For the record: I'm six months into my 76th year. My sister, who is three years younger than me, broke her little toe last week. She plans to travel to London in a few days so I hope her toe will be alright. My significant other, Martha, continues to divest herself. This is slightly unnerving to me.
On a lighter note, we have a nice selection of birds in our yard; that is our yard we share with other condominium residents. We have Muscovys, Herons of various types, Egyptian Geese, Black Ducks, Whistling Ducks, Mud Hens, a nesting Thrush family, an Osprey, and other's I can't think of. Also, looking out the window I can see the Riding Stable where until recently I was half-leasing a Missouri Foxtrotter named Spirit. It's gotten too hot, so I've taken a sabbatical, after which I'll ride one half-hour a week just to keep my seat so that I can go to a week-end "Horse-camp", on the way up North Labor Day Weekend.
The reading list is as follows; still reading, very slowly, a bio of DeKooning, titled DeKooning*, which puts me into a state of fascination with the Bill centered life the pleasure of which I can only stand for short bursts. DeK. was something in the way of a combination Rock Star and stuffed animal, mixed with a stand-up act. He was the center of gravity in the world that I, as a mostly silent observer, lived in from pre-adolescence into middle age. I'll probably still be picking at it all through this hot Florida Summer.
My excuse for stopping the horse lease had to do with wanting to build up some energy toward doing some writing. We'll have to see where that goes.
I'm reading what used to be known as a dirty book. Mandingo. It's about slavery. In the mid-sixties, while living in Manhattan, it seemed to be what everyone was reading on the subway and on buses. I probably would have been ashamed to read it at the time, it having to do with what seemed to me to be a taboo subject, but its appeal back then seemed to be mostly prurient. I wasn't in to prurient at the time, being focused on romantic drinking. Now I'm reading it to see what I missed. I'm sure confessing to reading it brands me a racist. Luckily, it doesn't matter because I'm not famous. And I'm not rascist. And if you still have doubts, then I'll say I'm a Lacanian.
I'm still reading The Portable Chris Langan, re-reading Patriarchy and Incest from Shakespeare to Joyce, a fascinating book, first-reading Robert D. Kaplan's In Europe's Shadow, his book about Romania; I'm picking through Balzac's Droll Stories, Picking at Sizek's The Parallax View, quite difficult going, re-reading John Petrovic's Physics of the Non Physical, wonderful book, just finished Ingo Swann's Penetration, (loved it), am now half way through his book Reality Boxes, which finds me sort of hooked on the late Mr. Swann, and that's about it.
In the car, while doing errands, I listen to Legends Radio, out of Palm Beach, and I'm hooked on that, the American Songbook, because I love Keeley, and Ella, and Tony Bennett, (though not his painting), and Louis Prima and a cast of thousands.
I also spend a few minutes each day watching old clips of Rodeo footage on something called The Cowboy Channel, which I don't know why Comcast gives me, but for which I'm grateful.That's about it; right now I'm watching the Royal Ascot with the sound off. On behalf of Equines everywhere, I should say God Bless the Queen.
*7/23/2019 Finished reading the de Kooning book. I very much enjoyed it, and think it's one of the better artist's biographies I've read. During all his days living in East Hampton his charisma as well as the power and beauty of his work were a key ingredient of the Zietgiest that was Springs in those days. I knew many of the people in his circle and had a knowledge of his earlier life that I learned both through reading and by listening to various artists and art-world people including my parents. Of the women in his life that I knew I especially liked Elaine and Susan Brockman. I had coffee and/or breakfast on many occasions with Elaine at Eddies Luncheonette in East Hampton Village. I knew Susan through a small group of friends that often gathered at the home of Dick Schuste. The group included Carlos Anduze, Carlo Grossman, Dick's daughter Toby, and Neil Noland, and perhaps one or two others that I can't recall. It was around that time that Dick became ill with lung cancer and died.
*7/23/2019 Finished reading the de Kooning book. I very much enjoyed it, and think it's one of the better artist's biographies I've read. During all his days living in East Hampton his charisma as well as the power and beauty of his work were a key ingredient of the Zietgiest that was Springs in those days. I knew many of the people in his circle and had a knowledge of his earlier life that I learned both through reading and by listening to various artists and art-world people including my parents. Of the women in his life that I knew I especially liked Elaine and Susan Brockman. I had coffee and/or breakfast on many occasions with Elaine at Eddies Luncheonette in East Hampton Village. I knew Susan through a small group of friends that often gathered at the home of Dick Schuste. The group included Carlos Anduze, Carlo Grossman, Dick's daughter Toby, and Neil Noland, and perhaps one or two others that I can't recall. It was around that time that Dick became ill with lung cancer and died.
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