Easton, thanks so much for the kind words. And I'm glad you took the time to watch the video. It's impossible to do Mike Leach full justice with just the written word!
Another pair of beautiful tributes. Thanks, David! I remember reading about Mackey in The Sports Gene, but it's so insightful to hear this extra background. And I respect your effort to capture his complexity – I feel like there's a tendency to only focus on the good in remembrances, so kudos to you for avoiding that here. As far as Mike Leach, what a character. I had a hoot watching every video you linked to. He must have been so fun to cover as a reporter.
I couldn't help but ask: are your travels usually as adventurous as camping in (very) sub-freezing temperatures??
Hahaha...great question! Not always, but it is true that I haven't tended to use my vacations for beach lounging. Most of my travels have been work (or education) related, and some have been a bit unusual. Studying environmental sciences and astronomy as an undergrad and then environmental science as a grad student landed me in the Sonoran Desert for two summers, and then in a tent (technically a "weather station," but it's a tent with a stronger skeleton) in the Arctic. Although sometimes it was downright tepid in the Arctic! The temperature swung pretty wildly, but it wasn't usually frigid. That said, there wasn't plumbing, and we weren't supposed to add water to the natural environment that was being studied, so most bathing was in Toolik Lake — the one body of water in the area that never froze. So that was chilly. I also worked a summer on a ship in the Pacific, which was a bit of a shock given that I'd never spent more than probably an hour on a boat.... Ya know, now that you mention it, when I was in Finland doing reporting for the last chapter of The Sports Gene, it was some kind of record cold winter. I picked up a car in Lulea, Sweden, and it had to be plugged in any time it was parked or it would freeze. So, yeah, maybe I do have a thing for freezing travel that I didn't realize?? Although the Sonoran Desert in summer was hot! I guess a great commonality between studying environmental science and being a reporter was that it led to some great travel that I never would've thought to do otherwise. That was a fun reminisce! ...If you're willing to share, I'd be interested to hear if you've taken any unusual or particularly memorable trips. Needn't be as weird as those I just mentioned!
Hahaha your work certainly seems to gravitate towards the extremes! I like that travel so much because it all sounds so unconventional. I'm always amazed that civilizations sprouted up in such difficult environments. For Scandinavia, for example, it must be so much easier to live in milder climates, so there must have been so much pressure from an external force (hostile neighbors? food scarcity?) to make early people continue to go North into harsher and harsher regions. Anyway... as a fan of astronomy, were you also celebrating the solstice yesterday? On this theme, I just finished Project Hail Mary. Have you read it?
Yes! I'm living in England for the year, and my situation has given me some great chances to travel. I've tried to make the most of it, and I've seen some really fun things. In October, I went to Berlin and spent an hour taking a free tour of the giant organ in St. Mary's Church, an 800-year-old church in former East Berlin that Martin Luther King spoke at in the height of the Cold War. The organist took us on a tour inside of the giant 300-year-old instrument, and it was mind boggling. He told us how an organist has to learn to play nearly 3,000 notes and must spend 90 minutes tuning the instrument whenever the weather changes by a few degrees. At the end, he let me play a few notes, and he chuckled as I played the Star Wars theme song over the hallowed church. In England a few weeks ago, I spent an evening at a massive outdoor World Cup watch party in Birmingham. England beat Senegal 3-0, and each goal was met with beer thrown in the air and bear hugs from strangers. It was so entertaining to meet local soccer fanatics and join in their chants. And I couldn't help but laugh at all the derogatory British slang I learned. I also spent a day in Bath, where I got to see the 2000-year-old Roman baths and drink the (very warm) mineral water that bubbles up there at the natural hot spring. My other favorite so far was spending an afternoon in Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon. I got to learn all about the so called master of none (you'd be proud to know that they noted this phrase was used against him, but they didn't include the second half like you do). In the museum at his house, I got to see Shakespeare's grave (and the amazing couplet epitaph he wrote for himself) and learn about and see Shakespeare's Folio (do you know the story behind this?? It's wild! We wouldn't have half his plays without it: https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespeares-works/shakespeares-first-folio/?gclid=CjwKCAiAnZCdBhBmEiwA8nDQxZn7_we7x_D-PaSmWiAdwlJJbiz8_4yU5EDGDJ7QAsjfUk0JYLT3xRoC0uwQAvD_BwE ). This is the first time I've had a chance to travel a little, and I've loved it. If you have any other England or travel recs, let me know!
