Four Unrelated Things

Thing 1) Driving north from Boston this morning in the first real snow-on-the-highway situation I was mesmerized by the snaky wisps of snow that skate and braid around just above the surface of the highway, swirling and changing in the moving wind trailing the car ahead of me.  There were the usual scares: changing lanes could get you fishtailing, and there were all kinds of SUVs and minivans off the road, and cops and Samaritans blocking traffic to rescue them.  I wondered about the quality of my tires.  I think they're ok, but I'm not certain, and there were a few slippery moments when I would have liked to have been more sure. 

Thing 2) I made it home without spinning or crashing, changed my clothes, and went sailing.  In the snow, you can see the wind.  It didn't snow consistently all day, but on and off in bursty showers.  In the boat, I discovered something tragic.  My favorite, most valuable and reliable Gore-Tex shell pants are no longer fully waterproof.  There's a patch on the right butt cheek that leaks.  Having a leak in your pants makes a day of sailing in the snow a lot less fun than having completely dry legs. 

Thing 3) I discovered that when I watch teams I don't care about play college basketball I learn a lot more about the sport.  I noticed that without a strong stake in the game, I can see patterns better, and can watch what everyone's doing.  I tend to watch the person with the ball like a hawk if my team has possession, and whoever's guarding the guy with the ball if my team is on defense.   The other players are in my peripheral vision.  This weekend I watched a couple of games I didn't particularly care about, and I have a much better understanding of zone defense now.  I couldn't really see it before.  I know that sounds dumb, but that's the way I've been watching the games: too closely focused on individuals, and not enough of a wide-angle view of the whole team. 

Thing 4) I don't see what the big deal is about Marilyn Monroe. 

Comments

[bill]

Just got some new tires and they noticeably improved my car's traction. And I don't get the Marilyn thing either.

[wab]

I think it is difficult to understand cultural icons like Marilyn when one is disconnected from their period. The Marilyn persona projected beauty co-mingled with vulnerability. The best "expalnations' that I can suggest are the Philippe Halsman photos, especially of marilyn jumping.