Indian Wells: An unprecedented shakeup to tennis

Indian Wells Tennis Garden 

It’s been less than 48 hours since the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., one of the most prestigious events on the professional tennis calendar, was canceled. There has been plenty of anxiety over the spreading coronavirus in the United States and worldwide, which has cost tennis the first of what could be many more tournaments.

Make no mistake, the cancellation of Indian Wells, an ATP Masters 1000 and WTA Premier Mandatory tournament – dubbed the “fifth Grand Slam” – with $17 million in prize money that’s owned by billionaire American business magnate Larry Ellison, was big news in the sports world on Monday. It was all over social media and discussed on television and radio and in newspapers across the United States. In fact, the BNP Paribas Open sent notification Sunday night that the tournament would not be held as scheduled by using social media channel Twitter, linking its tweet to a statement on its website.

The 2020 BNP Paribas Open will not be held.https://t.co/BVKQmmcbth pic.twitter.com/CHOd0PgJeV

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 9, 2020

On Monday afternoon, ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi issued a statement on the 2020 BNP Paribas Open not being held:

Official Statement on Coronavirus & 2020 @BNPPARIBASOPEN 👇 #ATPTour pic.twitter.com/hKzJFfuJbL

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 9, 2020

Understandably, many fans tennis fans are disappointed by the cancellation of Indian Wells – some are calling it an overreaction instead of a decision made with the right intentions – and some players expressed frustration with how the decision was communicated to them. Even the media are chiming in, too. ESPN tennis commentator Chris Fowler tweeted: “Major events being called off day by day. Feels unprecedented in our lifetimes. What’s next?”

A day after the Indian Wells cancellation was announced, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Coachella Valley where the tournament is held had increased from one to six. With the Miami Open scheduled to begin in two weeks followed by tournaments in Charleston and Houston soon after – not to mention the upcoming European spring clay season in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome – every event could be in danger of cancellation or be played in empty stadiums without spectators allowed to attend. Also, up in the air is the matter of ranking points for players and distribution of prize money.

Can’t even imaging how MANY people lost LOTS of money with @BNPPARIBASOPEN cancellation... #ThinkingOutLoud

— Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) March 9, 2020

Kristi Ahn of the United States, ranked 96th in the world, had received a wild card entry to play in the women’s singles draw at Indian Wells. A member of the WTA’s player council, Ahn told The New York Times on Monday, “I think they (the Indian Wells tournament officials) did everything they could, but all of a sudden the situation changed overnight, which is unfortunate. We can’t be mad at them for what, I think, is ultimately the right decision.”

On Monday, following the cancellation of the BNP Paribas Open, tournament organizers in Indian Wells made a rapid effort to accommodate players who had already arrived in the scenic palm desert site by guaranteeing players in the main draw singles and doubles events and in the qualifying singles draw complimentary  lodging as well as access to practice courts – even medical and laundry service – through March 16. As New York Times tennis correspondent Christopher Clarey tweeted: “Will feel like the run-up to a tournament, only this time there’s no tournament.”

Suddenly trying to process that @BNPPARIBASOPEN is cancelled by concern over #CoronavirusOutbreak that now includes Coachella Valley..
Public safety has to be first, of course. Major events being called off by the day. Feels unprecented in all of our lifetimes. What’s next?

— Chris Fowler (@cbfowler) March 9, 2020

Ted Robinson, a longtime Tennis Channel broadcaster, who was scheduled to provide play-by-play commentary on many of the main stadium matches from Indian Wells (for a mostly U.S. audience), called the developments an “unprecedented shakeup to tennis.” In an email interview Monday evening with Tennis TourTalk (for whom I am a contributing editor), he said that “ranking points, unexpected hole in the schedules of players, lost opportunities for those defending points and looking to come back, taking advantage of a wild card like Jack Sock ... the answers to these unknowns will be fascinating.”

The Miami Open, which is the next tour-level stop for both the ATP and WTA tours, is moving ahead as scheduled. On Monday, tournament organizers issued a statement:

Statement from the Miami Open. pic.twitter.com/kj6aDOmMwV

— Miami Open (@MiamiOpen) March 9, 2020

Meanwhile, Robinson said the cancellation of Indian Wells places unintended consequences on other tournaments. “Does this place ‘pressure’ on Miami, Charleston and Houston, all scheduled to host tennis events in the next month? Not to speak of Rome, as many already have pointed out, where Italy has just cancelled all sporting events for the month of March. 

