The Rejection Letter that Should Have Been!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear F. Scott,
I'm giving up. I know you are a classic. Gatsby and all that. But truly, this novel is obnoxious. I dislike each and every character, and I hope they all end up in the Seine. I don't care enough to hate them. They are trivial, dull, and flat. The dialogue is unreal. Nobody talks that way.
Everyone is rich and has all that vacation time? Nobody takes taxis like that. Even the wealthy walk, sometimes.
And names? Dick Divers? Seriously? I'm just saying...
I can't finish your book. Maybe something revelatory will happen, but I'll miss it. I'll try to live without it. Maybe if I didn't keep hearing Jackson Browne singing everytime I see the title I would be more positive. "The benediction of the neon lights?"
Regards,
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Paralysis by Analysis
I'd love to credit that title to its proper author but I have no idea where I heard it.
It describes me perfectly. When I was actively designing, I'd find myself straightening my desk, aligning my icons, sharpening pencils, just generally putting it all off. Even though I was interested in the project, I had this immense hesitation. Too many times the actual work too far less time than I had projected: I had wasted so much worry and procrastinated so long that I could have been done and moving on to the next project. I knew that, but did it anyway, project after project.
Sometimes the time drain was more sneaky: I'd decide I needed more research on a period style, or even locate the specifications on an oddball item, just to be "thorough". That was just an excuse though, to delay the actual design work. Strangely enough, I do the same thing when I need to balance my checkbook: I'd decide I need to straighten the bills, organize them in labelled file folders, log them into Excel (you get the picture). Everything but actually balancing the checkbook.
So now, my current paralysis is on research. I'm working on a novel.
(Pausing here so you can chuckle to yourself. Go on. I know. Feel free.)
(Done?)
I want my novel to be accurate. It takes place in the U.S. but mostly in the U.K. Some actual historic events are referred to, and then there's the action of my characters. Problem is, I find myself digging into the research too much and writing too little. I purchased books on, no joke, the wildlife of Northern England (my setting), birds of the British Isles, plants and grasses of England, "Brit-speak", medieval warfare, walks of the Lake District, hiking paths of Northern England, actual road maps, Icelandic history, Reykjavik scenery, the history of the Long-Bow, etc etc etc. Add to that the books I've purchased on learning to write, and so far Amazon is the only one getting anywhere with this.
So how much is actually necessary? Do I need real street names to make it seem authentic? Does the reader really need to know (or care) about all those little things? I have no idea. I know in my own reading I love all the little details (you know me and my Winton!). Does detailed equal boring? How do I get past this?
I need to go balance the checkbook.
It describes me perfectly. When I was actively designing, I'd find myself straightening my desk, aligning my icons, sharpening pencils, just generally putting it all off. Even though I was interested in the project, I had this immense hesitation. Too many times the actual work too far less time than I had projected: I had wasted so much worry and procrastinated so long that I could have been done and moving on to the next project. I knew that, but did it anyway, project after project.
Sometimes the time drain was more sneaky: I'd decide I needed more research on a period style, or even locate the specifications on an oddball item, just to be "thorough". That was just an excuse though, to delay the actual design work. Strangely enough, I do the same thing when I need to balance my checkbook: I'd decide I need to straighten the bills, organize them in labelled file folders, log them into Excel (you get the picture). Everything but actually balancing the checkbook.
So now, my current paralysis is on research. I'm working on a novel.
(Pausing here so you can chuckle to yourself. Go on. I know. Feel free.)
(Done?)
I want my novel to be accurate. It takes place in the U.S. but mostly in the U.K. Some actual historic events are referred to, and then there's the action of my characters. Problem is, I find myself digging into the research too much and writing too little. I purchased books on, no joke, the wildlife of Northern England (my setting), birds of the British Isles, plants and grasses of England, "Brit-speak", medieval warfare, walks of the Lake District, hiking paths of Northern England, actual road maps, Icelandic history, Reykjavik scenery, the history of the Long-Bow, etc etc etc. Add to that the books I've purchased on learning to write, and so far Amazon is the only one getting anywhere with this.
So how much is actually necessary? Do I need real street names to make it seem authentic? Does the reader really need to know (or care) about all those little things? I have no idea. I know in my own reading I love all the little details (you know me and my Winton!). Does detailed equal boring? How do I get past this?
I need to go balance the checkbook.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Sun Also Rises-Hemingway
This is considered one of the 100 greatest novels of all time, yet I missed it in my years of book lust. I once tried to read it last year, but got bogged down and gave up. This time I dug in and tried to focus. My impetus was reading another blog that asked 'what book setting would you love to live in?' and this book was the overwhelming favorite.
Keyword: alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. Wine, beer, pernod, absinthe, martinis, more wine. These people drank ALL the time, from noon till midnight. Copious amounts of everything. It made me wonder if a bottle of wine was smaller in the 1920's than now, simply because I can't imagine two people putting away four bottles of wine at lunch and still being able to stand.
The story is of the 'lost generation' of expatriots living in Paris in the 20's, and several of them were WWI vets. There seemed to be no purpose to their life other than to eat, drink, and be merry. Money didn't seem to be a factor, these people were living large and leisurely. I could see why some thought Hemingway was anti-Semitic; his description of one character, Robert Cohn, implied a personal prejudice by Hemingway. But perhaps that was more indicative of that time period? Not sure.
Anyway, Jacob Barnes has a war injury that makes him unable to consummate his feelings toward Lady Brett Ashley. She passes on a relationship with him for that reason, despite her clear affection for him. So he's left to be a bystander while she flirts and sleeps around with all of his friends. In the end, they are simply left with each other, as friends. Sad, and empty. Like much of their lives.
