Wheels

The car repair waiting area has a fish tank, including several large fish and smaller ones that haven't been eaten.  The large fish actively swim up, down, on their sides, but not upside down.  Upside down fish are dead, as they must know.  The tank is clean, which is encouraging this early morning, and the coffee and cookies are free.  I was checked in by a friendly social worker who assured me that all will be well.  The wifi is also free.

It's a kind of doctor's office, the car doctor.  New shiny black cars are displayed nearby.  Maybe the doctor's office could display newer model bodies.  In "Old Man's War" on of the main features is older people getting new bodies and all the fun and excitement that brings.  The reality here is my car is getting older and service engine lights and odd noises show up with some regularity, and getting a new car has practically always been out of reach.  A new bicycle has been acquired.

My dad wrote in wry statements, conversation enders.  It's been suggested that I write end of year update notes to inform family and friends about what's happening...

The cookies are free except for the obvious downside that they get metabolized to unhealthy baggage.

It's resolution time.  I resolve to write more.

Boxing Day

I don't know the history but I think it's about well-off folks packaging up old stuff and putting it out for less well-off folks, making room for new stuff.  Whether that's right or not, it seems like a recurring theme. 

In Tolstoy's "The Prince", the Prince gives most of his stuff away, presents to peasants.  The peasants are much wealthier than they've been, but gradually (or not so gradually) the situation moves back to about where it was.

Tolstoy took the time to write.

Mahler at the end of the line

Listening to Leonard Bernstein's 1973 Norton lectures, his segment about Mahler's 9th - at the end of a period of music.  A series of prayers, vascillation, sobbing sacrificial last try, fails...last desparate reach...giving it all up.  Adagissimo...