Haikus: December 2010

HAIKUS: December 2010

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

These haikus were written as exercises in mindfulness—
an attempt to catch the fleeting moment in my daily walks,
while reading, listening to music, and pondering about life.
(Underlined words are not for emphasis but to web links.)
This web page best viewed with Times font size 14.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 12:06 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Hoyt Smith announces
that today is National Pie Day and America's favorite is pumpkin pie; π Day is on March 14

Today's National Pie Day—
my love is for π
that's transcendental. Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 2:00-9:45 pm
Palo Alto, Foothill College Middlefield Lab
Web page: Photos: Foothill Daisies & Clouds;
Read Sextillion stars (ThirdAge.com, 12-1-2010)

Sextillion stars in
our universe— same
as Avogadro's Number.

Thursday, December 2, 2010, 9:50-9:54 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: John Rutter conducts
John Jacob Niles, "I Wonder as I Wander" (1933)
(Listen), CD, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4), Lyrics

I wonder as I wander
out under the sky
and still wonder why. Thursday, December 2, 2010, 3:14-5:40 pm
Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center
Read "How Many Stars?" (NY Times, 12-1-2010), "Starry, Starry, Starry Night" (Associated Press)

Our Milky Way made
by Cow Goddess with stars
in her cup of soup to drink.

Thursday, December 2, 2010, 7:30-9:00 pm
Stanford Theatre: Fritz Lang directs
"The Big Heat" (1953) starring Glenn Ford,
Gloria Grahame, Lee Marvin, Jocelyn Brando,
Alexander Scourby, (YouTube: 1, 2), Film Review

Crusading detective
Glenn Ford puts big heat
on a crime syndicate. Thursday, December 2, 2010, 9:10-10:50 pm
Stanford Theatre: Fritz Lang directs
"Secret Beyond the Door" (1948) with Joan Bennett,
Michael Redgrave, Anne Revere, Barbara O'Neil,
Natalie Schafer, YouTube, (Film Reviews: 1, 2)

Her new husband collects
rooms of crime scenes—
Is the locked one meant for her?

Friday, December 3, 2010, 11:10 am-12:00 pm
Mountain View: Friend phones to tell me
it's the third day of Hanukkah and eight
Menorah candles are lit, one each night

Did Rabbis know 8 candles
symbolize the oxygen atom
whose atomic number is 8? Friday, December 3, 2010, 3:14-5:10 pm
Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center
Rudy shows me his "Photoshop Phobia Project"
inspiring me to write poem "Sextillion Stars"

Three million cow photos
on streets of India
but this one is cutest.

Friday, December 3, 2010, 7:30-10:00 pm
Friends' House, 957 Colorado Avenue, Palo Alto
Waverley Writers Monthly Poetry Reading—
33 poets read; Loie Johnson's elephant poem

Sacred elephant Rajah
lived till 82 in
Buddhist temple. Friday, December 3, 2010, 7:30-10:00 pm
Friends' House, 957 Colorado Avenue, Palo Alto
Waverley Writers Monthly Poetry Reading—
Read "Three of Wands" & "Sextillion Stars"

Wake up! Wake up!—
This universe is your dream
and you'll shout Holy Cow!

Saturday, December 4, 2010, 9:28-9:35 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Simon Rattle conducts
Peter Tchaikovsky (Listen) (CD) (YouTube: 1, 2, 3)
The Nutcracker: Waltz of the Flowers (1892)

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker
Ballet wakes me up as
I dance away from my dreams. Saturday, December 4, 2010, 1:20-5:00 pm
Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center
Email from Steve Gould who sends me photo
of plaque from New York Public LIbrary—

Muriel Rukeyser:
"The universe is made
of stories, not of atoms."

Saturday, December 4, 2010, 5:05-5:07 pm
Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center
Photographed dark clouds in parking lot 4B—
Crocodile Cloud, Spinning Top, Tornado Cloud

Dark stormy clouds over
the foothills— crocodile,
spinning top and tornado. Sunday, December 5, 2010, 3:00-4:00 am
Home Reading: "Common Ground Interviews
Ram Dass" (By Rob Sidon & Carrie Grossman)
Common Ground, November 2010, pp. 46-51.

Guru's love changed Ram Dass
not the miracle of him
reading his mind.

Sunday, December 5, 2010, 9:28-9:35 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Chanticleer plays
Eric William Barnum, "Sweeter Still" (2007)
(Listen) (CD) (YouTube: 1, 2)

Sweeter still— honeydew
melon, but most of all—
a kind gentle heart. Sunday, December 5, 2010, 1:30-3:45 pm
Mountain View: Friend takes me shopping
at 99 Ranch Market, Nob Hill Foods,
and Safeway (2580 California St.)

Bean curd, milk, wheat bread,
eggs, potato chips, Swiss cheese,
and Gorton's fish fillets.