I had to laugh at one aside that Hemingway makes: he spent pages describing the road to one town, and while the character visits a bookie, the author remarks on his bookmaking and says "but that's not part of the story". I had to laugh out loud, as so much was in this that seemed irrelevant, pages and pages of descriptions of dust and roads and people, and yet he mentioned that one piece of information as inconsequential.
Keyword: alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. Wine, beer, pernod, absinthe, martinis, more wine. These people drank ALL the time, from noon till midnight. Copious amounts of everything. It made me wonder if a bottle of wine was smaller in the 1920's than now, simply because I can't imagine two people putting away four bottles of wine at lunch and still being able to stand.
The story is of the 'lost generation' of expatriots living in Paris in the 20's, and several of them were WWI vets. There seemed to be no purpose to their life other than to eat, drink, and be merry. Money didn't seem to be a factor, these people were living large and leisurely. I could see why some thought Hemingway was anti-Semitic; his description of one character, Robert Cohn, implied a personal prejudice by Hemingway. But perhaps that was more indicative of that time period? Not sure.
Anyway, Jacob Barnes has a war injury that makes him unable to consummate his feelings toward Lady Brett Ashley. She passes on a relationship with him for that reason, despite her clear affection for him. So he's left to be a bystander while she flirts and sleeps around with all of his friends. In the end, they are simply left with each other, as friends. Sad, and empty. Like much of their lives.
I had to laugh at one aside that Hemingway makes: he spent pages describing the road to one town, and while the character visits a bookie, the author remarks on his bookmaking and says "but that's not part of the story". I had to laugh out loud, as so much was in this that seemed irrelevant, pages and pages of descriptions of dust and roads and people, and yet he mentioned that one piece of information as inconsequential.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Byrd and Melanie Billings
Today I am in such a funk over the murder of Byrd and Melanie Billings of Florida. Somehow this injustice and horror seemed to reach me more than others, as desensitized as many of us are who see this violence all the time streaming on CNN.
For me, the sheer shock of a home invasion simply makes no sense. Why them?
I actually feel pain for all the children they took in, mostly special needs children who had been institutionalized or lost in the system due to their disabilities, who found a loving home with this couple who opened their hearts to them. In some cases, it was the only 'home' they knew, the only one on one human contact they'd experienced in their short lives. This couple was wealthy, and rather than send checks to their charity of choice, they put that wealth to taking in and giving these children the best they could offer. Can you imagine how it felt for these kids to have someone look them in the eye, hug them, talk to them, and be interested in them? Even if it was just the quality of human touch, what an incredible gift to have given.
My heart hurts. One saving note, the children were not hurt (physically).
Uighur woman
Barely out of her childhood, this young woman ventures out in Uighur, Xinjiang Province, in China where unrest has been heavy this week.
I don't know why this photo speaks to me, something about that little hand reaching towards her face, with his cheek to hers. It's obvious she's concerned and protecting her baby, and I'm wondering what made her venture out into the danger.
BTW, the LA Times has a feature called "The Day in Pictures" where I found this, and it's really a neat grouping to look at each day, some happy, some sad, some scary.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Frightening News: It Could Happen to You!
Woman Goes Completely Insane from Allergy to Home and Family
(AP) NIPOMO, CA Authorities in California have confirmed that a long time Nipomo resident has gone completely out of her mind due to prolonged exposure to her own residence and to members of her immediate family. Their investigation is ongoing. Here is what is known:
The insanity began when a number of illnesses invaded the home: chicken pox and a virus to one child, as well as a viral flu to her husband and a case of shingles to her father. One dog had fleas and one cat had a nasty cough. Apparently, close proximity to these individuals and dutiful cleaning up of vomit, snot, hairballs, and other disgusting things led to the slow but certain demise of the victim, age 40 going on 70.
Her symptoms became manifest after family members noticed that the spices were alphabetized, the house was clean, and no cobwebs hung from the chandelier, clearly a sign of an impending breakdown. She apparently began speaking randomly of royalty, specifically a “King Julian” and started referring to family members as Skipper, Rico, Private and Kowalski. She banged her head against the wall and yelled “I am an otter failure”.
She was checking her email obsessively, apparently hungry, because she kept repeating “I’d even take some Spam”. She was also heard having long, involved conversations with her cat regarding his unethical and inhumane practice of catching birds.
Oscar nominated actor Viggo Mortensen confirmed the diagnosis when he visited, with the intention of stealing her away. “I promised to take her out of her sad, Cinderella life, and offered her my undying love. See, I have a thing for flabby arms and double chins,” he admitted. She offered a number of reasons she couldn’t possibly leave with him, most disturbingly her quote “I just want to walk around Target for an hour!”
Neighbors report her being especially interested in conversation with them, inquiring about their day, their health, their pet’s health, the health of their pet’s ancestors, even asking one neighbor to name all the dogs he’s ever had. Another neighbor, borrowing a cup of sugar, was held hostage for hours by said crazy woman, who riddled her with questions regarding whether or not the 101 freeway still went both directions, if McDonald’s still made French fries, and if there was any news in the world besides the death of Michael Jackson.
When the police checked in on her, she mentioned that she knew much of “the force” by listing the names of various officers in Fresno, Dallas, Miami, and Las Vegas due to her diligent watching of COPS. Lack of reading material had taken a toll on her, as she informed officers that if you read a back issue of Time backwards, it becomes People magazine.
Authorities are unclear at this point how to handle the situation. One local doctor suggested a forced visit to a major mall that featured a Starbucks, a movie theatre, a bookstore and a Nordstrom’s could in fact reverse her symptoms. We will keep you updated as developments occur.
