One Devonshire Place

One Devonshire Place is a building in Boston, Massachusetts. It was built in 1983 and is the 28th-tallest building in Boston.

I must say I'm surprised at how many buildings Wikibloogia has brought me to. This is the fifth building in Wikibloogia history, moving it among the leaders in all-time Wikibloogia topics, tied with such pillars of society as religion and football.

I don't blame people for finding buildings important. After all, we spend most of our time in buildings. Then again, we also spend most of our time in clothes, but I don't see clothes among the leading topics of Wikibloogia. Now that I think about it, buildings are sort of like clothes. People get inside them. They keep people warm in the wintertime. They are often stylish, yet always functional. You have to wash them sometimes.

Pockets are like storage closets. Shirtsleeves are like hallways. Zipper flies are like garage doors. Hats are like roofs. Shoes are like basements. Pant legs are like elevator shafts. Button holes are like windows. Buttons are like window panes. Collars are like observation decks. And ties are like fire escapes.


I rest my case.
Photo: I like via Flickr (CC)

Still Life (Annie Haslam album)

Still Life (Annie Haslam album) was a solo album from Annie Haslam, who had previously been the vocalist in the 1970s English prog rock band Renaissance. Still Life was released in 1985. According to Wikipedia, the album sold well. I'm glad for it.

Here's a video of the title track. It's good for relaxing and being contemplative and wondering what life might be like if you lived near a majestic mountain or by a reflective body of water or in a canoe. Still. That's what life would be like. It would be a still life. Now I get it. I just had to think it through.

But there are many other ways to live the still life. Sitting alongside a bowl of fruit. Or sleeping. Sleeping is still life. Or sitting in a chair without moving. Still life. Waiting at a traffic light too. Or staring at clouds. Or at a person with a deformity. Or at someone you love. These are all ways to live the still life.

And in the end, we die. And death is the ultimate still life.

Or is it?


Chicken wings still life.
Photo: thatcanadiangirl via Flickr (CC)

Patrick William Forbes

Patrick William Forbes was a British military man in colonial Africa in the late 19th century. Forbes's most notable quality was his indecisiveness, which led to the deaths of many British men at the hands of Ndebele warriors in something called the Shangani Patrol. The Shangani Patrol was the British version of Custer's Last Stand.

In the context of the Shangani Patrol, Wikipedia treats Forbes's indecisiveness as a tragic personality trait. Interestingly, I bet it would have been lauded as a totally awesome personality trait if Wikipedia were written by 19th-century Ndebele warriors.

Sometimes I'm pretty indecisive myself, but my indecision has never led to the deaths of many British men. It's usually more about things like what I should order at a Chinese restaurant. It affects fewer people than Forbes's indecision (me, the Chinese cook), and it usually ends up with some combination of chicken and rice.


Hamlet was indecisive. He also had staring contests with skulls.
Photo: placbo via Flickr (CC)

Don't Waste Your Time

Don't Waste Your Time is a Kelly Clarkson song. As you read on, you can listen to it.

I think this Wikipedia article was written by an Australian. There are a number of references to Australian CD releases and airplay on Australian radio. But more importantly, this Wikipedia article taught me a word I didn't know before: eventuate. ("A CD single did not eventuate.")

Great word. I had to look it up to make sure it was really a word, and it is. Even if it had not been a real word, I would have respected the writer for using it. The purpose of language, after all, is to communicate ideas. And there's no better way to do that than by using words that aren't real but sound like they might be.

As for "Don't Waste Your Time", I think that's great advice from Kelly Clarkson. Then again, I am wasting my time by writing this. And you're wasting your time reading it. And Kelly Clarkson is wasting her time singing songs. Everybody's wasting their time doing whatever they're doing. Maybe we should waste our time after all. I'm gonna go get a burrito.


Kelly Clarkson tries to get her mouth unstuck from a microphone.
Photo: kwalk628 via Flickr (CC)

Symphony No. 1 (Enescu)

Symphony No. 1 (Enescu) is a symphony that was composed in 1905 by a Romanian named George Enescu. But Wikipedia never comes right out and clearly states that. Wikipedia sort of jumps right into the middle of a thought, as if we had already been talking about it. Sometimes I feel like Wikipedia has me confused with someone else.

Anyway, take a listen.

Soothing, yes? I like classical music, but I don't listen to it as much as I should. Of course, there are a lot of things I like that I don't listen to as much as I should. Like the sound of ocean waves. Or the call of the loon. Or John Tesh's live performance of the 1990s opening theme song from the NBA on NBC.


After getting stuck in the future, George went a little crazy.
Photo: Carlos Lorenzo via Flickr (CC)

T. G. Richards and Company Store

T. G. Richards and Company Store is the "first and oldest brick building" in Washington State. First and oldest are the same thing. It was built in 1858.

What can you say about bricks? They're great. If I were to build a building, I think I'd build with bricks. Strong, sturdy, aesthetically pleasing. When I think of bricks, I think of the three little pigs, which brings a smile to my face. But then I think of "Brick" by Ben Folds Five, which makes me want to cry. But then I think of Wrigley Field, which makes me feel neutral. Finally I think of "Brick House" by the Commodores, which makes me think of Lionel Richie.


Bricks.
Photo: Joriel "Joz" Jimenez via Flickr (CC)

Natalie von Bertouch

Natalie von Bertouch is an Australian netball player. I don't think I knew what netball was until now. For some reason when I read the word "netball" it made me laugh.

Netball, as it turns out, is like basketball. It was invented in 1895, when a lady named Clara wanted to figure out a way that girls could play the recently-invented game of basketball while still wearing their restrictive clothing. She came up with netball. There's no dribbling in netball. You have to pass it to get the ball down the court. And then you try to get the ball in the net. That's why it's called netball.

Natalie von Bertouch plays the centre position for the Adelaide Thunderbirds and the Australian national team. Many fans consider her the best netball centre in the world. I haven't seen her play, so I will hold off judgment, but she does seem friendly.

Natalie has just had a wonderful weekend away in Victor Harbour.


At the crucial moment, she realizes she's wearing her teammate's sock.
Photo: photoeditorvision via Flickr (CC)