It's winter time.
It's been snowing.
It continues to be a news story, here in DC, as well as nationally, and internationally.
But not necessarily for the right reasons.
We need to get over it, and back to whatever it was we were doing before the storm came and sucked the thoughts from our heads.
For now, I'll settle for some Olympic diversions.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Sports Rivalries......no, not the one you're thinking
Ovie and Crosby
We’ve heard a lot about this matchup, and we’ll continue to hear a lot about it in the years to come.
It’s like DiMaggio and Williams, Mantle and Mays, Montana and Marino, Wilt and Kareem.
Star players, opposing each other in their prime. Each the star of their team, if not their league. Alex Ovechkin, perhaps the most complete hockey player in generations. Sidney Crosby, a born star, with phenomenal reflexes, and a very high hockey IQ.
Ovechkin leads the MVP count, Crosby has his name on the Stanley Cup.
Ovie is the international, a physical player, not shy about playing two ways, mixing it up, and doing what is necessary to inspire and motivate a team.
Crosby is like glue around the puck, with an instinct for where he teammates are, where the opposition is, and where the goaltender will be when he shoots.
And did I mention they are each the captains of their teams, at 23 and 22, respectively.
Man, this is gonna continue to be good.
This afternoon Crosby got off to a great start in the Penguins matchup in Washington against the Capitals. Two strong goals in the first period, some solid playmaking, and all around outhustling of the Capitals made it seem like the Capitals 13 game winning streak was about to fall.
The second Crosby goal seemed to awaken the Capitals from their stupor, but it wasn’t until early in the second period when Ovechkin scored on a beautiful play, taking a head man pass and just steamrolling through a defensemen before blasting the puck through the goalie’s legs, and into the NBC netcam, for his league leading 40th goal of the season, that the Capitals really came alive.
Even though they ended up down 4-1 in the second period, the Capitals did not give up, and eventually Ovechkin channeled his anger and frustration, scoring twice more on goals that relied more on his strength than his formidable skills, and the game went into overtime.
This inspired the Capitals as a team, and with less than two minutes in OT, Ovie blased a snapshot toward the goal. It was stopped by the Pittsburgh netminder Fluery, but not cleared, and with some effort, Caps winger Mike Knuble stuffed it home to give the Caps their 14th consecutive victory, and a resounding victory on national television over their archrivals the Penguins.
Ovechkin was critical to the Capitals victory, as critical as he has been in any victory. Besides his hat trick, and his position at the point on power plays, and his solid checking and following through, he sat penalties for the team, inspired by his leadership, intimidated Penguin players all over the ice, keeping some away from the corners at times, and provided ample ammunition to the home town crowd to cheer lustfully for Ovie and boo mercilessly every time Crosby touched the puck.
But it’s not as though Crosby was outplayed or outclassed. He’s a force, and the Capitals recognized that. He manages to get open with a deceptive quickness, and threads cross ice passes as well as anyone in the league. His on ice vision approaches that of the Great One, Wayne Gretzky, yet his behavior over time, and unwillingness to be more physical, daunts his image, and comes back to taunt him through the chants of opposing fans, particularly in arenas like Washington’s Verizon Center.
As for the rivalry, let it go, keep it on, hype it all you want. This is one of those rare ones that matches up to the billing. Let’s hope we can get a January 1 game outside next year year in DC between these teams. Now that would help enhance the rivalry.
We’ve heard a lot about this matchup, and we’ll continue to hear a lot about it in the years to come.
It’s like DiMaggio and Williams, Mantle and Mays, Montana and Marino, Wilt and Kareem.
Star players, opposing each other in their prime. Each the star of their team, if not their league. Alex Ovechkin, perhaps the most complete hockey player in generations. Sidney Crosby, a born star, with phenomenal reflexes, and a very high hockey IQ.
Ovechkin leads the MVP count, Crosby has his name on the Stanley Cup.