Awesome!! I've always wanted to live abroad for an extended period, but never have. Maybe some day... But this is so cool. To your point about Scandinavia, there's some saying about the Sámi people in Arctic Scandinavia that they can farm out of a rock or something like that. Human ingenuity is amazing. ..I met Olivier Sibony at a conference a few months ago, and he gave an entertaining litany of all the natural disasters Iceland had experienced, and suggested that maybe the people had been naturally selected for psychological hardiness or something like that. In any case, human ingenuity never ceases to amaze me — to both good and bad ends, honestly.
I have no read Project Hail Mary. Do you recommend it?
Your travels in England sound amazing. The bells, what a great story. You reminded me of this great film called "Pulse," which is basically an hour that shows Stomp's musical influences from around the world, and it includes amazing footage from a church belfry. Did you have to use any hearing protection? And how did you manage to play Star Wars so quickly?! ....I love the fact about the tuning.
I really want to visit Stratford-upon-Avon. I'm very susceptible to awe at historical sites. As far as the Folio, I was sort of partly aware of this. I read an annotated version of Hamlet at one point, and there were a lot of notes to the effect of: "The Folio uses X word here, and the quarto uses Y. Most editions use X because...." So I started to understand that the Bard's oeuvre was cobbled together. Makes one wonder what HAS been lost to history, right?
In terms of travel recs, sounds like you're doing a great job! I was in Edinburgh in the spring, and totally loved it. You can walk out of the heart of the city and be up on a sheer cliff of an extinct volcano ("Arthur's Seat") in 45 minutes to an hour. Literally five minutes out of my hotel downtown, I could be up on Calton Hill, taking in the same meditative views that David Hume did on his walking/thinking path. The history is amazing, and there are all sorts of little treasures. Pop into one doorway right off the street, and you see the only statue of Abraham Lincoln, the only US president to have a memorial in Scotland, and the first in Europe. (Edinburgh played an important, and not good role in the slave trade.) I popped into one "close," (like a little alley, of which there are many), and ran into Adam Smith's grave. Edinburgh has an incredible intellectual history, so I loved stuff like the surgery museum. Anyway, I'd never thought much about Edinburgh, but went for work, and absolutely loved it. Last one: my first big trip with my wife was a road trip in the west of Ireland, partly because I was so into Martin McDonagh's plays that are set there. It was phenomenal. We visited an island where people still speak Gaelic first. Highly recommend.
How amazing! I don't know much yet about Olivier Sibony, but I'll entertain any theory from a man co-authored a book with Kahneman and Sunstein. And yes, I'd recommend Project Hail Mary. It's amazing how much science and creative problem solving Weir packs into his novels.
Wow I need to check out that film! I played the French Horn all throughout middle and high school. Our orchestra only ever played classical music, but my friend and I delighted in learning different movie themes: James Bond, Star Wars, Jurassic Park -- it turns out a lot of famous themes have strong brass components. Thankfully, the organist thought to adjust the stop knobs to a reasonable volume.
Yes I agree! Apparently there is at least one Shakespeare work that is confirmed to have been lost to history: The History of Cardenio. I can't help but think what else.
That sounds amazing. I had been thinking about Edinburgh, and now I will definitely make a point of going. It sounds like there is such a great variety of things to see in such a small proximity. In the meantime, I'll have to check out some of the works by Hume and McDonagh in the meantime to really get the most out of the trip.
I've so enjoyed these remembrances, David. You know I'm a long time fan of the ideas you posit and the thinking behind them, but these posts really highlight what a master storyteller you are. Thanks so much for sharing these inspiring and heart warming moments with us.
Jen, wow, that is a wonderful compliment. Thank you so much for saying that...and I'll try not to be self-conscious next time I send off a more quickly-written post;)
In any case, it's a pleasure to try to share a bit of what these people shared with me, and means a lot to me that you took the time to read it. Always enjoy corresponding with you here, and wishing you wonderful holidays.
Thanks once more David for sharing the Mike "Be a Pirate" Leach post. I'll add below the link here of Hal Mumme's tribute at Mike's memorial, the origin story of the Be a Pirate! Also, for your subscribers, and begging your patience, S.C. Gwynne's incomparable "Perfect Pass, a truly wonderful and edifying read.
These pieces have been so delightful to read. Thank you for sharing. The Leach video was really captivating.
Easton, thanks so much for the kind words. And I'm glad you took the time to watch the video. It's impossible to do Mike Leach full justice with just the written word!
