Stacy Horn's Blog, page 6

Rest in Peace, Kevin Krooss

An old friend of mine just died. It was completely out of the blue. He was 67 and mostly healthy, very physically active. It was a gut punch. I’ve known him for decades. He came to Echo, a social network I started in 1989, and he basically helped Echo in a million ways ever since. He was very tech and software savvy so he was always fixing something. I’ve been going through a hard time recently and he invited me out to his home in Caumsett Park, a nature preserve out on Long Island, to take a break in a beautiful spot. He offered to pick me up at the train station, drive me around. We’d go swimming and kayaking, two things he knew I loved to do. I’ve been holding onto that invitation, thinking of taking him up on it this spring.

He was always doing something nice for me (and for Echo). A few weeks ago I posted that I was having trouble sleeping and he sent me a couple of boxes of tea that he said helped him. And it helped! I have that tea whenever I am anxious and need something soothing.

I’m sure a lot of people are missing him now. I can’t believe he’s gone. Weirdly, I have almost no pictures of him. I don’t know why that is. But here are a couple of pictures from 2009 and 2006, at lunches with Sue and Josh, (and one also with Andi) who used to work for Echo. We’d get together from time to time for mini-reunions.

This just sucks. I don’t know how else to put it. It just sucks.

The Hopper Show at the Whitney

It breaks my heart that it looks like I won’t get back to see this show again before it closes. It was so crowded I spent little time there. It took forever to get a spot in front of one painting, and I couldn’t wait that much time for each one!

I actually almost left after only a few minutes, but I made myself return and spend time with a small number of paintings. But there was so much there that I wanted take time to revel in, but it just wasn’t possible. There were so many painting and even more drawings I’d never seen before. Here are a few of my favorites. Each are cropped a little (one a lot, the guy in the window).

Happy Holidays!

I’m listening to the last Christmas Carols I will listen to this season, and today is the last day I will have Christmas lights. For reasons unbeknownst to me, I hardly take pictures anymore. It’s so not like me. My picture for today is from Halloween, but it looks kinda Christmas-y, doesn’t it? Happy holidays, everyone. The world is a mess, but, well, if you’re reading this you’re not dead yet. There’s that. Thinking of reasons to remain positive … the first thing that came to mind was Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I listened to his speech to congress, and I just can’t get over how impressive he is. Ukraine is lucky to have him right now.

Oh. Just thought of a personal reason to remain positive. Scroll down …

I have a new book coming out! The announcement from Publisher’s Lunch:

Why Blue?

I took these on Thursday, November 3rd. Why was the Empire State Building this particular shade of blue? I should have asked sooner. It’s probably too far away for anyone to remember now. Another building was lit up with the same shade.

Feed the Birds, Tuppence a Bag

I think I’ve posted this before (old person alert) but I was permanently influenced by the song about feeding birds in the movie Mary Poppins. This woman in a saint. With a sweet dog, too.

Big Dog

I work at an animal hospital and a few of us were trying to get a picture of a dog to capture how big he is. It was almost impossible to do him justice. He was such a sweetie. And he’s a puppy! Davin, the man in this picture, is 6’2”.

Here is Davin getting a selfie.

And this is me. I am 5’3″.

Sparking Joy for $2.99 at Rite Aid

I was just thinking how Halloween still feels special because we don’t celebrate it endlessly the way we do Christmas, with decorations up and movies playing on tv for months before and after the actual holiday.

Then I saw this tea candle holder in Rite Aid and for some reason I didn’t buy it on the spot. I bought it yesterday, and it was a great buy for $2.99. It makes me happy. Now if only someone would bring back the Wowee Whistle, I’d be ecstatic.

One of My Books Made a Best List!

From: The best books on the extra-physical potentials of the mind, by Mitch Horowitz, author of Daydream Believer: Unlocking the Ultimate Power of Your Mind. He is describing my book, Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory.

“I have been praising this book for years and have no plans to stop anytime soon. Using investigatory skills and a keen sense of human pathos, journalist and NPR producer Horn tells the full-circle story of the parapsychology lab founded by the Rhines. She doggedly and accurately presents the “unbelievable” findings of the Duke lab and the struggle of its founders to swim against a tide of orthodox reaction. As a work of history, it is significant—and as a piece of dramatic historiography it is enthralling.”

My favorite picture of scientists at the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory. You can buy a copy of Unbelievable here.

A Lovely Tribute

On a stoop on West 11th Street a bunch of people left a sweet tribute to someone named Alyssa, who is no longer with us. I passed it by yesterday, on my way up to Cornell (to do research related to my upcoming announcement). I imagine these are from her neighbors. I didn’t know her, but she looks familiar to me in these pictures. I’m guessing I passed her by a bunch of times, as she sat out on the stoop.

At 66 I’m definitely more aware of how little time we get. My turn will come.

Subway View

This was my view coming up out of the subway last week. It’s always nice coming home after a long day at work, but it was especially nice coming home to this view. I have good news to post soon!