tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56282110195481449072024-03-19T01:18:23.716-07:00Tom Fasano's BlogLife of a hack writerTom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-47803430671630482882024-03-09T17:58:00.001-08:002024-03-09T17:58:42.429-08:00I’m trying to guess the make and model of this beauty.<img src='https://scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/432305265_1514569129107839_979170704490521260_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_ohc=umhE6jyIFHcAX8uMj-r&_nc_sid=18de74&ccb=1-7&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oe=65F15944&oh=00_AfDCjgZpi6X1xLyQsmgqdYt78IIemEGKMTWaualsQiHqGw' style='max-width:586px;' /><br />
<div><a href="https://instagr.am/p/C4ULj2ipXnx/">via Instagram</a></div>
Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-69033254238689738952023-03-18T13:07:00.001-07:002023-07-10T11:05:18.339-07:00Swansong for Spain’s king of spy fiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVn2UnvUbYSt7R3BemWM3532MCIqF2W-AbKDg0vM36kImPcowXJVwYdFKjmGAjFeu7sTO4VQKRNVHOXrZDlIxSkwJsY9ipdrThUy2ca2XTvPEUwnCrHPIsNy10-Z83NCbd452TQVo_GyZxoojX2RxPMoSCpxT81R5HEJ3SsnfvfBBlF1M0O_hoLAh/s1600/TELEMMGLPICT000328452469_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqrWYeUU_H0zBKyvljOo6zlrxlL4JJZFr6G2BGlsAngeI.webp" style="display: block; padding: 0em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1280" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVn2UnvUbYSt7R3BemWM3532MCIqF2W-AbKDg0vM36kImPcowXJVwYdFKjmGAjFeu7sTO4VQKRNVHOXrZDlIxSkwJsY9ipdrThUy2ca2XTvPEUwnCrHPIsNy10-Z83NCbd452TQVo_GyZxoojX2RxPMoSCpxT81R5HEJ3SsnfvfBBlF1M0O_hoLAh/w640-h401/TELEMMGLPICT000328452469_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqrWYeUU_H0zBKyvljOo6zlrxlL4JJZFr6G2BGlsAngeI.webp" width="640" /></a></div>
One cannot help but be drawn into the labyrinthine world of Javier Marías, the masterful Spanish novelist, as he unfurls the intricate narrative of "Tomás Nevinson." In this complex tale, Marías explores the depths of human character and the shadowy realm of espionage, subterfuge, and political machinations.
<p>At the heart of the narrative lies Tomás Nevinson, an ex-agent wearied by the clandestine world he once inhabited. It is the psychopathic spymaster Bertram Tupra who lures Nevinson back into the fray, urging him to undertake one final mission. Thus, our protagonist finds himself navigating the provincial streets of Spain in search of a former IRA terrorist, a key player in the Hipercor bombing of 1987.</p><p>
</p><p>Marías' prose is nothing short of mesmerizing, as he deftly constructs Jamesian, self-qualifying sentences that demand the reader's undivided attention. The allusive narrative voice further serves to bewitch, leading one through a tale that is both nonsensical and undeniably compelling.</p><p>
</p><p>Despite a foundation built upon a blend of comic and erotic elements, "Tomás Nevinson" takes a dark turn as Marías incorporates the real-life murder of politician Miguel Ángel Blanco into the fabric of the story. It is this juxtaposition of the absurd and the tragically real that elevates the novel to new heights.</p>
<p>In conclusion, "Tomás Nevinson" is a resplendent gem in the literary oeuvre of Javier Marías, and it is only fitting to commend the exceptional efforts of translator Margaret Jull Costa for her skill in rendering the nuances of the original Spanish text. Thus, it is with great enthusiasm that one recommends this novel to those seeking an intellectually stimulating journey through the intricacies of the human condition and the enigmatic world of espionage.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-33976380479710971252023-03-08T22:42:00.036-08:002023-07-10T11:56:24.805-07:00One Typed Page<div style="clear: both;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HKE7oY959D6k7W5Sp-UfZeXvm7kaEW9S5IblZabtIj72GrDK7EHzrvcl8zh2vApl4QEwFeZz9OqG0DtID4sOWYymexMqUr3fVlHAPVpdsCed-ZQbs7nrSiY09ovfk34360ONUGhYMXU_oVdYpsexA68U3DmmQAvSSbXcHy6dAUxpX0FmS-A40kNj/w477-h640/March8_2023.jpg" title="Zorki 1E"><img alt="Zorki 1E" border="0" data-original-height="" data-original-width="1460" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HKE7oY959D6k7W5Sp-UfZeXvm7kaEW9S5IblZabtIj72GrDK7EHzrvcl8zh2vApl4QEwFeZz9OqG0DtID4sOWYymexMqUr3fVlHAPVpdsCed-ZQbs7nrSiY09ovfk34360ONUGhYMXU_oVdYpsexA68U3DmmQAvSSbXcHy6dAUxpX0FmS-A40kNj/w476-h640/March8_2023.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>A typed page I submitted to One Typed Page</i><br />
