What I'm reading: "Chance and Circumstance: Twenty Years with Cage and Cunningham"

Chance and Circumstance: Twenty Years with Cage and Cunningham

by Carolyn Brown

I am a true believer that sometimes books/music/movies find you and not the other way around.

For instance, I have been having trouble adjusting to this whole moving to Las Vegas thing. Serious lack of culture, serious lack of brains being utilized outside of counting cards, serious lack of really anything I consider an important part of my personality. But, the other day, I was in my local library (I know- I just go from one library to another like they are safehouses and I am a spy) and I ran across this book on the new arrivals shelf.

From the title, I wouldn’t have guessed I wanted to read it, but I grabbed it and saw that it was on Cage and Cunningham. I spontaneously thought, “oh, I wonder if there is a picture of Viola (my dance teacher at Sarah Lawrence), in here?” And I turned to the index and there were several pages referenced. So, I checked it out.

Thinking it was far too long for me to actually read, I casually opened it to look at the gorgeous photos and was immediately sucked in. Did you know that Carolyn Brown worked at the Kent school in Denver? (I played field hockey on the fields at Kent in Denver in high school-though I was a lowly public school kid). Then she went to live in New York City (where I lived after college). And she was part of a group of crazy, eccentric artists that not only influenced the course of art in America, but eventually led her to her calling (if only my NYC cohorts had been so ambitious!)

This is fascinating reading for dancers and anyone interested in the work of Cage and Cunningham, (and Brown of course)! Not only do I feel reconnected to Viola Farber, who was one of the most amazing humans I have ever met, but I have renewed faith that life works in mysterious ways. Viola encouraged me to graduate early to thru-hike the Appalchian Trail and we had a really neat talk once about Black Mountain College in North Carolina and my fieldwork at the Colorado dance Festival in Boulder.

Somewhere deep in my love of librarianship, backpacking, dancing, bluegrass, and biographies this book conjured up a little piece of all those touchstones and memories. It truly is art that helps make life worth it (even when you are in art-less Vegas); and if you believe the philosophy from Black Mountain, “We are all artists”, said John Andrew Rice, “everyone of us: we are free to create the kind of world in which we choose to live, and we’re equal in that freedom.”

Okay, so the guy in Hummer trying to pass me on the right may not be feeling the love from that philosophy, but stumbling on this book has reinvigorated my resolve to survive whatever my Vegas life throws at me.

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Currently playing

Big Iron World

by Old Crow Medicine Show

I thought my love affair with the Old Crows was going to be passionately centered on their first album forever.

It was love at first sight (listen) when I intially heard Wagon Wheel driving home from Madison on a snowy night, and to this day that song makes me weak! On Big Iron World, I feel the same way about James River Blues...can it get any better? This music conjures walking dirt roads in the South, closing bars you shouldn't be in while drinking Old Grandad bourbon, new shiny belt buckles, and basically the whole populist history of the country. I don't know how I ever lived without it and this love affair just keeps getting better!

Consumed with my "orthodog"

A week ago, Monday the 19th of March, Pocky was out for a routine walk in the planned community (Peccole Ranch) near our house. Because the area has walking trails and is off-limts to cars with lots of grassy areas, there are always many dogs out for a walk and some playing. My husband, Aaron let Pocky play with some other dogs, much as we do everyday either at our daily dog park visit or on a walk in Peccole. While playing, Pocky cut a corner and tripped (almost looking like he fell in a hole). Aaron noticed him start limping and they made their way home.

After I got home, I checked the leg and thought it could be his hips or arthritis, but not really knowing, we decided to call the vet in the morning if the doggie asprin and rest did not improve Pocky. In the morning he was no better, and we took him in to the vet at six am.

The vet told is that he needed to put Pocky under sedative, so that he could do a full range of motion test. Dogs tend to hold the leg stiff when they are in pain and the vet can't get a good look at the leg function. So, we agreed and had him admitted for the tests and X-rays. The vet mentioned that he suspected that it could be an ACL injury, but we were hoping for other news since that was the most serious and the most costly procedure.

Later in the day, our fears were confirmed and the vet knew for sure that it was a cruciate ligament injury. This injury requires a referral to an orthopedic specialist and another consulation. We went home with a sore and scared dog and soon we were as worried and upset as he was.

