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Admire

My daughter's class is talking about leaders, people they admire, pioneers the next 3 weeks. Who do I admire? There's way to many people of course, but here are some:

I'm reading Bill Bryson's book on Shakespeare and I admire both. 

Sangharakshita is my deceased root guru, I've read most of his many words, and appreciate the Buddhist order he created. 

Wes Anderson's movies are good.

Greta Thunberg's activism to save the planet and the environment is admirable.

Just read a biography of Henry David Thoreau, really like him.

Best president in my lifetime was Barack Obama. 

So many musicians I love, but just to pick one jazz pianist, Bill Evans. John Coltrane and Charlie Parker, Miles Davis. Last jazz I saw was Ari Hoenig on drums, amazing. I took a class with Richard Davis at Wisconsin, he played bass.

Best symphony? Mahler's 5th. 

Favorite opera: La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi.

Favorite pop band? Maybe REM with singer Michael Stipe.

I like the paintings of Sasha Gordon and Lisa Yuskavage.

Poets: Mary Oliver, Rilke, Yeates, Dickinson.

Novelists: Kurt Vonnegut, Paul Auster, Philip Roth, Octavia Butler, Thomas Pynchon.

Favorite TV shows: Community and Rick and Morty, produced by Dan Harmon.

Favorite Anime: Cowboy Bebop by Shinichirō Watanabe.


I instantly think of 5 other people in each category, but you know to actually put it down isn't easy. When I put down a soccer lineup, other quibble with it, but find it harder to say I'd play Sands over Perea or take out Fernandez. 

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