Hygge was clearly a theme as we walked into Orchestra Hall for a Nordic chamber music concert performed by members of the Minnesota Orchestra. The program featured works by three Scandinavian composers: Valborg Aulin, Otto Mortensen (I had to Google both), and Jean Sibelius. The current music director, Thomas Søndergård, is from Denmark and his predecessor, Osmo Vänskä, is from Finland, reflecting the Nordic roots of many Minnesotans.
Category: Living
Playground wars and real terrors
My shadow, with a hiking pole to brace against icy sidewalks, reminded me of a Dalek, the violent, merciless, and extremely xenophobic alien from the long-running British sci-fi show, Doctor Who (not to be confused with the ICE goons currently terrorizing Minneapolis). I remember wandering the playground as a kid, arm extended, mimicking a Dalek, chanting their catchphrase: “Exterminate! Exterminate!”
An empty classroom
Went for a quiet walk to process my thoughts. I should have been in the classroom working with recent immigrants. Instead, school is canceled for the rest of the week. This follows yesterday’s ICE actions in Minneapolis, which included the murder of Renee Good and the tear-gassing and shoving of staff and students at their school.
Taking a rain check
It was a gloomy day out there: rain, icy sidewalks, and the downtown towers barely visible. ‘Too much like England,’ a friend teased, suggesting we postpone our walk until tomorrow. It was a fine day to stay in and tip the fridge: Japanese curry for lunch, and a strata for dinner.
‘Twas on a Monday morning*
It’s Monday morning, time to get to work. My goals for the day are to pack away the Christmas decorations (since it’s Twelfth Night) and hopefully finish the jigsaw puzzle. I’ll also be “a-washing”* four loads of laundry. Meanwhile, “my darling”* has gone to visit his mom for the day, about an hour’s drive away; later, he’ll be “dashing away with the smoothing iron,”* as that is strictly his job. *English folk song.
Snowbird prep
In about two weeks we become snowbirds, which means it’s time for the ‘Clustering of the Rolling Plant Racks’ and the ‘Tipping of the Fridge.’ Our plants are now all connected to the drip irrigation system, while some are also periodically misted. Tonight’s dinner features carnitas I made and froze a month ago; other delights will be making encore appearances in the coming days.
Travel wabi-sabi
In a moment of boredom, I mapped out the Japanese prefectures I’ve visited (blue), many of them multiple times. While I’ve traveled through the yellow prefectures near Tokyo, I don’t count those. The younger me might’ve felt the need to visit every prefecture to ‘complete the set,’ but these days I embrace the imperfection: a bit of travel wabi-sabi.
A morning of fine print
Spent most of the morning reviewing our insurance. I confirmed our home’s “All Perils” policy doesn’t list covered events; instead, it only lists exclusions. For example, damage from a burst pipe is covered simply because it isn’t excluded. I also checked the fine print for our 2026 health plan to confirm it provides worldwide coverage and purchased an annual medical repatriation subscription, something we had allowed to lapse during the pandemic.
A tool for protected speech
A shiny whistle arrived today for my daypack. Three short blasts: ICE nearby. One long blast: ICE is detaining someone.
12 Months of Microposts: 2025
Since 2013 I’ve been posting something positive (usually) about each day. In recent years, each December, I’ve selected one Micropost from each month of the past year to include in an omnibus Post. The main theme of this Blog, “Journeys,” is what primarily inspires my choices for Microposts. I’m grateful my health journey continues to…… Continue reading 12 Months of Microposts: 2025