An appreciation

Just as I was starting to develop a rhythm for posting, our Frankencomputer started misbehaving. Namely, randomly turning off whenever it felt like it without ever asking if I wanted to save first. I definitely began to dislike doing any work involving the Frankencomputer. Turns out it was just a short in the power cord, and perhaps it wanted a new name (we figured out the problem shortly after I renamed it Monster Mix). But I have a lot of ideas stored up in my head and in my Idea Book, so new posts should be around the corner often.

Today does not come from the Idea Book or brainstash, instead it came after learning the sad news of Maurice Sendak.

I find it amazing that the death of someone I have never met can cause such an emotional reaction in me. Perhaps it’s the connection of my time spent as a child reading and listening to his books, or the admiration and inspiration I find in him as an adult. Probably both.

My family had a little 45 with “Pierre” on one side and “Chicken Soup With Rice” on the opposite. I listened to it countless times and knew the whole thing by heart. I have no clue the last time I listened to that record but I can still sing parts of “Chicken Soup With Rice” today. Those two along with “Where the Wild Things Are” are the ones I remember  best. I learned how powerful words can be through the story of Pierre and Max, one sentence made one King, and the other a lion's lunch. Silly yet dangerous, serious and fun, the balance of his books was amazing. I had always wished I would be able to meet him, but now I can only send out my gratitude for his work here.
Thank you, Mr. Sendak.

Oddly enough, my lunch today is leftover chicken soup. With noodles though, not rice.