Ovie is the international, a physical player, not shy about playing two ways, mixing it up, and doing what is necessary to inspire and motivate a team.
Crosby is like glue around the puck, with an instinct for where he teammates are, where the opposition is, and where the goaltender will be when he shoots.
And did I mention they are each the captains of their teams, at 23 and 22, respectively.
Man, this is gonna continue to be good.
This afternoon Crosby got off to a great start in the Penguins matchup in Washington against the Capitals. Two strong goals in the first period, some solid playmaking, and all around outhustling of the Capitals made it seem like the Capitals 13 game winning streak was about to fall.
The second Crosby goal seemed to awaken the Capitals from their stupor, but it wasn’t until early in the second period when Ovechkin scored on a beautiful play, taking a head man pass and just steamrolling through a defensemen before blasting the puck through the goalie’s legs, and into the NBC netcam, for his league leading 40th goal of the season, that the Capitals really came alive.
Even though they ended up down 4-1 in the second period, the Capitals did not give up, and eventually Ovechkin channeled his anger and frustration, scoring twice more on goals that relied more on his strength than his formidable skills, and the game went into overtime.
This inspired the Capitals as a team, and with less than two minutes in OT, Ovie blased a snapshot toward the goal. It was stopped by the Pittsburgh netminder Fluery, but not cleared, and with some effort, Caps winger Mike Knuble stuffed it home to give the Caps their 14th consecutive victory, and a resounding victory on national television over their archrivals the Penguins.
Ovechkin was critical to the Capitals victory, as critical as he has been in any victory. Besides his hat trick, and his position at the point on power plays, and his solid checking and following through, he sat penalties for the team, inspired by his leadership, intimidated Penguin players all over the ice, keeping some away from the corners at times, and provided ample ammunition to the home town crowd to cheer lustfully for Ovie and boo mercilessly every time Crosby touched the puck.
But it’s not as though Crosby was outplayed or outclassed. He’s a force, and the Capitals recognized that. He manages to get open with a deceptive quickness, and threads cross ice passes as well as anyone in the league. His on ice vision approaches that of the Great One, Wayne Gretzky, yet his behavior over time, and unwillingness to be more physical, daunts his image, and comes back to taunt him through the chants of opposing fans, particularly in arenas like Washington’s Verizon Center.
As for the rivalry, let it go, keep it on, hype it all you want. This is one of those rare ones that matches up to the billing. Let’s hope we can get a January 1 game outside next year year in DC between these teams. Now that would help enhance the rivalry.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
for once, a real article......this one on the Finnish Embassy in Washington going really green
Since it opened in 1994, the Finnish Embassy in Washington has received accolades from architects and diplomats alike. The open, inviting, and welcoming building high atop Embassy Row has been admired by visitors and gawkers alike. The Embassy building delicately balances the important role that diplomacy plays in society while serving as a standard for design with its’ perch atop Embassy Row and historic Rock Creek Park.
Designed by Finnish architects Mikko Heikkinen and Markku Komonen, the building goes beyond the modern glass box, creating an exterior lattice along the building’s Massachusetts Avenue face, and featuring a series of walkways both behind and below the building. There is a grand open space, the Finlandia Room, just beneath the main entryway, offering space for lavish receptions, and grand views of the edge of the Park. Surprisingly large, and roomy, the building is home by day to 40 Finnish diplomats, ranging from Ambassador Pekka Lintu, on through the military attaché, the press and communications team, and the policy analysts.
Invitation to the building is a welcome ticket in Washington. Some enjoy the frequent festivities and events which celebrate Finland and Finnish-U.S. relations. Others come to stake their membership in the super-secret Diplomatic Sauna Society of D.C. But now, those who visit the Embassy might not even recognize the changes that have been made over the past year, changes that have further distinguished the building from the dozens of other embassies and missions that dot the landscape of Washington’s ‘diplomatic row.’
