fourth of july in boston

4th of july fireworks

ingrid and i went to see the 4th of july fireworks this weekend. boston is a city known for this celebration so we had high expectations. the fireworks and the music from the boston pops orchestra lived up to the hype, but i found it odd that the orchestra didn’t play throughout the fireworks show; instead, the producers played recorded tunes of lesser-known country tracks. i couldn’t quite understand why these songs were played, but the explosions in the sky made up for those bizarre choices.

in addition to the fireworks, orchestra, and weird country songs, the event was hosted by “tv’s craig ferguson” and there was a live performance by neil diamond for a CBS live broadcast. unfortunately, neither ferguson nor diamond were given much time to shine. it felt like their performances were carefully measured and reserved for the TV-viewing audience instead of the nearly 500,000 people in the crowd lined up along both sides of the charles river in boston and cambridge.

lockhart and ferguson jig: photo by bill brett, boston globe

still, in spite of the limitations on the performances for tv, ferguson was a good host. he kept the evening rolling. diamond was also in good form for two songs (sweet caroline and america), but i didn’t think we got a full dose of either artist.  to their credit, both performers tried to entertain the huge crowd. ferguson did a short jig with boston pop’s director keith lockhart during a commercial break, and diamond played another verse from sweet caroline but had to cut it short before the tv cameras went back on. speaking of “sweet caroline,” this song plays during every red sox home game and, apparently, was written with carolyn kennedy in mind. this might explain why this is such a hit in boston, but i still don’t understand how this is such a hit at every wedding in the country.

neil diamond and woman with crazy flag hat: photo by bill brett, boston globe

regardless of the limitations on the artists for the television production, the night was a rousing success and a fantastic reminder of what makes this country great. as we walked down the charles river looking for a perfect viewing station, we were surrounded by people of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities. once we settled on a spot, we were behind two elderly, white locals, who seemed to know when the fireworks were coming. they knew exactly when to stand up, and when to ready their lawn chairs so they could leave. in front of them were a younger, rowdier bunch of white, latino and african american kids. this crew, adorned in their red sox gear and tats, would break into chants of “USA, USA, USA”  one minute, and “YANKEES SUCK!” the next. Just to the right of us was a woman with a thick Spanish accent who kept yelling, “VIVA USA, VIVA USA.” just to the right of her was a college student tying (very hard) to pick her up.

probably, our tiny corner on the banks of the charles was a microcosm of what went on throughout the city. we all sang along with neil through both versions of sweet caroline, we all oh-ed and aw-ed at the fireworks, and we all enjoyed celebrating another year of this country. it didn’t feel overly jingoistic or political, just communal and fun.

three years

ingrid and eddie :: july 1, 2006

Just three years ago today Ingrid and I said our “I do”s in front of our friends and family. That day, we promised to have and to hold, to love and cherish, in sickness and health, for better or worse, etc. etc. Now, on the day of our leather anniversary, we are as committed to those vows as we were on that rainy Texas afternoon. It was a beautiful day, and Eric’s picture of us captures our feelings perfectly.

graduation 2009

It’s hard to believe that graduation was just a week ago today. It’s harder still to believe that the program is over. The year flew by quickly thanks to great teachers, interesting classes and, more than anything else, a star-studded group of classmates. I’m thankful to have been a part of such a talented lot and I hope to keep in touch with many of these good people for years to come. I’m glad the future of higher education is left to these able hands, agile minds and compassionate hearts.

In addition to celebrating with friends, I was fortunate to have 6 family members in town for the festivities.

eddie, nick and eric

My two brothers flew in from Austin and traded in their comfortable beds for our hard floor to see their older brother graduate. This, I think, is significant, since they both love their sleep. It also isn’t insignificant to say that they are still the two “things” I miss most about Austin. Smart, easy-going, and funny, Eric and Nick always make me happy when they’re around. I thank them both for being great brothers and good friends in spite of whatever childhood torture they may have endured by me.

eddie and maggie

My 80+ year old Great Aunt Maggie made her first trip to Boston to see her nephew graduate. She and her late husband, Uncle Bob, were always there for my brothers and me. Aunt Maggie remains the most positive, cheerful, and vital person I know. At 83, Aunt Maggie gave most of us youngsters a run for our money by easily traversing the uneven streets of Cambridge in heels! I’m glad that she isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, and, I’m delighted to have her in my life.

