Cover Your Bases 22

1/24/2021 Just like that and...Birthday Hiking Edition

January 20th was kind of magical, wasn’t it? Joe Biden used the word Democracy 5,000 times, Amanda Gorman read such a powerful poem, Lady Gaga and J.Lo sang and Madame VP Kamala Harris was sworn in. And then later, there was a White House Press Briefing that wasn’t staged in the Twilight Zone.  I also got through to Kaiser this week, about getting the vaccine, I reached a human being, but they said that are only making appointments for health care workers and people over 75 now. I asked about last week, and they said the rules had changed. So here I am,  back to waiting and hoping.  

Yesterday was my birthday, and I spend it walking in Briones, a regional park I love, with my person and two dear friends. There were calls, and zooms and texts with friends and family, and some wonderful well-chosen presents. Going out and walking hills--5+ miles at a good pace--made me so happy. Something about the exertion of climbing up these wide fire roads to this pastoral, forested farmland, high enough to see both Mt. Tam and Mt. Diablo at the same time, has become essential to my spirit.  Filled with interlacing trails, cows, and great views, the park is 7,0000 acres large and lacks the crowd that flock to Pt Reyes, or Mt, Tam, or Tenessee Valley, spots in Marin we love--but that are slammed with crowds during the pandemic.  We’ve hiked about a third of the trails in Briones now and hope to hike all of them at least once before it gets too hot in April. 

Here are two images that might help show why I love it so much—the hills, and the forests:

Quick takes: Looking at art: Instagram and my Feedly stream are where I look at art, which I do all the time. Some of the artists on the Insta that give me intense pleasure right now include Roberto Lugo, shutterbugs87, Elias Not Afraid, and Edel Rodriguez.  Also, Bisa Butler, whose art is original and of this moment and so compelling.

The Anthony Meier Gallery is having a show of quilts by Rosa Lee Tompkins, an artist from Richmond, CA, who died in 2006 and made incredible art (see piece above). There was also a show at BAMPFA in 2020, and I’m devouring all the virtual images right now. If this is an artist you are not familiar with, go take a look. 

Watching: Escapist TV: I’m still finishing up Better Call Saul, but getting a little tired of the sense of looming dread I feel watching Season 3, maybe because now that Trump isn’t President, it’s less a fit with my mood.  

Looking for a fun historical drama to take up the slack from Bridgerton, I checked out Vanity Fair, but have settled into the very dark Taboo, set in 1814, and on Hulu, with a very hunky Tom Hardy (who wrote the story with his dad),  as the underdog hero who returns from many years in Africa to claim his London legacy and runs afoul of the powerful East India Trading Company. The press skewered this show, but I’m digging it. 

I’m also really enjoying Flack, with Anna Pacquin, whose foul-mouthed, tough but tender persona reminds me of Holly Hunter in Saving Grace, a show I loved. Flack is fast, dark, and funny, with a damaged heroine whom I know is going to offer lots of drama before the first season ends. 

Finally, last night we watched Kajillionaire, a 2020 film by Miranda July, whose work is so interesting. This uneven movie about love and family has a brilliant cast--Richard Jenkins, Debra Winger, Evan Lee Wood, Gina Rodriguez--and it’s worth the time. The film feels a little forced at moments, but it’s so original and the storytelling is good. 

Parting bits: COVID-19, dreams of the future, connection

Powerful essay: My friend Debbie Galant’s dad got COVID-19, and her loving essay is a great narrative of the pain and worry and care so many of us are experiencing right now. 

A chance to dream: What do you want to do after more people are vaccinated and the world opens up a bit? This article from the NY Times on people’s fantasies resonated with me.

Image by Dinar Aulia from Pixabay

Meaning: The Torah of Feeding: A magnificent essay about Challah, food, connections by Tonda Case, The Lillith Blog, Lillith Magazine.

“In times of great sadness and of great celebration, we come together in the heart of our family home–the kitchen–and cook our way out of sorrow and elevate our joy to greater heights.”

That’s it for this week. But—what are you watching, reading, cooking, doing right now? Love to hear.

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#23 will happen next Sunday, thanks for reading!

Warmly, Susan