OK, so it's February already

Hi everyone,

I have now been in Brooklyn, in my new home, for a little over a month. In that month, we've inaugurated a new president and the country has lost several million more jobs. On both counts, I feel very lucky. I get to say "President Obama" instead of "President Bush," and I have job - a good job - when lots of people have lost theirs. In fact, my company just cut more than 20 positions - the first time they've ever done that.

So I'm trying to put work in perspective, which hasn't been easy because of the way it has consumed my time since I've been here. And now, as a result of the layoffs, I'll be taking on some of the duties of one of the people who left.

But enough about work. I've also been trying to get out and about as much as possible, with the couple of going to at least one museum or gallery every week, as well as to some sort of cultural event or new neighborhood. Because my office is in Dumbo, it's pretty easy to reach the gallery goal - there are many nearby. On Thursday night, I left work, turned the corner and walked a half block to meet up with Sophie at a gallery opening. She and her friend Lizzie (also a Seattle ex-pat) have an assignment to write and photograph a guy who was showing his photographs of eagle handlers in Mongolia. So we went to the opening of his show, and then to a bunch of other gallery openings in the same building.

The photos of the Mongolians were magnificent large-format black and whites of these beautiful people who looked like Native Americans, Chinese and Slavs all at the same time. Really gorgeous. Down the hall was a set of about 40 Vietnam war photos by Eddie Adams - I'm sure a lot of you recall his pics. The most famous was the one of the South Viet soldier shooting a prisoner in the street in Saigon. The Adams photos were journalistic and grainy and just as gorgeous in their way as those of the Mongolians.

But my favorite show of the evening was altogether different. A British photographer, Helen Sear, does these amazing photo collages of the backs of women's heads that appear to be shot through reflective glass and a scrim of netting that looks like old-fashioned hat veiling. Check them out online - not the same as seeing them in person. I also spent next month's rent on one.

Speaking of renter, I finally found a renter, a post-doctoral student in biology at the UW who just moved up from the Bay Area. I had a sudden flood of eager, qualified potential renters, so I guess the thaw finally broke. Such a relief.

Movies: just saw Frost/Nixon - Frank Langella is indeed amazing as Nixon, as was the actor who played Frost, Michael Sheen. But I must confess that I find Sheen's physical appearance distracting in the same way I did when he played Tony Blair in Queen. Something about his weird, upturned nose - plus, he's not nearly the hunk he needs to be to play either of those sexy, smart men.

Also saw Rachel's wedding - interesting style, interesting acting, but too much of Anne Hathaway chewing the scenery for my taste. Everyone else is subtle and a little odd in a good way.

Sorry - too late in the evening for very insightful movie reviewing.

Let me know what you're up to. Promise to keep this updated more often.

Rose