(AP) NIPOMO, CA Authorities in California have confirmed that a long time Nipomo resident has gone completely out of her mind due to prolonged exposure to her own residence and to members of her immediate family. Their investigation is ongoing. Here is what is known:
The insanity began when a number of illnesses invaded the home: chicken pox and a virus to one child, as well as a viral flu to her husband and a case of shingles to her father. One dog had fleas and one cat had a nasty cough. Apparently, close proximity to these individuals and dutiful cleaning up of vomit, snot, hairballs, and other disgusting things led to the slow but certain demise of the victim, age 40 going on 70.
Her symptoms became manifest after family members noticed that the spices were alphabetized, the house was clean, and no cobwebs hung from the chandelier, clearly a sign of an impending breakdown. She apparently began speaking randomly of royalty, specifically a “King Julian” and started referring to family members as Skipper, Rico, Private and Kowalski. She banged her head against the wall and yelled “I am an otter failure”.
She was checking her email obsessively, apparently hungry, because she kept repeating “I’d even take some Spam”. She was also heard having long, involved conversations with her cat regarding his unethical and inhumane practice of catching birds.
Oscar nominated actor Viggo Mortensen confirmed the diagnosis when he visited, with the intention of stealing her away. “I promised to take her out of her sad, Cinderella life, and offered her my undying love. See, I have a thing for flabby arms and double chins,” he admitted. She offered a number of reasons she couldn’t possibly leave with him, most disturbingly her quote “I just want to walk around Target for an hour!”
Neighbors report her being especially interested in conversation with them, inquiring about their day, their health, their pet’s health, the health of their pet’s ancestors, even asking one neighbor to name all the dogs he’s ever had. Another neighbor, borrowing a cup of sugar, was held hostage for hours by said crazy woman, who riddled her with questions regarding whether or not the 101 freeway still went both directions, if McDonald’s still made French fries, and if there was any news in the world besides the death of Michael Jackson.
When the police checked in on her, she mentioned that she knew much of “the force” by listing the names of various officers in Fresno, Dallas, Miami, and Las Vegas due to her diligent watching of COPS. Lack of reading material had taken a toll on her, as she informed officers that if you read a back issue of Time backwards, it becomes People magazine.
Authorities are unclear at this point how to handle the situation. One local doctor suggested a forced visit to a major mall that featured a Starbucks, a movie theatre, a bookstore and a Nordstrom’s could in fact reverse her symptoms. We will keep you updated as developments occur.
Oriole Family!
The picture doesn't do this handsome guy justice, but it gives you a glimpse of Daddy Oriole who is living in my oak tree. Yes, he's taken, Mrs. Oriole is often sharing the feeder with him. Best of all, they have at least one baby, a little fluff of yellow that has made his way to the feeder twice. They are enjoying the hummingbird juice as well as some Valencia oranges. Their yellow is neon and gorgeous!
I saw him posing dramatically on the pergola rafters, thinking him vain, but now I realize he was probably keeping an eye out for predators. Obviously, I'm not getting out much but with this wildlife I don't mind.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
But this time, it's NOT me!
Everyone has had one of those days where everything goes wrong, when all wires are crossed and nothing works. Usually when it happens to me, after endless headbanging and frustration, I realize that maybe it's me. Maybe all the things going wrong go back to me and my attitude, bad mood, lack of sleep. When everyone is annoying me, including the cat, it really is me. Sad.
But yesterday, I was in a fantastic mood! Great mood. All was well in my world. So while I fought with Pacificare, tried to communicate with Geico and Allstate, as well as pay bills and balance my checking account I kept that in mind while it all went horribly wrong. Because I knew, this time, it wasn't me. It was THEM. I had a gorgeous sunny day outside with a great night's sleep. No excuse to let Geico, Pacificare and Allstate off the hook for their behavior.
Why can't I call and speak to a human? Why do I have to log every conversation with them because they WILL screw it up? I have to have a confirmation number for everything, as well as the person I spoke with, because I know that it's just a matter of time before I have to do it all over again. And why is it that when you want to speak to a person they keep directing you to the website? My own insurance agent directed me to Allstate's website to fix the problem myself, to which I could barely resist asking 'so what do I have you for?" Why are some businesses so incompetent that I wish I could just reach through the phone and do the transaction myself?
Child 1 had the same problem with Fandango, trying to buy movie tickets. The automated line wouldn't work, so he finally said at one of the auto prompts, 'get me a damn person!' and then was promptly hung up on.
But yesterday, I was in a fantastic mood! Great mood. All was well in my world. So while I fought with Pacificare, tried to communicate with Geico and Allstate, as well as pay bills and balance my checking account I kept that in mind while it all went horribly wrong. Because I knew, this time, it wasn't me. It was THEM. I had a gorgeous sunny day outside with a great night's sleep. No excuse to let Geico, Pacificare and Allstate off the hook for their behavior.
Why can't I call and speak to a human? Why do I have to log every conversation with them because they WILL screw it up? I have to have a confirmation number for everything, as well as the person I spoke with, because I know that it's just a matter of time before I have to do it all over again. And why is it that when you want to speak to a person they keep directing you to the website? My own insurance agent directed me to Allstate's website to fix the problem myself, to which I could barely resist asking 'so what do I have you for?" Why are some businesses so incompetent that I wish I could just reach through the phone and do the transaction myself?
Child 1 had the same problem with Fandango, trying to buy movie tickets. The automated line wouldn't work, so he finally said at one of the auto prompts, 'get me a damn person!' and then was promptly hung up on.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
More Chihuly....gorgeous
Chihuly.com, go to "glass" and then to "seaforms"...this is from the loop 1 section. Wow.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Skilled workers and artisans needed!
Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford.
This book was just released in May and it's fascinating. It espouses the return to good ol' manual labor! The author's conjecture: he likes to work on motorcycles and feels good when he does. But he takes that further and shows new studies regarding work that are surprising, especially considering what mainstream beliefs have been regarding blue collar work.
