Even If It's Wrong --- Days 8/145,146,147,148

Walks:  Hood, Pickleball court
Distance: 3 miles daily. 2-3 hours of pickleball daily, exercise class and 1 on 1 Training

So one of Ciwt's family mottos was "Do Something even if it's wrong!"  In that vein she thinks she should write something about her Chicago trip.

Well, it was quick, which Ciwt likes.  The Chicago Art Institute is Huge, smallish room after smallish room chock full of art, some of which is once in a lifetime outstanding.  For instance:

You know this couple.  Grant Wood's American Gothic

Gorge Seurat. The inspiration for Sunday in the Park with George and many other things.  Very uplifting painting.

Also Uplifting, Chagall's Stained Glass windows made as a gift to the Chicago Art Institute

And at least ten more.  All in all, a great art resource, and a place to go again and again if you live in the Chicago area and enjoy art.  Ciwt would probably go again only if they were having a special exhibition that she couldn't see anywhere else.  Chicago was fine, but it isn't New York where she is happy to go again and again, special exhibition or not.  

Gate C28 = Home --- Day 8/144

Walk: Airports, Mollie Stones for dinner food
Distance: Maybe 1 mile and hours and hours of sitting at O'Hare and on plane

A Frank Day --- Day 8/143

Walk: All Day Bus Tour of Frank Lloyd Architecture, then around town

                          Frederick C. Robie House, Oak Park, 1908-10

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Oak Park, 1889

Frank W. Thomas House, Oak Park, 1901

A Day of Icons --- Day 8/142

Walk: Chicago Art Institute, River Walk
Distance:  4-5 Miles

The Art Institute lions are modeled on African lions, made larger than life. Since their installation, they have become icons not only of the museum but also Chicago itself, donning the hats or helmets of the city’s various sports teams and festive wreaths during the holiday season. They “speak” to passersby who scan the QR code near them with a smart phone, in the voices of actors Mandy Patinkin and Tracy Letts, plus they even have their own Twitter account– and one may even be running for mayor!

George Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, 1884-86, o/c, 6' 10" x 10' 1"

Chi Town Day --- Day 8/141

Walk: SFO and ORD airports, Maybe around the block in Chicago

                    Ciwt is heading East to Chicago today

Five Days in a Life --- Days 8/136, 137, 138, 139, 140

Walk:  Each Day Pickleball and Prepare
Distance: each day,  2 hours pickle, 1 hour exercise/stretch, 2 - 4 miles

So what else is new these five days in Ciwt's life? 

Well, officially extended days and hours at nearby pickleball courts.  (Oh dear....)

AND an upcoming trip to ....

Chi Town!!!  (Chicago)

Sad, Sad, Happy, All Good --- Days 8/134, 8/135

Walks: 1. Opera Plaza Cinema (Love, Antosha   Honeyland) 2. AMC Kabuki (Peanut Butter Falcon)

Distance: 1. 6 miles   2.2 miles

Movie Buffs like Ciwt will enjoy these small inies in this order:

The last one is the least realistic but the most heartwarming and upbeat.  A good way to walk away from a movie binge.

Untouched --- Days 8/131, 8/132, 8/133

Walk: 1. John McLaren Park Pickleball, PGCC Bridge 2. Pickleball, Marin Driving 3. AMC Kabuki
Distance: 2 hours pickleball in Heat; 2 hours pickleball; 2miles 

Viveik Kalra in Blinded by the Light

Occasionally Ciwt has given tours of Andy Warhol's art to high school and college students.  And always she has been dismayed when she sees them staring uncomprhendingly at Brillo boxes, Campbell's Soup cans and even portraits of Brando, Liz Taylor and ....Elvis.  One touree was even googling Andy Warhol on his phone as she talked.  These icons were so out of their time frame that they couldn't really be touched beyond apprehending that the artist and the people he painted must have been important or meaningful.

Today Ciwt had an 'untouched' experience of her own.  In the opposite direction.  She went to Blinded by the Light, an immigrant coming-of-age movie completely based on The Boss.  Ciwt is just on the cusp a. knowing that's the nickname for Bruce Springsteen and b. not knowing his music enough to know Blinded by the Light is actually one of his most loved songs.  So like the young Warhol goers she stared a bit untouched as she watched a lovely young man become transformed by Springsteen lyrics, pictures, lore.

Blinded is a well-acted, enjoyable, heartwarming but probably most touching movie for people with deep, stirring memories of power of The Boss's anthems.

What a Big Room You Have, Grandma --- Days 8/129, 8/130

Walk: 1.Pickleball, Monday Errands  2. Pickleball, Private Training, Tuesday Errands
Distance: 1. 2 hrs. pickle, 2 miles  2. 1 hr. pickleball, wieghts, 3 miles

                                     

Can you tell?  Ciwt's back room is suddenly larger. Hint:  It's the yellow/gold art work instead of the blue painting that stopped your (and Ciwt's) eye.

