Yes, we finally finished the great summer weeding project. We've had cool weather almost the entire month so far, so there is no excuse for not getting outside and trying to keep up with mother nature. She likes to prove she is the boss, at least at our location.
We are now six days in to the new astronomy session, and guess what? It's been cloudy. Sunny today, but rain coming overnight. However, next week is promising, and I am certain to be shifting my body clock. I can now begin observing before 9 pm, however, which is welcome news.
There were two exciting outings for me this past week; groceries on Tuesday, and bringing the car to Windsor for its annual service. I am happy to stay home this weekend, as a result. Despite staying home, we managed to attend two new live DSO concerts. The orchestra is doing something pretty interesting this fall, with audiences banned from Orchestra Hall. They are doing a Thursday night-Friday night series of shorter concerts, called DSO digital. You have to purchase a ticket to watch, or have purchased any season ticket for 2021 concerts (which may or may not happen). Essentially, for $75 I have access to about 20 performances. We just watched the first two concerts, with our brand new Italian music director. Instead of having the full orchestra on stage performing the old chestnuts, he has really come up with refreshing ideas for programming, with the brass section performing some pieces, then the strings alone, then the woodwinds, etc. So we are hearing a wealth of small scale works that we would not otherwise have heard. The camera work is pretty awesome, and the microphones are providing wonderful sound. I even shaved for the concert!
In movie news, Deb's choice last weekend was a pre-code Hollywood film starring James Cagney and Joan Blondell called Blonde Crazy. It also stars a very young Ray Milland. Mildly entertaining, Cagney gets slapped a lot.
I chose another film from the World Cinema Project, headed by Martin Scorsese. From 1973 comes A River Called Titas, a film from Bangladesh made in 1973. It is in black and white, and directed by Ritwik Ghatak, once exiled from his country but then invited back to make this film. Based on a novel, it follows the doings in a small riverside fishing village, focusing on Bismati, a widowed childless woman. Though the narrative is a bit wonky at times, the characters are powerfully drawn and expressive, and the cinematography alone makes it worthwhile watching the film. Restored in 2010 from numerous incomplete and differently tinted prints, it is a marvel to behold. this is the second feature from this Project we have seen.
Piano practice has been going well, and the pieces are more or less in a holding pattern right now. They are about two weeks away from readiness, but until I decide when readiness shall be, they are just simmering. Work on one of the major pieces for my next concert is proceeding in the meantime.
Deb is at work on her newest short film, an animated version of an old folk tale called King of the Cats. I see her once in a while. We have played two recent games of Tokaido, and one of Akrotiri. A collectible card game is coming up soon, and another round of Akrotiri. We continue to be busy and active, though it has now been more than 6 months since I have been to Detroit. It begins to feel strange.
Mapman Mike
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