He finds in his own work, as well as informal study and in tremendous research that hands-on workers, such as plumbers, painters, mechanics, and builders report more job satisfaction than a white collar, 'stuck in front of a computer monitor' executive. And, even more interesting is that in most cases, these workers end up making more money too, and their jobs are less fragile in a bad economic downturn. Common sense really, as we will get our toilets fixed and our cars running even if we are broke!
The author has nothing against higher education, but he points out that most guidance counselors push students into colleges with loftier hopes than are generally realized; and in fact often sneer at students that take more humble ROP or trade classes. And he backs it all up with data that supports his belief.
He then dips even further into the mind set of a manual worker: the joy from hard work, and the ability to see a project progress right in front of them, start to finish. To start a project and finish it within a few days and realize his goals on a tactile, personal level. The ability to make decisions that directly impact his work space and work goals by being more in charge of his time and resources. He also shows that the typical "ideal" employee graph would show a worker starting at an entry level position (hands on) and then working into management and further up, yet the rate of job satisfaction decreases the higher up they rise! So the "ideal" promoted by schools and colleges needs to change.
He's not suggesting that an employee have no ambition or drive, but rather to excel in what they do and take pride in it, and not be pressed to promote himself at the expense of his craft. Even specialization, often looked upon as a negative, actually makes their work more valuable. He suggests that mechanics or other tradespeople develop within their skills even more specialized skills and focus on excellence rather than self promotion.
All in all, a fabulous read. Sort of along the lines of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, but it actually discusses more about motorcycle maintenance and about the world of a mechanics shop (camaraderie, dirty jokes and all!).
This book was just released in May and it's fascinating. It espouses the return to good ol' manual labor! The author's conjecture: he likes to work on motorcycles and feels good when he does. But he takes that further and shows new studies regarding work that are surprising, especially considering what mainstream beliefs have been regarding blue collar work.
He finds in his own work, as well as informal study and in tremendous research that hands-on workers, such as plumbers, painters, mechanics, and builders report more job satisfaction than a white collar, 'stuck in front of a computer monitor' executive. And, even more interesting is that in most cases, these workers end up making more money too, and their jobs are less fragile in a bad economic downturn. Common sense really, as we will get our toilets fixed and our cars running even if we are broke!
The author has nothing against higher education, but he points out that most guidance counselors push students into colleges with loftier hopes than are generally realized; and in fact often sneer at students that take more humble ROP or trade classes. And he backs it all up with data that supports his belief.
He then dips even further into the mind set of a manual worker: the joy from hard work, and the ability to see a project progress right in front of them, start to finish. To start a project and finish it within a few days and realize his goals on a tactile, personal level. The ability to make decisions that directly impact his work space and work goals by being more in charge of his time and resources. He also shows that the typical "ideal" employee graph would show a worker starting at an entry level position (hands on) and then working into management and further up, yet the rate of job satisfaction decreases the higher up they rise! So the "ideal" promoted by schools and colleges needs to change.
He's not suggesting that an employee have no ambition or drive, but rather to excel in what they do and take pride in it, and not be pressed to promote himself at the expense of his craft. Even specialization, often looked upon as a negative, actually makes their work more valuable. He suggests that mechanics or other tradespeople develop within their skills even more specialized skills and focus on excellence rather than self promotion.
All in all, a fabulous read. Sort of along the lines of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, but it actually discusses more about motorcycle maintenance and about the world of a mechanics shop (camaraderie, dirty jokes and all!).
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Would you believe "T is for Trespass"?
Seriously, this series by Sue Grafton has always been a beachside, no deep thinking required read, not literary and not particularly noteworthy. Yes, I am a book snob. I've usually read each title over the last ten years purely because the setting is local and I like picking out the locations I know (her character's residence is the same street as my favorite place to stay in the world).
So, to get the new one for ten cents at the used book sale was a treat, and I tucked it away. My mom grabbed it and raved. How could that be? An actual rave? THAT good? No way.
I read it yesterday, start to finish. It IS that good. No spoilers but seriously the best of her entire series. Sort of a anticlimactic ending but her eye for details and personality types and traits was uncanny. Really, really good.
It still doesn't require any deep thought, but it's a fun read. What's with deep thoughts anyway? Additionally, it's about elder abuse and scams on the elderly, which leads to some shocking revelations on how easy it is to manipulate the elderly. Sad. True. Read!
So, to get the new one for ten cents at the used book sale was a treat, and I tucked it away. My mom grabbed it and raved. How could that be? An actual rave? THAT good? No way.
I read it yesterday, start to finish. It IS that good. No spoilers but seriously the best of her entire series. Sort of a anticlimactic ending but her eye for details and personality types and traits was uncanny. Really, really good.
It still doesn't require any deep thought, but it's a fun read. What's with deep thoughts anyway? Additionally, it's about elder abuse and scams on the elderly, which leads to some shocking revelations on how easy it is to manipulate the elderly. Sad. True. Read!
Monday, June 22, 2009
sweet sleep, some favorite words
Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. Victor Hugo
These is only one thing that people like that is good for them: a good night's sleep. Edgar Watson Howe
A good laugh and a long sleep are the doctor's best cures. Irish Proverb
Life is too short to sleep on low thread count sheets. Leah Stussy
A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow. Charlotte Brontë
It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it. John Steinbeck
I cannot walk through the suburbs in the solitude of the night without thinking that the night pleases us because it suppresses idle details, just as our memory does. Jorge Luis Borges
For the happiest life, rigorously plan your days, leave your nights open to chance. Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966
I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know? Ernest Hemingway
These is only one thing that people like that is good for them: a good night's sleep. Edgar Watson Howe
A good laugh and a long sleep are the doctor's best cures. Irish Proverb
Life is too short to sleep on low thread count sheets. Leah Stussy
A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow. Charlotte Brontë
It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it. John Steinbeck
I cannot walk through the suburbs in the solitude of the night without thinking that the night pleases us because it suppresses idle details, just as our memory does. Jorge Luis Borges
For the happiest life, rigorously plan your days, leave your nights open to chance. Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966
I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know? Ernest Hemingway
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Fun Stuff!