https://www.thomasfasano.com/2023/03/one-typed-page.html
Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-7983818078217425942023-03-04T22:56:00.019-08:002024-01-26T13:52:34.614-08:00Looking at the Snow<div style="clear: both;"></div><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52725763811_841a1e8c40_b.jpg" title="Zorki 1E"><img alt="snow" height="" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52725763811_841a1e8c40_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>Sandy in a parking lot in front of the mountains
<div style="clear: both;"></div><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomchat/52725764731/in/album-72177720306472418/" title="Zorki 1E"><img alt="snow" height="" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52725764731_213f62298b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>A selfie we took with the San Gabriel Mountains behind us.
<div style="clear: both;"></div><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomchat/52725240942/in/datetaken/" title="Zorki 1E"><img alt="snow" height="" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52725240942_075a5ec803_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>Summits in the eastern San Gabriel MountainsTom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-11545889080436133362022-11-17T21:06:00.018-08:002024-01-26T13:52:13.282-08:00Under the Weather<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwjgVbWcpU8nhUJV4HdGVOiqsADQvws3m3bqs3eWJGyHjMYHZTFIO8CKPAFHY7eJV265lpnJ3t_8LQfyHsg0q2KG_5jYVdb7s4aJg2wP9Pc5LailBVr6KLLDTwz08oJ93MyWnydbA0g6dFVDdua1pZghQduV853xU8ldnbOVSjojhb3MxOKunxpVb/w400-h400/D5A3D534-39D4-4637-8C5B-D07FF6EE68FF.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 0em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwjgVbWcpU8nhUJV4HdGVOiqsADQvws3m3bqs3eWJGyHjMYHZTFIO8CKPAFHY7eJV265lpnJ3t_8LQfyHsg0q2KG_5jYVdb7s4aJg2wP9Pc5LailBVr6KLLDTwz08oJ93MyWnydbA0g6dFVDdua1pZghQduV853xU8ldnbOVSjojhb3MxOKunxpVb/w400-h400/D5A3D534-39D4-4637-8C5B-D07FF6EE68FF.jpeg"/></a>
I’ve been feeling a little under the weather lately. Twice in October, including Halloween night, I was hospitalized for a rather severe cardiac condition: Atrial fibrillation (A-fib), an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots in the heart. The drugs they have me on are basically kicking my ass. I have no energy at all, although I can still do a little illustrating from time to time.Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-32991686260173999912022-05-26T11:40:00.005-07:002023-01-05T10:13:39.049-08:00BIGFOOT TIM — A Documentary Film<div style="position: relative; height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 56.25%; /* 16/9 ratio */ border-style: none;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top:0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QzKdbIMaJ8k"></iframe></div><p></p>My documentary film, BIGFOOT TIM, is now streaming on YouTube. The film recounts the last ten years of my deceased twin brother’s life, using over 1,500 of Tim YouTube videos plus archival content such as 8mm home movies, newspaper articles, podcast segments, and recorded radio interviews.I made the film with a total budget of $79, using the Filmora software on an older iMac.A little background: Tim was born in Virginia and eventually settled in the Tampa area. The film explores Fasano’s life as he struggles to pull himself out of poverty as a cab driver while developing an interest in videography and a passion for finding Bigfoot in the swamps of Florida. The film brims with wild stories, wild characters, strange dreamers, and big ideas about human existence.The soundtrack uses 31 compositions by the Australian/Swedish composer Scott Buckley. It also uses the song “Wishes” by American guitarist, singer, and songwriter Matthew Mondanile, performed by his solo music project, Ducktails. The film’s trailer features the composition “Wonderful” by Scott Buckley.Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-74091612055858554952022-05-08T11:36:00.011-07:002023-01-05T10:13:39.734-08:00Robert Caro's Smith Corona Electra 210 Typewriter<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ORf1AhUhQPQ' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div><p>Robert Caro shows off his typewriter and also gives a succient explanation of his writing process and how to avoid “thinking with your fingers.”</p><blockquote><p>New-York Historical’s exhibition “Turn Every Page”: Inside the Robert A. Caro Archive showcases never-before-seen highlights from life and career of Robert Caro, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author behind such masterful biographies as The Power Broker and the multi-volume series The Years of Lyndon Johnson.</p><p>Watch as Caro himself explores some of the key objects in the exhibition. In this episode, he describes one of his trusty Smith Corona Electra 210 typewriters, a brand that he’s worked on for decades and that has become an essential part of his writing process.</p></blockquote>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-19391147587174723072022-03-24T22:07:00.009-07:002023-07-10T12:01:58.405-07:00Location Scouting - Griffith Park<a href="https://flickr.com/photos/tomchat/51959864979/in/datetaken/" style="display: block; padding: 0em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51959864979_719bc10028_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
<p>I’ve been driving around town scouting locations for my independent film. Today in Griffith Park I found a beautiful bench designed by local artist Alba Cisneros. In the movie, I’ll be filming myself walking and sitting in various locations around Claremont. As soon as I saw this bench I knew this was a perfect location.</p><p>My hope is to start filming in July.</p>
<a href="https://flickr.com/photos/tomchat/51960151765/in/datetaken/" style="display: block; padding: 0em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51960151765_9efeceb591_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-10980167962274977092022-03-09T17:09:00.000-08:002023-01-05T10:13:38.425-08:00The Andy Warhol Diaries<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/aeC76ncf66w' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div><p>For the most part, the well-known facts about Andy Warhol’s life are covered in the first hour of Ryan Murphy’s six-part Netflix documentary <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18082212/">The Andy Warhol Diaries</a>. When he was younger, he drew portraits of his classmates in an attempt to stop them from bullying him; he also had a fondness for Campbell’s tomato soup; and he left Pittsburgh in 1949, when he was just 20 years old. After making the switch from graphic design to fine art, he opened The Factory in Union Square, where he exhibited his first soup cans in 1962 and went on to become a pop star by 1968.</p><p>Warhol’s inner life is the subject of director Andrew Rossi, who focuses mostly on the artist’s complicated connection with his homosexuality. Using a mix of archival and newly shot material, the documentary tells the story of Warhol’s intense feelings for three key characters: interior designer Jed Johnson, Paramount Pictures vice president Jon Gould, and artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. By all accounts, Warhol’s attraction to Basquiat was parental, sexual, and opportunistic. The primary tone is one of intense loneliness, as a voice like Warhol’s reads sections from his journal, a blend of actor Bill Irwin and a somewhat robotic drone of artificial intelligence.</p><p>After leaving Pittsburgh’s oppressive homophobia, he moved to New York City, where other gay artists like Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns radiated a machismo he could not begin to conjure.</p><p>Then Rossi turns to Warhol’s relentless cultivation of his own persona. Meticulous yet glamorous—his trademark silver wigs are shown off by Jessica Beck of the Warhol Museum—the artist built a perfectly constructed persona, one that he often used as a defense mechanism. “The way he presented himself was as asexual,” says Fab Five Freddy. “You would hear rumors, but he publicly kept that aspect of his life out of the picture.” In the film, he describes the various young, beautiful, or powerful people whom Warhol regularly surrounded himself with: Keith Haring, Andy Kaufman, Basquiat, and Jon Gould (the subject of his last film). Warhol often hid behind these figures in an attempt to mask his persistent fears of ageing and irrelevance.