Here is a fun theater anecdote. I'm reading an excellent biography of Rodgers and Hammerstein called "Something Wonderful," by Todd S. Purdum. It is 1942, and they're auditioning for "Oklahoma." Celeste Holm came in to audition for the role of Ado Annie. Here's how the audition went:

The Rick Stilson Memorial Coffee-Spitting Wall. See below for an explanation.

The disgraceful events in the White House reminded me of something I had forgotten. In the heady days after the Soviet Union collapsed, Russia seemed to be turning into a normal country. There was even talk of letting them take part, in some form, in NATO, and maybe even the European Community.

The Mother of Waters, dressed in her winter finery, is out in all her glory. I've lived here almost my entire life, and I never get tired of seeing her! This is a pic I took back in August 2023, near Sunrise.

I had my first dental implant surgery this morning. A relatively painless procedure. I'm still numb, so I can't tell if there's going to be any residual pain. I took some ibuprofen, just in case.

A beautiful, clear, cold, mid-winter day. Perfect for a walk. So I walked nine miles round trip to this place: www.leftbankpastry.com where they force you to eat buttery, rich croissants, and chocolate ganache covered desserts filled with coffee mouse. Oh, the humanity! #chehaliswesterntrail

I've been rewatching the excellent BBC/HBO production of #hisdarkmaterials. One scene in particular is spectacular. Mrs. Coulter (Ruth Wilson) is confronting Lee Scoresby (Lin-Manuel Miranda). Scoresby is in prison, is in chains, and has been beaten. Coulter has him by the throat. Who's in charge?

Wow! I saw a signed first edition of the Foundation Trilogy (still with original book jackets) by Asimov is going for $15,000. I have an old, battered book club edition and an Easton Press edition. Sadly, neither one is worth that.

A beautiful January day at Long Beach, Washington.