Microblog

Daily Microblog

Traces of the Past

Feb 13, 2018

Walked in search of traces of the past using these old insurance maps: At Milwaukee Road Depot: 1914, newly enlisted sailor, Norman Soley, waits for his train; 2018, this is a lovely event space, with adjacent Marriott hotels.

Sanborn Maps

Feb 12, 2018

Spent my morning electronically clipping Sanborn (insurance) maps of 1910 Minneapolis. Assembled maps for 20 blocks I’ll walk with a friend tomorrow.

Expressive Harp

Feb 11, 2018

Walked to the Target Atrium, Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis to watch Minnesota Orchestra musicians performing 20th century chamber music. I did not know the harp could be so expressive.

Shoe-Swap

Feb 10, 2018

Took off and tossed my old walking shoes at Schuler Shoes, walked out in these. When I travel, they’re backups for my boots.

Lit Lighthouse

Feb 9, 2018

On my run, the lighthouse on the Mississippi’s Hall’s Island deferred to the sun.

Seward Co-op

Feb 8, 2018

Walked to Seward Co-op to buy groceries. It meets 95% of our food needs without having to navigate endless aisles of manufactured food. I appreciate the quality, emphasis on local sourcing, minimal packaging, and keeping money in our local economy.

Quarterly Topup

Feb 7, 2018

Walked on fresh snow to the bus to the Frauenshuh Cancer Center for my quarterly topup (injection). The tumor continues to be dormant. I’m grateful.

Mapping my Next Travels

Feb 6, 2018

Posted Mapping My Next Travels.

Truth Can be Ugly

Feb 6, 2018

Explored Alan Page’s (former NFL player and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice) ugly and beautiful collection, “Testify: Americana from Slavery to Today.””Before reconciliation there must be truth – and the truth can be ugly.”

Monetizing Old Electronics

Feb 5, 2018

Turned our old electronics into $795 for Direct Relief. Wheeled the eBay sales down to the mail room.

Super Bowl Flyover

Feb 4, 2018

As Pink finished the national anthem at the nearby Super Bowl, the USAF flew heritage aircraft right over our balcony. Next excitement: will Justin Timberlake have a wardrobe malfunction?

New Soccer Stadium

Feb 3, 2018

Snow fell on the *other* football stadium as we walked through St. Paul’s Midway. Minnesota United will start playing soccer here when it is completed, spring 2019.

Brain Ice Sculpture

Feb 2, 2018

Just down the road from where we live, at the headquarters of the American Academy of Neurology, a brain ice sculpture editorialized about the big game this weekend. The Academy is running a campaign to educate people about sports concussions.

Bone-Chilling Day

Feb 1, 2018

Walked past a University of Minnesota heating plant on a sunny, bone-chilling day.

Superbowl

Jan 31, 2018

A chain-link fence, concrete, a Humvee, and National Guard soldiers blocked my usual walking route to my Wednesday gig. Meanwhile black Department of Energy helicopters crisscrossed low overhead, mapping background radiation. All this for about twelve minutes of actual game.

Fantastical Ice Creature

Jan 30, 2018

A fantastical creature, carved out of ice, celebrated winter as I walked through downtown St. Paul.