carlos and eddie

My cousin Carlos and his two sisters have always been some of our closest (and coolest) cousins. That Carlos took time out from his busy schedule designing space treadmills in Houston is a big deal. As kids, we would read our grandpa Carlos’s National Geographics. He’d look at photos from space and I’d look at images of people in far away places. In some ways, we’re still doing a version of that. As Carlos looked up to space, I looked up to him. And, I still look up to him now.

eddie sr, eddie jr and sylvia

Mom and Dad have always provided Eric, Nick and me with their complete love and support. Dad has always instilled his unparalleled sense of justice and healthy skepticism in authority, while mom has always been the paragon of compassion and commitment to caring for others. If my brothers and I have taken just a tiny bit of these virtues from our parents, we’ll be in good shape. Beyond this, mom and dad are funny–they’ve taught us to laugh, and it was good to laugh with them all again this past week. I’m lucky to have them as parents, and I was happy to have them here last week.

ingrid and eddie

And finally, my wife Ingrid played hostess to this motley crew of Texans. She was gracious and composed, thoughtful and cheerful as always. She made the week go by without a hitch. Even in the face of  5 boys (and I include myself in this lot) living in her apartment, she kept her sincere smile. All of our guests, male and female, made a point of reminding me to thank my wife for her hospitality. And so, Thank you Ingrid for you hospitality, love and everything else.

loving memories in black and white

black and white

The last post was about color. It was brief and impressionistic. I had more to say, especially about some of the great artists I mentioned, but I got distracted with thoughts about the past.

Over the past two days, I’ve been looking at more old photographs and thinking about time spent at home (wherever that might be) and in far away places with strangers, friends and mostly family. When done well, the best of these photographs have captured special moments in time. The images are loaded with meaning for me. Today, these images continue to stimulate a torrent of memories from my past. They are single moment’s captured that, as Henri Cartier-Bresson said so elegantly, satisfy the heart, mind and eye.

To take photographs means to recognize — simultaneously and within a fraction of a second — both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one’s head, one’s eye and one’s heart on the same axis. – Henri Cartier-Bresson

The last post was about color. It was brief and impressionistic. I had more to say, especially about some of the great artists I mentioned, but I got distracted with thoughts about the past.

Over the past two days, I’ve been looking at old photographs and thinking about time spent at home and in far away places with strangers, friends and family. When done well, the best of these pictures capture unique moments in time–a shot of my lovely wife on my 30th birthday on a warm Austin afternoon, a summer vacation with my pensive brothers in Vienna, an aimless afternoon in Boston, and a forgotten alley in New Mexico. All of these are loaded with meaning or simple beauty.

Today, these images continue to stimulate a torrent of memories from my past. I’m glad these instants are captured forever in photos. And, as Henri Cartier-Bresson said so elegantly, photographs should satisfy the heart, the mind and the eye. I look forward to more satisfying shots, more memories, and more inspiration from moments and masters like Cartier-Bresson.

Speaking of inspiration, it’s time to lie back and reflect on a few of the many brilliant photos from the master himself.

Henri Cartier-Bresson. Hyde Park in the grey drizzle. 1937.

winter break is over

Our winter break in Texas is over. Ingrid and I both got to spend some quality time with our friends and (most especially) family. It was good to be back where the food is spicy, and the food and people are warm.

dia de los muertos

grandpa carlos

uncle bob

grandpa carmen and grandma fina

 

Since today is Dia De Los Muertos, here is an electronic altar for a few of the beloved muertos in my life. 

Grandpa Carlos, my mom’s dad, was always the picture of civility, intelligence, and equity. Always dapper and humane, Grandpa Carlos made all of his grandkids feel loved and unique.

Uncle Bob was the absolute portrait of generosity and goodwill. His sense of giving was only matched by his sense of humor and his zest for living.

Grandpa Carmen, my dad’s dad, was the patriarch of the family whose gruff exterior masked his benevolent and loving inner spirit. And while Grandpa’s work ethic and toughness seemed to be without parallel, his wife, Grandma Fina, was the probably the hardest working and toughest person in the family. But, while she served the role of the lioness in protecting her family to the outside world, Grandma Fina was every bit the delicate and doting Grandmother in her house on Wheeling Street.

The world, and certainly my world, was a better place because of each of these people. I miss them dearly, and remember them fondly.