Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Revisiting and Updating --- Day 14/47

Walk: Hood

Distance: 3.5 miles

Bust of Akhenaten (Egypt, 1352-1335 BC), sandstone

When Ciwt thinks of early Egyptian art, she thinks of stiff, sideways footed characters with no personality.  Then today she took the time to look at this sandstone fragment of Pharaoh Aktenaten carved over 3,000 years ago.  And, goodbye, old Ciwt's thoughts.

To her, this Aktenaten is as mesmerizing as any contemporary portrait.  The elongated face and beard, lively contemplative eyes, full lips, crossed arms.  This loftily removed man is a thinker, questioner, decision maker whose enigmatic presence is still felt 3000 years later.


Monday, February 10, 2025

Shades of White --- Days 14/43- 46

Walks: 1.Berkeley Art Museum in 'atmospheric river,' 2. Presidio 3. Not much, Sunday chores and the not to miss even though she told herself she would Super Bowl  4. Monday errands in the hood 

Distances: 1. 2.5 miles ,2. 6  miles, 3. 1/2 miles  4. 4.5 miles


When Ciwt bought her new home, it was painted throughout in the 'sell your place' white scheme that has been au courant for several years out here. Very pretty actually, but to Ciwt it felt cold.  Particularly the long, long hallway.  


So, the other day she took her chances on fiddling with another (maybe 'not sell your home at all') white, and thinks her hallway now feels warmer and more pleasant.  (Although realtors and stagers - and maybe her readers -would probably be aghast).  

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Here's Looking at You, Kid --- Days 14/40-42

Walks: SF MOMA (x2) Crown Point Press, John Berggruen Gallery (all x 2), No rain and win, Hood Errands and Presidio

Distances: 4 miles (x2), n/a, 5 miles


No Access, Ian Wood photographer

So, this photo does nothing for Ciwt.  But what does she know?  76,000 people voted for London's Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year and this badger reflecting on its 'portrait' was the firm winner of the People's Choice Award.



Monday, February 3, 2025

Goodbye, Hello --- Days 14/38 & 39

Walk: No, Sunday home chores; SFMOMA Tour

Distance: n/a; 3.5 miles



Ciwt is saying goodbye to her last gift Amaryllis bloom.  But, lucky her, there is a whole new second bloom on the way.  Over two months of gorgeous company and counting.....  






Saturday, February 1, 2025

High, High, High Please --- Day 14/37

Walk: AMC Kabuki (Santosh)

Distance: 2 miles

So where are the cute, just slightly tense, always enjoyable movies with light, happy endings?  Like the one above - with a cast filled with more stars than on the poster, like the great Louis Armstrong?

Ciwt walked through the wind and rain today to see the Indian movie, Santosh.  And the blustery walk was the uplifting part.  Like other movies she has seen recently Santosh is intelligent, well acted, and checking most of the good movie making boxes.  But, also like recent ones, it is focused on the most wretched situations here in the U.S. and/or internationally.  

She realizes she's missing the moment, but Ciwt is ready for some High, High, High So-ci-ety..🎵𝅘𝅥𝅲

Friday, January 31, 2025

History Calls --- Days 14/35 & 36

Walks:  Hood ; No rain and travel planning

Distance: 3.5 miles; n/a

So if Ciwt disappears from CIWT from time to time in the next few months, chances are she's reclined on her window seat catching up on London history or sitting at her computer trying to figure what is where over there and how to get to it.  Because...she's booked a May trip to that historic city.  

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Now We Are One Again --- Days 14/33 & 34

Walk: SFMOMA and galleries preparing for tour; SF Recorder's Office

Distance: 7.3 miles; 5.3 miles



So, as of yesterday, Ciwt and her cats are thrilled to be the owners of only one San Francisco property.  She's thrilled (read: relieved) economically.  (Memo to self: Don't try to sell when interest rates are on a major uptick, especially if it is election season).  And her cats are thrilled because they have lots more space to run around in and lots more windows to look at lots more birds.  (They also have a garden, but Ciwt isn't telling them about that).

Best of all, the one place they have is really, really nice.  Now it can become Home.



Monday, January 27, 2025

Small View, Enormous Circumstances --- Day 14/32

Walk: AMC Kabuki

Distance: 3.5 miles



Yesterday was such a disappointing day for Ciwt's football team favorites, today she headed off to a movie to move on.  And, happily, she was not at all disappointed with the quality of I'm Still Here, the Brazilian film nominated for two Oscars.  

The lead actress, Fernanda Torres, is in virtually every scene of the 2 hr, 16 minute movie and is suberb in every moment.  She - and Eunice Paiva, the real life woman she played - are the soul of dignity, grace and courage as they endure the most devastating of circumstances.  First her husband's essential kidnap by the police, then her own, then raising five children alone and working tirelessly for decades to seek justice for herself and her family.  Torres won the Best Actress at Cannes and the Golden Globes and is now nominated for an Academy Award which she richly deserves if she gets it.  

In the hands of a different director such a story could be a melodramatic weepie or political diatribe.  Instead Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries, and Central Station) presents his audience with something much more human, heartfelt and moving. His movie is shot in the true, vivid colors of beautiful Rio de Janeiro, in the very respectable homes and offices of  its samll group of upper middle class individuals.  Every character is nicely and truly developed, naturally attractive, well presented, and living life as best they could in the face of despair -  just as they really were.  (The script is developed from a book by Paiva's own son). The result is an unembellished, deeply moving, true life view of the human spirit at work presented by the most indelible of actresses.