“Many minds have likely addressed the possibility of finding a ‘window’ within 2020 to stage IW, but like many, I can’t see a feasible time, especially in an Olympic year.”

Stay tuned.

Credits: A version of this blog post first appeared in Tennis-TourTalk.com. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

These are my (social) media habits

In our modern age of 24/7 social media and never-ending news cycles – plus our desire to stay ahead of the latest cutting-edge trends in music and pop culture – what does our media habits reveal about us?

With a shout out to The Monocle Minute newsletter for its list of questions it often asks movers and shakers, here’s a few things you might like to know about my media habits ...

What news source do you wake up to?

NPR, home delivery of The New York Times, and the Washington Post online. On Sundays, I also receive home delivery of the Washington Post. 

Coffee, tea or something pressed to go with headlines?

As I am not a tea drinker, I have three different-sized French presses at home at the ready and plenty of Community Coffee brand French Roast. Also, I maintain a supply of Community Coffee instant coffee & chickory, and once a week I treat myself to a Starbucks grande mocha.

Something from the FM dial or Spotify for your tunes?

When I’m driving up and down U.S. Highway 1, between College Park and Washington, D.C., and occasionally elsewhere within the confines of the Beltway, I enjoy – borderline love – listening to classical music via WETA. The more Dvorak the better. Otherwise, when at home, I enjoy listening to the “Morning Becomes Eclectic” show via KCRW, the Santa Monica, Calif.-NPR affiliate. While I’m late to the Spotify phenomenon, I enjoy putting together some simply playlists centered around some of my favorite musicians, such as Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Wynton Marsalis and Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Pink Martini.

Papers delivered or a trip down to the kiosk?

At home, it’s seven-day delivery of The New York Times and the Sunday Washington Post for me. When I’m traveling, I usually look for the nearest destination that carries The New York Times. There’s something about holding it in my hands every day and reading it wherever I am in the world. However, if that’s not possible, I’ll fall back on looking at the Times, either online or via its app. 

Magazines for your weekend sofa-side stack?

I look forward to perusing my two faves, Monocle and Racquet. The former I stop by one of the Hudson News kiosks at Union Station to purchase my monthly copy, while I subscribe the the latter, which is published quarterly. For years, I used to subscribe to The New Yorker just to make sure I never missed reading Roger Angell’s wonderfully penned baseball tomes. Eventually, I fell behind reading the magazine, week to week, and let my subscription lapse. If I’m going on a vacation trip, I might be tempted to buy a good travel magazine to put me in the right mood.

Are you a subscriber or more of a newsstand browser?

A subscriber although if I’m in a good bookstore, like Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle or Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C., I’ll be tempted to browse a bit just to see what I might be missing out on. As someone who is interested in content and design, occasionally I buy Dwell, which is all about design and technology.

Bookshop for a drizzly Saturday afternoon?

In Seattle, Elliott Bay Book Company on Capitol Hill. In Washington, Politics and Prose on Connecticut Avenue NW. In San Francisco, Book Passage in the Ferry Plaza Building. All of them are independent booksellers. Sorry, no Barnes & Noble for me.

Sofa or cinema for the evening?

A little of both, although much of my cinema going takes place on Sunday mornings, as my wife and I belong to a cinema club in Washington, D.C. Otherwise, I spend a lot of time looking for hidden gems to view via Netflix or watch tennis on Tennis Channel because my job as a contributing editor for an English language tennis website based near Munich, Germany, requires me.

What’s the best thing you’ve watched recently on TV and why?

Two shows, actually. First, Good Karma Hospital, a British dramedy about a disillusioned doctor who heads to South India for a fresh start. It’s available via Acorn. Second, Kim’s Convenience, which is available on Netflix, is a Canadian sitcom about a Korean Canadian family who run a convenience store in the Moss Park neighborhood of Toronto. Each includes people of color in starring roles and the stories are believable.

Sunday brunch routine?

It starts with bringing in the Sunday newspapers from the front porch, turning on the radio to “Weekend Edition Sunday” and fixing coffee for myself. Brunch at home usually consists of a parfait of vanilla yogurt accented with maple pecan granola, a small glass of orange juice and a bagel with cream cheese or, possibly, coffee cake made by my wife. 

Last media of the day?