In January, the United States Green Building Council conveyed LEED Gold certification upon the Finnish Embassy. This is the first embassy building in Washington to receive LEED certification, a particular point of pride for Ambassador Lintu, who sees this as just a first step. “We hope that our adaptation of green principles and our commitment to the well-being of people and the environment will inspire other foreign missions to view their opportunities in this field.”
Ambassador Lintu has made green living one of the central elements of his tenure in Washington, and felt a lasting impression could be made by having his office work towards and then seek LEED standing. Undoubtedly, he is also pleased that the Embassy is expected to completely recoup the costs for the retrofit in two years.
Kari Mokko, the spokesman for the Embassy, sums up the project as ‘pure Finland.’ He says that Finns take to what he describes as cool architecture, and a clean environment. “As your guests here, (there is) no reason to burden your environment more than absolutely needed.”
The process of working toward LEED certification began back in 2007, when the embassy first applied for EPA Energy Star standing. Among the first steps was an energy consumption assessment in order to obtain a better sense of when the building was utilized and occupied, and to more efficiently expend energy over the course of each day. At the time, energy efficient lighting was installed, and natural light was further encouraged throughout the building. Over time, the Embassy has cut electric consumption by 50%, gas consumption by 65%, and compared to early last decade, decreased annual energy bills by almost $150,000.
Last year, the consulting firm CQI Associates was hired to help shepard the Embassy through the LEED process. As LEED rates buildings for energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and the way a tenant stewards resources and is sensitive to the environment, there was much to do. But at the same time, according to Dick Anderson with CQI, Embassy staff were directly engaged in the project. “They had an extremely committed team. The Ambassador was motivated, and the staff was involved. It’s also how they lived and they carried it over with this project. If they saw an article on wind power, they would show it to us and ask what could be done.”
Toward the LEED goal, the Embassy went further than initially planned. Light switches and lighting were replaced with occupancy sensors, lower flush plumbing was installed, recycling programs were more faithfully followed, and environmental factors became central considerations in each materials purchase. Even cleaning supplies were replaced with environmentally sound products, and low-impact chemicals were used for landscaping and gardening. Embassy spokesman Mokko even notes that the building’s garage space was assessed, and the use of hybrid vehicles or zero carbon transportation devices, like bicycles, was significantly encouraged.
Anderson was impressed that over half of the staff either walk or bike to the Embassy, and there is a bike repair space set up in the parking garage, as well as extra bikes should a staff person want to head out for a lunch time ride.
While the Finns working at the Embassy do not intend to draw attention to themselves and their green office, there is little doubt that the combination of progressive architecture, an attractive location, and now first of its kind LEED certification, will challenge the longstanding quiet and reserve that helps define the Finnish character.
Designed by Finnish architects Mikko Heikkinen and Markku Komonen, the building goes beyond the modern glass box, creating an exterior lattice along the building’s Massachusetts Avenue face, and featuring a series of walkways both behind and below the building. There is a grand open space, the Finlandia Room, just beneath the main entryway, offering space for lavish receptions, and grand views of the edge of the Park. Surprisingly large, and roomy, the building is home by day to 40 Finnish diplomats, ranging from Ambassador Pekka Lintu, on through the military attaché, the press and communications team, and the policy analysts.
Invitation to the building is a welcome ticket in Washington. Some enjoy the frequent festivities and events which celebrate Finland and Finnish-U.S. relations. Others come to stake their membership in the super-secret Diplomatic Sauna Society of D.C. But now, those who visit the Embassy might not even recognize the changes that have been made over the past year, changes that have further distinguished the building from the dozens of other embassies and missions that dot the landscape of Washington’s ‘diplomatic row.’
In January, the United States Green Building Council conveyed LEED Gold certification upon the Finnish Embassy. This is the first embassy building in Washington to receive LEED certification, a particular point of pride for Ambassador Lintu, who sees this as just a first step. “We hope that our adaptation of green principles and our commitment to the well-being of people and the environment will inspire other foreign missions to view their opportunities in this field.”