</p><p>Warhol’s diaries, do not remind me of a medieval saints, nor even of a kept mistress, but of the secret lovesick grumblings of servant-boy, frustrated in an attic turret. One therefore assumes that Warhol’s diary is less than a masterpiece of the genre. But this is not the impression conveyed by Mr. Rossi’s film, which insinuates itself into the territory of Proust and Henry James with its wet and spongy footsteps. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they started putting gays in concentration camps,” Warhol writes. It is only what you would expect from such a louche observer, such a tone-deaf man of fashion—those sneakers, those sunglasses!—and such an aesthete, who still, despite his fame and fortune, thought himself a member of some oppressed minority. Much of the language of Warhol’s time is problematic today, including his references to Basquiat as “the big black painter” or Aids as “gay cancer.” You can blame yourself if you remain in doubt about this film’s intentions. Strictly speaking, it has none. It is not trying to understand Warhol or his work, or to interpret either in any way. It is a bath that has been prepared for you; into it you must sink for as long as the water remains warm.</p>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-59639433676518556632022-01-13T13:12:00.000-08:002023-01-05T10:13:39.221-08:00Urban Shots #3 — Montclair<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/PDan4fkR3k4' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div><p>Today I visited the Montclair Transit Center, which features modern architecture and offers easy accessibility to buses and trains.</p>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-11383923027790677612022-01-12T12:40:00.005-08:002023-02-18T10:14:04.847-08:00Urban Shots #1 and 2 — Claremont<p>These videos are the start of an ongoing series of video clips of urban life in Southern California’s Inland Empire.</p><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ijo72K1obAY' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/rpSAeqr9zDs' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-87552313721965742252021-06-14T20:34:00.078-07:002023-04-03T21:51:08.017-07:00Disrupting the Groundhogs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOv5qHXWsDq3LYTdOD-WfnRVI4MIrEvEXo-qFSnl-dQHqta02sCfL-wX0Yd3bFfAW7zW-70azkNgJAlp6E4GrGVDT70aKSVElf6FkT9HsaEs569zr4BQig2dDo1d6FpIlk_VuUmyIZJQvelA4Tc7FoFhWYxk_-DRSlSOULVG8TPuMybyMH41cbmYn/s1600/IMG_9058%202.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 0em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOv5qHXWsDq3LYTdOD-WfnRVI4MIrEvEXo-qFSnl-dQHqta02sCfL-wX0Yd3bFfAW7zW-70azkNgJAlp6E4GrGVDT70aKSVElf6FkT9HsaEs569zr4BQig2dDo1d6FpIlk_VuUmyIZJQvelA4Tc7FoFhWYxk_-DRSlSOULVG8TPuMybyMH41cbmYn/s1600/IMG_9058%202.jpg"/></a>Groundhogs are taking taking over our yard, especially the strip of lawn between us and our neighbor in the front. We’ve been told that professional exterminators are expensive, so I thought I’d try digging down about 3 inches in order to disrupt the entry to their tunnels. Maybe they’ll get the idea they’re no longer welcome and find somewhere else to burrow.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSV0CHoRX5H0G8zMwnBlH4n8lDZP7jS_8pPfGV7u43k-nWW3KoajwgkXPIwzpnAKl1pokRncuANLwp8lN-VF11yee5WAIqtesr7m1ELS6t5bqP0lTe_RuNpB_hCWj_LnNCoQ7LwKhwpbZit5VhQD5CGjIFxPfqwYChJB6x8V1ZuIehPp5tqYMedgBX/s1600/IMG_9067.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 0em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSV0CHoRX5H0G8zMwnBlH4n8lDZP7jS_8pPfGV7u43k-nWW3KoajwgkXPIwzpnAKl1pokRncuANLwp8lN-VF11yee5WAIqtesr7m1ELS6t5bqP0lTe_RuNpB_hCWj_LnNCoQ7LwKhwpbZit5VhQD5CGjIFxPfqwYChJB6x8V1ZuIehPp5tqYMedgBX/s1600/IMG_9067.jpg"/></a>The yard will look a bit torn up for awhile, but I see it as only a first step. Next step: Rodenticide, blocks of which I’ll shove into the their holes.
