Thursday, January 1, 2009

Welcome to 2009

I had a nice New Year's Eve. My roommate and I partook in First Night. It is a tradition that began here in Boston 32 years ago and has spread to communities across the United States as well as in Canada and New Zealand.

There are artistic events scattered throughout the city. We saw the Boston Saxophonic Quartet at City Place followed by a young classical guitarist named Steve Lin at the First Church of Boston (he was sufficiently impressive to warrant buying one of his CDs) Finally, we went to the Orpheum Theater to see the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company perform a series of Shakespearean sonnets set to music as well as Shakespeare's greatest romantic scenes. It is as much fun to walk to and from events as the events themselves despite a heavy snowfall accompanied by a fierce wind.

We got back in time to see Dick Clark and the ball drop. Stroke or not it is reassuring to see him to start the year.

Later today we are going to the Brattle Theater in Cambridge to see a Marx Brothers movie marathon. Believe it or not my roomie has never seen a Marx Brothers movie. The poor boy.

There is much that is not right with our country and the world in which we live. This state of affairs will always exist. So why not enjoy the harmony, laughter, melody and merriment that is in abundance at the beginning of each year? There will be plenty to kvetch about in this year and the next. Today, I am content to inhale and to exhale.

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