Kelly and Geoff

Winter is coming, indeed

One of my favorite things about New England is the seasons. I love the seasons here, and how we actually have four distinct ones. The ground is now covered with leaves and the trees are mostly bare. We woke up this morning to snow coming down, although not very hard. More like heavy flurries, if that makes sense. It wasn’t really sticking either except for a few elevated surfaces. But it was still kind of cool to see. Just a sneak preview of the winter that is coming. At least for us it won’t last for years, like the poor folk in Westeros. The temperature today is not supposed to get much above freezing. Now, at 1 PM, it is still only 33 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s the sort of day to make you glad to be indoors, enjoying a good cup of coffee.

It is also the second anniversary of our wedding, and my brother Greg’s birthday as well. So happy anniversary, Kelly my love, and happy birthday big brother!

-Geoff

History coming to the big screen next year

Nathaniel Philbrick is one of my favorite historians. I especially love his superb maritime history books. And it turns out that one of his books is being made into a movie. Heart of the Sea is based on his book In the Heart of the Sea, in which Philbrick recounts the story of the Essex, a whaleship that was rammed and sunk by a sperm whale in 1820, far out in the Pacific Ocean. Its crew was stranded in small boats for several months until they were rescued and in the meantime they had been forced to commit cannibalism. The disaster served as inspiration for Herman Melville, who used it and his own experience on a whaler to help him create the novel Moby Dick.

The film, directed by Ron Howard, is set to be released sometime in 2014. And there are at least three actors from Game of Thrones that are also in this film: Joseph Mawle (Benjen Stark); Donald Sumpter (Maester Luwin); and Jamie Sives (Jory Cassel). Good Northmen all, and all dead, sadly.* So that frees them up to be in this film. I am looking forward to it.

-Geoff

*Technically, Benjen Stark is missing, but let’s just say that it isn’t looking good for him to be alive at this point.

Terrible news from the Philippines

Now that Typhoon Haiyan has passed over the Philippines and headed west towards Vietnam, the people there have had a chance to begin initial assessments of the damage done, and it doesn’t look good. One observer has described the scene as “apocalyptic”. Some areas are so devastated that there is no communication from them at all. Accurate assessments of casualties at this point are impossible, but it looks as if the loss of life will easily be in the hundreds, if not the thousands.

If you have any ability to help at all, here’s some groups that are assisting with relief efforts: the Philippine Red Cross; the World Food Program; Shelter Box; and Americares.

-Geoff

Possibly the strongest typhoon ever recorded

Wow. Glad we don’t have a storm like this anywhere near us.

Super Typhoon Haiyan is definitely the strongest storm of 2013, and it may just be one of the strongest ones ever recorded, with sustained winds of 195 miles per hour and gusts of up to 230 mph. Imagine that. Good God, an EF5 tornado has winds of 200 plus miles an hour. And this is a tropical cyclone, causing damage over a much wider area. They probably won’t even know for a while just everything that it has done. The size and power of it are just mind-boggling. Hopefully the loss of life in the Philippines and other places in its path will be minimal. They seem to have been quite prepared, at least.

I will settle for some cooler weather and rain here, thank you very much.

-Geoff

We have come a long way indeed

Wow.

The new cover of Sports Illustrated talks about this amazing World Series win and features Big Papi and the three Boston police officers from some of the most iconic photos on the day of the Boston Marathon bombing. Those same three officers had been on a previous cover shortly after the bombing.

Continue reading “We have come a long way indeed”

A quick note on history and food in ASOIAF

As I mentioned before, I have been doing a lot of experimenting with medieval recipes in recent years. And this includes trying many of the delicious-sounding foods from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. Thanks to the diligent work of Chelsea and Sariann, we ASOIAF fans have a fantastic resource to explore our foodie sides. Everything I have made from their website and their book has been delicious, so seriously, try making some of their recipes.

Recently, I noticed something about George’s books that I had not noticed before: an utter lack of potatoes, Irish or sweet. Now, at first glance this would seem to make sense, because they are both “New World” foods that would have been unknown to medieval Europe, which is the historical basis of much of Martin’s writing. Potatoes would not be introduced to Europe until the 16th century, when the Spanish brought them over. So no potatoes in Westeros, right? Makes sense, right?