Great websites for a laugh:
awkwardfamilyphotos.com exactly like it sounds
theonion.com check out the headlines.
failblog.com terrible mistakes in photos, news, etc:
such as a cotton ball display in a pharmacy that says "Celebrate Black History month"
icanhascheezburger.com cats are taking over the world, one lolcat at a time
overheardinnewyork.com sometimes raunchy, but sometimes funny eavesdropping
roflrazzi.com hard to explain photos and captions
Some killer new CD's (bet you've never heard of them!):
Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear (sort of a Jeff Buckley-Queen-late Beatles sound)
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix: sounds like indie rockabilly with pop bounce...happy music! Sort of like if Paul McCartney/Wings (don't mock me!) and the Stray Cats met up with the Indigo Girls and jammed.
Baroque Guitar by Julian Bream (want to pretend you're at Starbucks while stuck at home? this is sort of atmosphere music)
Day & Age by The Killers (modern but sounds a bit like Thompson Twins but less techno)
awkwardfamilyphotos.com exactly like it sounds
theonion.com check out the headlines.
failblog.com terrible mistakes in photos, news, etc:
such as a cotton ball display in a pharmacy that says "Celebrate Black History month"
icanhascheezburger.com cats are taking over the world, one lolcat at a time
overheardinnewyork.com sometimes raunchy, but sometimes funny eavesdropping
roflrazzi.com hard to explain photos and captions
Some killer new CD's (bet you've never heard of them!):
Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear (sort of a Jeff Buckley-Queen-late Beatles sound)
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix: sounds like indie rockabilly with pop bounce...happy music! Sort of like if Paul McCartney/Wings (don't mock me!) and the Stray Cats met up with the Indigo Girls and jammed.
Baroque Guitar by Julian Bream (want to pretend you're at Starbucks while stuck at home? this is sort of atmosphere music)
Day & Age by The Killers (modern but sounds a bit like Thompson Twins but less techno)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Breathe, by Tim Winton
I just finished this yesterday...I won't review it. It's too complicated and too personally relevant for me to comment on.
I will say that this is the first Winton novel that I have read (pub. 2008) that is a simple story, start to finish, with no flashbacks or alternating viewpoints. Of course it's set in Australia, and touches on surfing, friendship, mentors, and how new insight can affect your judgment of a person's value and meaning in your own life.
It also challenged my own preconceptions on what constitutes abuse, and the factors that can alienate us from our own individuality.
'Nuff said.
I will say that this is the first Winton novel that I have read (pub. 2008) that is a simple story, start to finish, with no flashbacks or alternating viewpoints. Of course it's set in Australia, and touches on surfing, friendship, mentors, and how new insight can affect your judgment of a person's value and meaning in your own life.
It also challenged my own preconceptions on what constitutes abuse, and the factors that can alienate us from our own individuality.
'Nuff said.
Giorgos Seferis quote
"Don't ask who's influenced me. A lion is made up of the lambs he's digested, and I've been reading all my life."
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner
This book sat on my shelf a shamefully long time before I decided to read it. I was afraid it was a self-help book, that all important promise on how to be happy. I hate self help books. Either they are painfully obvious or leave you racked with guilt. And apparently, it's a uniquely American trait to constantly analyze if we are happy or not, and constantly question what would make us happier.
In either case, I put this one off. I wish I hadn't.
This is most definitely NOT a self help book on how to be happy. It's a study of the world's happiest places, by country, and the author, a correspondent for NPR, explores the regions and tries to assess why these places are noted for their happiness (he also visits places that rank low on the happiness scale). He visits, in which must be the coolest job ever, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Qatar, Bhutan, India, Iceland, Moldova, Thailand, the UK, and finally the US.
He goes out, meets people, explores their culture, and really gets into their real life. He doesn't stay in hotels, he tries to room with people he either knows or friends of friends. I have yet to find other books by this author, but I'm going to look. His style is breezy, sarcastic, and much of his research is backed by studies that he quotes extensively. Lots of insights on what makes people happy, and it's definitely not money.
He surmises from his experiences that it is the culture of a locale, the history that the residents exist in, that make their lives happier and more meaningful. Being aware of their place in history, the significance of their architecture and geography, and a pride in their language contributes much towards personal satisfaction (which he explains by the example of Qatar that has money but no culture to speak of). Interaction with each other rather than isolation accounts for much of the happiness they experience (again, so much for my hermit-like theory of happiness!). This is really a must read book, if not for the insights on joy, at least for this man's entertaining writing and wit.
One insight that he has is my favorite quote of the book, something he discovered in Switzerland: "Trusting your neighbors is especially important. Simply knowing them can make a real difference in your quality of life. One study found that, of all the factors that affect the crime rate for a given area, the one that made the biggest difference was not the number of police patrols or anything like that but, rather, how many people you know within a fifteen-minute walk of your house."
In either case, I put this one off. I wish I hadn't.
This is most definitely NOT a self help book on how to be happy. It's a study of the world's happiest places, by country, and the author, a correspondent for NPR, explores the regions and tries to assess why these places are noted for their happiness (he also visits places that rank low on the happiness scale). He visits, in which must be the coolest job ever, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Qatar, Bhutan, India, Iceland, Moldova, Thailand, the UK, and finally the US.
He goes out, meets people, explores their culture, and really gets into their real life. He doesn't stay in hotels, he tries to room with people he either knows or friends of friends. I have yet to find other books by this author, but I'm going to look. His style is breezy, sarcastic, and much of his research is backed by studies that he quotes extensively. Lots of insights on what makes people happy, and it's definitely not money.