Sunday, December 5, 2010, 5:00-10:00 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
Formatted cloud photos taken on Saturday
and added them to Foothill Daisy web page

Dark clouds from the hills
added to bright daisy
photos of Palo Alto. Sunday, December 5, 2010, 5:00-10:00 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
Found Rukeyser's quote at Anna's writing site
and Shall We Meander On writer's date site

Wonderful to wander
to web sites of those
who share Rukeyser's vision.

Sunday, December 5, 2010, 11:45 pm
Stanford University, Green Library
Found Muriel Rukeyser quote in her book
"The Speed of Darkness" (1968), p. 111

Time comes into it. Say it.
Say it. The universe is made
of stories, not of atoms. Sunday, December 5, 2010, 11:55 pm
Stanford University, Green Library
Reading Muriel Rukeyser's last poem in book
"The Speed of Darkness" (1968), p. 109-113

Thinking of the poet
yet unborn in this dark
who will speak these days.

Monday, December 6, 2010, 10:24-10:29 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Ensemble Vivant plays
Traditional, Greensleeves to a Ground (1580)
(Listen), CD, (YouTube: 1, 2), Lyrics
Anne Boleyn was Henry VIII's second wife.

Historians debunked
that Henry VIII composed
this for Anne Boleyn. Monday, December 6, 2010, 1:24-1:28 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Joshua Bell plays
Franz Schubert "Schwanengesang"
Serenade, D 957 #4, Ständchen (1828)
(Listen), (CD), (YouTube: 1, 2, 3), Song

Schubert's Serenade
sings of serenity
to make our mind silent.

Monday, December 6, 2010, 3:00-3:16 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
Steve's Photos: With Gumspots, Cleaned with Razor, Camera Glare; First Photo cleaned in Photoshop

Steve planned to clean it
with paint thinner & alcohol,
but I did it with Photoshop. Monday, December 6, 2010, 3:00-10:00 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
Rukeyser's "The Speed of Darkness" is not online, so I typed the complete poem inspiring haiku—

Silence becomes speech
with the speed of darkness
even faster than light.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 1:20-3:00 am
KSFO 560 AM: Coast-to-Coast AM, George Noory interviews William Henry, Biography, (Web site),
"Angels and Light Bodies", DVD: Soul Rising

We'll evolve to rainbow
light bodies and space
travel using stargates. Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 11:33-11:40 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Joshua Bell plays
Antonin Dvorak, (Listen) CD, (YouTube: 1, 2)
Rusalka: Song to the Moon (1900)

Joshua Bell's violin
sings Song to the Moon
so her light may bless us.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 3:48-10:00 pm
Palo Alto, Foothill College Middlefield Lab
Writing Notes to Poem: Sextillion Stars
Grains of sand on earth estimated as 10²²

There are more stars in
our universe than all
the grains of sand on earth. Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 3:48-10:00 pm
Palo Alto, Foothill College Middlefield Lab
Writing Notes to Poem: Sextillion Stars
Hera (wife of Zeus) called Bopis ("Cow-Eyed")

Greek myth: Hera's spilt
milk feeding Heracles
produced the Milky Way.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010, 1:36-1:51 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Janine Jansen plays
Ludwig van Beethoven, (Listen) (CD)
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 (1806)
(YouTube: David Oistrakh, Itzhak Perlman, Heifetz)

I still recall friend
writing to me how lovely
hearing this music. Wednesday, December 8, 2010, 3:45-10:00 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
Wrote Notes to Poem: Sextillion Stars— Hindu
& Egyptian Cow Goddesses Aditi & Hathor;
Cow Symbolism from ancient cultures

Hathor is the Milky Way,
heaven's waterway—
The Nile in the Sky.

Thursday, December 9, 2010, 3:19-3:24 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: René Jacobs conducts
George Frideric Handel, Messiah: "Hallelujah" (1741), (Listen) (CD) (YouTube: 1, 2 3)

Handel's vision: "I thought
I saw the face of God"
when writing "Hallelujah"s. Thursday, December 9, 2010, 3:45-10:00 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
Wrote poem The Universe Is Made of Stories
& Notes to Poem: Sextillion Stars

Sun's journey around
the Milky Way is bolder
than The Odyssey.

Friday, December 10, 2010, 2:30-4:50 pm
Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center
Added stanza to The Universe Is Made of Stories
on this universe is a computer simulation

Is this universe
a computer simulation
by a cosmic programmer? Friday, December 10, 2010, 5:30-6:30 pm
Los Altos Library: Printed Coast-to-Coast.am
schedule, Poem & Notes. Bought book for $4
Craig Conley, Magic Words: A Dictionary

Abracadabra,
alakazam, hocus pocus,
presto shazam!