There is a ton of information on the Internet on the TPLO surgery, the various older stifle surgeries and the recuperation process. There is also an active listserv orthodogs that has many members. We started wading through all the information which started to make us even more terrified. As if the price alone wasn't enough. A traumatic surgery that cost $3000? yes, we had some hard conversations ahead of us.

Ever since last week, I have been totally consumed with my "orthodog" and his prognosis. I even set up blog to follow the long ordeal, Pocky's TPLO Surgery.

UPDATE 4/15: Pocky was doing great and went to the vet to get his sutures out. On the way home he got excited leaving the vet and somehow, don't ask me???....injured his other knee in exactly the same way!! Insane. We cannot do anything surgically for four weeks anyway, but this is really a bummer.

I love a city that's not afraid of a couple stairs

I love a city that's not afraid of a couple stairs
Originally uploaded by zenhikers.

The librarians have probably returned home and left Seattle in peace. ALA Midwinter was an interesting experience for me as a new librarian. I met a ton of vendors, a variety of other types of librarians from all over the country and I got to explore a new and wonderful city. I heard experts talk about the future of libraries (yes "digital" is a key word, no books aren't dead), the prevalence of new technologies (like how can we push content to iPods?), and the societal changes in how we consume, distribute and repurpose information (anyone for a presidental election?). Someone mentioned today that because Nancy Pearl (of Librarian Action Figure fame) is from Seattle that the city is a sort of Mecca for librarians and it isn't too far from the truth. The city has a multitude of coffeeshops filled with laptop-toting hipsters and with all that coffee even I could probably plow through Ulysses. Mixed in with the snazzy and stupifying Seattle Public Library architecture there are skyscrapers and an artfully developed waterfront. It wasn't uncommon to hear whispers about Microsoft if you sat around to eavesdrop long enough. I liked the Public Market and the Olympic Sculpture Park and the Elliott Bay Bookstore best. I didn't make it to the International Market but I did find an awesome Thai place and had doughnuts at the Top Pot. They even have a Patagonia store and will be debuting the new Nau clothing line in the next few months for those of us who love the outdoors! I'll definitely be back to Seattle, but until then June isn't too far away... I'll see all you librarians at Annual in DC!

Why radio is better than the iPod

1927 Radio
Originally uploaded by YlvaS.

I think satellite radio is the neatest thing since sliced bread. I know...you already have cable, and Netflix, and a cell phone, and a iPod. What do you need to pay another monthly fee for?

Well I like radio better than my iPod. In fact, I never even wanted an iPod. I had an iRiver Mp3 player first and I would have stuck with that except it was no longer being supported. Even now that I've been seduced by my lovely 30 Gig sleek little iPod (Best Buy exchange for the outdated iRiver), I can' get into the whole iTunes thing, and the massive cult-like assault of iPod accesories. Maybe the problem is that there is just too much "I" in all of the Mp3 player crap.

A while back I read an article in the Utne Magazine entitled, "Hell is Other iPods: the aural loneliness of the long-distance shuffler". It is a great article about how the iPod culture isolates us from each other and I have to say I totally agree.

"In an age of atomization and social fragmentation it reinforces solipsism and places the individual and that dreaded value "choice" at the heart of experience; it suggests connection -- always the implicit promise of the digital age -- while enforcing separation; it encourages people to "tune out" while they're occupying social space with others, as if the others were mere irritations; and it reduces the experience of music, which in my view is an inherently social and collaborative art and medium, to a preselected relationship with the self."

I love radio and I love tuning into local stations as I drive long miles across the country. I love to hear oldies, farm reports, local weather, and regional accents. I even love the seredipity of coming across a song that you would never download onto your iPod for the shame of it...the guilty pleasure song! You can't really embrace the guilty pleasure when you are confined to your ultra-cool and masterfully selected iPod collection.

True, satellite radio is a sadder substitute to what the ideal would be for real radio. But I defend it. I actually get turned onto new artists. I actually listen to things outside my normal comfort zone. And I can get NPR anywhere, anytime. I can even eavesdrop on the trucker's channel. It rocks. And it rocks because it makes me feel less alone.

