They’re The Anteaters. Really.

I am the food gatherer tonight. Stef is with us. We called an order to the Lazy Dog. Sandwiches and other delights. Roxie rode shotgun and waited in the car while I picked up the grub.
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I wore a Yale sweatshirt. It kept me warm and made me look a lot smarter than I am.

On the way back I tuned around on the radio. There was a lo-fi sports broadcast at the end of the dial. UC Irvine was playing Pepperdine.

Yale has a bulldog. UCONN, a huskie husky. UC Irvine is the anteaters&#185!

I love that name!

A popular chant among UCI students during athletic events is “Zot, Zot, Zot!” Zot is the sound made by the tongue of the anteater in the comic strip B.C. as it flicks out to catch an ant. – Wikipedia

California has other unusual team nicknames. UC Santa Barbara’s team are the Gauchos. UC Santa Cruz, banana slugs.

I need something anteater to wear.

&#185 – Are the anteaters? I don’t know. And should the “A” be uppercase? Are they actually, The Anteaters? Quick, someone get me an English teacher.

Back To New Haven

IMG_6592When I worked on Elm Street I was in New Haven every day. Now my trips have a purpose. Today it was lunch with my friend Josh, formerly a publisher, now a do-gooder for the United Way.

We found a parking spot right in front of Prime-16 where we had lunch (Lamb burger with feta cheese–yum!).

Has New Haven heard I’m leaving? Is it trying to win me back? Parking was much too easy!

IMG_6587If all you know about New Haven is what you’ve heard on TV news, you have a terribly misleading impression. New Haven is loaded with restaurants and culture. It is a classic American city in every sense of the word. The center of New Haven is made for people on foot.

We took a quick walk across the Green. Flags at half staff. Too much of that. My thoughts turned toward Boston.

IMG_6603The trees are still bare, but there are plenty of buds. New Haven will soon be under its summer canopy. Right now there are enough open spots to include Yale in my photos.

There’s a Shake Shack in New Haven now. I need to try that before we leave.

IMG_6611As we walked down Chapel Street, Josh pointed down the alley that leads to Zinc Kitchen. What you see in the photo on the left (click o n the photo for a larger view) is what we saw, but only when you stand in the right spot. Pretty cool!

We’re moving where cities are planned. New Haven grew up more-or-less organically. I like that.

I will miss New Haven. Good memories.

Nice To Be Back In New Haven

I don’t have as much reason to be in New Haven on a regular basis anymore. I miss its vibe. I was reminded of that today.

I had lunch with a friend today in New Haven. His treat. We went to Mory’s. I’m not sure I can totally explain the place except without him and his membership I’m on the street.

It was nice to be back in New Haven! The differences between it and Hartford are immediately visible.

Hartford is full of tall buildings. New Haven much less so.

New Haven is full of interesting places to eat and shop. Hartford much less so.

Having Yale downtown adds foot traffic you don’t get when everyone comes to the city just to take an elevator to work!

Both cities have problems with crime, though I’ve never been nervous walking through either.

Each city has its strengths and weaknesses, but it’s interesting that two cities so close together in the same state are so different.

I don’t have as much reason to be in New Haven on a regular basis anymore. I miss its vibe. I was reminded of that today.

The Invisible Parking Pass

You know where this is going, right?

I was a judge today at the New Haven Board of Education’s annual Science Fair. It was held at Yale Commons adjacent to Woolsey Hall on campus. That means parking was a mess! No problem, I was sent a parking pass to put in my window.

Please park anywhere in the vicinity of Yale Commons (next to Woolsey Hall) where legal parking is available. This parking pass allows you to park without paying the meter on May 11th in an open, legal parking spot. Your parking permit should be clearly visible through the front windshield on the side closest to the curb.

You know where this is going, right?

The $20 ticket was literally on the windshield directly over the parking pass! You can’t make this stuff up.

It will be fixed handled I am told.

