10.17.2011

Dragon Mom

The NY Times published an article by Emily Rapp that quite literally took my breath away.  You see, Emily has a beautiful son named Ronan.  Ronan is 18 months old.  He will not live to see the end of his toddler years.

Ronan has Tay-Sachs disease.

How do you parent a child will not have a future?

Emily's brave testimony offers insight that should pull at the heart of every parent. Live each day to the fullest.  Moment by moment. Treasure each moment. As she states in the article, "Our experiences have taught us how to parent for the here and now, for the sake of parenting, for the humanity implicit in the act itself, though this runs counter to traditional wisdom and advice."

She also states another key principle: "Parenting, I’ve come to understand, is about loving my child today. Now. In fact, for any parent, anywhere, that’s all there is."

Ronan may never become an adult.  His story will live on with his parents and the lives touched by their story. Her words will help other parents that find themselves in the same devastating position. "What I can do is protect my son from as much pain as possible, and then finally do the hardest thing of all, a thing most parents will thankfully never have to do: I will love him to the end of his life, and then I will let him go."

Photo credit: Alexandra Huddleston for The New York Times

10.13.2011

Artist Spotlight: William Chapman Nyaho

William Chapman Nyaho is the first concert pianist I ever heard.  He came to DCCC as a visiting artist while my mother was a professor of math there.  I remember walking down the hall past the auditorium and hearing incredible music coming from the grand piano.

Chapman Nyaho's talents have taken him all over the world, where he has received many honors and high recognition.

Here are a few highlights:

Earthbeats, Op. 22:


Preludes in African Rhythm:


Scherzo:


Troubled Water:


Preludio Cubano:


Interview with Nyaho (done in parts, this is the first part):

10.11.2011

Mayo Clinic Atrium Piano

I missed this when it went viral the first time, but this couple touches my heart:

10.08.2011

Gourds!

Brought to you by the fabulously hilarious folks at Catalog Living:

If you have never checked out the Catalog Living site, you are missing out! We did a spotlight on the site here.

10.06.2011

An Apple Legacy


The tech world lost a pioneer yesterday with the passing of Steve Jobs.  Referred to as a "visionary in a black turtleneck" by CNN and other outlets, Steve was an innovator in the world of design.  His vast understanding of simplicity in design and usability has shaped our world forever.  Touching memorials are popping up all over the web - from Apple to Wired to a line on the Google search page.  The HuffPost has a great article on the 11 Best Steve Jobs quotes.

Goodbye Mr. Jobs, you will be missed.

(AP Image)

10.01.2011

Book Releases: October 2011


Releasing this month: