Taste in entertainment is subjective but sometimes it's useful to hear from gimlet-eyed friends. They may suggest a show or film you've overlooked, particularly from the past.
Here are my all-time favorite TV shows and movies. What are yours?
Television:
1. "Mad Men"
2. "The Sopranos"
3. "Six Feet Under"
Movies:
1. "Casablanca"
2. "Pee-wee's Big Adventure"
3. "Rocky" (the original)
Hey fans! Today starts the Stanley Cup finals! (8pm on ABC)
This is hockey's Superbowl/World Series. The best two teams are the Edmonton Oilers who'll play the Florida Panthers. You may remember the Panthers: they were in the finals last year but lost to Las Vegas. Edmonton hasn't been there in almost 20 years (since 2006) and hasn't won a Stanley Cup since... well, dinosaurs were on the ice back then.
What's significant this year? Well, remember hockey began in Canada and remains a big deal up north. Edmonton is the first Canadian team in over 30 years to reach for the Cup so many are rooting for the team. (I am.) Also, Edmonton has a great player, Connor McDavid, whom I saw in person playing the Devils this year. Kid can skate! Finally, Edmonton had a horrible start to the season and most never expected it to be here, so there's a strong Cinderella vibe.
Go Oilers!
I have a pantheon of personal heroes: artists of great achievement. They inspire me by reifying our dreams. Simply knowing such people exist gives me hope for humanity.
I've told you in the past about several of these: glass-blower Lino Tagliapietra, writer David Foster Wallace, and guitarists Duane Allman, Dickey Betts and Roy Buchanon. Let me add another genius to the list.
Yuja Wang. Yes, she has an unusual name but it's easily pronounced: You-jah Wong (not Wang). Whether you know it or not Yuja is the best pianist in the world right now. She's 37 years old and has been astounding audiences since she was a teenager. She's played with every prominent orchestra in the country, toured internationally, and sold-out Carnegie Hall. Yuja is an indisputable superstar.
During the pandemic when Yuja couldn't play concerts she collaborated with a respected composer on a new piece of music. The composer says he wrote the piece specifically for her, believing Yuja is the only pianist capable of performing it. During their collaboration Yuja took passages AND MADE THEM HARDER TO PLAY. She amped up technical difficulty of the work to make it shine brighter. The composer was justly amazed at this.
When people can't comprehend something complex they often focus on trivial aspects, like commentary that dogged David Foster Wallace about the bandana he wore on his head at public readings. Instead of considering the literary merit of David's work or its estimable themes some clueless critics pondered ridiculous theories on why David wore a bandana (e.g., eccentricity, vanity). The truth is more mundane: David was shy and especially nervous speaking in public; as a result he sweated profusely and used a cloth bandana to absorb and conceal sweat. That's all, nothing more.
A similar thing happens to Yuja. As a young woman she performed wearing attractive clothes, usually a stylish dress and high heels. Classical music critics disparaged her appearance as too sexy for concerts. One even sexistly wrote that "if her dress was any shorter" the concert-hall "would have to restrict admission to those over 17 years old." Yuja explains, quite simply, that she likes to wear nice clothes and doesn't understand why anyone focuses on that instead of her musical performance.
If you haven't heard of Yuja yet, check her out. There are many videos of her performances on streaming channels, YouTube and CDs. Or you can come over to my place and listen to her on vinyl records. :)
You'll probably find it odd that I still read motorcycle magazines. As Lucy Ricardo used to say, "Ricky, I can explain..."
Enthusiasm is a powerful force. Like simple carbon, with enough intensity and time enthusiasm can crystalize into the diamond of passion. And passion, once rooted, is impossible to dislodge.
This is the time of year bikers feel a stirring. The sound of a motorcycle engine in the distance awakens us. We wonder why we aren't also out on the road. That music quickly increases to a crescendo.
It was incredibly painful to end my 25-year riding career last season. And yet while I can't operate a bike on my own, a foray to the North Fork last Fall on the back of my friend Jaime's tourer proved I can still pull on leather gear, join a ride and savor motorcycling's unique sensory pleasures as a passenger. I may walk into walls off the bike but I can still travel 80 mph on two wheels with a trusted friend up front handling matters for both of us.
So this is why I haven't cancelled my subscription to motorcycle magazines. My passion is still here. This morning I saw a quote from "Season of the Bike," by David Karlotski, that offers a salient metaphor for life:
"Motorcycles tell us the TRUTH -- we are small, and exposed, and probably moving too fast, but that's no reason not to enjoy every minute of every ride." Amen.
Recently circumstances encouraged me to collect a third artwork by Lino Tagliapietra. Lino, of course, is the premier glassblower of our time. In my opinion, he is our greatest living artist in any medium.
The work, "Saturno," is inspired by the planet Saturn. Its translucence, detail and exquisite artistry aren't adequately described in words; you need to experience the work in person to appreciate its majesty. Three-dimensional glass art has ineffable qualities that draw you closer, open your mind and touch the heart.
I feel privileged to possess this art for the next few decades.
Our greatest living artist is glassblower Lino Tagliapietra.
Now in his 90s Lino has made art since he was a young boy growing up in Murano, Italy (historic capital of the glass world). Lino's work is universally acclaimed, displayed in many museums, and possesses striking beauty. I'm fortunate to own two Lino artworks which are the pulsating heart of my burgeoning art collection.
A documentary about Lino just won an award at the Seattle International Film Festival. You can stream the movie (link below) but that costs a few bucks. I'll let you know when the film is available elsewhere for free.
