Thursday, April 23, 2009

Booting Up is Bootless

Continuing from yesterday and the day before, this shot was also taken on north Los Robles Avenue. Every time I go by these bright berries I feel good.

I forgot about Earth Day yesterday. My little problems seem so monumental when I'm under the desk unhooking this cord from the new computer that doesn't work at all so I can reaffix that wire to the old computer that doesn't work very well.

I listened to Air Talk on KPCC. The subject was Earth Day (ah! slap on the forehead!) and a caller said we're disconnected from the out-of-doors. Her son hangs out in his room staring at his computer. No one goes outside anymore. Let's have Earth Day on a weekend, she said, so working people and school kids can go.

Good point. Pasadena's holding festivities this coming Saturday. Scroll down to Hot Topics at this link and click on Greening The Earth Day, then show up at Memorial Park Saturday for all the free, earthy fun. Earth is important--more important than our little day-to-day stuff--more important than anything, really. Think about it: where else are you gonna go?

But yesterday I forgot that and got my head stuck in unimportant issues. If my computer stops working and I can't post a picture, we'll all muddle through somehow, won't we? I need to remind myself that the world isn't falling apart--or if it is, getting my computer fixed isn't going to help.

Recipes for unsticking the brain: yard work, hanging out with neighbors, walking the dog, babysitting, lunch with a friend, giving a gift, going somewhere you've never been before, participating in an important activity with your tribe (hmm, like Greening the Earth Day). I also like a little dose of Shakespeare for unsticking, and since today is thought to be his 445th birthday and definitely the anniversary of his death, I'm unsticking with a sonnet. I love them all, but if you forced me to pick a favorite it would be Number 29.

When in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And looke upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least,
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the Lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth sings hymns at Heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings,
That then I scorn to change my state with Kings.

25 comments:

John Sandel said...

Comment dites-vous "don't sweat the small stuff" in five iambs …?

Vanda said...

That house is so camouflage green already, they should have painted big green splotches on it to make it completely blend.

Ps. I suggest baking and/or driving around aimlessly.

Antjas said...

Speaking of Earth Day, I still have my T-Shirt from the Arroyo Seco Earth Festival from 1991 where my 4 year old learned all about Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Speaking of malfunctioning technology, my camera had to be sent to the shop and I'm desperate. Speaking of old homes, is Julia Child's childhood home on Magnolia Ave. still there or has it become a condo?

Petrea Burchard said...

The answer, J, is in sonnet 29.

Ah! Driving aimlessly! Forgot that one, Vanda. A perennial favorite of mine. Excellent. Baking frustrates me too much, I'm too goal-oriented. But I know it works for bakers.

Hello Antjas! I didn't know about Julia Child's home. I'll have to find out for you. Can you tell me where it is? If not, I'll investigate.

Cafe Observer said...

Just remember, P: computers are here to make our life ezier.

Antjas said...

I once lived on Magnolia Avenue so when I read Julia's autobiography, it naturally rang a bell with me. I googled it and the first entry I found was at http://www.rarebooklink.com/cgi-bin/kingbooks/96-9229. I'm sure you know the home she lived in before she left for college. Sorry I can't tell you that street, my memory has faded.

HearkenCreative said...

Well, you've made my day with that Shakespeare. Thank you.

Margaret said...

I like your recipe. Can I add baking bread. All the kneading can really unstick a person. Unless the dough is sticky. In which case add more flour.

elizabeth said...

Well done indeed with changing your perspective! There is nothing like a sonnet like that to take you out of a rut. Reading that one reminded me of how I felt when I discovered them for the first time in school.

And I know that wall, I used to bike past it every day. It's good to be reminded of it, too.

Eric Merrell said...

Hi Petrea,

Glad to see all of the activity on the blog! I wanted to let you know about the 98th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition opening this weekend at the PMCA. http://www.californiaartclub.org/

Hope to see you there! Eric

Petrea Burchard said...

Perhaps, Cafe, but sometimes they complicate things. Not for accountants, of course.