Lux Et Trivia

A tighter squeeze is conducive to comedy. If you’re trying to be funny you’ll be funnier in close quarters!

Our phone is not unlisted. Still you won’t find us in the phone book or by calling directory assistance. The Fox phone is listed under a made up name!

Years ago a friend told me he was listed under a pun laden assumed name. Our listing is an homage to his.

I mention this to establish finding my home number isn’t easy.

26 years in Connecticut and I can’t remember anyone searching for it and calling… until a few weeks ago. That’s when I met Clair Kozlowski.

Clair was looking for an emcee for the “Lux et Trivia Challenge,” an event being held by the Rivendell Institute.

My role explained in two words: Alex Trebek.

I seem an unlikely choice for an organization dedicated to Christianity and scholarship, but they wanted me and I was glad to help. Anyway, I enjoy being a “quizmaster.”

Last night I headed downtown pulling into the Crown Street garage. Crown Street is the center of New Haven’s nightlife, probably the reason you have to prepay for parking! It’s easier to collect $8 before it’s been imbibed away.

The night started as everyone received a name tag. Nothing unusual there except it wasn’t your name! The tags represented famous and infamous Yale alums. No shortage there. I chose Meryl Streep.

The event itself was held in an older more sedate facility above the Crown Street nightlife. I’d guess around 150 people were crammed into a space more appropriate for 100. Maybe the fire marshal wouldn’t approve, but for my purposes it was perfect!

A tighter squeeze is conducive to comedy. If you’re trying to be funny you’ll be funnier in close quarters! It was like getting a full serving of “Emcee Helper.”

The night went well with an eclectic list of trivia questions some easy and others frustratingly difficult. Over three rounds the teams were whittled down until a group of four from Branford was the last standing.

Everyone seemed happy after a successful event. I headed home as Crown Street was starting to come-to-life.

Reflections From An Old Guy At York And Elm Streets

Does anyone really want to get older once you’re in your twenties? That seems to be the optimum age. You’ve got your health. Nothing’s sagging. Happiness comes cheaper.

Doctor today. Annual physical. Pass! I already made the appointment for next year.

I said something to my doc about getting older. I want to be young. He called me Peter Pan.

Does anyone really want to get older once you’re in your twenties? That seems the optimum age. You’ve got your health. Nothing’s sagging. Happiness comes cheaper.

On my way from his office to the station I drove through the Yale campus. At York and Elm I could feel the vibe. Even cocooned in my car the power of youth penetrates. It’s that strong.

There they were — young, smart, motivated… thin. They were moving quickly–with purpose. Damn them. I wish I could be them.

Back in my college days I was smart enough… just not smart enough to give the impression of smart enough. The curse of the youthful underachiever.

The Yalies seemed carefree. How do you pull that off? I’ve forgotten how to be carefree.

If that’s Peter Pan so be it.

Benoit Mandelbrot Was A Rock Star Of Math

I was gossiping about him as if he was a rock star. In many ways he was. He was able to see through the fog of nature’s hidden secrets with clarity.

Benoit Mandelbrot died a few days ago. He was a superstar… maybe the superstar of 20th Century math. He was the man behind fractals, the mathematical concept that made it easier to describe complex forms and then model them.

Simply put as you look closer and closer at a complex object what you see is very likely to resemble what you saw at a distance. The frost on the right is a pretty good example.

You have benefited from Mandelbrot’s work. Science always builds on earlier breakthroughs.

Clouds are not spheres, mountains are not cones, coastlines are not circles, and bark is not smooth, nor does lightning travel in a straight line. – from Mandelbrot’s The Fractal Geometry of Nature

Around 20 years ago I met one of his PhD students at Yale. I wanted to know what the master was like. I was disappointed to find he spent most of his time away from Yale. I never got to meet him.

Still, I was gossiping about him as if he was a rock star. In many ways he was. He was able to see through the fog of nature’s hidden secrets with clarity.