He surmises from his experiences that it is the culture of a locale, the history that the residents exist in, that make their lives happier and more meaningful. Being aware of their place in history, the significance of their architecture and geography, and a pride in their language contributes much towards personal satisfaction (which he explains by the example of Qatar that has money but no culture to speak of). Interaction with each other rather than isolation accounts for much of the happiness they experience (again, so much for my hermit-like theory of happiness!). This is really a must read book, if not for the insights on joy, at least for this man's entertaining writing and wit.
One insight that he has is my favorite quote of the book, something he discovered in Switzerland: "Trusting your neighbors is especially important. Simply knowing them can make a real difference in your quality of life. One study found that, of all the factors that affect the crime rate for a given area, the one that made the biggest difference was not the number of police patrols or anything like that but, rather, how many people you know within a fifteen-minute walk of your house."
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Hunger, by Knut Hamsun
This is an older novel, written in the 1930's or thereabouts. It was originally in Norwegian, and the author later won a Nobel Prize for Growth of the Soil, which I haven't started yet.
All the reviews said this was a disturbing novel of isolation. It was, and is, fascinating.
The protagonist, writing in the first person, describes his life as a writer who has suffered hunger and starvation long enough that his mental faculties are injured beyond repair (it would seem). He writes occasionally for a newspaper, makes enough to get by a few days if his story is purchased, or goes without food for days if it doesn't get picked up. The malnourishment causes a variety of problems, from extreme mood swings to paranoia to hallucinations. He takes to chewing on wood shavings, then stones, then a piece of his jacket pocket to try and defy the hunger. When he does eat, he is usually ill from the food. He gets to a point where he visualizes taking a bite out of his hand to eat, and does so. He comes out of his trance when he does, but it shows how far out of reality he became. A few times he either finds money or is given some by a benevolent person; he simply can't accept this, and gives it away.
The insanity is beyond anything I imagined. Perhaps because it's told in first person style, where every thought and inkling is described and explored. The people he harasses, the fights he starts, his visions of his own talent (highly inflated) and his paranoia are frightening. He has tremendous pride, not wanting to take help from others, even when he hasn't eaten for days. One shopkeeper, realizing his situation, actually pretends to make a mistake and gives him too much change...rather than take this for food, he gives it to a more 'impoverished' soul than him. It's not that he's selfless, far from it. His pride consumes him. He can't bear to imagine anyone thinking badly of him, even when he is selling off his clothing and the buttons on his coat. He even has the opportunity to make use of a homeless shelter to get food and a bed, and he refuses rather than to look bad.
Physically, the starvation manifests itself in losing his hair in clumps, a peeling skin rash and raw skin from his dirty clothes rubbing his skin, blackened nails, lost teeth, and a chronic dizziness and fever.
I was amazed in that while he did write to earn money, he never seemed to try and seriously find a job. And he never seemed to consider stealing, which would have occurred to me before I would be chewing on stones. Again, it wasn't out of honor, it was about his perception of what others would think of him, and he wanted to be thought of as honorable, even though he wasn't.
He was truly isolated. No family is mentioned, his only friends are actually acquaintances that avoid him because of his strange behavior and pathetic appearance, exactly what he was hoping to avoid. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of child he was (okay, I know it's fictional but I still think this way) and what made him so prideful and vain.
It's said that everyone has a story they tell themselves about themselves. How they account for their choices and actions in their own head, and how they justify or condemn themself. In this I wondered, since I could clearly see the story he was telling himself, and how inaccurate it was from his reality, how far off is my perception of myself? Is the way I think as completely out of touch? Is my inner voice as flawed and stubborn as his?
All the reviews said this was a disturbing novel of isolation. It was, and is, fascinating.
The protagonist, writing in the first person, describes his life as a writer who has suffered hunger and starvation long enough that his mental faculties are injured beyond repair (it would seem). He writes occasionally for a newspaper, makes enough to get by a few days if his story is purchased, or goes without food for days if it doesn't get picked up. The malnourishment causes a variety of problems, from extreme mood swings to paranoia to hallucinations. He takes to chewing on wood shavings, then stones, then a piece of his jacket pocket to try and defy the hunger. When he does eat, he is usually ill from the food. He gets to a point where he visualizes taking a bite out of his hand to eat, and does so. He comes out of his trance when he does, but it shows how far out of reality he became. A few times he either finds money or is given some by a benevolent person; he simply can't accept this, and gives it away.
The insanity is beyond anything I imagined. Perhaps because it's told in first person style, where every thought and inkling is described and explored. The people he harasses, the fights he starts, his visions of his own talent (highly inflated) and his paranoia are frightening. He has tremendous pride, not wanting to take help from others, even when he hasn't eaten for days. One shopkeeper, realizing his situation, actually pretends to make a mistake and gives him too much change...rather than take this for food, he gives it to a more 'impoverished' soul than him. It's not that he's selfless, far from it. His pride consumes him. He can't bear to imagine anyone thinking badly of him, even when he is selling off his clothing and the buttons on his coat. He even has the opportunity to make use of a homeless shelter to get food and a bed, and he refuses rather than to look bad.
Physically, the starvation manifests itself in losing his hair in clumps, a peeling skin rash and raw skin from his dirty clothes rubbing his skin, blackened nails, lost teeth, and a chronic dizziness and fever.
I was amazed in that while he did write to earn money, he never seemed to try and seriously find a job. And he never seemed to consider stealing, which would have occurred to me before I would be chewing on stones. Again, it wasn't out of honor, it was about his perception of what others would think of him, and he wanted to be thought of as honorable, even though he wasn't.
He was truly isolated. No family is mentioned, his only friends are actually acquaintances that avoid him because of his strange behavior and pathetic appearance, exactly what he was hoping to avoid. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of child he was (okay, I know it's fictional but I still think this way) and what made him so prideful and vain.