Usually before lights out, I make one final, brief pass through my Facebook and Twitter feeds. Sometimes, it’s valuable if there’s a late-break story worth reading or a sports score I’m searching for. Also, I’ll check to see if any of my family or friends has tried to text me or shoot me an e-mail. Then, it’s lights out by 11.

Illustration: Courtesy of Google images.

Reflections on patriotism: Dan Rather on what unites us

Dan Rather reads from his book 'What Unites Us.'

Dan Rather finds himself thinking deeply about what it means to love America as he surely does in the age of President Donald Trump.

At a time in our nation's history when there's a crisis over our national identity, the longtime broadcast journalist has surfaced as a calm, measured voice of reason and integrity. At 86, he has embraced social media, where he regularly contributes his thoughts and wisdom via his Facebook page, which has more than 2.5 million followers.

Last week, Rather's new book, What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism, written with Emmy Award-winning journalist Elliot Kirschner, was published. In it, Rather has written a collection of 16 original and passionate essays that reflect on what it means to be an American in the 21st century.

During a recent book tour lecture at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., I listened attentively to Rather, in conversation with Washington Post editorial writer Jonathan Capehart. He discussed a variety of topics including patriotism and freedom of the press, whose values have transformed us and represent institutions that sustain our nation.

On the subject of patriotism, Rather read from his book: "Patriotism – active, constructive patriotism – takes work. It takes knowledge, engagement with those who are different from you, and fairness in law and opportunity. It takes coming together for good causes," he said. "This is one of the things I cherish most about the United States: we are a nation not only of dreamers but also of fixers. We have looked at our land and people , and said, time and again, this is not good enough; we can be better."

When asked about Capehart to discuss freedom of the press, Rather didn't hesitate when he responded: "We are the witness to the truth and there's a lot of good reporting going on out there. This president is pushing us toward a 'post-truth' and 'post-fact' political era.

"American journalism is at a crossroads," he continued. "News is what the public needs to know and it's generally what somebody else doesn't want you to know about."

Rather's storied career – he spent more than 40 years with CBS News and succeeded the legendary Walter Cronkite in the anchor chair for The CBS Evening News – has made him one of the world's best-known journalists. He's interviewed every president since Eisenhower. With decades spent on the front lines covering the world's biggest stories – from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy to the Vietnam War to the Watergate crisis that ended with the resignation of President Richard Nixon – Rather is able to offer his readers a unique if not intimate view of America's history and its historical change.

It's easy to gain from reading What Unites Us and by listening to Rather that regardless of the state of our current national political climate, he maintains a fundamental sense of hope that comes from sharing our nation's transformative values, from empathy to inclusion to service.

Photo of Dan Rather by Michael Dickens © 2017.

The joy of being an international -- and local -- sports fan

Chelsea Blues / Champions of the English Premier League.

What a week it's been to be an international -- and a local -- sports fan.

Let's see: Between the end to the marathon English Premier League football season in the U.K. and the start of the fortnight-plus French Open tennis championships in Paris on Sunday; the thrills and chills of the Stanley Cup in North American professional ice hockey; the slam dunk excitement of the NBA Conference Finals in American professional basketball; and the roar of the engines and the checkered flag of the Formula One Grand Prix of Monaco, there's been a little something for every sports fan to enjoy this week. Add to the mix, Major League Baseball with its pennant races taking shape here on my home soil, and there's just not enough hours in the day to watch everything being shown on TV or now made available for viewing via our smartphones.

But it's been fun trying.

Thanks to the difference in time zones between California where I reside and the rest of the world, it seems there's sporting events going on at all hours of the day and night. And, thanks to social media platforms like Facebook, I've been able to intelligently discuss international sports like English football with enthusiasts throughout the U.K. and beyond, and French Open tennis with like-minded friends throughout Europe and North Africa, from countries such as Belgium, Serbia, Algeria and Tunisia.

Recently, on my Facebook timeline, I posted:

"Congratulations to the Chelsea Blues on winning the 2014-15 English Premier League title. On Sunday, Chelsea closed out its championship season with a 3-1 victory over Sunderland at Stamford Bridge thanks to a pair of goals by Loic Remy. In the first half, Didier Drogba as carried off the field to a hero's welcome by his teammates after playing the first 30 minutes in his final Chelsea match. After the final whistle, Chelsea was presented with the Premier League trophy. The Blues won the EPL by eight points over Manchester City. Cheers."