Ambassador Lintu has made green living one of the central elements of his tenure in Washington, and felt a lasting impression could be made by having his office work towards and then seek LEED standing. Undoubtedly, he is also pleased that the Embassy is expected to completely recoup the costs for the retrofit in two years.
Kari Mokko, the spokesman for the Embassy, sums up the project as ‘pure Finland.’ He says that Finns take to what he describes as cool architecture, and a clean environment. “As your guests here, (there is) no reason to burden your environment more than absolutely needed.”
The process of working toward LEED certification began back in 2007, when the embassy first applied for EPA Energy Star standing. Among the first steps was an energy consumption assessment in order to obtain a better sense of when the building was utilized and occupied, and to more efficiently expend energy over the course of each day. At the time, energy efficient lighting was installed, and natural light was further encouraged throughout the building. Over time, the Embassy has cut electric consumption by 50%, gas consumption by 65%, and compared to early last decade, decreased annual energy bills by almost $150,000.
Last year, the consulting firm CQI Associates was hired to help shepard the Embassy through the LEED process. As LEED rates buildings for energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and the way a tenant stewards resources and is sensitive to the environment, there was much to do. But at the same time, according to Dick Anderson with CQI, Embassy staff were directly engaged in the project. “They had an extremely committed team. The Ambassador was motivated, and the staff was involved. It’s also how they lived and they carried it over with this project. If they saw an article on wind power, they would show it to us and ask what could be done.”
Toward the LEED goal, the Embassy went further than initially planned. Light switches and lighting were replaced with occupancy sensors, lower flush plumbing was installed, recycling programs were more faithfully followed, and environmental factors became central considerations in each materials purchase. Even cleaning supplies were replaced with environmentally sound products, and low-impact chemicals were used for landscaping and gardening. Embassy spokesman Mokko even notes that the building’s garage space was assessed, and the use of hybrid vehicles or zero carbon transportation devices, like bicycles, was significantly encouraged.
Anderson was impressed that over half of the staff either walk or bike to the Embassy, and there is a bike repair space set up in the parking garage, as well as extra bikes should a staff person want to head out for a lunch time ride.
While the Finns working at the Embassy do not intend to draw attention to themselves and their green office, there is little doubt that the combination of progressive architecture, an attractive location, and now first of its kind LEED certification, will challenge the longstanding quiet and reserve that helps define the Finnish character.
Monday, February 1, 2010
could this be true?
I have received several messages from this person, so it must be true, right? Senator Momoh. Hmmm...I wonder if he is from the Galactic Senate, or just another planetary system?
Warning.................
We have reasons to believe that someone is trying to impersonate you claiming your 10.5m contract payment. Respond to this email to confirm that you did not authorize Caroline Mann of Sarasota FL to claim your money, after your response, your funds will be delivered to you in an ATM card.
Contact us through this email: sen_johnmomoh@minister.com or call me on my direct line on: +234-70-40993160
Nb: that the displayed email addresses are the people this said has scammed already, so you have to act fast.
Thank you
Senator John Momoh
Warning.................
We have reasons to believe that someone is trying to impersonate you claiming your 10.5m contract payment. Respond to this email to confirm that you did not authorize Caroline Mann of Sarasota FL to claim your money, after your response, your funds will be delivered to you in an ATM card.
Contact us through this email: sen_johnmomoh@minister.com or call me on my direct line on: +234-70-40993160
Nb: that the displayed email addresses are the people this said has scammed already, so you have to act fast.
Thank you
Senator John Momoh
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Optional Clothing
People dress up. Pretty simple statement, but it’s true. People dress up for work, even in 2010. Kids dress up for school, particularly the first day each fall. And adults dress up for wherever they’re headed, especially for parties, but even for the gym, the movies, a day of errands, whathaveyou.