Our society makes a bigger deal of Lebron James and Brett Favre than Benoit Mandelbrot and his intellectual brethren. Society is wrong.

The Shout Out

As I stepped out two Yale policemen were talking to a ‘man of the street.’ It looked like official business. No smiles.

It’s primary election day in Connecticut. I voted. Lots of TV ads. Little voter interest. You could have shot a cannon through my polling place.

Tonight the TV station is geared up for coverage. Newsies are busily scurrying around. I volunteered to get coffee.

I hopped in my car and headed to a local coffee place. As I stepped out two Yale policemen were talking to a ‘man of the street.’ It looked like official business. No smiles.

I wouldn’t write about this at all except as I turned and scoped the situation the man stopped in mid-interrogation looked at me and yelled, “Hi Geoff.”

This is not how I want to be recognized.

The Weird Stuff At Yale

There are lots of architectural ‘touches’ on campus. Some are beautifully ornate and reflect the stature of Yale and those who made up its student body back in the day. Others are just plain weird

I just took another look at my Yale shots from yesterday. As I walked the campus I snapped shots of anything everything that looked interesting.

There are lots of architectural ‘touches’ on campus. Some are beautifully ornate and reflect the stature of Yale and those who made up its student body back in the day. Others are just plain weird.

Judge for yourself.

New Haven Photowalk 2010

This was my third walk. The first was great. The second not so much. Saturday fell in between. I enjoyed the day though there were few good shots.

Saturday was the third annual Worldwide Photowalk. Here in Connecticut it was a beautiful day–hot and sweaty for sure, but from a photo standpoint the sky was a deep blue and free from haze. I set out for the Peabody Museum in New Haven our walk’s starting point.

This was my third walk. The first was great. The second not so much. Saturday fell in between. I enjoyed the day though there were fewer good shots than I hoped for.

I met two women from Trumbull and walked with them through the Yale campus and New Haven. My time with them made the day worthwhile. Good company.

As striking as Yale is once again I had trouble finding the proper way to capture it. That’s more me than it. I did come to the conclusion there are too many architectural styles on display on-campus. Often there are jarring juxtapositions of old versus new in close proximity.

It’s possible the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library is the ugliest building in Connecticut (though its inside is full of scholarly goodness and priceless treasures). The Yale Art and Architecture Building is a close second. It’s home to the School of Architecture. I wonder if they know?

There was one odd moment on the Yale campus. A group of Korean students (probably high school) were visiting the school on their one week trip to the United States. That’s a lot to squeeze in a week! I spoke briefly to a few of them and then as I was walking away they asked if they could have their picture taken with me! I posed with three or four groups of giggling young girls.

Why me? No clue. I’m sure there are Caucasians seen in Korea. Maybe these kids don’t have access? Maybe Asian women fantasize about Jewish men? Nah.

In the end my best shots were taken in New Haven’s historic Grove Street Cemetery–itself a tourist attraction. I set out to take advantage of the very shallow depth-of-field with my 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.

Shooting Football At Yale

This was my second time photographing football and like my first time it was very frustrating.

I will admit from time-to-time I take advantage of my position. For instance today I ‘borrowed’ a photographer’s field pass from the Sports Department and headed to the Yale Bowl for the Yale-Cornell football game.

This was my second time photographing football and like my first time it was very frustrating. A 300mm lens (which on my camera shoots like a 480mm lens) provides an extremely narrow view. There are probably people who pan to the action and click. It didn’t come easy to me.

On top of that there were a boatload of marginally soft shots or shots where the autofocus point wasn’t where I wanted it! This may be a camera adjustment I’ve missed. It’s back to the manual to make sure.

Finally, my lenses are slow. That limits my finished photos in a variety of ways with the most problematic today being depth-of-field. Often the background was in focus, making it very difficult to separate it from the action. Fast lenses have produce a shallow depth-of-field and blurry backgrounds.

Did I have a good time? Absolutely. I enjoyed the game which was played under ideal conditions. There were also a bunch of photographers I know and it’s good to see and learn from them.

