I went away for three days last week, up to a cabin in the woods that is owned by a couple I am lucky enough to know who have not been going there much lately because they just had a baby. It's in Catskill, New York, where Cus D'Amato taught Mike Tyson how to box. It’s very secluded. You can’t see any other houses. So it's an excellent place to go to be by yourself and write apology letters to people from your past who probably don't even remember you. It is definitely a cabin, as opposed to a house. Very rustic, no frills. It was built in the '60s by someone who was obviously not an architect, and its tilted beams and cracked foundation have had me wondering, on past visits, whether the place might suddenly collapse on my head. There's no heating or television or telephone. (Though it does now get cell-phone reception, which is new this year—they must have just built one of those cleverly disguised fake-tree phone towers nearby.) The walls are thin. There are screens on most of the windows, but lots of bugs still get inside. And some animals, too. A years-long battle against the squirrels who like to make nests beneath the roof and chew through the plaster has, I'm happy to report, apparently been won by the humans. (Congratulations, humans! Oh, and on the birth of your child, too!) READ MORE

"It’s no secret that I love pigeons. They have been a fascination of mine since I was a young boy, and they continue to bring me great peace even now. People are curious as to why I have such great affection for them. The answer is simple. It’s because they aren’t difficult to understand. Unlike human beings that have the capacity to manipulate and deceive one another, they are basically animals of habit. If you treat them well, feed them, give them safe housing and lots of love, you can expect a good relationship with them." READ MORE

I went to see "Tyson," the documentary about aging supermodel and VH1's 1995 man of the year Tyson Beckford-oh wait, no, it was about the boxer Mike Tyson-because you and A. O. Scott told me to. This is a terrible movie, and I hate you and A. O. Scott. READ MORE

I was on the fence, but A.O. Scott's rave has convinced me: I'm gonna go see Tyson this weekend.