Yes, it would… except that there are plenty of examples of other New World foods that are present in Westeros. So why include them but not potatoes?

Continue reading “A quick note on history and food in ASOIAF”

Winter is Coming

It may not be a winter that lasts for years, as it has been known to do in Westeros, but this winter has come a little early here in Boston this week, with temperatures not getting out of the 40s during the day and dropping into the 20s at night. We had to turn on the heat for the first time in a good while. And of course all the animals start getting a bit more cuddly at night, except for Rerun, who wants to be on the bed but otherwise gets a little grumpy if you invade his space.

Hopefully we will get back into the habit of more regular posts now, at least that is my intent. I think I will try to talk a bit more about some of the more interesting cooking I am doing this season.

-Geoff

Happy Halloween and Go Sox!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to say thank you for all of the kindness and consideration given to us this past week. It really does mean a lot to me to get so many cards, phone calls, visits, and all of the other things people have done for Kelly and me. We really feel loved.

And as if the universe wanted to say “sorry Geoff, here’s something to cheer you up”, my beloved Red Sox won the World Series last night, right here in Boston at Fenway Park. It is so awesome to walk around today wearing one of my Red Sox shirts and have total strangers – some with Red Sox gear, some without – suddenly smile from ear to ear and give a thumbs up, or laugh and say “Go Sox” or all sorts of other combinations. It really makes me feel great. Maybe 2013 will have some redeeming qualities after all.

And I wanted to say Happy Halloween to everyone!

Here’s some great creative costumes to check out. And of course, it wouldn’t be Halloween without the Jack Chop. *

-Geoff

*And if you haven’t seen the Jack Chop infomercial yet, what’s wrong with you? Watch it, just remember it’s NSFW.

It’s not about strength or bravery

Regular visitors around here may have noticed that it’s been quiet for a while. Sometimes life gets in the way and we can’t post, I’m sure you all understand. Sometimes life hands you great material for posting and the first thought one of us has it, “that’ll make such a good post!” Then we might go days without such inspiration.

Then sometimes life kicks you in the teeth and there just isn’t anything to say. That’s what’s been happening lately.

Continue reading “It’s not about strength or bravery”

Tuesday Night Concerts & More

The church where I am currently a long term sub, St. Peter’s Episcopal in Central Square, Cambridge, has a concert series starting tomorrow night. The schedule is below.

OCTOBER
8 @ 8 pm        THE QUILISMA CONSORT (recorder trio)
15 @ 6 pm      OPERA BRITTENICA presents preview of THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA
22 @ 8 pm      AARON LARGET-CAPLAN (classical guitar)
29 @ 8 pm       NED ROREM – 90 YEARS (piano works)

NOVEMBER
5 @ 8 pm       TBA
12 @ 6 pm      OPERA BRITTENICA presents BENJAMIN BRITTEN SONGS
19 @ 8 pm      COUNTERTENOR CABARET (countertenor duo and piano)
26 @ 8 pm      LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP ORCHESTRA (NEC students)

DECEMBER
3 @ 8 pm        JUDAS MACCABAEUS (excerpts from the oratorio)
10 @ 8 pm      CHARLES TRENET CENTENNIAL (vocal duo and piano)
17 @ 8 pm      OPERA BRITTENICA presents BRITTEN ADVENT PROGRAM
24 @ 8 pm      CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE WITH CAROLS

For more information or to inquire about being a part of the series, please contact Peter Terry at peterry19 -at- gmail.com

This is the concert schedule for the series through the end of the year. More concerts will be scheduled for the new year. There are also some special musical events and services to keep on your radar.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Saturday, December 7 @ 1:00 pm MESSIAH SINGALONG

Saturday, December 7 @ 6:00 pm MIT WOMEN’S CHORALE

Monday, December 16 @ 7:30 pm FENWAY QUINTET (Brass & Organ Christmas Concert)

Saturday, January 4 @ 5:00 pm LESSONS AND CAROLS of CHRISTMAS

St. Peter’s is fully accessible, right on the 1 bus and the Central Sq. stop on the Red Line.

For more information:
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Central Square
838 Massachusetts Avenue at Sellers Street
Cambridge, MA
617.547.7788
www.saintpeterscambridge.org

~Kelly