Happy new year!—here’s what went on in December:
Talking about Frederick Douglass with Gad Saad
I joined Gad Saad on his podcast a few weeks ago to talk about Fredrick Douglass and how his views relate to such things as the 1619 Project of the writings of Ta-Nehisi Coates. You can watch the video of our conversation here:
A new family member
A stray kitten showed up in the garage in the middle of the night, starved but friendly to humans. It turns out, however, that there are no facilities in Maricopa County that will take kittens. Their lives are literally not worth a nickel. So, after a while, she has become a member of the household. This is Pele—named for the Hawaiian volcano goddess, not the soccer player. (Do you think I would name a pet for a sports star?) She’s certainly used up a couple of her lives, but seems to be liking this one…
What I read this year and what I thought of it
Here’s my annual list of the books I read this year and what I thought of them. The best was Challenger by Adam Higginbotham. I didn’t get as much reading done this year as in previous years because I’ve got some big writing projects going on that have really dominated my attention…
Cecile Licad at Carnegie Hall
I had the good fortune—and the American Airlines flight credits—to attend Cecile Licad’s recital at Carnegie Hall in early December. Licad has long been one of my favorite pianists; her recording of Rachmaninoff’s Second Concerto is the definitive version, as far as I’m concerned. And I could not resist when I learned she would be performing Scriabin, Chopin, Scott Joplin, and Amy Beach, among others. In fact, she played the complete Chopin preludes, which was a particular treat. (You can actually listen to her performing the complete preludes here.)
How was the show? I agree entirely with this review; most of the pieces were played with that magical combination of lively originality and technical precision that marks the finest concert pianists. Particularly in the Chopin preludes, Licad was able to bring out new qualities, despite the fact that we’ve all heard them, what, ten thousand times? That part was a marvel. The Joplin was less convincing, because Licad’s attempt to shift the tempi came off as forced and artificial.
The only disappointing thing was that someone in the audience had one of those hearing aids that makes a high-pitched feedback noise. It created a high-pitched electronic whine throughout the entire concert that at times was so distracting that I was amazed Licad could keep performing. The ushers tried their best to ask whoever it was to do something about it, but to no avail. Given how perfect the acoustics were in that room, it disturbed a lot of people. But it would take a lot more than that to defeat a performer as good as Cecile Licad. If you have a chance to see her live, take it.
Some new poems
The new issue of ASU’s Canyon Voices literary magazine includes four new poems by me. You can read them here. One is a villanelle called “Entelechy,” which seems apt for the new year:
I can only be the things that I'm Not. Between becoming and decay, Everything changes over time Into something else that it is primed Tol be already. There are days we say "I can only be the things that I'm Meant to be," as though we're all designed From the start to serve some mindless fate, But everybody changes over time. And we loathe to feel we're confined By history or genes. I hate the way I can only be the things that I'm Set to be already. In my mind I'm always present, and I want to stay. But each of us changes over time: Into our own futures, or what they'll find When our older selves look back someday. I can only be the things that I'm Myself. The rest changes over time.
Vegas lions
Did you know Las Vegas has a lion sanctuary? In fact, it’s only about 15 minutes from the strip, and it houses the lions who were once on display at the MGM casino. On a recent visit, we stopped by to meet Dude, Winston, and the rest of the lionine cast, who live with some ostrich, emu, parrot, and tortoise friends.
Onward…
Here comes the new year. Lots of exciting and interesting things planned. Keep an eye out here or at my blog, Freespace, and the best of luck in 2025.