A day later, a friend from Ivybridge, U.K., replied: "I'm amazed at your knowledge of Premier League football, Michael, especially Chelsea. I'm a lifelong supporter!"

As it turns out, I've been a Chelsea fan for about the past five years or so, thanks to some longtime sports fan friends of mine in Seattle, which is as much an international football hotbed as any city in the U.S. Additionally, I like the team's colors (royal blue); the charismatic personality of the club's manager, José Mourinho; and, I think their home pitch that's located in a borough west of London has a pretty cool name, Stamford Bridge. Plus, the Blues' roster has a nice mixture of international (Didier Drogba, Eden Hazard, Willian) and English-grown talent (John Terry).

As EPL matches have become more available on American TV -- here, they're broadcast on NBC Sports Network, making international football a weekend staple -- it's easier to follow the Blues and to watch other English teams, too. I think there are a lot of international football fans in the U.S. that follow the Premier League and I know others elsewhere in the world that are supporters -- a friend of mine in Morocco is a fan of Chelsea-rival Arsenal -- and, of course, interest also peaks during World Cup years, too.

Thanks to the EPL's increased exposure in America, watching Chelsea and other teams like Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur has become a nice way to enjoy weekend breakfast for me. Being on the West Coast, matches start as early as 4:45 a.m. (where it's eight hours later in the U.K.) with most of the best matches shown at 7 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. my time.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic /
He's favored to win his first French Open championship.

Meanwhile, the nine-hour time difference between San Francisco and Paris means the French Open tennis begins airing on ESPN2 at 2 a.m. while much of the West Coast is still asleep when it's 11 a.m. at Roland Garros. Heck, on the East Coast it's only 5 a.m., which is still awfully early to be watching sport on TV. The second Grand Slam event of the calendar year is being broadcast over-the-air in the U.S. by ESPN2, TennisChannel and NBC and on mobile platforms via WatchESPN, so there's plenty of tennis available to watch around the clock, live and on replay. And, thanks to the Internet, I've been able to keep up with the French Open via ESPN. com, Sports Illustrated (SI.com), Sport360.com (an impressive world sports daily based in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. that I recently became acquainted with thanks to their tennis coverage), and in print via The New York Times. 

By all accounts, World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is the favorite to win his first French Open title that is played on red clay, which would complete a career Grand Slam for him. Speaking of tennis, I contribute to and participate in some tennis chat groups on Facebook. One is comprised mostly of European and North African fans, many who are supporters of Djokovic and Roger Federer; another that's worldwide and vocal and made up of passionate fans of Rafael Nadal, the nine-time French Open champion; and a third consisting of loyal fans of Tunisia's Malek Jaziri, the top Arab player in the world.

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors / NBA MVP.

Closer to home, the NBA and NHL playoffs have been playing out day-by-day like a blockbuster motion picture drama the past month. On Tuesday night, LeBron James, nicknamed "the King," punched his ticket to the NBA Finals for a fifth straight year as he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a four-game sweep of the Atlanta Hawks in a rout. Locally, I have a vested interest in our hometown pro basketball team, the Golden State Warriors, who simply have been the best in the NBA this season. They boast both the most valuable player of the league in Stephen Curry as well as one of the brightest coaching minds in the game in Steve Kerr.

The Warriors, who closed out their Western Conference Finals series against the Houston Rockets with a satisfying 104-90 victory at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Wednesday night, are just four victories away from winning their first NBA championship in 40 years.

When I wrote about Kerr and the Warriors in December, I noted that their early-season success was a work in progress that had the potential to become a best-seller.  I still believe it, and the team has become the darlings of both the Bay Area and the basketball world. Beating "King" James in the NBA Finals would be a fitting ending to what has been a truly remarkable season.

No matter what the sport, enthusiastic sports fans are the common ingredient. Thanks to modern technology and social media that allows us to watch and follow sports 24/7, there is no better time than now to enjoy being an international -- and local -- sports fan.

Photos: Courtesy of Chelsea Football Club Facebook page; Roland Garros Facebook page, Golden State Warriors Facebook page.

Of shock and sadness: It was a bad week for journalism

Journalism has been called story telling with a purpose. The past week was not a very kind one for the craft of journalism, a profession I love dearly, or for its practitioners. It was a week filled full of shock and sadness. Unfortunately, there's not been much time for reflection.

