“Requiem
It came to me the other day:
Were I to die, no one would say,
“Oh, what a shame! So young, so full
Of promise — depths unplumbable!”
Instead, a shrug and tearless eyes
Will greet my overdue demise;
The wide response will be, I know,
“I thought he died a while ago.”
For life’s a shabby subterfuge,
And death is real, and dark, and huge.
The shock of it will register
Nowhere but where it will occur.”
– John Updike
John, you would have been right if this poem was never published.
Filed under: last green valley | Tags: A & P, big box, John Updike, killingly, Killingly Connecticut, killingly plaza, nerd, New York Times, research, wikipedia
It is strange that every time I read about the death of a well-known person I need to check wikipedia. I’m not sure if I am verifying the death or looking to be the one who announces it to the community of editors and so-called lazy researchers. (I think wikipedia is one of the best resources for daily living and basic research.)
I learned today from the Times that John Updike died this afternoon at the age of 76. A & P has always been one of my favorite short stories. I reread the story after reading about Updike’s death and I imagined myself as the narrator of the story standing behind one of the registers at the Killingly Plaza A & P (turned Stop & Shop, turned empty & eternally for lease).
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bethesda, D.C., guantanamo, hillary clinton, inauguration, npr, obama, secretary of state, sex education, Washington D.C., washington metro, way up north in dixie
I attended inauguration this past Tuesday in Washington, D.C. I had plenty of warning that I would meet cold, crowded streets, but I also knew that history was happening! I wanted to be one of those little specks in the history books of my children.
I witnessed the inauguration of the first black man elected to president. I helped set the Washington Metro’s daily ridership record. twice. I can’t say that I witnessed much more. I need to wait before I am able to tell you that I watched the inauguration of a man who acted on promised change, (although he has changed quite a bit already 1, 2, 3). I am looking forward to the many other positive changes he makes in the coming months, and I am ready for him to make plenty of decisions that I will disagree with.
I stayed with a friend in Bethesda, Maryland during inauguration. Bethesda is just outside the city limits and the metro stop is within a few blocks of my friend’s house. The authors of the book, Way Up North in Dixie were also staying with my friend’s family. I’ve failed attempting to describe the book a few times, NPR knows what’s up. as does the publisher.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bird, brooklyn, brooklyn ps 19, D.C., inauguration, pigeon, ps 19, Washington D.C.
I will be leaving for Washington, D.C. very early in the morning. I will return to the city on Wednesday.
Filed under: last green valley | Tags: alliance ohio, bradley playhouse, Connecticut, ddt, food, fun and fancy free, grocery, mCcaskey register company, photography, Pomfret, pomfret arms, pyequick, red and white, red and white food stores, red cross, scripto, tobacco, treasure of sierra madre
I’ve been looking for information on the Red and White Grocery chain. I haven’t been able to find much information. I’ve gathered that it works a lot like today’s IGA, and several stores were eventually sold to Hannaford. A few stores remain in existence, but I am unsure about their current affiliation statuses. I’d love to have more information on this chain!
More photographs and information below the jump, including a very detailed description of the photograph above. Continue reading
Filed under: college | Tags: architecture, brooklyn, Field Work Term, FWT, Harlem, New York, Oxford comma, Park Slope, red horse cafe, skyline, tea lounge, Williamsburg
I’ve apparently moved to Brooklyn, New York. I’ll only be here for two months, I promise. Then I will return to school.
I saw a few friends today. Today (actually yesterday) I walked to my apartment, took the subway to Harlem, then Park Slope and lastly to Williamsburg (where I’m living). My friend, Mariela, made me an amazingly delicious dinner. It was really simple…rice, peppers, garlic, red onion, spices and mozzarella. and love. (Please note the absense of an Oxford comma, but know that I don’t have a position on its absense.)
I also went to the Tea Lounge and the Red Horse Cafe with three other friends and a friend of a friend.
I’m interning with an architect, and I start tomorrow (actually today). I’m going to leave my apartment by 9:30 to make sure I’m on time (I don’t start until 10:30). Hopefully we will adjust my working hours as I’d rather go in/get out earlier. I hope my first day goes well.
Pomfretite 