So maybe I'm not sharing mix tapes as much as I used to. Maybe I like being able to download one track at a time from an online retailer. And I am addicted to the Shuffle button- I admit it! But it doesn't substitute for that first joyous glimmer of recognition, that feeling of "what is this and where can I get a copy?" It's discovery; closely followed by the need to share with everyone you know. So I am going to keep my radio subscription and keep listening to Jack Ingram's American Music hour on XM radio religiously. I will also keep listening to Prairie Home Companion. And I do check in to Last.fm when I get a chance. Because music should really be doing more than filling the time. it should be bringing people together.

In the words of Nanci Griffith, "When you can't find a friend, you've still got the radio..."

Sunshine is a Winner

I must admit that I am naturally inclined towards quirky movies that are character-driven, sometimes boring and usually featuring well written dialogue on depressing subjects. My Netflix queue is full of movies that I thought looked weird or interesting, or those that have been recommended somewhere along the way. I usually feel there are a certain number of films that I just need to see to keep up with pop culture. Every once in a while one comes along that takes me off guard because I never saw it coming. Little Miss Sunchine is brilliant in a way that changed my life, per se, but I can honestly say that I haven’t laughed as hard in a long, long time.

This story of a dysfunctional family (one’s bankrupt, one’s a junkie, one doesn’t talk, and one’s suicidal)more accurately reflects our culture than even the “top 10 Google Searches of the year” (Paris Hilton? Myspace?). The movie has elements of a road trip film, a family vacation comedy, and that Blind Melon video with the bee girl. But the ending is spectacularly funny. Are you a winner or a loser? Well, in Little Miss Sunshine the message seems to be that sometimes the best choice of all is deciding not to even play the game. If only we all could have family bonding to “Superfreak” every once in a while! Despite all the strangeness, as the broken-down bus heads for home we somehow know that this family is going to be just fine.

Happy Holidays from Vegas!

Poker
Originally uploaded by ian of leam.

In case you didn't get a card in the mail, I'll sum up the year's events here and send out my greetings for happy holidays!

Hello from Sin City. It is month eight in Las Vegas, Nevada. The holidays are gonna be rough this year with no family near by and no snow to frolic in. The library is going to be closed so we may head up the road towards Colorado or we may take a trip to Death Valley (doesn't sound too merry does it?) and camp out for a few days. We also found a new yoga studio so it is possible we might just go on a week-long yoga binge during the week I have off. This is a slow time for the casinos, but I hear things pick up for Christmas Day and through New Year's.

I am still enjoying the job. By the end of the year I will have launched my first digital project at UNLV (Showgirls) and that is exciting. Aaron is keeping busy and he has been assiduously studying the world of homeowners associations. Here is his current reading material: Privatopia
There may be a lawyer in him, yet.

Pocky loves the exploring around here and has made lots of friends at the Desert Breeze dog park. We take him into the desert quite often and he loves to boot around in the wide open spaces. There is supposed to be about 6 inches of snow up on Mt. Charleston this weekend, so we will have to arrange a pilgimage up to roll around in the white stuff and dream of Colorado and Wisconsin.

We have been looking into the real estate market and planning our next move in April. We will either rent a house in order to get access to an actual yard and area to grill in, or we may explore the housing market. Since, I still can't imagine actually becoming a real resident here it has been hard to look at houses. Plus it means agreeing to life "behind the walls" in a gated community which makes me sad to contemplate. Downtown Vegas is more arsty and hip, but there are still too many shootings down there for me to be completely convinced about becoming an urban pioneer.

We've made friends with lots of folks from the library and their families and it is great to have others around who understand the culture shock we are going through. We have taken some camping trips, hikes, and hit a few of the local bars. Check out the Freakin' Frog : it is the closest Vegas comes to a beer lover's oasis.

Hope you are well and that the holidays bring out the best in everyone. We miss our friends and family, we remind you to got o your local library, and keep in touch!

Papa Was a Rodeo

Rodeo Guys Support Rodeo Gals
Originally uploaded by amiev.