<p>If anything, it’s good exercise.</p>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-77448833016148985072021-01-04T21:05:00.002-08:002023-04-03T22:00:29.313-07:00Typing on My UnderwoodI love typing on old typewriters, especially the big desk models with elite typeface. (Elite is 12 characters per inch.) The music I’m listening to is by Pat Martino.
<div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0.3em;"></div><div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/496535181?byline=0&portrait=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
This Underwood typewriter is the same model formerly used by the writer Tom Wolfe.Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-19715307876597838052020-11-25T22:21:00.001-08:002023-04-03T22:01:53.485-07:00Doing donuts in Wall Mart baby<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/b7h6QnTnlLg' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
This video captures wonderfully my late twin brother’s youthful spirit, how he always cast a wry glance toward life.</p>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-27525500726926937212020-11-24T23:45:00.003-08:002023-04-03T22:04:52.596-07:00Rest in Peace, My Brother<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLvmxCpbVyGnFERVESa0JWxDhp5hxe5nvjmcZkkt_cHDqxPoz1S-VN9Ti2qFyBGGwv1U8jqOjfEApkUFZxdZ_6QzHbE5_w_hMzyCbrzuPK8wPLNL4KVLKridyVfT3DEJwHnslEbNmobc/s0/IMG_8221+2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 0em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1095" data-original-width="1460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLvmxCpbVyGnFERVESa0JWxDhp5hxe5nvjmcZkkt_cHDqxPoz1S-VN9Ti2qFyBGGwv1U8jqOjfEApkUFZxdZ_6QzHbE5_w_hMzyCbrzuPK8wPLNL4KVLKridyVfT3DEJwHnslEbNmobc/s0/IMG_8221+2.jpg"/></a>
My twin brother passed away last year on November 14th. Finally, he’s been laid to rest, interred next to our mother in the family plot in upstate New York. The plaque above his urn has the usual name and dates, but the engraver also depicted a taxi cab and a book with the title of his memoir, <i>The Cabbie’s Tale</i>.
