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Happy Birthday, Mr. Smith

Today in 1941, in Leland, Mississippi, Wadada Leo Smith was born. Over the last few years, Smith has become not only one of my favorite trumpet players – for his tone, for his technique, for his fearless improvisation – but also one of my favorite musicians, period.

I don’t want to get all weird on you, but there’s a spiritual quality to his music that’s, I dunno…somehow necessary right about now. Not in a corrective or a political sense; just as a reminder that some things are simply bigger than we are. And it sometimes takes an artist like Smith to reveal that bigness, if you will.

Anyway, if you have a music lover on your Christmas list this year, you could do a lot worse than picking from Smith’s extensive discography. (He’s released 30 albums since 2000 alone.) Some favorites of mine: Divine Love (ECM, 1979), Ten Freedom Summers (Cuneiform, 2012), The Great Lakes Suite (TUM, 2014), A Cosmic Rhythm with Each Stroke* (ECM, 2016), and Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk (TUM, 2017).

*with Vijay Iyer

A Brief History of Showering

It was in the early 1800s, writes Sarah Zhang, that people began “experimenting with the new possibilities offered by modern plumbing.” But showering, it turns out, has its origins in hydrotherapy—a method of treating madness with water:

In the 17th century…the Flemish physician Jan Baptist van Helmont would plunge patients into ponds or the sea. His inspiration came from a story he’d heard of an escaping “lunatic”who ran right into a lake. The man nearly drowned, but when he recovered, so did his mind, apparently. Van Helmont concluded that water could stop “the too violent and exorbitant Operation of the fiery Life.” His [sic] began stripping his patients naked, binding their hands, and lowering them headfirst into the water…

And yet today, despite this “dark and violent history,” most people shower at least five times a week.

Holiday Greetings!

Every year about this time I receive a special holiday greeting. Not just any ol’ greeting, but a package of original illustrated and silk-screened fine art cards. They’re beautiful. They always feature a mountain scene and night sky with an applied bright, shiny star. And they’re always the same size.

Illustrator and graphic designer Wild Bill Voiland – who once operated Wild Bill Graphics here in Spokane – has been creating these pieces of art for as long as I can remember. I’m not sure when I received my first, but I’ve kept a copy of every single card ever since.

Thanks for the annual holiday cheer, Wild Bill. And Merry Christmas to you as well.

Think Good, Write Gooder

From Clear and Simple as the Truth: Writing Classic Prose, by Francis-Noël Thomas and Mark Turner (Princeton University Press, 1994):

“[W]riting is an intellectual activity, not a bundle of skills. Writing proceeds from thinking. To achieve good prose styles, writers must work through intellectual issues, not merely acquire mechanical techniques.”

I think this is correct—even though it’d be a heckuva lot easier if writing were nothing more than “a bundle of skills.” But, for me anyway, the thinking part of the equation is arguably more important than the actual writing—even though it’s the first to get tossed overboard when deadlines loom.

Recommendation

I picked up my first copy of Desert Oracle the summer before last at the Little A’Le’Inn in Rachel, Nevada—mostly because its bright yellow cover stood out from all the self-published UFO- and Area 51-related tell-alls on the shelves.

A couple of minutes’ worth of reading and I was hooked. Ken Layne‘s digest-sized quarterly is part travelogue, part field guide, and part unapologetic nature writing—with a healthy dose of X-Files sprinkled in for good measure. Since then I’ve not only subscribed, I’ve also picked up every back issue available (sadly, no. 5 appears to be out of print).

If you like celebrating the weird and the wonderful, you need to subscribe. If you think the desert southwest is a mysterious and magical place, you need to subscribe. If you appreciate independent writing and publishing, you need to subscribe. And if you want to be responsible for the coolest present under the tree this year, you need to introduce someone to Desert Oracle with a gift subscription.

Finally, check out the podcast. It’s wildly entertaining and informative—and creepy as hell.

Breaking News: People Are Dumb

Got a text from the missus about the latest salvo in the War on Things We Don’t Like Right Now.™ Seems it’s not enough these days to dislike something—you’ve got to be a nuisance about it. To wit: deciding for others whether they ought to listen to a 1944 Christmas song because of its “inappropriate” lyrics (while pretending you’re not simply preening for social media attention).