Friday, December 10, 2010, 5:30-6:30 pm
Stanford Theatre: Robert Wise directs
"Odds Against Tomorrow" (1959) starring
Harry Belafonte, Robert Ryan, Ed Begley,
Shelley Winters, Gloria Grahame,
(YouTube: 1, 2), (Film Review: 1, 2)

Robert Wise auteurship
before West Side Story
and Sound of Music. Friday, December 10, 2010, 5:30-6:30 pm
Stanford Theatre: Henry Hathaway directs
"The House on 92nd Street" (1945) starring
William Eythe, Lloyd Nolan, Signe Hasso,
Gene Lockhart, Leo G. Carroll, Harry Bellaver,
(YouTube: 1, 2) (Film Reviews: 1, 2)

FBI propaganda film
extolling its fight
against the Nazis.

Saturday, December 11, 2010, 11:32-11:35 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Angèle Dubeau plays
Franz Gruber, Silent Night (1818), (CD)
(Listen), (YouTube: 1, 2 3), History, Lyrics

Silent night, holy night.
All is calm, all is bright—
Wake to the pure light! Saturday, December 11, 2010, 1:20-5:00 pm
Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center
Finished Notes to Poem: Sextillion Stars;
Jack gives me ride to Los Altos Library

Beautiful orange clouds
fill the skies after sunset—
Breathe in this sight!

Sunday, December 12, 2010, 1:45-2:45 pm
Mountain View: Friend takes me shopping
at Fiesta Market (391 S. San Antonio)
and Safeway (2580 California Street)

Cherry tomatoes, radishes,
dairy creamer, frozen shrimps,
Mount Olives pickles. Sunday, December 12, 2010, 3:45-5:50 pm
Los Altos Library: Susan says surprise hello &
tells me Foothill's yellow flower is not a daisy;
"Out of Our Brains" (NY Times, 12-12-2010)

Is thinking done just
in the brain or perhaps
even in our gestures?

Sunday, December 12, 2010, 9:02-9:33 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Herbert Blomstedt conducts
Los Angeles Philharmonic in Franz Joseph Haydn,
Symphony #101 in G major "The Clock" (1787)
(Listen), CD, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3)

The clock goes tic-toc
as time flies swiftly by
through the silent stillness. Sunday, December 12, 2010, 9:35-11:30 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Herbert Blomstedt conducts
Beethoven, Symphony #7 in A major, Op. 92 (1812),
YouTube; Reading Opinionator: Peimin Ni,
"Kung Fu for Philosophers" (NY Times, 12-8-2010)

Kung fu is not just fighting—
it's cooking, dancing,
the art of living well.

Monday, December 13, 2010, 11:28-11:31 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Helen Jane Long,
"To Dust" (Embers, 2010)
(Listen), CD, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3)

A homage to dust
from which we were born
and to which we return. Monday, December 13, 2010, 4:00-9:00 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
& Green Library: Format photos of Foothill
sunset clouds & Mountain View ginkgo trees

Heaven to Earth blessings
for tenth anniversary
of Dad's passing.

Monday, December 13, 2010, 5:15 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
Beautiful Live Oak Tree chopped down
in front of Art Building (Photos: 1, 2, 3)

You greeted art students
coming to Cummings Building
and now you're gone. Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 10:21-10:27 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: The 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic play Maurice Ravel, Pavane for a Dead Princess (1899), Listen, CD, (YouTube: 1, 2)

Ravel's Pavane for
a Dead Princess should be
played for the dead oak tree.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 2:22 pm
Palo Alto: El Camino & Galvez Street
Fifteen pigeons aloft corner lamppost;
Eight pigeons on nearby lamppost (Photos: 1, 2)

Conference of the birds—
Fifteen pigeons gather
to plan for their next meal. Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 1:30-5:00 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
"Arizona teacher wins $95.3 million lottery jackpot"
(Sheila Verke of Phoenix), Reuters 12-14-2010

She played the same number
for 6½ years: 5-10-11-12-20
with Powerball number 2.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 12:42 pm
Palo Alto, California Ave & El Camino
Waiting for C-Line Shuttle to Stanford
"Tiger Cloud" & "Three Bears Clouds"

"Three Bear Clouds" in sky—
Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Baby Bear,
running after each other. Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 1:02 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
Oak Tree Demolished & Disposed; Arborist
Chris Rippey tells me oak was 220 years old

Little bird flew around
demolished Live Oak—
resting place is now gone!

Thursday, December 16, 2010, 8:34-8:42 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Gustavo Dudamel conducts
Beethoven, Listen, CD, YouTube
Symphony #5 in C minor, Op. 67 (1808)

Beethoven's birthday—
Born 240 years ago
to wake us up! Thursday, December 16, 2010, 11:16-11:23 am
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
Friend gives me a ride to Stanford;
Photos: Chow Chow; Palm Crown

Chow Chow dog looks like
a baby bear— Blue Jay
by Palm Tree flew away.

Thursday, December 16, 2010, 1:12 pm
Stanford University, Cummings Art Library
Stanford arborist told me Oak was 220 years old;
Photos: Live Oak Gone; Empty Spot by Library

Old Live Oak was here when
Washington was President
and now it's gone! Thursday, December 16, 2010, 11:25 am-9:00 pm
Stanford University, Art Library (1:15-5:00 pm)
Green Library (11:25 am-1:00 pm, 5:05-9:00 pm)
Notes: The Universe Is Made Of Stories

The universe has many
stories, big and small,
from stars to atoms.