I was brought back to this seemingly obvious point today at a high school wrestling match, of all places.
So stay with me for a minute as we peruse my memory of clothing and appearances from a moment that has stuck with me for a long time.
I was fortunate enough to attend the U.S. Tennis Open back in 1980, when Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe had one of their famous finals. I was struck by the quality of tennis displayed, but the lingering memory has less to do with those stars, and their play in the old Louis Armstrong stadium, than what people wore and how they looked that day.
By then I had been to plenty of sporting event. I had been to each of the four major team sports in New York, plenty of times to see the Yankees and Mets, a few times to see hockey with the Rangers and even the Islanders, once to a Knick game, and once to a football game with the Jets. Hell, I had even been to a Cosmos soccer game at the old Yankee stadium.
And while people would wear team and sports apparel at each of these places, hockey jerseys, or t-shirts with their favorite player, they wouldn’t come dressed as if they were ready to compete.
That’s what struck me about the U.S. Open. The fans showed up in their tennis best, perhaps hoping that Borg would pull up with an injury, and tap the overweight tax lawyer in the third row to take off his Ellesse sweats, pull back on his Fred Perry shirt, and hit the court on behalf of team Borg.
It doesn’t work that way. The fans stay on one side of the arena, and the athletes get to compete on that other side. Clothing and appearances notwithstanding. At a baseball game you know the difference. The guy with the Yankee 27 World Championships sweatshirt is not gonna want to be in the game. So why does the professional out on a Thursday afternoon at the National Tennis Center feel compelled to show off his designer tennis duds?
Just doesn’t make sense. It’s one thing to wear team colors, or show your support by purchasing an overpriced authentic item, or even a reasonably priced knock-off. It’s quite another to come fully dressed to play, from head to toe, hoping security will think you’re a top ranked tennis stud. I’ve never gone to a hockey game with my skates, let alone pads or a stick. So why go to the Open in full regalia?
Which, believe it or not, brings me to today. This afternoon was spent on the bleachers of a suburban Washington high school watching teenage boys grasp at each other in a sport many call wrestling. To me it just appears to be an attempt at bad teen sex with too many poorly colored tights. Whatever it is to you, it surprised me to see many parents from another school at the match wearing t-shirts and sweatshirts and other outer garments with the name of their child’s high school.
To me it’s nice to support your kids, to offer them suggestions and the benefits you can provide from your years of living on this earth. But what the hell does it mean to wear a shirt, clearly designed for an adult, given the lettering and the style, with a high school name and logo? Were these people regressing? Were they desperate to show some love? Were they searching? Did they lose a bet? Were they playing Candid Camera, or some variation?
Sure, there are some things I just don’t get. Actually, there are many things I just don’t get. If you know me, and I’m going beyond my stellar Facebook list of dear friends here, I’m sure you’ve already thought of a handful of things.
Regardless, it’s just plain odd to see a middle aged woman squeezed into a designer shirt festooned with a high school name, in a cursive writing akin to the old ‘Juicy’ logo of the last decade. And fathers wearing shirts from matches their kids participated in. Perhaps it’s the logical progression from those stickers you see on the back windows of SUVs documenting the size of the family, down to the furry pets. Maybe it’s a self identification thing, and not a clothing thing.
Either way, whether you’re wearing tennis whites at the Open, or high school shirts at your kid’s sporting event, it suggests something else going on in that brain, and for the life of me, I can’t quite figure what it is. And I’m not sure I even want to know.
Let’s see if I’m inspired to talk about face painting and tattoos and sporting events. Now that could be interesting.
I was brought back to this seemingly obvious point today at a high school wrestling match, of all places.
So stay with me for a minute as we peruse my memory of clothing and appearances from a moment that has stuck with me for a long time.
I was fortunate enough to attend the U.S. Tennis Open back in 1980, when Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe had one of their famous finals. I was struck by the quality of tennis displayed, but the lingering memory has less to do with those stars, and their play in the old Louis Armstrong stadium, than what people wore and how they looked that day.
