Johnny — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:38:20 +0000

[Larger.]

I feel like I’ve missed a lot of leaves this fall.Â I always do.

Photo Friday: Autumn.

Halloween is almost here.

Johnny — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:07:08 +0000

We have been watching scary movies, documentaries and “Treehouse of Horror” episodes out the yingyang. It’s awesome. I was reading some Poe, but I’m holding off on more of that until closer to the 200th birthday perhaps.

Learned about poverty today.

Johnny — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:34:36 +0000

Well, as much as one can at a catered event when the speaker is nicely dressed and using multiple expensive technologies to express her wisdom.Â I know there are a lot of assumptions we all make (yes, you and I, too!) about poverty and about those living in it.Â But in talking about avoiding stereotypes and generalizations about class, we keep reminding ourselves that these generalizations are false.Â But then we use them and act like they are hard-and-fast.Â This happened repeatedly.Â And some of them really strike me as not only unreliable but also false.

For instance, in talking about humor, we were told that members of lower economic classes use it to defuse negative situations but that anyone in the middle class doing it might be seen as disrespectful.Â Pile this on top of the statement that “business” procedures and customs are based on middle class ways of thinking and doing, which we were also told.Â Unless I’m more of a dreamer than I thought, I can swear I have seldom seen middle class people show signs of feeling disrespected by people using humor to lighten the mood.Â And when I have, it seemed more of a personal issue than a class issue.Â Maybe humor is universal?Â Or, at least, class-less?

I don’t know where I’m going with this.Â It just makes me sad and makes me think about what I spend money on.

And thankful for my full belly tonight.

Always my apartment is covered in pens.

Johnny — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:01:33 +0000

And you should see my office.

Pabst for Uncle Harry.

Johnny — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:40:23 +0000

I toasted my recently passed-away Uncle Harry today at the Taste of Waverly.Â When he lived in Boston (while I was small), he would spend his vacation in Maryland with the family — to include playing in the pool and yard with the boys.Â He enjoyed a beer, some crabs, the cigarettes he used to smoke a long time ago and people he cared about nearby.

He was one of the sweetest people I have ever known.

He was a fan of Pabst.Â The smell of “regular” beer always makes me think of him.Â More so now.

[Taken with my new camera!]