Water, Water Everywhere

 

After spending her first night at college evacuated from her flooded dorm, Natalie is still having water problems on campus.  Follow her search among the vending machines.

Fiction faces Life

 

                                                                            Elly Griffiths

A few months ago, my friend Trudy suggested I might like a series of books she called The Ruth Galloway Series by Elly Griffiths.   “They’re British mysteries,” she said.  “Ruth Galloway is a forensic archeologist.” 

Thus began my journey through fourteen books solidifying my enduring interest, admiration and love for this remarkable character and those populating her life.

Ruth is a proud, professional, competent, rational woman who is determined to acquire and retain recognition for her academic status and accomplishments in her field. Archeology makes sense of the past through relentless discovery and careful examination.  Layers of reality give us a place to stand.

She fusses over her weight, battles her skepticism about her evangelical parents, forms deep friendships with those who examine the world from many perspectives, and gloriously allows herself to become entangled in the ultimate human story —  the story of love.

The genius of Griffiths’ writing is presenting the value of history that can be unearthed and catalogued even as it stands next to what can only be lived and never fully explained.

That Day

 

It was a gorgeous day in Chicago.  I walked in the park with my friend Ruth.  We were too stunned to have a conversation, just remarks back and forth about how bewildered we were.  Bill and Elsa were in New York.  They eventually were able to rent a car and drove here.

Camille and Phyllis were in Paris.  Their vacation lasted a week longer than planned.  ( Not much of a “vacation” after the 11th.)  I’m going to see her tomorrow and I’m still interested in her story.

Doris’ son worked in one of the towers.  He didn’t go to work that day.  I guess you can lay on many kinds of meaning to that, or randomness as I prefer.

I never thought we should go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq was even more of a disaster.  How come we can understand that now, but those who knew at the right time were so despised?

Natalie wasn’t born yet.  And now she is my hope.

Create or Reflect?

 

Naomi Osaka, the tennis champion, had a meltdown on the court at the U.S. Open and lost to her unseeded opponent.  Afterwards, she said she is once again stepping away from the game.  Simone Biles, the Olympic champion, scaled back her participation on the gymnastics team at the summer games.  Michael Phelps, the Olympic swimmer, is on TV advertising therapy sessions.

So far, all have been receiving a lot of empathy.

Do famous athletes create the times or reflect the times?  I was thinking about this as I watched Untold: The Malice at the Palace, the Netflix documentary about the brawl between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons.

The riot was very disturbing to watch, but even more unsettling was the attitude of the (overwhelmingly white) sports media world.  The players were universally described as “thugs.” David Stern, the Commissioner,  levied unprecedented fines on the players.  Lost in the coverage was the outrageous behavior of the “fans” who stormed on the court, showered the Pacers with drinks,  and threw a chair.

Yes.  I am a sports devotee.  Games keep me company, and continue to give me so much more to think about than the score.