Lucid - Perhaps... Days 8/126, 127, 128

Walk: 1. Pickleball  2. AMCKabuki (Once...) 3. Pickleball, AMC Kabuki (Luce)
Distance: 3 Hours Pickleball, some stretching  2. 2 miles  3. 2 Hours Pickleball, 4 miles

So Ciwt tried to cancel her online ticket to  Luce.  But it was too late to do that - Luckily!    She'd somehow gotten the idea it was one of those that involves you deeply in a rugged plot then just stops in mid air.  No resolution, not even a clear understanding of the problem.  In other words, a frustrating waste of time.

Not so!  Luce is terrific!  Very intelligent and skillfully acted by all the talented stars.  Thought provoking, interesting, and a sort of who-dun-it that is  resolvable after you've seen it.

Turned and Returned --- Day 8/125

Walk:  PGCC, Fillmore
Distance: Exercise Class, 1.5 miles

Home and Back after birthday distraction.  Ahhhh....

In Which Ciwt has a BIG Birthday --- Day 8/124

Walk: PGCCSF, Fillmore
Distance: 2 miles, medium bucket of balls, small yoga

The News: Wednesday, August 7, 2019

So, at least a month ago Ciwt pulled up her armchair and began scouring the internet world for a place to go on her ultra special birthday.  Nothing seemed to meet the Big moment (plus she's no traveler) except staying put with cats in the San Francisco life she's cobbled together for many years (and that she loves).  She figured some significant event or activity would magically appear for her Enormous birthday.

Today was that day, and here's what arrived. The sun came up as usual.  She assumes, because this is San Francisco and our summer days begin with howling wind and thick grey fog.  This she braved to her club's Wednesday golf clinic which she figured she'd take until the significant event arrived. There she was reminded it is not given on the first Wednesdays (her day, today, is the first Wednesday).  Oh well, since she was at the club, she thought why not putt a bit and hit a bucket of balls .

Nothing particularly special yet, but she thought if she stayed and had a waffle, then things would pick up for her b-i-g day.

Deeelicious!  Here's what happened after that: Nothing in particular is what.  She went to her beloved home and cats, made and got a few calls, took care of some things on line, ran some errands, and did general straightening up. In other words, the world, her world at least, went on completely as usual except she was now a year older.

Well, there was a text message from a friend:  You WILL make it through the day!💝  And, as her big day closes, Ciwt realizes THAT is the BIG event: Making it through and being able to begin more days..... Happy Birthday, Ciwt and Yay Daily Life.

Helicoptering Not Required --- Day 8/123

Walk: Pickleball, PGCC, Fillmore errands
Distance: 2 hours pickleball, 1 bucket of golf balls, 2 miles

As she approaches an important birthday, Ciwt is Sooooo thankful for exercise and sports in her life.
Without trying to sound boo hoo, the bad news is Ciwt was pretty much left alone as a kid, but that became the good news because she discovered long walks, hitting tennis balls against the garage door, climbing trees in the nearby woods, riding her bike everywhere, swimming and, lo and behold,  became a healthy and ridiculously independent kid.

That was her route.  Some kids find music, writing, drawing, reading, movies, science, tech stuff or a myriad other of life's offerings.

Afternoon Highs and Lows --- Day 8/122

Walk: Pickleball, SF Playhouse (Cabaret)
Distance:  2 Hours Pickleball, 1 mile

So yesterday Ciwt went 'highbrowing' to the opera.  The featured work was a new one commissioned by the Merola Opera Program which trains performers for the future of opera.  The 'Merolini' sang and played their lovely hearts out and were superb.  So, the future is looking good for voice and insturments.  But the future of new opera book -  at least based on this one - does not bode well. Entitled If I Were You, it has a few melodic stretches, but the rest of the opera is a non-involving mess.  It is based on some old, well enough regarded literary piece and concerns transferring your soul instead of embracing your true one.  Here are some of the souls we were somehow meant to care about but don't: a college dropout who smashed his car into a tree, an out of shape sadistic boss, a cocaine dealer/murderer, a crooked cop, and Ciwt can't quite remember if there were more souls.  Because, you know, who cares?  And then there were the various transfers which happened through strobe lights and digital circles drawn around the characters by overhead lights to the tune of cacaphonous 'ancient' chants.  Like a video game.  Poof, everybody is awful and dies.  What a  forgettable trying too hard to attract young people to opera mess.

Then today Ciwt returned for the second time to a local production of 'lowbrow' musical theater.  Cabaret is also based on an oldish (8 decades) book, this time by Christopher Isherwood.  Here are the characters: 8 or so gays/trannies/lesbians, a broken down cabaret singer, her Master of Ceremonies, two very old people, a prostitute, an in the closet gay novelist, and a man you like for a while who, unfortunately,  turns out to be a Nazi.  The time is 1930's Germany; you get the picture.  None of these characters is particularly well developed but, boy, do you care.  The music knocks your socks off.  And, like with the opera above, many people die - but this time in an incredibly quiet, understated and devasting way.  

So which is high and which is lowbrow?

Doldrums Time --- Days 8/117,118,119,120,121

Walks: PGCC and Pickleball
Distances: 3 miles, exercise/private training, 2 hours pickleball

So, more long CIWT stretches?!*  What's up.  Well, there are a couple of things that interfere with Ciwt feeling terribly inspired at this time of year.

1.  Few movies that call to her.  

2.  San Francisco summer weather.

3.  Oh, and anticipatory thoughts about her early August birthday.