Rest in Peace, brother.Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-11212308005637907002020-09-13T11:25:00.004-07:002023-01-05T10:13:38.432-08:00First Birthday without Tim<p>This is the first birthday I’m celebrating without my twin brother, Tim, who passed away last November. I put together this little video of us playing in our backyard in 1959. Tim is wearing the red-striped shirt and is already quite the adventurer. </p><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="padding:100% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/457508578?byline=0&portrait=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><p><a href="https://vimeo.com/457508578">Tom and Tim in Our Backyard 1959</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/fasano">Tom Fasano</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><div style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuk_ENYTUXYhuGVYyEsvbgI9DEBLKKXeLDlRG9N4KVVJsPjIssw42GldgMeEVMLml8oYEhh4BB0Lu_v0XekJ7rRZbttU3gTF66_n1EKuiqQsE0gIBuD6voPSSn516TgmGf-1JHBxe1JhO3JPoxrGOab9UcoRsTjdOLyuCsB1yIX_w1RqvUNQCB0rzm/s607/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-27%20at%2010.50.59%20AM.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img decoding="async" alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="607" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuk_ENYTUXYhuGVYyEsvbgI9DEBLKKXeLDlRG9N4KVVJsPjIssw42GldgMeEVMLml8oYEhh4BB0Lu_v0XekJ7rRZbttU3gTF66_n1EKuiqQsE0gIBuD6voPSSn516TgmGf-1JHBxe1JhO3JPoxrGOab9UcoRsTjdOLyuCsB1yIX_w1RqvUNQCB0rzm/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-27%20at%2010.50.59%20AM.png" /></a></div>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-2537604969611917972020-08-16T15:28:00.008-07:002023-04-03T22:07:18.836-07:00Home Movie No. 1<div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/448360165?byline=0&portrait=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
The first video I shot with my Sony HVR-Z1U, an oldschool camcorder which uses tapes.Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-28201029093832170502020-07-27T22:07:00.015-07:002023-01-05T10:13:39.017-08:00Hart Winery<div style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UOkUY75ATRUCXLkHO87C1sp0cXHztKIcuA2xEz1J8gj4uZLpNizQY5OVO55TP-Ptkd7VCEmivf0qvGVNbRo0ug0ohHQGyJp1eYvK1yjxySYWQW_TvJToBNIr0oJgQVtsgM3xtdj1GYwQQG9_GIQwhzkwQO9lhzaxgpWNhm3BDJK_lvDdvsOwCKU3/s1600/tom_mask_hart.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img decoding="async" alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UOkUY75ATRUCXLkHO87C1sp0cXHztKIcuA2xEz1J8gj4uZLpNizQY5OVO55TP-Ptkd7VCEmivf0qvGVNbRo0ug0ohHQGyJp1eYvK1yjxySYWQW_TvJToBNIr0oJgQVtsgM3xtdj1GYwQQG9_GIQwhzkwQO9lhzaxgpWNhm3BDJK_lvDdvsOwCKU3/s1600/tom_mask_hart.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0.3em;"></div><p>I made a short road trip to the <a href="http://vinhart.com/">Hart Winery</a> in Temecula today. Seating was outdoors only, mask and social distancing required. This was the first and probably the only getaway for me this summer of Covid-19. I did enjoy sitting in the dappled shade on the patio, gazing at the expanse of vineyard. The wines were served on a tray, poured into small plastic cups so the waiter didn’t have to keep running in and out of the indoor tasting room to serve those outside. </p><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTxJdA1tl1min8ZDKT0S5Q3gfqf7TlKTIwpNjOV5DUuE58ev1oC-e3joDCb52WiviLmqb7E05gW03HF4g1_5tf_-NQ4LZASP3LkQort2rlZ1SlkU0cLnRMvP7u8OvJZMmTM-igpMf0vmpOQBMcrlY0FiPPO3IiZ4yqhGwYfM2yOrN21TE-48ghKjc/s1600/hart_tasting.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img decoding="async" alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTxJdA1tl1min8ZDKT0S5Q3gfqf7TlKTIwpNjOV5DUuE58ev1oC-e3joDCb52WiviLmqb7E05gW03HF4g1_5tf_-NQ4LZASP3LkQort2rlZ1SlkU0cLnRMvP7u8OvJZMmTM-igpMf0vmpOQBMcrlY0FiPPO3IiZ4yqhGwYfM2yOrN21TE-48ghKjc/s1600/hart_tasting.