Friday, December 17, 2010, 7:30-9:30 pm
Stanford Theatre: Satyajit Ray directs
"Charulata" (1964) with Soumitra Chatterjee,
Madhabi Mukherjee, Sailen Mukherjee,
(YouTube: 1, 2), Film Review

Husband asks cousin
to mentor his lonely wife
but she falls in love with him. Friday, December 17, 2010, 9:40-11:56 pm
Stanford Theatre: Satyajit Ray directs
"Mahanagar" (1963) with Anil Chatterjee,
Madhabi Mukherjee, Jaya Bachchan,
YouTube, (Film Reviews: 1, 2)

Husband is envious
of his wife's success
while he loses his bank job.

Saturday, December 18, 2010, 10:22-10:26 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Luciano Pavarotti sings
Charles Gounod, "Ave Maria" (1859)
based on Bach's "Prelude #1 in C" (1722)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Pavarotti sings
Bach & Gounod Ave Maria
that wakes me up. Saturday, December 18, 2010, 2:00-5:40 pm
Los Altos Library: Reading Gregg LeFebvre's
sidewalk bronze plaques on Library Way,
New York Public Library (41st-42nd Street)
Virginia Woolf's "The Leaning Tower"

If you do not tell the truth
about yourself you cannot
tell it about other people.

Sunday, December 19, 2010, 11:02-11:06 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Hampton String Quartet
plays Irving Berlin, "White Christmas" (1940)
"Holiday Inn" Film (1942), Listen, CD, YouTube

Heavy rain all night—
Had it been colder, snow
would have covered the ground. Sunday, December 19, 2010, 12:05-12:09 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: James Galway plays
Jay Ungar, Civil War: Ashokan Farewell (1990),
Listen, CD, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4)

This solemn music
was the theme of Ken Burn's
film on the Civil War.

Sunday, December 19, 2010, 3:00-5:00 pm
Mountain View: Friend takes me shopping
at Rite Aid, Walgreen (Palo Alto),
Safeway, and 99 Ranch Market (Grant Road)

Spices, almonds, mixed nuts,
peas, corn, green beans, eggs,
tofu, bean curd, buns, dumplings. Sunday, December 19, 2010, 5:34-5:40 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Evgeny Kissin plays
Beethoven, "Rage Over a Lost Penny", Op. 129 (1795), (Listen), CD, YouTube: Evgeny Kissin

Beethoven's fingers
jumping on the keyboard—
mind in agitation!

Monday, December 20, 2010, 11:56 am-12:02 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Mikhail Pletnev
plays Edvard Grieg, Op. 65, #6
Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (1897),
(Listen), CD, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3)

Spritely tunes for dancing
elves as they help Santa
making Christmas toys. Monday, December 20, 2010, 2:00-5:00 pm
Stanford University, Green Library
Stanford Shuttle Buses not running till Jan. 2
Walked down Galvez Street to Green Library

Short library hours
for holiday season—
not much time to do more work.

Monday, December 20, 2010, 5:50-7:20 pm
Stanford Theatre: George B. Seitz directs
"Andy Hardy Meets Debutante" (1940)
with Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Lewis Stone,
Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford,
(YouTube: 1, 2, 3), Film Review

Young Judy sings "Alone"
& "All I Do Is Dream of You"
and the audience applauds. Monday, December 20, 2010, 7:30-9:00 pm
Stanford Theatre: H. Bruce Humberstone directs
"Sun Valley Serenade" (1941) with Sonja Henie,
John Payne, Lynn Bari, Milton Berle,
Glenn Miller Orchestra, Nicholas Brothers,
(YouTube: 1, 2, 3), (Film Reviews: 1, 2)

Nicholas Brothers dance
"Chattanooga Choo Choo"—
simply sensational!

Monday, December 20, 2010, 9:00 pm
Stanford Theatre: "Andy Hardy" (1940), "Sun Valley Serenade" (1941). Audience applauded after Judy sang, Sonja skated, & Nicholas Brother danced

Even after 70 years
their performances
lift our spirits high! Monday, December 20, 2010, 9:45 pm
Mountain View: Ortega Ave & Latham Street
First total lunar eclipse at Winter Solstice
in 372 years (Spaceweather.com)

Halo around Moon
soon to be eclipsed—
now you're lovely & golden!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 9:36-9:48 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Ludovico Einaudi,
Bella Notte (2003),
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Stars glow like fireflies
when Moon is darkened
on this beautiful night. Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 2:30-5:00 pm
Stanford University, Green Library
Winter Solstice at 3:38 pm PST
Wrote six haikus for Monday 12/21