Antjas, you may be shocked to discover that until you mentioned it I didn't know Julia Child came from Pasadena, so I have no idea where she lived. I wonder why Pasadena doesn't claim her in its publicity like it claims Jackie Robinson? She's a biggie!

I'm glad, Hearken Loren.

Margaret, you and Vanda. Okay, I could make cookies from the package.

Elizabeth, it must have been a good feeling. When I started reading them in earnest I began to love Shakespeare even more than I already had. That's saying something.

Hi Eric! It's on my calendar.

I blogged about Eric Merrell February 11th. His work will be part of the Gold Medal exhibition at the Pasadena Museum of California Art from 4/26-5/17. I was at the PMCA for the first time at the most recent Art Night. What a place! Can't wait to go again and see what Eric's got himself into.

Christie said...

My daughter wanted to celebrate Earth Day by not using paper as much, since that would save trees. But we can plant more trees, I told her, and that is what we are going to do this weekend. Everyone just needs to take care of what they can and things would be better. I think we should have a "Throw things away in a trash can instead of on the side of the road" day!!! That would help the most, I think.

Ms M said...

Enjoying your house tour, and love the sonnet.
I'm sorry you're still having computer problems -- that's so frustrating. An ironic note is that on yesterday, Earth Day, Earthlink, an internet provider / webhost (for many of us) was down most of the day, and we could not get email. According to a networking forum, the Earthlink servers in Pasadena failed, and their backup generator also failed. Did something happen with the power grid in your town yesterday?

Anonymous said...

In the best of times, yes. Even in the ok of times.

Petrea Burchard said...

Setting an example is so good, Christie. Your daughter sounds like a sweetie. It can't hurt to save paper, but I bet it's in large corporations and offices where the most paper gets wasted. Cleaning up litter--excellent idea.

Yes indeed, Ms. M., we had a large power outage here day before yesterday. Some kind of transformer blew and all the stoplights and power in Altadena went out. Also a good deal was out in east Pasadena. It sounds like it continued to affect Earthlink yesterday, and that's on the east side. So today's post is appropriate for you, too, I guess!

A little Dickens will serve as well, Karin.

John Sandel said...

It was the OK of times, it was the meh of times …

A Post about a Pair of Towns,, #29 in the series "Bloggers Rewrite the Classics"

Cafe Observer said...

I keep hearing about the outtage of wattage problems earlier this week up in Zorthianville, i.e., AltaDena. I just dunno what mischief up there could b a happenin to cauz such problems.

Dina said...

Oi, sorry about that new computer. But it did give birth to this wonderful post. I agree with every word, even Shakespeare's.
Shabbat shalom, peace to you, Petrea.

Petrea Burchard said...

I enjoyed Les Liaisons Moyen, by the famous French author, Honore de Ballant.

That's the outage, Cafe. Every stop light on north Lake in Altadena was out on Monday, and all the electricity in the shops. Couldn't get my dry cleaning at the lovely Merit Cleaners because they have those electric moving racks!

Thank you, Dina. Now you know why I haven't been visiting so often. It's a pain to surf these days! I miss it but will get back to it when this is all worked out. I hope no more than another week, but we'll see. We had to send back the new mini for a replacement. UGH.

Dina said...

Oh poor girl! Another week?!
Try to be strong and of good courage.

Petrea Burchard said...

Enh. It's just a computer.

Dina said...

OK OK, I wish I could believe that.

Petrea Burchard said...

I know, Dina, after all my complaining...

Markowsky said...

"Of interest is the house Reginald Johnson designed in Pasadena for John McWilliams Jr. McWilliams was a Pasadena pioneer and the father of Julia Child. This was her family's first home, located at 625 Magnolia Avenue, Pasadena" (According to the link http://www.rarebooklink.com/cgi-bin/kingbooks/96-9229). I looked that up on Google, and it appears to be an apartment complex at the intersection of California and Magnolia.

Petrea Burchard said...

Markowsky, you sent me looking and I found. Stay tuned.