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0.3em;"></div><p>I could’ve sat out there for hours, but the heat was kicking up and it was time to leave, but not before purchasing a case of three different red varietals. </p><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-lCWlks0hEHRZ9FhNlR0IMfWDfQxWG6KkFQhBbAGNeHRJpVDoP6ypiUgjSw5mDAkpYgLd0T_TV5itCgjTaizljQ71l6FFgHonH5YFEfQEdJcEpmEpzur892yU4zG9QWL23yxm-R4HLQ07iWlbD422Sv0ht4l9woJItkfksY8bYgrvegwYLHLHfzr/s1600/hart_vineyards.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img decoding="async" alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="2631" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-lCWlks0hEHRZ9FhNlR0IMfWDfQxWG6KkFQhBbAGNeHRJpVDoP6ypiUgjSw5mDAkpYgLd0T_TV5itCgjTaizljQ71l6FFgHonH5YFEfQEdJcEpmEpzur892yU4zG9QWL23yxm-R4HLQ07iWlbD422Sv0ht4l9woJItkfksY8bYgrvegwYLHLHfzr/s1600/hart_vineyards.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-72072598999671046572020-07-01T20:56:00.032-07:002023-04-03T22:09:08.608-07:00Anne Sexton — Smith Corona Typewriter<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEz1XlXB_7ORHPmThs3cJIwHGUVv5FjSTXM5dDKOmb0YA3ByZLsgybg_-2am-6HpI7pU_LCAMapMZiFvg42WRoNJXNKbl09SQDt1_ihXV4yq98AQdraQ8CPNCgzz0eoBpmEmhkyd_QQNs/s1616/AnneSexton.png" style="display: block; padding: 0em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="1616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEz1XlXB_7ORHPmThs3cJIwHGUVv5FjSTXM5dDKOmb0YA3ByZLsgybg_-2am-6HpI7pU_LCAMapMZiFvg42WRoNJXNKbl09SQDt1_ihXV4yq98AQdraQ8CPNCgzz0eoBpmEmhkyd_QQNs/s1616/AnneSexton.png"/></a>
The poet <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Sexton">Anne Sexton</a> was always filmed and photographed typing on a Royal Quiet DeLuxe. But I recently bought a copy of her posthumous collection, <i>45 Mercy Street,</i> and the back cover displays a photo of a Smith Corona electric typewriter sitting on her desk. My assumption is that she wore out her Royal and purchased a brand-new electric. Of course this is something of interest only to people like me who have a fascination with the tools writers of the past used.Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-9045526690848254262020-06-30T22:01:00.003-07:002023-04-03T22:10:52.155-07:00Sea Breeze<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ib4R6_KOeHY' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
In the early evening, sea breezes blow in and spin our spinner and all the trees around, cooling everything off. The spinner was a gift from our former neighbor who moved to Idaho.Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-11323261646911150482020-06-22T13:26:00.004-07:002023-04-03T22:11:38.556-07:00My Brother's Retirement<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/7MZtXtZYERI' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
This is a short video my brother made of himself enjoying retirement. It’s a Saturday morning, and the world seems kind and promising. Sadly, he had only five more months to live.Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-73097887927052449432020-06-03T12:41:00.003-07:002023-01-05T10:13:39.721-08:00They Closed My Favorite Starbucks<div style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiutiIvwqy5lWDr8YJvClXUFSXnNGjfX6TaAIJ7OSyI8MkarsYRr-RPXVtVGqoz0fa9nghoAIxs9dD_oKNZ-KswMi7ah9nMaaCgD8d1usCEEMfhB2OlByW7Ep7n2ruAVQTnqc-h5r-ZwwHSefwCaj7o1I_ccJd6va0EdT2Br8qUVwbRkGdSaW0XQ8VS/s1600/IMG_7603.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img decoding="async" alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiutiIvwqy5lWDr8YJvClXUFSXnNGjfX6TaAIJ7OSyI8MkarsYRr-RPXVtVGqoz0fa9nghoAIxs9dD_oKNZ-KswMi7ah9nMaaCgD8d1usCEEMfhB2OlByW7Ep7n2ruAVQTnqc-h5r-ZwwHSefwCaj7o1I_ccJd6va0EdT2Br8qUVwbRkGdSaW0XQ8VS/s1600/IMG_7603.