Christ, Bringer of Light—
not just physical sunlight
but Enlightened Mind!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 10:30-10:36 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Magic Flute: Overture, K 620, (1791)
(Listen), CD, YouTube, Notes, Freemason:
Book, Brother Mozart, Magic Flute

Freemason Mozart
wrote Magic Flute opera
for his secret brotherhood. Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 12:30-5:00 pm
Stanford University, Green Library
Library closing four days 12/23-12/26;
Need to use time wisely to finish Clouds 2010,
Hikes 2010, Preface 2010, Kay Ryan Workshops

Preface for Poems 2010—
Thanks to Kay Ryan for
inspiring many poems.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 12:06 pm KDFC 102.1 FM: Hoyt Smith announces that today is National Pie Day and America's favorite is pumpkin pie; π Day is on March 14 Today's National Pie Day— my love is for π that's transcendental.	Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 2:00-9:45 pm Palo Alto, Foothill College Middlefield Lab Web page: Photos: Foothill Daisies & Clouds; Read Sextillion stars (ThirdAge.com, 12-1-2010) Sextillion stars in our universe— same as Avogadro's Number.
Thursday, December 2, 2010, 9:50-9:54 am KDFC 102.1 FM: John Rutter conducts John Jacob Niles, "I Wonder as I Wander" (1933) (Listen), CD, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4), Lyrics I wonder as I wander out under the sky and still wonder why.	Thursday, December 2, 2010, 3:14-5:40 pm Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center Read "How Many Stars?" (NY Times, 12-1-2010), "Starry, Starry, Starry Night" (Associated Press) Our Milky Way made by Cow Goddess with stars in her cup of soup to drink.
Thursday, December 2, 2010, 7:30-9:00 pm Stanford Theatre: Fritz Lang directs "The Big Heat" (1953) starring Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Lee Marvin, Jocelyn Brando, Alexander Scourby, (YouTube: 1, 2), Film Review Crusading detective Glenn Ford puts big heat on a crime syndicate.	Thursday, December 2, 2010, 9:10-10:50 pm Stanford Theatre: Fritz Lang directs "Secret Beyond the Door" (1948) with Joan Bennett, Michael Redgrave, Anne Revere, Barbara O'Neil, Natalie Schafer, YouTube, (Film Reviews: 1, 2) Her new husband collects rooms of crime scenes— Is the locked one meant for her?
Friday, December 3, 2010, 11:10 am-12:00 pm Mountain View: Friend phones to tell me it's the third day of Hanukkah and eight Menorah candles are lit, one each night Did Rabbis know 8 candles symbolize the oxygen atom whose atomic number is 8?	Friday, December 3, 2010, 3:14-5:10 pm Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center Rudy shows me his "Photoshop Phobia Project" inspiring me to write poem "Sextillion Stars" Three million cow photos on streets of India but this one is cutest.
Friday, December 3, 2010, 7:30-10:00 pm Friends' House, 957 Colorado Avenue, Palo Alto Waverley Writers Monthly Poetry Reading— 33 poets read; Loie Johnson's elephant poem Sacred elephant Rajah lived till 82 in Buddhist temple.	Friday, December 3, 2010, 7:30-10:00 pm Friends' House, 957 Colorado Avenue, Palo Alto Waverley Writers Monthly Poetry Reading— Read "Three of Wands" & "Sextillion Stars" Wake up! Wake up!— This universe is your dream and you'll shout Holy Cow!
Saturday, December 4, 2010, 9:28-9:35 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Simon Rattle conducts Peter Tchaikovsky (Listen) (CD) (YouTube: 1, 2, 3) The Nutcracker: Waltz of the Flowers (1892) Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Ballet wakes me up as I dance away from my dreams.	Saturday, December 4, 2010, 1:20-5:00 pm Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center Email from Steve Gould who sends me photo of plaque from New York Public LIbrary— Muriel Rukeyser: "The universe is made of stories, not of atoms."
Saturday, December 4, 2010, 5:05-5:07 pm Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center Photographed dark clouds in parking lot 4B— Crocodile Cloud, Spinning Top, Tornado Cloud Dark stormy clouds over the foothills— crocodile, spinning top and tornado.	Sunday, December 5, 2010, 3:00-4:00 am Home Reading: "Common Ground Interviews Ram Dass" (By Rob Sidon & Carrie Grossman) Common Ground, November 2010, pp. 46-51. Guru's love changed Ram Dass not the miracle of him reading his mind.
Sunday, December 5, 2010, 9:28-9:35 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Chanticleer plays Eric William Barnum, "Sweeter Still" (2007) (Listen) (CD) (YouTube: 1, 2) Sweeter still— honeydew melon, but most of all— a kind gentle heart.	Sunday, December 5, 2010, 1:30-3:45 pm Mountain View: Friend takes me shopping at 99 Ranch Market, Nob Hill Foods, and Safeway (2580 California St.) Bean curd, milk, wheat bread, eggs, potato chips, Swiss cheese, and Gorton's fish fillets.