Another pair of beautiful tributes. Thanks, David! I remember reading about Mackey in The Sports Gene, but it's so insightful to hear this extra background. And I respect your effort to capture his complexity – I feel like there's a tendency to only focus on the good in remembrances, so kudos to you for avoiding that here. As far as Mike Leach, what a character. I had a hoot watching every video you linked to. He must have been so fun to cover as a reporter.
I couldn't help but ask: are your travels usually as adventurous as camping in (very) sub-freezing temperatures??
Hahaha...great question! Not always, but it is true that I haven't tended to use my vacations for beach lounging. Most of my travels have been work (or education) related, and some have been a bit unusual. Studying environmental sciences and astronomy as an undergrad and then environmental science as a grad student landed me in the Sonoran Desert for two summers, and then in a tent (technically a "weather station," but it's a tent with a stronger skeleton) in the Arctic. Although sometimes it was downright tepid in the Arctic! The temperature swung pretty wildly, but it wasn't usually frigid. That said, there wasn't plumbing, and we weren't supposed to add water to the natural environment that was being studied, so most bathing was in Toolik Lake — the one body of water in the area that never froze. So that was chilly. I also worked a summer on a ship in the Pacific, which was a bit of a shock given that I'd never spent more than probably an hour on a boat.... Ya know, now that you mention it, when I was in Finland doing reporting for the last chapter of The Sports Gene, it was some kind of record cold winter. I picked up a car in Lulea, Sweden, and it had to be plugged in any time it was parked or it would freeze. So, yeah, maybe I do have a thing for freezing travel that I didn't realize?? Although the Sonoran Desert in summer was hot! I guess a great commonality between studying environmental science and being a reporter was that it led to some great travel that I never would've thought to do otherwise. That was a fun reminisce! ...If you're willing to share, I'd be interested to hear if you've taken any unusual or particularly memorable trips. Needn't be as weird as those I just mentioned!
Hahaha your work certainly seems to gravitate towards the extremes! I like that travel so much because it all sounds so unconventional. I'm always amazed that civilizations sprouted up in such difficult environments. For Scandinavia, for example, it must be so much easier to live in milder climates, so there must have been so much pressure from an external force (hostile neighbors? food scarcity?) to make early people continue to go North into harsher and harsher regions. Anyway... as a fan of astronomy, were you also celebrating the solstice yesterday? On this theme, I just finished Project Hail Mary. Have you read it?
Yes! I'm living in England for the year, and my situation has given me some great chances to travel. I've tried to make the most of it, and I've seen some really fun things. In October, I went to Berlin and spent an hour taking a free tour of the giant organ in St. Mary's Church, an 800-year-old church in former East Berlin that Martin Luther King spoke at in the height of the Cold War. The organist took us on a tour inside of the giant 300-year-old instrument, and it was mind boggling. He told us how an organist has to learn to play nearly 3,000 notes and must spend 90 minutes tuning the instrument whenever the weather changes by a few degrees. At the end, he let me play a few notes, and he chuckled as I played the Star Wars theme song over the hallowed church. In England a few weeks ago, I spent an evening at a massive outdoor World Cup watch party in Birmingham. England beat Senegal 3-0, and each goal was met with beer thrown in the air and bear hugs from strangers. It was so entertaining to meet local soccer fanatics and join in their chants. And I couldn't help but laugh at all the derogatory British slang I learned. I also spent a day in Bath, where I got to see the 2000-year-old Roman baths and drink the (very warm) mineral water that bubbles up there at the natural hot spring. My other favorite so far was spending an afternoon in Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon. I got to learn all about the so called master of none (you'd be proud to know that they noted this phrase was used against him, but they didn't include the second half like you do). In the museum at his house, I got to see Shakespeare's grave (and the amazing couplet epitaph he wrote for himself) and learn about and see Shakespeare's Folio (do you know the story behind this?? It's wild! We wouldn't have half his plays without it: https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespeares-works/shakespeares-first-folio/?gclid=CjwKCAiAnZCdBhBmEiwA8nDQxZn7_we7x_D-PaSmWiAdwlJJbiz8_4yU5EDGDJ7QAsjfUk0JYLT3xRoC0uwQAvD_BwE ). This is the first time I've had a chance to travel a little, and I've loved it. If you have any other England or travel recs, let me know!
