And Her Name Is Sandy Hill
An artist friend of mine -- a successful Santa Monica-based painter -- just asked me what to get for his mom for Mother's Day. She's also an artist, also successful, showing in museums around the world, and isn't hurting for cash or "stuff." She travels a lot, and probably likes clever design, so I suggested he look for something fun on Fab.com. And then I remembered this book I saw at a friend's -- a book on mountains put together by mountain-climbing woman named Sandy Hill.
It was designed by one of the premier book designers, if not the premier one, Lorraine Wild, and in looking through it at a friend's house, I was reminded of Jonathan Haidt's words on Jefferson's notion about a high form of happiness -- that it's a feeling of "elevation," a swelling in the chest.
That's what I got in looking through this book, Mountain: Portraits of High Places
I realized, in recommending it to my friend, that I'd been inspired by it without realizing it. I sent thank you notes to the staff at Anderson Cooper -- all of whom were wonderful to me, and helped me be the best I could be on the show. The producer (and much of the staff) were there on Sunday night, and it's a really high-pressure environment. So, with my thank you note, I sent him two beautiful mountain postcards I picked up when the sweethearts at the Colorado Springs Independent brought me in for an event. I told him I thought he could keep them in a desk drawer and look at them for a little serenity when things got seriously crazy.
This book has incredible, mood-changing, life-calming, elevating photographs. You can't see them on the Amazon site, but if I were going to buy somebody a present that wasn't just a thing, but something to make them feel good, this would be it.
More about the book here. And a video:
Sandy Hill (then Pittman) was one of the fuckballs taking part in the lethal shenanigans on Everest in 1996, right?
Interesting choice of cites.
Life-calming!
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at May 10, 2012 1:04 PM
Also, "elevating"!
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at May 10, 2012 1:04 PM
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at May 10, 2012 1:27 PM
Also, "elevating"!
Only if you don't fall off the side of the mountain. I don't think there was a fell voice on the air, trying to bring down the mountain.
I R A Darth Aggie at May 10, 2012 2:22 PM
"Fell voice on the air" = ?
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at May 10, 2012 2:30 PM
Come on Crid, don't you know your Tolkien?
momof4 at May 10, 2012 5:35 PM
As this critic or another once said (paraphrase), '1200 pages and no sex? Pasadena....'
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at May 10, 2012 6:00 PM
Well, yeah. Lady needs something to read while you're busy...
Radwaste at May 10, 2012 9:00 PM
Raddy, there's this vibe that says your feelings have been hurt.
__________
Krakauer's most haunting passage:
See this post & comments for thoughts on Hill, and this for thoughts about those who've been left behind... "a ritual grave site for hedge fund managers."
Gotta summit, man...
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at May 10, 2012 9:43 PM
M4: Read this tweet, then read this one.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at May 11, 2012 1:43 PM
"Raddy, there's this vibe that says your feelings have been hurt."
Turn that thing off. I don't want you thinking about me while you're using it.
Radwaste at May 14, 2012 5:57 PM
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