"This week has just been overwhelming," said Betsy West, a professor at the Columbia School of Journalism, recently quoted by the website pix11.com. "Some of the most tragic news that just keeps happening one after the other, after the other."

Brian Williams

The week started badly when America's most trusted and honored news anchor, Brian Williams of NBC News, was found to have lied about an incident in the Iraq War in which he said that a helicopter that he was riding in was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade and almost crashed. In fact, it was another gunship that was downed.

Williams's "misremembered" past coupled with a less-than-satisfactory on-air apology earned him a six month suspension without pay from the peacock network.

Jon Stewart

Then, Jon Stewart, America's best media and political satirist, announced that he was leaving as anchor of the Emmy Award-winning -- and influential -- The Daily Show later this year, ending a wonderful 16-year run on Comedy Central. His announcement sent shock waves through social media, lighting up Twitter and Facebook. 

"It's been an absolute privilege. It's been the honor of my professional life, and I thank you for watching it, for hate watching it, whatever reason you were tuning in for," said Stewart in sharing his decision to leave The Daily Show.

Bob Simon

A day after Stewart's surprise, Bob Simon of CBS News and 60 Minutes fame, who established himself as one of America's heroic war correspondents covering difficult conflicts in all corners of the world, was killed in a tragic car accident in New York City.

On the night of his death, CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, one of Simon's colleagues on 60 Minutes, tweeted: "One of the great writers of a generation has passed. Bob Simon was a journalist of extraordinary courage."

David Carr

Finally, David Carr, America's pre-eminent media columnist at The New York Times -- and a big champion of social media -- died in his own newsroom Thursday night after moderating a public panel hosted by his newspaper. Ironically, his last "Media Equation" column, published three days before he died, was about Brian Williams and focused on the trials and tribulations of being a celebrity journalist.

"I've never experienced a week where people were talking about journalism so much and about the importance of journalism," said West, formerly an award-winning member at 60 Minutes and a friend of Simon's.

Although the impact of all four events struck a chord with me, Stewart's surprise announcement and Simon's quick and sudden death -- in an avoidable car crash -- resonated with me the most.

It's not often that you get to leave something you're passionate about on your own terms and while at the top of your game, but that's what Stewart is doing -- leaving on a career high note. Since 1999, Stewart has informed us and entertained us in a way few have been able to do. He's championed causes, nurtured talent -- think Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert and John Oliver -- and turned his show into a vehicle for showcasing the best literary authors in the world, thereby rekindling the public's interest -- and my interest, too -- in reading books. And, what's not to like about Stewart's way he ends each broadcast with "a moment of Zen"?

While it's too early to speculate who will succeed Stewart as host of The Daily Show, one thing's certain: Stewart has set the bar awful high -- being "a comic genius, generous with his time and talent" in the words of Comedy Central's president -- and he will be dearly missed.

As for Simon, he was an esteemed broadcast journalist -- an award-winning storyteller without peer. The 73-year-old legendary CBS News and 60 Minutes correspondent, who started at the network in 1967, became renowned for his international coverage, including Vietnam, the Middle East and Israel. He covered many major news events and conflicts, both in the U.S. and throughout the world. As a war correspondent, Simon was captured by Iraqi forces near the Saudi-Kuwaiti border during the opening days of the Persian Gulf War in January 1991. He and his crew were freed after being held captive for 40 days.

I admired Simon's style and his ability to craft a story. For the past 19 years, he was a mainstay on the CBS Sunday night news magazine 60 Minutes and was equally outstanding narrating a serious or human interest story. The most recent of his 27 Emmy Awards was a story he reported for 60 Minutes about an orchestra in Paraguay whose members made instruments out of trash.

Last Sunday night, Simon's last piece for 60 Minutes aired. It led the broadcast and told a story about a potential cure for the Ebola virus. The story was produced by Simon's daughter, Tanya. At the end of the show's broadcast, Simon's colleague, Steve Kroft, his voice trembling ever so slightly, looked at the camera and spoke these words: "All of us lost him -- his family, his colleagues here at 60 Minutes and all of you who have watched this broadcast over the years. We lost his curiosity, his unparalleled writing ability, his calm bravery under fire. And we lost his sense of justice and his sense of the absurd -- both of which he brought to so much of his reporting."