Sunday, December 5, 2010, 5:00-10:00 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library Formatted cloud photos taken on Saturday and added them to Foothill Daisy web page Dark clouds from the hills added to bright daisy photos of Palo Alto.	Sunday, December 5, 2010, 5:00-10:00 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library Found Rukeyser's quote at Anna's writing site and Shall We Meander On writer's date site Wonderful to wander to web sites of those who share Rukeyser's vision.
Sunday, December 5, 2010, 11:45 pm Stanford University, Green Library Found Muriel Rukeyser quote in her book "The Speed of Darkness" (1968), p. 111 Time comes into it. Say it. Say it. The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.	Sunday, December 5, 2010, 11:55 pm Stanford University, Green Library Reading Muriel Rukeyser's last poem in book "The Speed of Darkness" (1968), p. 109-113 Thinking of the poet yet unborn in this dark who will speak these days.
Monday, December 6, 2010, 10:24-10:29 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Ensemble Vivant plays Traditional, Greensleeves to a Ground (1580) (Listen), CD, (YouTube: 1, 2), Lyrics Anne Boleyn was Henry VIII's second wife. Historians debunked that Henry VIII composed this for Anne Boleyn.	Monday, December 6, 2010, 1:24-1:28 pm KDFC 102.1 FM: Joshua Bell plays Franz Schubert "Schwanengesang" Serenade, D 957 #4, Ständchen (1828) (Listen), (CD), (YouTube: 1, 2, 3), Song Schubert's Serenade sings of serenity to make our mind silent.
Monday, December 6, 2010, 3:00-3:16 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library Steve's Photos: With Gumspots, Cleaned with Razor, Camera Glare; First Photo cleaned in Photoshop Steve planned to clean it with paint thinner & alcohol, but I did it with Photoshop.	Monday, December 6, 2010, 3:00-10:00 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library Rukeyser's "The Speed of Darkness" is not online, so I typed the complete poem inspiring haiku— Silence becomes speech with the speed of darkness even faster than light.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 1:20-3:00 am KSFO 560 AM: Coast-to-Coast AM, George Noory interviews William Henry, Biography, (Web site), "Angels and Light Bodies", DVD: Soul Rising We'll evolve to rainbow light bodies and space travel using stargates.	Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 11:33-11:40 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Joshua Bell plays Antonin Dvorak, (Listen) CD, (YouTube: 1, 2) Rusalka: Song to the Moon (1900) Joshua Bell's violin sings Song to the Moon so her light may bless us.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 3:48-10:00 pm Palo Alto, Foothill College Middlefield Lab Writing Notes to Poem: Sextillion Stars Grains of sand on earth estimated as 10²² There are more stars in our universe than all the grains of sand on earth.	Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 3:48-10:00 pm Palo Alto, Foothill College Middlefield Lab Writing Notes to Poem: Sextillion Stars Hera (wife of Zeus) called Bopis ("Cow-Eyed") Greek myth: Hera's spilt milk feeding Heracles produced the Milky Way.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010, 1:36-1:51 pm KDFC 102.1 FM: Janine Jansen plays Ludwig van Beethoven, (Listen) (CD) Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 (1806) (YouTube: David Oistrakh, Itzhak Perlman, Heifetz) I still recall friend writing to me how lovely hearing this music.	Wednesday, December 8, 2010, 3:45-10:00 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library Wrote Notes to Poem: Sextillion Stars— Hindu & Egyptian Cow Goddesses Aditi & Hathor; Cow Symbolism from ancient cultures Hathor is the Milky Way, heaven's waterway— The Nile in the Sky.
Thursday, December 9, 2010, 3:19-3:24 pm KDFC 102.1 FM: René Jacobs conducts George Frideric Handel, Messiah: "Hallelujah" (1741), (Listen) (CD) (YouTube: 1, 2 3) Handel's vision: "I thought I saw the face of God" when writing "Hallelujah"s.	Thursday, December 9, 2010, 3:45-10:00 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library Wrote poem The Universe Is Made of Stories & Notes to Poem: Sextillion Stars Sun's journey around the Milky Way is bolder than The Odyssey.
Friday, December 10, 2010, 2:30-4:50 pm Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center Added stanza to The Universe Is Made of Stories on this universe is a computer simulation Is this universe a computer simulation by a cosmic programmer?	Friday, December 10, 2010, 5:30-6:30 pm Los Altos Library: Printed Coast-to-Coast.am schedule, Poem & Notes. Bought book for $4 Craig Conley, Magic Words: A Dictionary Abracadabra, alakazam, hocus pocus, presto shazam!
Friday, December 10, 2010, 5:30-6:30 pm Stanford Theatre: Robert Wise directs "Odds Against Tomorrow" (1959) starring Harry Belafonte, Robert Ryan, Ed Begley, Shelley Winters, Gloria Grahame, (YouTube: 1, 2), (Film Review: 1, 2) Robert Wise auteurship before West Side Story and Sound of Music.	Friday, December 10, 2010, 5:30-6:30 pm Stanford Theatre: Henry Hathaway directs "The House on 92nd Street" (1945) starring William Eythe, Lloyd Nolan, Signe Hasso, Gene Lockhart, Leo G. Carroll, Harry Bellaver, (YouTube: 1, 2) (Film Reviews: 1, 2) FBI propaganda film extolling its fight against the Nazis.
