New boots Can you tell we are getting near Giant’s Causeway? This image is looking back toward Ballycastle. I didn’t take any photos of Giant’s Causeway itself because I figured the sun would be higher on the way back and I’d get a better photo then. However, after
Dunseverick to the Giant's As many times as I’ve been up the North Antrim Coast, taking visitors along the coastal drive to Giant’s Causeway, there is much I’ve missed. Such as the hike from Dunseverick Castle to Giant’s Causeway. The pile of rocks on the left is what remans of
McHugh's Today David & I did house chores then went for tea & scones at a friend’s fundraiser, then hit golf balls for a while at a driving range. Tonight I went to a swing dance organised by one of our swing dance members. It was at a community club,
Chris Evans, my hero So Chris is the morning DJ on BBC Radio 2. One of his pearls this morning: He encouraged people to Google what’s on nearby and text in telling him what they found out. One woman discovered a felting workshop that she wants to attend. Several people found out about
State Street Today I interviewed Rakhi Kumar, Head of ESG Investments and Asset Stewardship at State Street Global Advisors. SSGA is more progressive on environmental issues than BlackRock and Vanguard by a long shot. But it still falls far short of the level of fiduciary duty that is fit for purpose on
Do Not Say We Have Nothing By Madeleine Thien was today’s subject in Global Literature. It sounds like a fantastic read. At some point, I really need to start reading the books for the class as I’m getting further and further behind. I’ve been working intently on a report on proxy voting, which
Halloween We got 12 trick or treaters. My mom got 100. I was glad it was over early because tonight was the final of the Great British Bake-off. I don’t enjoy cooking, I don’t enjoy excess and waste and indulgence, yet every week I sit and watch the
Brexit We spent all day yesterday, 9:30-5:30, at Queen’s University at a conference on what Brexit means for progressive politics. Here’s the description: "What are the implications and imapcts of Brexit for the green transformation of Europe? Are there progressive political potentials in the wake
Hughie O'Donoghue After Marco’s burial yesterday, we went to an exhibit I had heard about Friday night. It was closing yesterday so we saw it right before the carpenter came to take down the scaffolding. It was in an old church that has been vacant for many years and is now
Marco When I got home last night, I learned that my cat Marco had died. David said Marco jumped down from the dining room table, landed badly, cried loudly, limped into the kitchen, laid down and died. Poor little critter. I hate to think of him suffering at all, but it
Why the First World War Failed to End I went to a panel discussion tonight featuring three history professors. One, Robert Gerwarth, was so handsome as to be distracting. Gerwarth authored a book called The Vanquished, which looks at the civil wars and revolutions that followed the end of the Great War in 1918. The war saw the
BBC Radio 2 I’ve been listening to Radio 2 in the mornings while I stretch--trying to re-enter life without injury. I adore the morning commentator, Chris Evans--funny, smart, quick witted, unfailingly positive, although he can get annoyed, as do we all. This morning he was commenting on the American
Children of the Revolution Today was my literature class at Queen’s. I haven’t read any of the books beforehand so far. I figure if the class makes an impression, I’ll read the book later. I plan to read today’s book, Children of the Revolution by Dinaw Mengestu (it had a
Short stories After four weeks of dealing with shingles, I am now, finally, out of the woods. I have very faint symptoms but I’m going for brisk walks and trying to carefully ease back into a more active lifestyle. During my convalescence, I finished a collection of 20 of the “Best
Conservatory The people who bought Marshall’s house next door want to build an extension that will come right to the property line. They want to take down the hedge between our properties. That is what one side of our conservatory looks onto. Looking onto a fence isn’t as attractive.
Sunday Blues I don’t believe I’ve mentioned that I left All Souls, where I sang in the choir for two years. There was a long list of reasons, chiefly my dislike for the minister. His rambling sermons made no sense to me and he treated my friends rather shabbily after
“Freedom" While I’m on the topic of cocaine, I just watched a documentary about George Michael that was written and directed by George Michael shortly before his untimely death after a lifetime of drug and alcohol abuse. Nowhere in the 1.5-hour documentary (incl commercials) did he mention his
Gordon Ramsay on cocaine Today I wrote up my last two funds. Each had 1, 3, and 5-year commentaries and both were international funds, requiring both sector and regional analysis. In other words mind-numbing data work. To get through it, I put BBC radio on, something I rarely do. There was a
Poems and prayers and promises My old friend Lola has connected me with a friend of hers who plans to visit Ireland next year. Her friend is a poet and I’ve become increasingly aware of how prevalent poetry is in life here. I’ve recently mentioned the lecture by Fintan O’Toole dedicated to
Maths, myths, and a museum Monday and Tuesday were just numbers, numbers, numbers. I’m sorting data for an analysis of proxy voting by the 10 largest investors in U.S utilities. Working with three databases, none of them perfect, to achieve apples and apples comparisons. As if that weren’t enough fun, I’m
Trees & Poetry This weekend was Mount Stewart Conversations--three days of talks by authors, journalists, political scientists, etc. at lovely Mount Stewart. The first presentation we went to was by Oxford literature professor Fiona Stafford, who has written a book called the Long, Long Life of Trees. She grew up near a
Half measures Last night I had dinner with nine of my golfing buddies at lovely Belvoir. I miss golf and I miss my buddies. In good time I hope to get back to both. Many of them are continuing to play at other clubs that don’t have joining fees, unlike Belvoir,
Fintan O'Toole My rapid recount of the week failed to note its highlight. I trekked into Queen’s Wednesday to hear the John Hewitt Society lecture by Fintan O’Toole, a brilliant writer, thinker, political commentator, playwright, columnist, etc. I love his column in the Irish Times and withstood the shingles pain
La Doulou continues Saturday Oct. 7. David is back from touring Ireland with his daughter, so I have access to a car, not that I’m eager to drive. He took me to a garden centre, where we had lunch and walked through the greenhouses. Sunday Oct. 8. I read a few short
The Person in Pain: Daudet’s La Doulou When I’m not well, I find the day is something to get through so I can take my meds and go to bed. And so Monday & Tuesday slid by unremarked. I woke up Wednesday feeling better and so took the bus into town and walked 20 minutes to