It’s so tiresome, isn’t it? Thankfully, though, some radio stations have decided not to board the puritanical bandwagon.

Don’t get me wrong—I don’t even like the song all that much. I mean, it’s not as heinous as “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” but it’s not great. I’m not even entirely sure why it’s considered a Christmas song.

But that’s not the point. I’ll let the missus speak for herself in the following transcript of yesterday’s text conversation:

“So … ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ is inappropriate. What about ‘Santa Baby?'”

“Stop thinking. It only leads to trouble.”

“It was just on the radio and she’s pretty much whoring herself out for gifts.”

“But that’s probably empowering.” 

And that, ladies and gentleman, is why I married this woman.

Christmas Gift Idea for Aaron

The American edition of Andrew Roberts’s Churchill: Walking with Destiny comes out today.

I know, I know—you’re probably wondering whether yet another bio of the eminent British statesman was really necessary. Apparently so: Both the New York Times and the Economist named it one of the best books of the year.

What’s the fascination with Winston? Well, for one, he smoked as many as 10 cigars a day* and actually got a doctor’s note authorizing a minimum of 250 cc (a little over 8 oz.) of “alcoholic spirits” at meal times. During prohibition. I mean, sure, he led Britain to victory in WWII and wrote some 13 million words in 43 books and is one of the most significant figures of the 20th Century—a period with no shortage of significant figures—but c’mon. What a badass.

*According to former valet Roy Howells, “in two days his cigar consumption was the equivalent of my weekly salary.”

Quote of the Day

When studio mogul Samuel Goldwyn approached George Bernard Shaw to either convince the renowned playwright to create new material for feature films or purchase the rights to several of his plays (the account varies, depending on the source), negotiations quickly broke down.“Well, Mr. Goldwyn,” Shaw told him, “there is not much use in going on. There is this difference between you and me: You are only interested in art and I am only interested in money.”

Monday Miscellany

Surprise! Mid-century modern and minimalism are “a feast for the eyes, but a nightmare for the ears.”

Wanna be an artist? Jerry Saltz offers up “33 rules to take you from clueless amateur to generational talent (or at least help you live life a little more creatively).” Rule no. 20: Accept that You Will Likely Be Poor.

Speaking of art, this is pretty cool.

For months in the early 1940s, Alexander Weygers and his wife Marian “slept in a tent he’d built and stayed alive on dandelion soup and gopher stew.” Meanwhile, he patented a flying saucer.

William Logan reviews Ursula K. Le Guin’s poetry. He’s…not kind: “There’s a breathless bit of Zen, a dash of lardish sentiment, and a lot of pure idiocy on every page.”

One of the Best

I first met Pat Lynch around the time he mailed out a two-page, typewritten RFP for annual report design services. It was dated July 5, 1988. My firm was lucky enough to receive his inquiry, respond, and subsequently begin a working relationship with one of my all-time favorite clients.

A contact sheet for the 1989 WWP annual report. Pat and I were scouting photography locations for the company’s CEO, Paul Redmond, and president, Jim Harvey. Photos by J.Craig Sweat.

Pat joined The Washington Water Power Company in 1983. This coming Friday—November 30th, 2018, 30 years after we first met—will be his last day with that company, now known as Avista. I’ve never met a better ambassador, regardless of the business or the industry. A true gentleman with the proper dose of integrity, humility, and empathy. A consummate professional with an equally good sense of humor. The son of a sportswriter and a fan of every sport. A team player and a community advocate. And a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.

Thank you, Pat. It’s been a real pleasure. Wishing you and Suzanne the very best.

Travelogue, part III

Some people’s vacation ideal is a Caribbean cruise, others a European getaway. Me? I dig road trips. And even though it’s a cliché, it’s true: the destination doesn’t really matter. It’s the experiences along the way.

Take Yosemite, for example. Even though I grew up in California, I’d never been before this year. Sure, I’d marveled at the Ansel Adams photos. I’d also read the stories about the over-crowding. So it was never high on my list. But the missus and I figured, Hey, we’re heading south—why not at least drive through the park and see what the fuss is all about?

Well…this, for one thing:

Half Dome on a crisp fall afternoon.

And this:

All 3,000 feet of “El Cap,” as the cool climbing kids call it.