Awesome!! I've always wanted to live abroad for an extended period, but never have. Maybe some day... But this is so cool. To your point about Scandinavia, there's some saying about the Sámi people in Arctic Scandinavia that they can farm out of a rock or something like that. Human ingenuity is amazing. ..I met Olivier Sibony at a conference a few months ago, and he gave an entertaining litany of all the natural disasters Iceland had experienced, and suggested that maybe the people had been naturally selected for psychological hardiness or something like that. In any case, human ingenuity never ceases to amaze me — to both good and bad ends, honestly.
I have no read Project Hail Mary. Do you recommend it?
Your travels in England sound amazing. The bells, what a great story. You reminded me of this great film called "Pulse," which is basically an hour that shows Stomp's musical influences from around the world, and it includes amazing footage from a church belfry. Did you have to use any hearing protection? And how did you manage to play Star Wars so quickly?! ....I love the fact about the tuning.
I really want to visit Stratford-upon-Avon. I'm very susceptible to awe at historical sites. As far as the Folio, I was sort of partly aware of this. I read an annotated version of Hamlet at one point, and there were a lot of notes to the effect of: "The Folio uses X word here, and the quarto uses Y. Most editions use X because...." So I started to understand that the Bard's oeuvre was cobbled together. Makes one wonder what HAS been lost to history, right?
In terms of travel recs, sounds like you're doing a great job! I was in Edinburgh in the spring, and totally loved it. You can walk out of the heart of the city and be up on a sheer cliff of an extinct volcano ("Arthur's Seat") in 45 minutes to an hour. Literally five minutes out of my hotel downtown, I could be up on Calton Hill, taking in the same meditative views that David Hume did on his walking/thinking path. The history is amazing, and there are all sorts of little treasures. Pop into one doorway right off the street, and you see the only statue of Abraham Lincoln, the only US president to have a memorial in Scotland, and the first in Europe. (Edinburgh played an important, and not good role in the slave trade.) I popped into one "close," (like a little alley, of which there are many), and ran into Adam Smith's grave. Edinburgh has an incredible intellectual history, so I loved stuff like the surgery museum. Anyway, I'd never thought much about Edinburgh, but went for work, and absolutely loved it. Last one: my first big trip with my wife was a road trip in the west of Ireland, partly because I was so into Martin McDonagh's plays that are set there. It was phenomenal. We visited an island where people still speak Gaelic first. Highly recommend.
How amazing! I don't know much yet about Olivier Sibony, but I'll entertain any theory from a man co-authored a book with Kahneman and Sunstein. And yes, I'd recommend Project Hail Mary. It's amazing how much science and creative problem solving Weir packs into his novels.
Wow I need to check out that film! I played the French Horn all throughout middle and high school. Our orchestra only ever played classical music, but my friend and I delighted in learning different movie themes: James Bond, Star Wars, Jurassic Park -- it turns out a lot of famous themes have strong brass components. Thankfully, the organist thought to adjust the stop knobs to a reasonable volume.
Yes I agree! Apparently there is at least one Shakespeare work that is confirmed to have been lost to history: The History of Cardenio. I can't help but think what else.
That sounds amazing. I had been thinking about Edinburgh, and now I will definitely make a point of going. It sounds like there is such a great variety of things to see in such a small proximity. In the meantime, I'll have to check out some of the works by Hume and McDonagh in the meantime to really get the most out of the trip.
I've so enjoyed these remembrances, David. You know I'm a long time fan of the ideas you posit and the thinking behind them, but these posts really highlight what a master storyteller you are. Thanks so much for sharing these inspiring and heart warming moments with us.
Jen, wow, that is a wonderful compliment. Thank you so much for saying that...and I'll try not to be self-conscious next time I send off a more quickly-written post;)
In any case, it's a pleasure to try to share a bit of what these people shared with me, and means a lot to me that you took the time to read it. Always enjoy corresponding with you here, and wishing you wonderful holidays.
Thanks once more David for sharing the Mike "Be a Pirate" Leach post. I'll add below the link here of Hal Mumme's tribute at Mike's memorial, the origin story of the Be a Pirate! Also, for your subscribers, and begging your patience, S.C. Gwynne's incomparable "Perfect Pass, a truly wonderful and edifying read.
https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tTP1TewLCpJtjBg9OLMSMxRyC3NzU0FAEiiBsM&q=hal+mumme&oq=hal+mumm&aqs=chrome.1.35i39j46i131i433i512j69i57j69i59j0i131i433i512j0i512j69i60l2.7970j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:28ec142f,vid:uqXsTZsOBO0
Thanks again Joe! ..."Road trip! ....Mike, being Mike, of course, found a kicker in Key West."
I love it