• Last week, I had the pleasure of teaching a bunch of stupid seventh graders about the use of Latin in the law. My trusty video camera captured all, and I share it for you now.
• Last month, friends Lee, Ben, Dave and I reunited for food, drink and merriment. I took the liberty of capturing it on video and editing it into a snappy number I present for you now. It's quite amusing. Enjoy!
  

I recently sang a small solo in Leonard Bernstein's "Chichester Psalms" at the Kennedy Center! This was recorded from about 4/5ths back in the hall, so my solo is kind of quiet (it's hard to sing over the orchestra), but I'm pleased with how it turned out. The phrase I sang was Hebrew, "V'ad dor vador emunato," which means "And His truth endures to all generations." Intro by Elizabeth.

First Post on the New Blog

• Sweetie has dog joint! Or does she?
  
• Sweetie and I kiss on the roof of Lauriol Plaza
• Remember when we kissed on the second floor?
  

The first few days...

I have never met a bird more loving and sweet than this one. I don't say that lightly. I have gone to many bird stores, met countless birds, and I hand selected a very sweet little Quaker Parrot, Winston, who now lives with my family in Michigan. But Rudy is different. Maybe it's because I have been coming into the store for months, and he has gotten to know me. Whatever the case, Rudy's favorite position when traveling about the apartment is cupped up against my chest, as in this picture. He makes cooing sounds, and sometimes he looks up and gives me kisses. At night, after 9 pm or so, he gets especially loving, and likes to fall asleep pressed up against me, my hand covering his head and blocking the light.

One of the best bonuses is that, during his time being raised and handled at PetCo, he learned that people do not like being pooped on. Thus, unlike most other birds, he doesn't use my shirt as a toilet. He will wait until I bring him back to his cage, until I put him on his perch. He goes, I lavish praise, and take him back with me. I can have him with me for 45 minutes or even an hour, and he won't have an accident. It's amazing.

Right now he's sleeping in his cage, which is covered by a blanket. I'll uncover him tomorrow morning around 10, and we will spend the day together again. It is so wonderful having a little ball of feathers so enthusiastically showering me with love throughout the day. In many ways, it's almost miraculous that a bird can be so tender with a human being. It's something that non-bird people simply can't understand.