Nothing—and I mean nothing—can prepare you for the Yosemite Valley. We ended up camping in the park overnight, then driving over Tioga Pass early the next morning, stopping long enough to brew up a pot of coffee and fix some breakfast to enjoy along with the magnificent solitude of Tuolomne Meadows.

Call me crazy, but the western Sierra might just be the most beautiful place on Earth.

Check out Instagram (#superhappyfuntimeroadtrip) to see more.

Travelogue, part II

Representing everything from wartime paranoia to outright racism, Manzanar paints a rather sordid picture of American history in the 20th century. And yet today—some 75 years after 10,000 Japanese Americans and resident Japanese aliens were incarcerated there—it’s, well…beautiful. Desolate, depressing, and infuriating, sure, but, despite everything, there’s something about it that also quiets the soul.

A reproduction of one of the eight guard towers that loomed over the one-square-mile residential area of Manzanar War Relocation Center.

Pinnacles, on the other hand—the newest of our national parks, achieving that status in 2012—holds an entirely different spell over me. I grew up in the area, spending many a Saturday afternoon exploring its talus caves, wandering dry creek beds in search of fossils, and trying (somewhat successfully) to avoid scorpions. It’s been 40 years since I last wandered its trails, and nothing’s changed—other than the 30-odd California condors, who were introduced to the park in 2003.

Looking southwest from the Balconies Cliffs Trail—and back four decades in time.

Yosemite was breathtaking, Death Valley mesmerizing, Joshua Tree stupefying. But Pinnacles was easily the most meaningful stop on this year’s road trip for me. Chalk it up to nostalgia, I guess.

Check out #superhappyfuntimeroadtrip on Instagram for more photos.

Travelogue, part I

Under cover of darkness on the evening of November 2, the missus and I decamped for warmer climes—namely Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks (with a stop at Yosemite on the way down and Pinnacles on the way back up).

Death Valley, a starkly beautiful place of striking color—and oppressive silence.

All told, we logged close to 50 miles on foot through canyons, across sand dunes, and over old mining roads—and even managed to get a little spelunking in. We saw bats, roadrunners, coyotes, lizards, countless songbirds, rabbits, deer, and a bobcat. And lots of European tourists. And a U.S. Navy F/A-18 screaming through Rainbow Canyon at dusk.

Sunset at the Seussian Joshua Tree.

With temps in the low 50s at night reaching to the upper 80s by mid-afternoon, this is definitely the time of year to visit the southern California desert—though short days tend to limit your activities somewhat. On the other hand, that just means the crystal-clear night sky arrives sooner than usual.

Like last year’s #superepicmegaroadtrip, shots from this year’s #superhappyfuntimeroadtrip can be seen on Instagram if y’all are interested. More in tomorrow’s post…

Monday Miscellany

Okay, so, I’m back. (Yeah, I know, you probably hadn’t noticed I’ve been gone for a couple of weeks. Just…humor me, mmm-kay?) Anyway, I don’t have a lot of time for my typical profundity, so here’s a list of things you ought to be aware of.

The fact that this argument needs to be made is a sad commentary on the state of conversation these days.

Speaking of such things, here’s a collection of “philosophers philosophizing about philosophy on world philosophy day.”

In praise of the lowest form of wit: “Puns straddle that happy fault where sound and sense collide, where surface similarities of spelling or pronunciation meet above conflicting seams of meaning.”

In archaeology news, the lost city of Tenea has been found—while the mosaic floor of a 1,600-year-old synagogue appears to depict some rather unusual subject matter.

And finally, “all seven units in the International System of Units…will no longer be defined by material objects and instead will be defined only by abstract constants of nature.” About time, amirite?

Read up, and we’ll be back with our regularly scheduled awesomeness tomorrow.

Don’t Say You Weren’t Warned

Two new studies seem to confirm that “people who drink their coffee black often have psychopathic or sadistic traits,” and that, in general, “bitter taste preferences are associated with antisocial personality traits.” No doubt it’s all true—because, you know, #science.

According to the accepted manuscript, “bitter taste preferences are positively associated with malevolent personality traits, with the most robust relation to everyday sadism and psychopathy.”

So, to sum up, I’m a bitter, unpleasant person who probably wants to murder you. And with that, I take my leave for a couple of weeks. Back in mid-November.

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