Indeed, Simon will be sorely missed. His legacy will endure through his storytelling.

Looking back, it has been a week when there's been both a greatness and emptiness in truth within the journalism industry.

Photos: Courtesy Google images.

2013 ~ My Year in Pictures

Most of you who follow A Tuesday Night Memo or are friends of mine on Facebook know this about me: I'm an avid photographer. 

I make it a habit to bring my camera (a Canon PowerShot A570 IS) with me wherever I go or travel. And, thanks to getting an iPhone three years ago, I now have two sources for shooting photographs.

As taking pictures has matured from film to digital, photography has become an easier and more affordable hobby. No longer do I have to buy and store film or worry about whether the roll of film I just shot of the Eiffel Tower or the Tower of London Bridge is in focus or not.

After becoming a digital photographer about 10 years ago, it allowed me to become my own editor.  So, if I'm not happy with a picture, I can delete it and re-shoot it, then edit it for clarity. Thanks to social media sites like Facebook, uploading and sharing photos with a large group of friends has become fast and simple -- and, for me personally, it's become a daily exercise in sharing my photography with others through my timeline: "It's what's on my mind."

Each year, I take more than a thousand photographs of people, places and things. In revisiting the photo albums I've shot over the past 12 months, I've pulled together a group of photos that I'm pretty excited about. They cover a variety of things important and interesting to me: Flowers and nature, sports, music and the urban landscapes of cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle. 

You may recognize some of these photos from appearing on my Facebook page or in my blog. Click on each photograph to see them enlarged.

I hope you enjoy the exhibit and I welcome your thoughts.

Cheers and Happy 2014!

I took this photograph inside of Haas Pavilion during a University of
California, Berkeley women's basketball against Oregon last February.
That's Eliza Pierre (No. 4 in gold) guarding an Oregon opponent.

The magnificent beauty of a California redwood tree,
which I photographed on the grounds of St. Clement's
Episcopal Church in Berkeley last May.

A giant diaper pin sculpture by Claes Oldenburg sits inside the garden
of the de Young Fine Arts Museum. I took this photograph last January.

The central fountain in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park located
near the de Young Fine Arts Museum and the California Academy of
Sciences. Much to my surprise, there was a a gull sitting atop the
fountain when I took this photograph last January.

Sharing the beauty of one of our calla lilies, taken last April.

We have a raised iris bed in our backyard garden
and each April our irises come to life, standing tall.

Sharing the beauty of a rainbow colored rose from our
backyard garden, taken during the beginning of November.

A plate of poutine -- French fries topped with mushroom gravy and
 cheese curds, enjoyed at Beauty's Bagel Shop in Oakland.

A bowl of Three Twins vanilla and dulce de leche
ice cream and shortbread cookie from Comal,
in downtown Berkeley.

A window display of Chuck Taylor All-Stars on the Third Street
Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif., taken last July.

The Central Garden at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, taken in July.
It's a wonderful experience of sights, sounds and scents.

Sharing the beauty of a Mr. Lincoln red rose,
taken in our backyard garden last May.

I met John Lewis, American civil rights leader and
U.S. congressman, at a book signing event last June
at the American Library Association conference
 in Chicago.

The Cloud Gate, a 110-ton elliptical sculpture forged of a seamless
series of stainless steel plates, created by British artist Anish Kapoor.
It reflects the Chicago skyline and the clouds above as seen from
Millennium Park. I took this photograph on the Fourth of July.

The Stars and Stripes is draped over the side of the
Wrigley Building facing the Chicago River. I took
this photograph while walking across the Wabash
Avenue Bridge heading towards the Loop in Chicago.

A view of San Francisco's Alcatraz Island as seen through a
"closed window" inside the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion.

The beauty of a tall tree on the grounds of
San Francisco's Golden Gate Park last summer.

Inside Shakespeare Garden in San Francisco's
Golden Gate Park, taken in August.

Sharing the beauty of one of our Queen Elizabeth roses
from our backyard garden, taken last September.

Our alliums bloom during the summer months in
our front yard and share a garden bed with
our Japanese maple tree.

Seattle's iconic Space Needle was built for the
1962 World's Fair. I took this photograph last
September while attending Bumbershoot, Seattle's
annual music and arts festival. 

Enjoying the eclectic blues music of Duke Robillard last September
at the Bumbershoot music and arts festival in Seattle.