By then I had been to plenty of sporting event. I had been to each of the four major team sports in New York, plenty of times to see the Yankees and Mets, a few times to see hockey with the Rangers and even the Islanders, once to a Knick game, and once to a football game with the Jets. Hell, I had even been to a Cosmos soccer game at the old Yankee stadium.
And while people would wear team and sports apparel at each of these places, hockey jerseys, or t-shirts with their favorite player, they wouldn’t come dressed as if they were ready to compete.
That’s what struck me about the U.S. Open. The fans showed up in their tennis best, perhaps hoping that Borg would pull up with an injury, and tap the overweight tax lawyer in the third row to take off his Ellesse sweats, pull back on his Fred Perry shirt, and hit the court on behalf of team Borg.
It doesn’t work that way. The fans stay on one side of the arena, and the athletes get to compete on that other side. Clothing and appearances notwithstanding. At a baseball game you know the difference. The guy with the Yankee 27 World Championships sweatshirt is not gonna want to be in the game. So why does the professional out on a Thursday afternoon at the National Tennis Center feel compelled to show off his designer tennis duds?
Just doesn’t make sense. It’s one thing to wear team colors, or show your support by purchasing an overpriced authentic item, or even a reasonably priced knock-off. It’s quite another to come fully dressed to play, from head to toe, hoping security will think you’re a top ranked tennis stud. I’ve never gone to a hockey game with my skates, let alone pads or a stick. So why go to the Open in full regalia?
Which, believe it or not, brings me to today. This afternoon was spent on the bleachers of a suburban Washington high school watching teenage boys grasp at each other in a sport many call wrestling. To me it just appears to be an attempt at bad teen sex with too many poorly colored tights. Whatever it is to you, it surprised me to see many parents from another school at the match wearing t-shirts and sweatshirts and other outer garments with the name of their child’s high school.
To me it’s nice to support your kids, to offer them suggestions and the benefits you can provide from your years of living on this earth. But what the hell does it mean to wear a shirt, clearly designed for an adult, given the lettering and the style, with a high school name and logo? Were these people regressing? Were they desperate to show some love? Were they searching? Did they lose a bet? Were they playing Candid Camera, or some variation?
Sure, there are some things I just don’t get. Actually, there are many things I just don’t get. If you know me, and I’m going beyond my stellar Facebook list of dear friends here, I’m sure you’ve already thought of a handful of things.
Regardless, it’s just plain odd to see a middle aged woman squeezed into a designer shirt festooned with a high school name, in a cursive writing akin to the old ‘Juicy’ logo of the last decade. And fathers wearing shirts from matches their kids participated in. Perhaps it’s the logical progression from those stickers you see on the back windows of SUVs documenting the size of the family, down to the furry pets. Maybe it’s a self identification thing, and not a clothing thing.
Either way, whether you’re wearing tennis whites at the Open, or high school shirts at your kid’s sporting event, it suggests something else going on in that brain, and for the life of me, I can’t quite figure what it is. And I’m not sure I even want to know.
Let’s see if I’m inspired to talk about face painting and tattoos and sporting events. Now that could be interesting.
Friday, January 22, 2010
I'm Back
Well, here we are again. Almost a month has passed since the last posting, light years in the realm of the internets. But I'm here. It's not as though I left, or actually went anywhere. It was more an inertia, a disinclination to blog, or even microblog. So while I wasn't here, I wasn't there, either. You follow.
It's interesting to see what you can do when you don't blog.
You can read books. Plural. Yes, books.
You can fix things. Well, they have to be broken in the first place, but I'm sure there's something around that's broken and in need of a fix.
You can work harder at things than you might have before.
You can multi-task a little more smoothly, a requirement for today's independent professional.