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeOdkDfvuMz7UGwEDIynviUhXVzGyHDkZ3f-eOQ5iLmQzl7_EcFYob5_eGYQUAtpe1hdXZKc7TNl_uSWT1Xr-c79OcbvTGUQ8lXNV5AcpOFNVizX4bkscav98kOwk_wl4HfF1RIvgmcrH_07UbyyVoxeBmHV-OCVXMvs6Zq3OYMIhV8Kidw83UhKc/s1600/IMG_7602.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img decoding="async" alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeOdkDfvuMz7UGwEDIynviUhXVzGyHDkZ3f-eOQ5iLmQzl7_EcFYob5_eGYQUAtpe1hdXZKc7TNl_uSWT1Xr-c79OcbvTGUQ8lXNV5AcpOFNVizX4bkscav98kOwk_wl4HfF1RIvgmcrH_07UbyyVoxeBmHV-OCVXMvs6Zq3OYMIhV8Kidw83UhKc/s1600/IMG_7602.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><p> This was my Starbucks of choice, the place where I got my coffee most mornings before commuting to work, where I visited every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, where I dropped by almost every day during summer vacation. Call them a victim of Covid-19 because once they closed “temporarily” at the peak of the pandemic, that was it. Starbucks decided to take down the sign and board up the place. With no drive-thru business, they probably weren’t making enough profit to justify keeping their doors open. The place was always packed when school was in session, but that was part of the problem. The college kids from the surrounding Claremont colleges would park themselves there with their laptops and not move for hours, which meant little money flowing into the store’s coffers.</p>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-18094298259485786312020-05-21T21:28:00.004-07:002023-01-05T10:13:38.510-08:00Digital Graduation<div style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FNcLSjUB987Sdyzs35UY4LcGCPH3a57XkXK1LAoHguVY7tqLQ6A05eQB9B_l6lpIWQh15quaJiKZyOT76fr8R0mQ8KXWXr7n3x-FpZ8saBZOmNKvcnXLo1OW5Vg-vnsUbzUJewnURdDWvGHzZJHQdVYiuHKrKj5bMS5oXSxdwgMJUmJmE88HeuH5/s1600/IMG_7608.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img decoding="async" alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FNcLSjUB987Sdyzs35UY4LcGCPH3a57XkXK1LAoHguVY7tqLQ6A05eQB9B_l6lpIWQh15quaJiKZyOT76fr8R0mQ8KXWXr7n3x-FpZ8saBZOmNKvcnXLo1OW5Vg-vnsUbzUJewnURdDWvGHzZJHQdVYiuHKrKj5bMS5oXSxdwgMJUmJmE88HeuH5/s1600/IMG_7608.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><p> It’s always an honor to be one of the teachers selected by the senior class to read their names at graduation. We held today’s digital graduation in our new gymnasium, a fantastic venue. The video will be posted to Sonora High School’s website later next week.</p>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-62583890843505973862020-05-11T13:46:00.004-07:002023-01-05T10:13:39.607-08:00At the Melville Winery in Santa Barbara County<div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/417314846?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 1.2em;"></div><p>I found this video in my file of old Flip Videos. The Flip Video was great, true point-and-shoot. Just a couple of buttons, easy to use, the ideal video camera to put in your pocket and carry around.</p>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5628211019548144907.post-13462279255861247312020-05-07T19:40:00.002-07:002023-01-05T10:13:38.476-08:00Student Portrait Project 2020<p><img decoding="async" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvE0_pLqxFOwNYdcuOZZ2kswIWMYh3R4aJR5hbN33XWFEb0BBh8QNBW6XkNtmjun40mLfbeOZYkiL_1eF7GTHlHyQi6YCymciPMAKcNbZtKFAU4V0LcgJ940gecHpGmMd6iAqoUPISP28/h120/Screen+Shot+2020-05-07+at+9.00.37+PM.png" style="display: none;" /></p><div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/416180905?byline=0&portrait=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 1.2em;"></div><p>The Student Portrait Project is now completed. For those students who requested one, I drew their portraits in Adobe Illustrator. I’ll be sending them each a copy.</p>Tom Fasanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07267670586598260141noreply@blogger.com0