Saturday, December 11, 2010, 11:32-11:35 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Angèle Dubeau plays Franz Gruber, Silent Night (1818), (CD) (Listen), (YouTube: 1, 2 3), History, Lyrics Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright— Wake to the pure light!	Saturday, December 11, 2010, 1:20-5:00 pm Los Altos Hills, Foothill Krause Center Finished Notes to Poem: Sextillion Stars; Jack gives me ride to Los Altos Library Beautiful orange clouds fill the skies after sunset— Breathe in this sight!
Sunday, December 12, 2010, 1:45-2:45 pm Mountain View: Friend takes me shopping at Fiesta Market (391 S. San Antonio) and Safeway (2580 California Street) Cherry tomatoes, radishes, dairy creamer, frozen shrimps, Mount Olives pickles.	Sunday, December 12, 2010, 3:45-5:50 pm Los Altos Library: Susan says surprise hello & tells me Foothill's yellow flower is not a daisy; "Out of Our Brains" (NY Times, 12-12-2010) Is thinking done just in the brain or perhaps even in our gestures?
Sunday, December 12, 2010, 9:02-9:33 pm KDFC 102.1 FM: Herbert Blomstedt conducts Los Angeles Philharmonic in Franz Joseph Haydn, Symphony #101 in G major "The Clock" (1787) (Listen), CD, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3) The clock goes tic-toc as time flies swiftly by through the silent stillness.	Sunday, December 12, 2010, 9:35-11:30 pm KDFC 102.1 FM: Herbert Blomstedt conducts Beethoven, Symphony #7 in A major, Op. 92 (1812), YouTube; Reading Opinionator: Peimin Ni, "Kung Fu for Philosophers" (NY Times, 12-8-2010) Kung fu is not just fighting— it's cooking, dancing, the art of living well.
Monday, December 13, 2010, 11:28-11:31 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Helen Jane Long, "To Dust" (Embers, 2010) (Listen), CD, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3) A homage to dust from which we were born and to which we return.	Monday, December 13, 2010, 4:00-9:00 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library & Green Library: Format photos of Foothill sunset clouds & Mountain View ginkgo trees Heaven to Earth blessings for tenth anniversary of Dad's passing.
Monday, December 13, 2010, 5:15 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library Beautiful Live Oak Tree chopped down in front of Art Building (Photos: 1, 2, 3) You greeted art students coming to Cummings Building and now you're gone.	Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 10:21-10:27 am KDFC 102.1 FM: The 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic play Maurice Ravel, Pavane for a Dead Princess (1899), Listen, CD, (YouTube: 1, 2) Ravel's Pavane for a Dead Princess should be played for the dead oak tree.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 2:22 pm Palo Alto: El Camino & Galvez Street Fifteen pigeons aloft corner lamppost; Eight pigeons on nearby lamppost (Photos: 1, 2) Conference of the birds— Fifteen pigeons gather to plan for their next meal.	Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 1:30-5:00 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library "Arizona teacher wins $95.3 million lottery jackpot" (Sheila Verke of Phoenix), Reuters 12-14-2010 She played the same number for 6½ years: 5-10-11-12-20 with Powerball number 2.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 12:42 pm Palo Alto, California Ave & El Camino Waiting for C-Line Shuttle to Stanford "Tiger Cloud" & "Three Bears Clouds" "Three Bear Clouds" in sky— Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Baby Bear, running after each other.	Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 1:02 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library Oak Tree Demolished & Disposed; Arborist Chris Rippey tells me oak was 220 years old Little bird flew around demolished Live Oak— resting place is now gone!
Thursday, December 16, 2010, 8:34-8:42 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Gustavo Dudamel conducts Beethoven, Listen, CD, YouTube Symphony #5 in C minor, Op. 67 (1808) Beethoven's birthday— Born 240 years ago to wake us up!	Thursday, December 16, 2010, 11:16-11:23 am Stanford University, Cummings Art Library Friend gives me a ride to Stanford; Photos: Chow Chow; Palm Crown Chow Chow dog looks like a baby bear— Blue Jay by Palm Tree flew away.
Thursday, December 16, 2010, 1:12 pm Stanford University, Cummings Art Library Stanford arborist told me Oak was 220 years old; Photos: Live Oak Gone; Empty Spot by Library Old Live Oak was here when Washington was President and now it's gone!	Thursday, December 16, 2010, 11:25 am-9:00 pm Stanford University, Art Library (1:15-5:00 pm) Green Library (11:25 am-1:00 pm, 5:05-9:00 pm) Notes: The Universe Is Made Of Stories The universe has many stories, big and small, from stars to atoms.