And you can plan, or even think, and begin to see where it's all going. Hopefully it's all going forward, though you never can know for sure.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
It's interesting to see what you can do when you don't blog.
You can read books. Plural. Yes, books.
You can fix things. Well, they have to be broken in the first place, but I'm sure there's something around that's broken and in need of a fix.
You can work harder at things than you might have before.
You can multi-task a little more smoothly, a requirement for today's independent professional.
And you can plan, or even think, and begin to see where it's all going. Hopefully it's all going forward, though you never can know for sure.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Audio Voyeurism
Initial thoughts for a new year following an old habit.
There needs to be a better term for this, for overhearing the conversations of others. Sometimes they are intended to be heard. Other times, they are not. And they span the range of talk.
They include the argument b/t long married couples in line at an airport security check.
They are what you hear passing by people on escalators headed in different directions.
They involve families debating life options while waiting to board a flight.
Or individuals talking with friends on a subway, questioning choices and decisions, some made long ago, even evaluating the alternatives.
Yes, you can hear them talk about what it was like before they were married. Before children. Before the baggage, or the layers, or however they refer to them.
But how is it that we hear these conversations?
Are our eared perked by certain words, by the appearance of certain individuals, by the look and image presented by some people, by boredom, by intrigue, by the surreptitious nature of the information acquired?
What makes these overheard conversations so interesting?
And, here’s the money question. Is it just me, or are they interesting to others?
Years ago a cartoonist made them into a series that ran in New York’s Village Voice. Mark Alan Stamaty’s stuff was just great, and was advertised as ‘guaranteed overheard’ so that the equivalent of this good housekeeping seal conveyed greater legitimacy than just ‘overheard.’ And it made a difference, as unlike the snippets of conversation we occasionally pick up, he documented complete dialogue, complete with arcs, or punch lines. And they were funny, enhanced by Stamaty’s creative mind, and cartoon images, reinforcing the odd reference made by one of the featured individuals.
So I visualize cartoon balloons above people’s head when I hear these conversations, trip over their words, or quietly slide in to a moment of their lives, their public displays of private communication. And it provides grounding, after all.
So unlike overseas travel, where conversations are little more than white noise, if I hear you on a plane, on the subway, or on the street, I’ll be listening.
Just one request. Make it interesting.
There needs to be a better term for this, for overhearing the conversations of others. Sometimes they are intended to be heard. Other times, they are not. And they span the range of talk.
They include the argument b/t long married couples in line at an airport security check.
They are what you hear passing by people on escalators headed in different directions.
They involve families debating life options while waiting to board a flight.
Or individuals talking with friends on a subway, questioning choices and decisions, some made long ago, even evaluating the alternatives.
Yes, you can hear them talk about what it was like before they were married. Before children. Before the baggage, or the layers, or however they refer to them.
But how is it that we hear these conversations?
Are our eared perked by certain words, by the appearance of certain individuals, by the look and image presented by some people, by boredom, by intrigue, by the surreptitious nature of the information acquired?
What makes these overheard conversations so interesting?
And, here’s the money question. Is it just me, or are they interesting to others?
Years ago a cartoonist made them into a series that ran in New York’s Village Voice. Mark Alan Stamaty’s stuff was just great, and was advertised as ‘guaranteed overheard’ so that the equivalent of this good housekeeping seal conveyed greater legitimacy than just ‘overheard.’ And it made a difference, as unlike the snippets of conversation we occasionally pick up, he documented complete dialogue, complete with arcs, or punch lines. And they were funny, enhanced by Stamaty’s creative mind, and cartoon images, reinforcing the odd reference made by one of the featured individuals.
So I visualize cartoon balloons above people’s head when I hear these conversations, trip over their words, or quietly slide in to a moment of their lives, their public displays of private communication. And it provides grounding, after all.
So unlike overseas travel, where conversations are little more than white noise, if I hear you on a plane, on the subway, or on the street, I’ll be listening.
Just one request. Make it interesting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