I’ll be back to try again.

The PhotoWalk Returns

It sounds like a dig against New Haven. It’s really a beautiful city with some interesting architectural flourishes. They are not built for photography.

I did the annual PhotoWalk yesterday. Last year Steve Brenner and I went to the Brooklyn Bridge. This year it was the New Haven Green and Yale campus. Bad choice on our part.

It sounds like a dig against New Haven. It’s really a beautiful city with some interesting architectural flourishes. They are not built for photography.

Too much of Yale is hidden behind stately and historic trees (here’s a panorama of a Yale quad). That’s not something wrong with Yale. It just doesn’t lend itself to photography.

One of the photo programs I use breaks out the different photo parameters in a shoot. I used five separate ISO settings and apertures from f/1.4 to f/20, I was searching. Four different lenses were on the camera. None was quite right.

The list of numbers that summarizes the technical elements is all over the place. It’s unfocused. That stands to reason.

The people on the PhotoWalk couldn’t have been nicer. Steve noticed early on nearly. with the exception of one person shooting a Sony, everyone was using Canon or Nikon.

We walked the Yale campus first, than on to the Green. A few of Yale’s buildings were enveloped in scaffolding. Disappointing. On the Green a band was playing to a nice crowd.

I will do another of these next year (hopefully), but only after thinking about what’s there to shoot.

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The best part of the day was pizza outside in the back at Zinc. This was a white pie with goat cheese, pesto and grilled shrimp.

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I Owe A Lot To Jack Reilly

“We all laughed in the control room,” he said. “Would you like to come to New York and do some fill-in for us?” he asked.

Jack Reilly passed away today. I can’t begin to tell you how much I owe him.

From TVNewser:

Jack Reilly, the former Good Morning America executive producer and later vice president of news at CNBC, passed away this morning at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York at the age of 84.

Reilly was VP and managing editor of CNBC from 1994 to 1998. Before that, he was the executive producer of ABC’s Good Morning America from 1986 to 1994. Reilly transformed GMA, a faltering #2 show, into the nation’s top-rated morning show – a position the show held for more than five years.

reilly_jack.jpgThe time was the mid-90s and I was working here in New Haven. One afternoon our news director Liz Crane (now Liz Gray) asked me if I’d like to do the weather on Good Morning America/Sunday. “This Week with David Brinkley” was interviewing someone at Yale, had already asked for our satellite truck and then as an afterthought asked if we would also supply a weatherman.

This was a big deal to me and I told EVERYONE I knew to watch. Truth is, this kind of affiliate hit was nice but inconsequential to the network. You do it. Your friends and family see you. Life goes on.

The first hit followed an interview with tennis great Tracy Austin. She had just gotten married. While Dana King (I love Dana King) conducted the interview from New York Tracy stayed at home in a room full of wedding gifts.

Dana finished the interview and briefly introduced me. This was my chance to play it straight–just do the weather. I didn’t.

“Dana, if you talk to Tracy again, would you ask if she got the Corning Ware we sent?”

After the weather ended our sat truck operator ran out of the truck. “The producer wants to speak to you.”

Oh s**t. I was in trouble. I could feel it. On the other end of the line was Jack Reilly.

“We all laughed in the control room,” he said. “Would you like to come to New York and do some fill-in for us?” he asked.

OMFG!

I continued to be GMA’s go-to guy working weeks at-a-time until one winter’s day Spencer Christian got stranded on the West Coast. A lower level producer called and asked me to fill-in. I felt committed to do the day in Connecticut–a big weather day.

That was it for me. The GMA calls stopped. I have second guessed myself a million times on that call.

I aggressively pursued trying to get back in their good graces–but it didn’t happen. A few years ago I gave up.

I liked working at the network. What made it better was parachuting in while keeping this job. It was a very cool place to work–seriously big time with loads of people and pressure to perform.

