Civil War Memory

I'm Back

I just returned from a whirlwind trip to Montreal for the Jazz Festival and New York City.  To say we had a great time would be an understatement.  We ate food from just about every corner of the planet and heard some incredible music at the festival.  Rather than deal with the hassles of flying Michaela and I decided to drive to Montreal, which is quite easy given that Rt. 81 goes right through Pennsylvania and New York to the Canadian border.  The weather was humid with a bit of rain, but it did not dampen our stay one bit.  The music was incredible and served to remind us that that great jazz can be both exhilarating and draining.  We walked a great deal and spent our afternoons in cafes before the evening concerts.  Montreal is a beautiful city, which we hope to return to many times. 

On Monday we drove to New York City on Rt. 87 though the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains.  In NYC we stayed in midtown just a few blocks from Central Park.  The weather was actually very pleasant for the city in the summer.  Our mornings began in a lovely little cafe called Petrossian.  We spent considerable time walking through the park, including the zoo and art museums.  Our stops included the Metropolitan Museum of Art [The American Wing and Henry Luce Collection is enough to keep you occupied for an entire day.] and the Museum of Modern Art, both of which we enjoyed.  Our only complaint is that tourists have picked up a disturbing habit of taking pictures with their digital cameras.  It's perfectly legal as long as the flash is not used, but you might ask why given that a much better copy of the object can be found on the web.  The worst of it is that people literally walk from painting to painting without ever considering the genuine object.  Very strange indeed.  No trip to NYC would be complete without a stop at the Strand Bookstore.  You can find practically any book, including new titles which they stock in bulk and which can be purchased for half the jacket cost.  I absolutely love NYC though it does make me a little tense after a few days.  There is an energy that cannot be found anywhere else. 

On the way home we stopped at Stratford Hall.  More on that later.  For now it's back to the daily grind.  Luckily I finished all of my writing projects, including the essay on the demobilization of the Army of Northern Virginia which I sent to the editors.  The rest of the summer will be devoted to finishing up the Crater project.

America is the Greatest Best Country God Has Ever Given Man on the Face of the Earth

Help!

My wife and I are having dinner with some friends tonight and she decided to make my favorite cake for the occasion.  Unfortunately, she left me with the responsibility of taking it out of the form.  This is the result.  I was thinking about nibbling on the edges to try to even it out.  Given that a glaze will be applied do you think the cake can be salvaged or am I a dead man?  Any bakers out there?

There is Nothing Moving on the Picture

From Brainden.com

Nice Blend of History and Remembrance

I try to watch the CBS News Show Sunday Morning w/ Charles Osgood whenever possible.  Yesterday they ran a segment on Arlington which is now available on video from their website. 

Thanks for the Check Mr. President

Dear Mr. President, -- Well, another year of teaching is quickly coming to a close and the wife and I are in the middle of planning our summer vacation.  I know how important education is to you and I always keep your words in mind whenever I am feeling overwhelmed or tired: "Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?"   The wife and I wanted to thank you for sending along our much awaited Economic Stimulus check for $1,200 which we plan to apply to our vacation expenses.  At first we hoped to travel to northern Europe including Amsterdam, Stockholm, Oslo and Bremen, but because of high gas prices and the weak dollar we had to scrap our plans.  I guess we all have to make sacrifices during these difficult times.  I recently heard on the news that after you ordered the invasion of Iraq you decided to give up golf as a gesture to the brave men and women who were fighting and dying overseas.  That must have been extremely difficult for you but I am sure that our military appreciates the gesture.

Instead we are planning another trip to Montreal for the Montreal Jazz Festival which begins in late June. We had a wonderful time in the city last summer.  Just in case you didn't know Montreal is in Canada which is our neighbor to the north.  If you were to get into your truck and drive north for about 10 hours you can't miss it.  Anyway, our hotel is booked in the old town section of the city and we were able to purchase some excellent concert tickets.  On Friday night we are going to see  the Saxophone Summit with Dave Liebman, Joe Lavano, and Ravi Coltrane followed by Brad Mehldau solo.  On Saturday we will see Brad Mehldau again, but this time with his trio and the Gonzalo Rubalcaba Quintet.  Finally, on Sunday we will see Hank Jones and Charlie Haden. This doesn't include all of the free concerts that run on at least five different stages throughout the afternoon hours. 

From Montreal we will drive to New York City for four days where we plan on checking out a bunch of museums and even an opera.  Back in 2001 you climbed up on some rubble in the downtown area and if memory serves me it was the last time that the country was rallied around you.  Those were good days Mr. President.  Don't worry, in a few months you can get back to your golf game and pretend that the last eight years never happened.  Thanks again for the check and we will be sure to send you and Laura a postcard.

A Charlottesville Scare

I awoke this morning to learn that a 20-mile stretch of highway between Charlottesville and Waynesboro is closed owing to a string of shootings overnight.  Apparently four vehicles were shot at resulting in at least two injuries.  My school is on a 2-hour delay and we are currently in lock down mode.  Let's hope this is not a repeat of the D.C. shootings of five years ago.

Update: As of 9:30 we are closed for the day.  I guess the administration doesn't want to take any chances given that there have not been any arrests.

Virginia Magazine of History and Biography

Today I was honored to accept an invitation to join the editorial advisory board for the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography which is published by the Virginia Historical Society.  I've been a subscriber and member since 2004; this is by far my favorite publication and one that I actually read more than just the book reviews.  I was lucky enough to have one of my own articles on William Mahone published in 2005 and even won an award for it.  Since then I've written a couple of book reviews and reviewed two manuscripts for the journal. 

If you love Virginia history like I do than consider a membership which includes four issues of the journal.  The VHS is one of this state's finest institutions. 

Cell Phones in Cafes

I own a cell phone, but most of the time I can't tell you where it is and I honestly cannot remember the number.  You see, I hate talking on the phone, but more importantly, the idea of using it in a public space such as a cafe is absolutely abhorrent to me.  So, here I am sitting in a cafe grading papers and this women is yapping away with no care in the world and with no sense that those around her may not be interested in what her son is eating for breakfast.  Since I can't say this directly to her, allow me to vent: SHUT THE F--K UP! 

Comparative History