The Kelly Hogan and the Pine Valley Cosmonauts reference is to a great song written by Stephen Merritt (Magnetic Fields) that I highly recommend and before you get bored with the name-dropping, self-referential nonsense--I declare that I do have a point!

For the first time in seven months, for the first time since I moved to Las Vegas...I finally feel at home. And this is all due to the fact that it is Rodeo Time. Most Las Vegans dread this time of year as a mess of parking snafus and aromatic odors. But not me! The National Finals Rodeo takes place right on the UNLV campus, literally in the athletic fields across from the library and I LOVE it. There are cowboy hats spotted all over the place, the billboards advertise Jack Daniels, and there are horses and cows within in spitting distance of my parking spot. It is great.

Maybe it was growing up in Denver with the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo every winter, or having horses as a teenager, or maybe it is just that the best and most interesting musical acts since Vegoose are here in town, but I am totally digging it. Last Friday I went and saw Shooter Jennings at the Hard Rock and Jack Ingram did two nights at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues.Even more exciting: there is cheap beer in every casino and the dress codes include jeans. So, I thought I would share my joy and say: "Long live the Rodeo!" I can't wait until next year, I am going to get front row tickets!

Why I recommend "This Divided State"

This Divided State

This is a worthwhile documentary about the contraversial Micheal Moore speaking engagement at Utah Valley State College in Orem, UT. I feel it is my job as a librarian and my pleasure as a citizen to point out cool movies like this that highlight our first amendment free speech rights. Enjoy!

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View from Turtlehead looking east

View from Turtlehead looking east
Originally uploaded by zenhikers.

I found the Las Vegas fitness nut’s mountain! You find them everywhere: from Boulder to Burlington. It is a mountain that all the hardcore mountain jocks like to trail run while the rest of us trudge up to the summit. I met tons of runners, many hikers, and not a few dogs out for a nice walk. Be warned: this is not an easy hike, even though it is pretty popular. There is over 2000 ft of elevation gain and no real trail (just a bunch of use trails). But the view from the top is worth it!

A review of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (Vintage)

by Dave Eggers

This is fabulous, hilarious, sad and totally original writing.

No, it isn’t for everyone- it certainly isn’t Jane Austen’s mannered family drama; but Eggers’ family tale and his commentary on the tragic deaths of his parents seems to sear right through all of our preconceptions and just as he mocks and satirizes aspects of life, he also possesses a hyper-sensitivity to human nature that makes all the clever tricks work somehow. In this book the tricks include: Rules for Enjoyment, a really long preface, obscure acknowlegments, and even some funky work on the cataloging-in-process page (Hi, catalogers, didn’t this just brighten your day!). But he makes it work and that is what matters. I also enjoyed You Shall Know Our Velocity-so if you have already read the memoir check it out instead. A quote from Heartbreaking

“Just as some police-particularly those they dramatize on television-might be familiar with death, and might expect it at any instant-not necessarily their own, but death generally-so does the author, possessing a naturally paranoid disposition, compounded by environmental factors that make it seem not only possible, but probable that whatever there might be out there that snuffs our life is probably sniffing around for him, that his number is perennially, eternally, up, that his draft number is low, that his bingo card is hot, that he has a bull’s-eye on his chest and a target on his back. It’s fun. You’ll see.”

See more about A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (Vintage)

A review of Little Children

Little Children

by Tom Perrotta

I have been waiting for a novel like this. I just wanted a fun-to-read book that wasn’t mindless entertainment and this book exceeded all expectations. It is about a collection of characters and their families, who are challenged by their relationships, their love for their families and the tensions that develop between people with opposing viewpoints. The story centers around the fear that seizes the community after a convicted sex offender moves into the neighborhood. The book is ver clever and smart and the author writes both male and female points of view equally well. I got totally sucked into the story and couldn’t stop reading until the conclusion. No, this book doesn’t have a traditionally “happy ending”, but it is a book that contains truth and empathy and offers a narrative that is a joy to sink into.

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Summer = Skinny Dip Beer

Skinny Dip Beer

by New Belgium Brewery

The official beer of my move to Las Vegas.

Bad thing about the move: pretty much everthing about Vegas except for the natural features outside the city.

Good thing about the move: the availabilty of New Belgium Brewing Company beers. (And being 900 miles west of Denver instead of 900 miles east, a slight improvement, I admit.)

