April 18, 2007

Hello, from New Hampshire.

I'm here to do a little panel discussion at the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College. I'll be hobnobbing -- what the hell is hobnobbing? why am I writing like this? -- with Laura Clawson of Daily Kos, Brendan Nyhan of Spinsanity, John Hinderaker of Power Line, Roger Simon of Pajamas Media, Joe Malchow of Dartblog, and Andrew Seal of the Little Green Blog. The subject is politics and blogging. I'm representing the moderate position, and Hinderaker is moderating. Any advice?

I'm glad I paid for the WiFi in the airports, even though I only had a short time, because the abortion case came out. Still haven't read it. I could have read it on the plane, but instead I listened to a podcast and fell asleep. I arrived in Manchester, which is a good way away from my destination Hanover. The rental car turned out to be an SUV. I've never driven an SUV or particularly wanted to, but it seemed okay. It's not the relationship to the road that I'm used to, but it wasn't hard to adapt to being up high -- though I didn't get over my annoyance at the people who say they love SUVs because they like being up high.

The 90 minute drive was scenic, with mountains popping up toward the end. The road dipped briefly into Vermont and then back into New Hampshire with the entrance to Hanover marked by an impressive bridge studded with orbs that reminded me of this:

Cemetery.

Not that I'm morbid! In fact, I am happily ensconced in the hotel and flagrantly blogging in the restaurant.

14 comments:

Maxine Weiss said...

"people who say they love SUVs because they like being up high"---Althouse

It's a feeling of superiority. You are above the fray, above it all. You can sit perched gazing at those unfortunates below you. Until someone (a trucker) comes along whose even higher. It's a lot like life--there's always someone higher-up than you.

I, personally would rather have depth (low-rider) than height and ceiling. In other words, I'll go deep-sea diving before I'll fly to the moon.

Peace, Maxine

Ann Althouse said...

Yes, I love my close to the road sports car. I look down on those women who want to be high up... if that's physically possible.

John Kindley said...

I passed through Hanover about a month into my hike of the Appalachian Trail during the summer before law school (I only had two months, so started in Maine and got off in Massachusetts, not "through-hiking" all the way to Georgia like true "through-hikers"). The Trail pretty much goes right past the Dartmouth campus. I stayed at some weird former frat house with some rather odd Dartmouth students that catered to hikers.

No wonder I was so crazy when I started law school.

Dan Collins said...

You know, Ann, I think that with all the talk about civility codes & ct., it might be interesting to talk about the role of, erm . . . humility, and perhaps, um . . . apologies?

Dan Collins said...

Say hi to Joe for me, too.
Bugger should have let me know about it.

Latino said...

Advice? To thine own self be true...
(B.A.English, 1974).

Randy said...

I was going to suggest practice ducking, but that won't help when the incoming are aimed straight AT you rather than from one extreme to the other. In reailty, the extremes are quite comfortable with each other because both are predictable. So they happily engage in WWI-like trench warfare, lobbing projectiles on alternate days.

Centrists can be the most threatening and attract the most venemous response, because centrists hold the balance of power. And each side believes that centrists ought to be in their camp anyway, they are so close compared to the others after all. Then they get really angry when the centrists don't play the way they want them to. As you know, when that happens, they are convinced the centrist is really an extremist masquerading as the sheep they would deerly love to slaughter.

Have fun!

Anonymous said...

Ronin, as ever, has it right, and I agree with his analysis.

I have another idea about what to do once the fun is over. Other than a trip to the Saint-Gaudens house, which I've enthused about here, and which is about a half hour drive south, you might consider a visit to nearby Woodstock, Vermont.  It's only about 12 miles west of Dartmouth.  It's touristy in season, but this time of year tourists are in short supply.  If you want a really nice meal, try the Prince and the Pauper.  Moderately pricey, but worth it.  The carre d'agneau is to die for.

Anyway, enough of Theo's Travel Tips.  Hope you have an appetite left after the panel.

Der Hahn said...

Being down low and zipping around in a true sports car is fun. After driving a pick-up for several years, I feel like my ass is dragging on the pavement in an econo-bubble car and I hate looking up at the tops of semi-truck tires.

tjl said...

New Hampshire offers beautiful mountain scenery and charming New England villages. However, the activity most alluring to visitors seems to be tax-free shopping, judging by the countless outlet malls lining the roads around resort towns like Conway.

Ruth Anne Adams said...

Any advice?

Yes. Before you powder away that shine, use a blotter. You may not need to powder at all. No facial blotters? The toilet seat covers in the ladies' room work great.

Emmett M. Hogan said...

John Kindley, did you stay in Panarchy while in Hanover? Or the Tabard? Both are former frats and both cater to through-hikers.

John Kindley said...

Panarchy! That was it! Forgot the name till you reminded me. Good times! That was back in '96. They're still in business, haven't gotten sick of smelly through-hikers, huh? Are you a hiker, or Dartmouth denizen?

John Kindley said...

Emmet,

Actually, just checked your profile and saw that you went to Dartmouth for undergrad. And I see that my profile has apparently been erased since I switched to "New Blogger," whatever that is.