Author Archives: JMN

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About JMN

I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.

From Gaudí to Hockney in My Mind

Posted on April 5, 2020 by JMN

“To depict nature, we can only try. Nature doesn’t have any straight lines. It doesn’t follow the rules of perspective.” (David Hockney) (Jonathan Jones, “David Hockney urges us to escape lockdown through a pencil,” theguardian.com, 4-4-20) This comment by Hockney … Continue reading →

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I Have an Apple Pencil for My iPad Pro!

Posted on April 3, 2020 by JMN

I have made a sketch, copied and pasted it into a “Notes” doc, then come here to add text. I “Shared” the sketch to my “Photos” by downloading it. From there I can import it into the WordPress Gallery, then … Continue reading →

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Food Notes 2

Posted on April 3, 2020 by JMN

America’s 2.5 million farmworkers are among the groups most at risk of contracting the coronavirus. And if they are at risk, our food supply may be too. Picture yourself waking up in a decrepit, single-wide trailer packed with a dozen … Continue reading →

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Food Notes 1

Posted on April 3, 2020 by JMN

California produces a third of the nation’s vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts… The United States relies on foreign suppliers for almost 20 percent of its food… The United States relies on foreign suppliers for 80 percent of … Continue reading →

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“Disconfirming Experiences”

Posted on April 3, 2020 by JMN

Reading this article gave me a visceral boost, because it gives a name to what I happen, unforeseeably, to have with another person: deep reciprocal attunement effortfully gained. Bonnie Badenoch, quoted by David Brooks, says disconfirming experiences are experiences of … Continue reading →

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You Can’t Get There from Here

Posted on March 30, 2020 by JMN

“Opportunity definitely died on election night 2016 for federal court reform,” said Scott Greytak, a lawyer who worked at Free Speech for People… Now, he said, “All the energy and attention has been pushed down to the state and local … Continue reading →

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Compassionate Conservative

Posted on March 28, 2020 by JMN

A column in The Times by Bret Stephens got POTUS’s attention recently. There is conjecture that it may have contributed to the “cure-worse-than-the-disease” propaganda that trumpets against efficient pandemic control. My mom puts the groceries away and we sit down … Continue reading →

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Upping the Steaks

Posted on March 28, 2020 by JMN

A streak of pluckiness, or at least a commitment to persist, as well as a capacity to think deeply and grow out of the shallows — these traits peek through David Chang’s glimpse into his personal tribulations and his sober … Continue reading →

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The Ides of Texas Are Upon Ya

Posted on March 26, 2020 by JMN

[Dan] Patrick, who said he will turn 70 next week, said that he did not fear COVID-19, but feared that stay-at-home orders and economic upheaval would destroy the American way of life. No one reached out to me and said, … Continue reading →

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“Porous, Promiscuous Phenomena”

Posted on March 26, 2020 by JMN

Jorge Carrión’s article was translated by Erin Goodman, and appeared in the NYTimes on January 26, 2020, entitled “Rosalía and the Art of the Remix.” Rosalía is new to me, but personal and professional ties to Catalonia and Spain incline … Continue reading →

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