It's said that everyone has a story they tell themselves about themselves. How they account for their choices and actions in their own head, and how they justify or condemn themself. In this I wondered, since I could clearly see the story he was telling himself, and how inaccurate it was from his reality, how far off is my perception of myself? Is the way I think as completely out of touch? Is my inner voice as flawed and stubborn as his?
Riffing on stuff
Little itty bitty things cluttering my mind:
Middle child turns 16 tomorrow. Yikes. How did this happen? He was my tiny baby, my cuddly third grader, my nervous junior high kid. Now he's driving and that means I'm old!
Youtube: I know there is a ton of crap on it, but I am in LOVE with this website. With a toddler who is fascinated by everything, it's so cool to find a video about something he likes. He was really into a photo of a wolf, with youtube we found a few clips of wolves howling. He was awestruck. We found clips of time-lapse photography of hatching eggs, kittens being born, etc etc. Besides the goofy stuff he loves: cats jumping long distances, ducklings following their mom. Very cool.
Jon & Kate Plus 8: I've held off my worthless opinion but I have to throw this out there: how can you justify pimping out your kids when they are too young to have a say? Sure, they had a bunch and need money to pay the bills, I totally get that. But camera crews everywhere, all the time? On a normal scene with all of them, there's at least 16 other people in the house at the time involved in the filming. How can that be normal? Will these kids grow up in any sense of reality? I mean, isn't there dignity in providing for your own without overexposing them? How about a Tide commerical? The idea that they must have the money sort of goes out the window when Kate has Louboutin heels on, surely not a necessity. Turns out her hopes are to be a talk show host. Oh. Swell. I've seen her slap her husband on the face, and scream at him for not using a coupon at the grocery store. Will the kids grow up and watch Daddy be emasculated by his snarling wife? The Goo Goo Dolls said it best "Reruns have become our history". Will that be all this kids have? Do they really want a family of little Bonaduce's when they are no longer cute and adorable? I really dislike the mom, the last episode I watched the kids all got to go to a bakery to decorate their own cupcakes. Then the mom didn't let them eat them, too much sugar! Poor little babies...I hope the designer clothes make up for all they've lost (and will continue losing). My sons suggested "FreeJon" tshirts, long before his alleged "affair" came out.
Fox news: a new low, a few weeks ago. One anchor commented on how 'interesting' it was that the swine flu epidemic occurred during a democratic president's term. What the heck? She was trying to imply it was somehow Obama's doing? That the Republicans could have prevented it? What?
Middle child turns 16 tomorrow. Yikes. How did this happen? He was my tiny baby, my cuddly third grader, my nervous junior high kid. Now he's driving and that means I'm old!
Youtube: I know there is a ton of crap on it, but I am in LOVE with this website. With a toddler who is fascinated by everything, it's so cool to find a video about something he likes. He was really into a photo of a wolf, with youtube we found a few clips of wolves howling. He was awestruck. We found clips of time-lapse photography of hatching eggs, kittens being born, etc etc. Besides the goofy stuff he loves: cats jumping long distances, ducklings following their mom. Very cool.
Jon & Kate Plus 8: I've held off my worthless opinion but I have to throw this out there: how can you justify pimping out your kids when they are too young to have a say? Sure, they had a bunch and need money to pay the bills, I totally get that. But camera crews everywhere, all the time? On a normal scene with all of them, there's at least 16 other people in the house at the time involved in the filming. How can that be normal? Will these kids grow up in any sense of reality? I mean, isn't there dignity in providing for your own without overexposing them? How about a Tide commerical? The idea that they must have the money sort of goes out the window when Kate has Louboutin heels on, surely not a necessity. Turns out her hopes are to be a talk show host. Oh. Swell. I've seen her slap her husband on the face, and scream at him for not using a coupon at the grocery store. Will the kids grow up and watch Daddy be emasculated by his snarling wife? The Goo Goo Dolls said it best "Reruns have become our history". Will that be all this kids have? Do they really want a family of little Bonaduce's when they are no longer cute and adorable? I really dislike the mom, the last episode I watched the kids all got to go to a bakery to decorate their own cupcakes. Then the mom didn't let them eat them, too much sugar! Poor little babies...I hope the designer clothes make up for all they've lost (and will continue losing). My sons suggested "FreeJon" tshirts, long before his alleged "affair" came out.
Fox news: a new low, a few weeks ago. One anchor commented on how 'interesting' it was that the swine flu epidemic occurred during a democratic president's term. What the heck? She was trying to imply it was somehow Obama's doing? That the Republicans could have prevented it? What?
Sicko, a Michael Moore film
First off, I've always been a bit skeptical of MM. I've seen his movies and have been pretty shaken up by them, but always felt like he was not telling the whole truth. That maybe he was manipulating facts to be more dramatic.
Watched Sicko last night. It was unbelievably painful. Even if he is exaggerating, our health care crisis IS totally insane. The people and their stories: how crazy is our society when a 3 year old can't be treated for a serious condition and dies while the hospitals fight over who has to treat them? When a major medical teaching hospital (USC) dumps indigent patients on the streets in Skid Row, in the middle of the night, still in their hospital gowns and disoriented?
At the root of it all is that the US medical system is a for-profit business. Any health care plan where someone stands to make money by not treating sick people is inherently flawed. A doctor that stands to make more money when patients don't get the tests they need is denying his own hippocratic oath. When a man looses two fingers in an accident and is made to choose at the hospital which one he can afford to have re-attached, something is SO messed up.
Moore explores Canada, England, and France to see their 'socialized' national healthcare system, and debunks many of the myths about their systems. I had always heard that despite Canada's national healthcare, that you have to wait months and months for treatment. Not so. In France, new mothers get in home assistance to help with their newborns, even getting help with the laundry, at no charge. No one is turned away from help. Even preventative care is free. Low price pharmaceuticals mean parents don't have to choose between antibiotics for their kids or groceries.