My season ticket to the University of California,
Berkeley's womens' volleyball matches always
provides a great view of photographing
the action on the court.

The Rotante Dal Foro Centrale, a bronze sphere by Italian sculptor
Arnaldo Pomodoro. It sits near the western entrance of the University
of California, Berkeley campus.

Enjoying Los Lobos with guest Boz Scaggs at last October's
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival at San Francisco's
Golden Gate Park.

A view of the central spire atop San Francisco's
Grace Cathedral, taken last August. It looks like
the spire is touching the clouds above.

The beauty of an August full moon -- a "blue moon."
I took this photograph standing on on our deck.

Guardian dog sculpture inside SFO's Terminal 3,
 inspired by Japanese folk toys.

A chilly but sunny Thanksgiving Day afternoon at Lakeview Park,
Albert Lea, Minnesota.

On a November Sunday morning, I came upon three
turkeys just minding their business up the hill from
my residence.

Colorful Christmas tree inside the Fairmont Hotel,
atop San Francisco's Nob Hill.

Graced With Light, a ribbon installation project by
artist-in-residence Anne Patterson, inside
San Francisco's Grace Cathedral. I took this
photograph during Advent season.

The lovely beauty of a February sunset over San Francisco
as photographed from Memorial Stadium on the UC Berkeley campus.

All photographs by Michael Dickens, copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

It's a date: My social media engagements

One of many things I appreciate about social media is the opportunity to engage in opinion and conversation with people who share similar interests with me.

Over the past few months, I've discovered a couple of online forums that are both engaging and enjoyable, and they're worth making time for each week:  "Tate Debate" via Facebook on Thursdays and the Washington Post's "TV Column Live with Lisa de Moraes" chat via the newspaper's website, washingtonpost.com, on Fridays.  The former is thought provoking while the latter is lively and entertaining.  Together, they make up my social media engagements.

Tate Debate / Thought provoking

On "Tate Debate,"  moderated by the staff of the London-based Tate Museums (which includes the Tate Britain and the Tate Modern), a topic or question is posted each week on its Facebook page for art enthusiasts to digest and share feedback.  Recent debate topics have included: Digital technology ("How could it change the arts?) and artistic concept versus artistic creativity ("Which is more important?"). With a new exhibition, "Watercolour" opening tomorrow at the Tate Britain, last week's debate focused on painting in watercolour.  The question: "What do you think of watercolour ~ a traditional method, or a visionary, abstract medium?" brought out some very interesting and thoughtful answers. Here's a sample:

"Watercolour is unforgiving and the sharpest insight to an artist," opined a middle-aged male artist from Utah.  "It reveals the actual thought process of its creation."

Another contributor, a twenty-something woman from England, added: "Whether a medium is traditional or not highly depends on the person handling it."

Because of the eight-hour time difference between London and the Bay Area, by the time I log in to Facebook on Thursday mornings, anywhere from 25-50 comments or more have already been posted to the Tate Debate.  Still, I find it's a great opportunity to see what's on the minds of other art lovers ~ especially since most of the comments are posted by Europeans ~ and, I have found, it's a unique opportunity to put in my two-cents worth from across the pond.  I've even received a couple of e-mails via Facebook commenting on my responses or thanking me for "Liking" their comments.

By the way, here's my response to the last week's "Watercolour" debate topic: "Watercolour is popular and universal.  While I normally think of watercolour as traditional landscapes painted in pastels, it's obvious that watercolour can be an abstract concept painted in bolds, too.  Each in its own way is beautiful ~ and powerful, too.  There's no right way, no wrong way to paint watercolour."  My comment even drew a couple of "Likes".

The TV Column Live /
Lively and entertaining

Meanwhile, the Washington Post's "TV Column Live with Lisa de Moraes" chat (Fridays at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) usually runs for about an hour.  De Moraes, the Post's witty TV columnist who also writes a TV blog for the Post, answers questions about "the drama, comedy and heartbreak of television ~ both on screen and behind-the-scenes." Through my own observation, I've discovered she loves 30 Rock, but hates ~ hates ~ American Idol's Ryan Seacrest (she calls him Seabiscuit), and she fawns over most PBS Masterpiece Classic "crunchy-gravel dramas" (a term she coined to describe a lot of English period dramas whose mansions include a crunchy, gravel driveway) like the recently aired "Downton Abbey."