Jack Reilly made that happen. It didn’t matter to him I was working in New Haven. He saw me. He laughed. He followed his gut.

Later on he was squeezed out at ABC. The show was never quite the same after that. Whether the Today Show passed GMA while Jack was there or after I can’t remember.

Jack Reilly is a lot of what TV was and no longer is. He will be missed. My condolences to his family and friends. Thanks Jack.

How Much Longer?

We headed upstairs past clusters of people smarter than us. I got a cup of coffee in the back and headed to my favorite spot–the magazines.

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Thursday night in New Haven, CT. Noah was off in New York for the Big East Tournament. Ann left to have dinner with her husband and an old college friend. Ted and I were alone for dinner. Usually that means heading somewhere we can’t go with Ann (very picky with food). Thursday night that meant Gourmet Heaven on Broadway near Yale.

Dinner was great and quick. We were left with some extra time which meant walking down the block to the Yale Bookstore.

The bookstore is really a Barnes & Noble re-badged to reflect the community and probably ease the pain caused when the original Yale Co-op was squeezed out a few years ago.

We headed upstairs past clusters of people smarter than us leafing through heavy tomes on weighty subjects. I got a cup of coffee in the back and headed to my favorite spot–the magazines.

The photo at the top of this entry probably shows half the titles on sale at the bookstore. They range from the common to specialized to esoteric to totally off-the-wall weird. The computer mags are close to some with bikini clad tattooed women leaning against motorcycles.

This part of the bookstore might as well be on the endangered species list. Pulp publishing is a dying business.

I remember as a college student subscribing to Time Magazine and poring through its pages weekly. The news and analysis were still new to me when the magazine arrived. Now, even the morning paper is sadly dated by the time it hits my front steps.

Too slow. To expensive. Too bad.

I remember when growing up how my parents would claim radio drama had been superior to TV as a medium of the mind. I’ve heard old radio. They were mistaken. TV was better. Will I be looked upon as having made the same mistake?

The Internet is better for transmitting words and pictures than magazines. I’m still in love with type set on paper.

Down On The Mountain

Wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh… nothing. Wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh… nothing. Wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh… nothing. The motorized cart finally did start just as I began to panic.

Helaine and I were on our way down Sleeping Giant after our hike to the top when she complained about her glasses. “I really can’t see the rocks,” she said. Probably glare. I told her we should look for polarized lenses.

We will now.

A few minutes later she tripped on one of those rocks she couldn’t see and fell forward to the rock strewn path. Both her elbows were bloody as was the heel of her right hand. Her cheek was a little red–it had scraped the ground.

“I need to sit down,” she said. So we headed to the side of the trail where she sat on a convenient small boulder with a flattened top. She was a little nauseous–a little woozy.

She sat for a few minutes until two young women came by, asking if there was anything they could do. By this time I was concerned, so I left Helaine with them and began to run down the mountain. I would later find out the young women were nursing students from Yale. I can’t begin to thank them enough.

It’s the Friday before the 3-day Columbus Day weekend. I got to the ranger station and found vehicles, but no people. Like an idiot I walked through the parking lot next to the station yelling, “”Ranger!”

There was an emergency number on the door. I pulled out my cellphone and called the DEP dispatcher. A little less than five minutes later an officer (Officer Wirth, I think) in an ECON POLICE car drove up.

He opened the ranger station, went to the garage and attempted to fire up a little utility vehicle so we could drive to Helaine. Wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh… nothing. Wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh… nothing. Wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh… nothing. The motorized cart finally did start just as I began to panic.

By the time we got to Helaine on the trail she was on her feet and walking down with the nursing students. She was feeling a little better. Still, she got into the cart and drove the rest of the way to our car.

She’s home right now watching the Phillies. She’s got a headache, feels a little sore and has bandages on her elbows and hand, She’ll be OK. We’ll probably be back walking on the mountain before the weekend is up.

When you love someone you worry about them. I worried about Helaine.

We are both grateful to the three strangers who took the time to help us out.