Try the beer though, it is light and refreshing and has a wonderful hint of lime making it my choice even when a Weiss beer is in the running…

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A review of Triomf

Triomf

by Marlene Van Niekerk

This was honestly one of the most replusive and disturbing books I have ever read. But, having said that it was worth consuming in my mind because it was such a challenging piece of fiction. Plus, I read it over a year ago and not only has it stuck with me, it has provoked me to read many other novels set in South Africa and has started a mini-obesession with the history of the country. Not bad for a book I almost gave up on. It isn’t for the weak of heart, but yes-I recommend it.

On another note,this is why it is nice to have a blog…I just spent about an hour trying to remember the title and author and locate the NYT book review all to no avail.

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If you have a sister

In Her Shoes (Widescreen Edition)

by Curtis Hanson

This movie will probably really resonate with you. I wasn’t expecting much, but I ended up loving it. In fact I really want to get my sister a copy. The movie really captures the sister relationship dynamics and Toni Colette and Cameron Diaz are great. Highly recommended!

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Calico Tanks Hike at Red Rock

I hiked the Calico Tanks trail with my husband and a couple with a five-year-old boy. The weather was great, the dog loved scambling on the rocks and there was water in the tijana at the top. There is a great view from the ridge of the Vegas Valley and though the hike is short it is very scenic and a decent workout climbing up the canyon.

Date of trip: 9/10/06
Hiked with: friends, children, dog
Location: Nevada, Las Vegas, Red Rock National Recreation Area, Sandstone Quarry parking area
Route: Calico Tanks Trail
Weather: Sunny in the 80’s.
Trip duration: 2.5 miles/ 2 hours
Altitudes/elevations: Trailhead 4335 ft. Highest 4775 ft.
Sightings: Wild burros
Gear: day-hiking
Overall rating: Worth doing!

See more progress on: Red Rock Canyon

Recommended recipe

chilaquiles

I love this recipe and whipped up a batch last night. It really hits the spot and lots of the ingredients are commonly found in the cupboard/freezer/veggie bin. It may be vegetarian but it is really satistfying. (I use HOT salsa for a little extra kick!)

Black Bean Chilaquile
From Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites
Serves 4-6

1 cup chopped onions
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned is fine, but drain)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (15 ounce can)
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups rinsed, stemmed and chopped Swiss chard or spinach (
2 cups baked tortilla chips, crushed
8 oz. grated fat-free sharp Cheddar cheese (
2 cups prepared Mexican-style red salsa (I use hot)
Preheat oven to 350.

Sauté the onions in the oil for about 8 minutes, until translucent.

Stir in the tomatoes, corn, black beans, lime juice, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for another 5-10 minutes, until just heated through.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, blanch the greens in boiling water to cover for 1-3 minutes, until just wilted but still bright green. Drain immediately and set aside.

Prepare an 8×8 inch casserole dish or baking pan with a very light coating of oil or cooking spray.

Spread half of the crushed tortillas chips on the bottom. Spoon the sautéed vegetables over the tortilla chips and sprinkle on about two-thirds of the grated Cheddar. Arrange the greens evenly over the cheese and spoon on half of the salsa. Finish with the rest of the tortilla chips and top with the remaining salsa and Cheddar.

Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown.

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A review of The World's Fastest Indian

The World's Fastest Indian

by Roger Donaldson

This movie is fabulous. The acting is great, the story is really moving and the speed scenes are really exciting. Anthony Hopkins does a great job in this film and the supporting cast really shines. I highly recommend this movie!

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Strange Piece of Paradise

Strange Piece of Paradise

by Terri Jentz

This book really exhausts you both emotionally and mentally. Violence is at the core and Jentz circles the event, plunges the reader into the event, deconstructs the event and then reinterprets the event. It isn’t an easy read. But, it is a profound look at a woman facing truth in the bravest way possible and then sharing that. I recommend it for those readers that like true crime and mystery but also for those who like history and documentary. I was drawn to the book because of a review on NPR that stopped me in my tracks. I had to hear more about the woman that had set out to bike across the USA and ended up the victim of an unimaginable attack.

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