Friday, December 17, 2010, 7:30-9:30 pm Stanford Theatre: Satyajit Ray directs "Charulata" (1964) with Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee, Sailen Mukherjee, (YouTube: 1, 2), Film Review Husband asks cousin to mentor his lonely wife but she falls in love with him.	Friday, December 17, 2010, 9:40-11:56 pm Stanford Theatre: Satyajit Ray directs "Mahanagar" (1963) with Anil Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee, Jaya Bachchan, YouTube, (Film Reviews: 1, 2) Husband is envious of his wife's success while he loses his bank job.
Saturday, December 18, 2010, 10:22-10:26 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Luciano Pavarotti sings Charles Gounod, "Ave Maria" (1859) based on Bach's "Prelude #1 in C" (1722) Listen, CD, YouTube Pavarotti sings Bach & Gounod Ave Maria that wakes me up.	Saturday, December 18, 2010, 2:00-5:40 pm Los Altos Library: Reading Gregg LeFebvre's sidewalk bronze plaques on Library Way, New York Public Library (41st-42nd Street) Virginia Woolf's "The Leaning Tower" If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.
Sunday, December 19, 2010, 11:02-11:06 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Hampton String Quartet plays Irving Berlin, "White Christmas" (1940) "Holiday Inn" Film (1942), Listen, CD, YouTube Heavy rain all night— Had it been colder, snow would have covered the ground.	Sunday, December 19, 2010, 12:05-12:09 pm KDFC 102.1 FM: James Galway plays Jay Ungar, Civil War: Ashokan Farewell (1990), Listen, CD, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4) This solemn music was the theme of Ken Burn's film on the Civil War.
Sunday, December 19, 2010, 3:00-5:00 pm Mountain View: Friend takes me shopping at Rite Aid, Walgreen (Palo Alto), Safeway, and 99 Ranch Market (Grant Road) Spices, almonds, mixed nuts, peas, corn, green beans, eggs, tofu, bean curd, buns, dumplings.	Sunday, December 19, 2010, 5:34-5:40 pm KDFC 102.1 FM: Evgeny Kissin plays Beethoven, "Rage Over a Lost Penny", Op. 129 (1795), (Listen), CD, YouTube: Evgeny Kissin Beethoven's fingers jumping on the keyboard— mind in agitation!
Monday, December 20, 2010, 11:56 am-12:02 pm KDFC 102.1 FM: Mikhail Pletnev plays Edvard Grieg, Op. 65, #6 Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (1897), (Listen), CD, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3) Spritely tunes for dancing elves as they help Santa making Christmas toys.	Monday, December 20, 2010, 2:00-5:00 pm Stanford University, Green Library Stanford Shuttle Buses not running till Jan. 2 Walked down Galvez Street to Green Library Short library hours for holiday season— not much time to do more work.
Monday, December 20, 2010, 5:50-7:20 pm Stanford Theatre: George B. Seitz directs "Andy Hardy Meets Debutante" (1940) with Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Lewis Stone, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3), Film Review Young Judy sings "Alone" & "All I Do Is Dream of You" and the audience applauds.	Monday, December 20, 2010, 7:30-9:00 pm Stanford Theatre: H. Bruce Humberstone directs "Sun Valley Serenade" (1941) with Sonja Henie, John Payne, Lynn Bari, Milton Berle, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Nicholas Brothers, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3), (Film Reviews: 1, 2) Nicholas Brothers dance "Chattanooga Choo Choo"— simply sensational!
Monday, December 20, 2010, 9:00 pm Stanford Theatre: "Andy Hardy" (1940), "Sun Valley Serenade" (1941). Audience applauded after Judy sang, Sonja skated, & Nicholas Brother danced Even after 70 years their performances lift our spirits high!	Monday, December 20, 2010, 9:45 pm Mountain View: Ortega Ave & Latham Street First total lunar eclipse at Winter Solstice in 372 years (Spaceweather.com) Halo around Moon soon to be eclipsed— now you're lovely & golden!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 9:36-9:48 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Ludovico Einaudi, Bella Notte (2003), (Listen), CD, YouTube Stars glow like fireflies when Moon is darkened on this beautiful night.	Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 2:30-5:00 pm Stanford University, Green Library Winter Solstice at 3:38 pm PST Wrote six haikus for Monday 12/21 Christ, Bringer of Light— not just physical sunlight but Enlightened Mind!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 10:30-10:36 am KDFC 102.1 FM: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Magic Flute: Overture, K 620, (1791) (Listen), CD, YouTube, Notes, Freemason: Book, Brother Mozart, Magic Flute Freemason Mozart wrote Magic Flute opera for his secret brotherhood.	Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 12:30-5:00 pm Stanford University, Green Library Library closing four days 12/23-12/26; Need to use time wisely to finish Clouds 2010, Hikes 2010, Preface 2010, Kay Ryan Workshops Preface for Poems 2010— Thanks to Kay Ryan for inspiring many poems.