Last week, de Moraes started off with a bang and came with a topical agenda: "Super Bowl ads ~ best ever of The Big Snooze? Idolette telling Ryan Seacrest he's all washed up emotionally from 10 years hosting show ~ best TV moment of the season? Will Keith Olbermann get you to watch Current TV? So much to talk about this week.  Let's get started. ..."

I should note: I credit my wife for introducing me to the "TV Column Live" chat and, after regularly participating, not only do I find it to be entertaining, but also an interesting perspective on the TV industry from a media insider and that ~ bottom line ~ it's a very much a business based on ratings points.  In a typical week, de Moraes (whose nickname is Pookie) responds to between 35-50 questions.

Here's a couple from last week's chat:

From Bored with My TV Shows: "So, Pookie, I watch the following: Blue Bloods, White Collar, Modern Family, Castle, Hawaii Five-O. I am sorta bored with them, except for Modern Family, which is always top-notch.  Castle is amusing at least. What should I start watching?  Lisa's response: "Episodes on Showtime because it's the best comedy on TV, Mr. Sunshine on ABC (just to see Allison Janney play crazy), The Good Wife because Alan Cummings is fab, new season of American Idol because Steven Tyler is a revelation. ... I could go on and on ..."

From 30 Rock: "Why doesn't NBC cut costs and get rid of the rest of the cast on 30 Rock and devote the half hour to Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey?"  Lisa's response: "Wait a minute! You want to get rid of Kenneth the page? And Tracy Jordan? And Jenna?  I admit Liz's writing staff could go, but I draw the line at Kenneth, Tracy and Jenna ..."

Occasionally, I've submitted a question and sometimes, like last week, I got lucky to have mine used during the chat:

From Countdown to Current TV: "Hey, Pookie: I'm looking forward to seeing Keith Olbermann's literary wit and acerbic commentary resurface on Current TV. Do you think he made a good career decision joining a fledgling cable network and should MSNBC be worried?  Lisa's response: MSNBC seems to be hanging in there without Keith.  And, as to the career move, it depends on his equity stake, I think. ... I always enjoy watching Keith move from network to network. ... And I'm anxious to see what other shows he's going to exec(utive) produce. ..."

Say what you will about social media, being able to contribute to a thoughtful, cultural discussion and sharing in an entertaining dialogue with a media critic are both pretty cool things in my book.  After all, like Madonna, herself an artist and cultural critic, once said: "Listen, everyone is entitled to my opinion."

Photography: Is it an art or a science?

Never underestimate the value of new social media.  I don't. Love it or loathe it, social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, fosters community, connecting us with friends and neighbors near and far ~ and sometimes, it connects us with others sharing a common interest.  At times, it can even be thought provoking.

Each week on Facebook, London's Tate Modern poses thought-provoking questions in its weekly "Thursday Tate Debate." Although most of the community who participate in this weekly forum are from Great Britain, occasionally, international respondents contribute to the discussion, from near and far ~ covering many, if not most, European Union countries as well as across the pond in the United States, closer to home.  I have participated in a couple of these discussions.

As someone who has visited the Tate Modern, Britain's national gallery of international modern art, several times (it's located on the South Bank of the Thames and is connected to central London and St. Paul's Cathedral via the Millennium Bridge), I appreciate their regular use of new social media as a means of fostering a community sharing an appreciation for art.

This week's debate topic centered on photography, a casual hobby of mine: "Do you think photography is more of an art or a science?"

I posted the following response:  "I think today's use modern digital photography raises the bar for art versus science. Certainly, photography is art because of the use of color and emotion.  Yet, the editing process (in digital photography) allows for science to be a part of the process.  It's a great debate."

Afterward, I started to think about my own photography and the great debate question.  As many of you know, I am fond of photographing our home gardens ~ roses, camellias, rhododendrons, fuchsia and calla lilies ~ often, to create greeting cards for family and friends.

Yesterday, I browsed through a variety of photographs I've shot this year ~ and there were many ~ and found a calla lily that in my opinion can be a catalyst in the debate.  When shown in its natural colors, I think of this photograph of a calla lily as art. However, when I digitally edit the photograph to eliminate its natural color, changing it to black and white, my focus shifts toward thinking of this photograph as a product of science at work.

In color: Calla lily, 2010

In black and white: Calla lily, 2010

Photography:  Is is an art or a science?  I welcome your thoughts and comments.