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Jan. 4th, 2006
1. How many shades and tones of grey in the sky can there be? Why are they grey at all, where does the darkness come from, the muted black? Why not very pale blue? I cannot remember the last time I saw sunshine. I am not one who usually notices severe effects of winter lighting on my psyche, but perhaps I am just as susceptible.
2. I heard a radio segment today, one of those science-based explainer bits that focuses on topics in the news, and the subject was "what to do if your trapped in a mine". I found this to be in poor taste. I am not one who uses that phrase lightly or frequently. The program itself was more just an explanation of safety precautions that miners have available to them and are required to learn about when training to be miners, but still, the title rubbed me the wrong way. Too soon, perhaps? Which always makes me think, why is it okay later? Is it never okay, we just don't care as much with such standards in the immediate emotions?
3. Anyone out there familiar with fiction written in spanish who can talk to me about Edith Grossman and her translations? Not in critical essay form. I just want to know if she's the Constance Garnett of literature in spanish (which is a bad thing). I've googled her, of course. I like what she has to say on translating, I like what I've read of hers, but then again, I have many limitations on what I know. So I ask.
4. I called the gas company about my outrageously high gas bill. They didn't seem so concerned. Then again, why should they? Though she did verify that other people are paying gas bills at the address too, so I'm not paying for the whole building. They are sending someone out to check on things. January 26th. That's a long time to wait, considering I'm paying more than $10 a day for gas to keep the apartment at 54 degrees (according to the gas bill itself, not the thermostat in the house which is always higher than it feels). I suspect what we really need are new windows and possibly even a new hot water heater. Though maybe the hot water heater just needs to be emptied of all the deposits on the bottom.
5. My father wrote me an e-mail write before I went to L.A. last month, and another one yesterday. Today on the train, when thinking about them, I had this very clear vision of me actually talking to them in person. It felt more premonition than fantasy. We'll see.
2. I heard a radio segment today, one of those science-based explainer bits that focuses on topics in the news, and the subject was "what to do if your trapped in a mine". I found this to be in poor taste. I am not one who uses that phrase lightly or frequently. The program itself was more just an explanation of safety precautions that miners have available to them and are required to learn about when training to be miners, but still, the title rubbed me the wrong way. Too soon, perhaps? Which always makes me think, why is it okay later? Is it never okay, we just don't care as much with such standards in the immediate emotions?
3. Anyone out there familiar with fiction written in spanish who can talk to me about Edith Grossman and her translations? Not in critical essay form. I just want to know if she's the Constance Garnett of literature in spanish (which is a bad thing). I've googled her, of course. I like what she has to say on translating, I like what I've read of hers, but then again, I have many limitations on what I know. So I ask.
4. I called the gas company about my outrageously high gas bill. They didn't seem so concerned. Then again, why should they? Though she did verify that other people are paying gas bills at the address too, so I'm not paying for the whole building. They are sending someone out to check on things. January 26th. That's a long time to wait, considering I'm paying more than $10 a day for gas to keep the apartment at 54 degrees (according to the gas bill itself, not the thermostat in the house which is always higher than it feels). I suspect what we really need are new windows and possibly even a new hot water heater. Though maybe the hot water heater just needs to be emptied of all the deposits on the bottom.
5. My father wrote me an e-mail write before I went to L.A. last month, and another one yesterday. Today on the train, when thinking about them, I had this very clear vision of me actually talking to them in person. It felt more premonition than fantasy. We'll see.