Moore even shows how Gitmo inmates receive excellent care, and surprisingly, Cuba itself has an excellent medical system. Prison inmates in the US receive top notch medical care.
I can remember my husband telling me when he worked in a store that often elderly patients bought cat food cans in quantity, and he asked what kind of cat they had. Usually, they said they didn't have one. He explained that some admitted they couldn't afford food AND their numerous medications. So guess what they ate? When McDonald's had their 29 cent hamburger promotion years ago, it became a problem because elderly ones were stocking up huge amounts, just to have something to freeze and then eat when they needed it. How messed up is this?
See this movie if you can handle it. Seeing 9/11 volunteers and EMT responders being denied treatment is pretty hard to take.
Watched Sicko last night. It was unbelievably painful. Even if he is exaggerating, our health care crisis IS totally insane. The people and their stories: how crazy is our society when a 3 year old can't be treated for a serious condition and dies while the hospitals fight over who has to treat them? When a major medical teaching hospital (USC) dumps indigent patients on the streets in Skid Row, in the middle of the night, still in their hospital gowns and disoriented?
At the root of it all is that the US medical system is a for-profit business. Any health care plan where someone stands to make money by not treating sick people is inherently flawed. A doctor that stands to make more money when patients don't get the tests they need is denying his own hippocratic oath. When a man looses two fingers in an accident and is made to choose at the hospital which one he can afford to have re-attached, something is SO messed up.
Moore explores Canada, England, and France to see their 'socialized' national healthcare system, and debunks many of the myths about their systems. I had always heard that despite Canada's national healthcare, that you have to wait months and months for treatment. Not so. In France, new mothers get in home assistance to help with their newborns, even getting help with the laundry, at no charge. No one is turned away from help. Even preventative care is free. Low price pharmaceuticals mean parents don't have to choose between antibiotics for their kids or groceries.
Moore even shows how Gitmo inmates receive excellent care, and surprisingly, Cuba itself has an excellent medical system. Prison inmates in the US receive top notch medical care.
I can remember my husband telling me when he worked in a store that often elderly patients bought cat food cans in quantity, and he asked what kind of cat they had. Usually, they said they didn't have one. He explained that some admitted they couldn't afford food AND their numerous medications. So guess what they ate? When McDonald's had their 29 cent hamburger promotion years ago, it became a problem because elderly ones were stocking up huge amounts, just to have something to freeze and then eat when they needed it. How messed up is this?
See this movie if you can handle it. Seeing 9/11 volunteers and EMT responders being denied treatment is pretty hard to take.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
That Eye, That Sky by Tim Winton
Yep, more Winton. I should know Australia pretty well by now, after all these books. Spoiler alert!
That Eye, That Sky is his most bewildering novel so far (at least to me). I finished it with a huge sense of what? I made the mistake of going online to see if there was a reading guide or cheat sheet that explains "this is what he meant". I ended up just finding a bunch of reader's suggestions that it all had to do with conversion to Christianity by way of one of the character's (Henry) sudden appearance.
It starts with the ominous warning of a mother telling her son to always wave goodbye when someone leaves, as you may never see them again. You know that can't bode well.
The novel itself is told in the voice of a ten year old boy, whose father is rendered incapacitated by a car wreck (and no, the kid didn't wave goodbye). His teen sister, his long suffering mom and his Alzheimer inflicted grandmother fill out the family tree. They are barely managing, out in the woods, practically camping, when the accident occurs and changes their lives. Henry shows up to 'help' and has long philosophical discussions with the mom and sister, while helping them care for the father. This leads the mother and son into seeking purpose and God's aid.
Do I think Henry helped them? Actually, I have to disagree with all the other online opinions. I think Henry hampered them in everything. I think he represented evil. They weren't considered bad caregivers until Henry was 'helping' them. He ends up seducing their teenage daughter and contributed to her wild behavior. I think the fact that the mother tolerated him for his help is what alienated the daughter in the first place and made her more susceptible to his advances. And the suggestion is made that he prevents the father from actually recovering. I think the mother and son would have had their quest for spiritual guidance regardless of Henry's visit; people in tough times often reevaluate their needs.
I loved his voice as Morton: he sounds just like a kid with kid thoughts and explanations. He must have been a young boy once! I was also interested in how he felt watched by the sky all the time, I think essentially he was describing his conscience. He knew right and wrong, and he had a good heart.
It left me with many questions: why is no other family mentioned? Why is the daughter so angry all the time? Who is the person the grandmother keeps calling out for? How are they getting by financially? Is it possible that the daughter and Henry had a prior acquaintance with each other, and his visit was subterfuge for being there with her?
I don't mind the questions, I like pondering this kind of stuff. I do think Winton took the easy way out by portraying any "church people" as cliche'd personalities: hateful and judgmental (the Lutherans) or theatrical and creepy (the Catholics). That surprised me a bit, usually he delves a little deeper than what you would expect from a skit on Saturday Night Live.
That Eye, That Sky is his most bewildering novel so far (at least to me). I finished it with a huge sense of what? I made the mistake of going online to see if there was a reading guide or cheat sheet that explains "this is what he meant". I ended up just finding a bunch of reader's suggestions that it all had to do with conversion to Christianity by way of one of the character's (Henry) sudden appearance.
It starts with the ominous warning of a mother telling her son to always wave goodbye when someone leaves, as you may never see them again. You know that can't bode well.
The novel itself is told in the voice of a ten year old boy, whose father is rendered incapacitated by a car wreck (and no, the kid didn't wave goodbye). His teen sister, his long suffering mom and his Alzheimer inflicted grandmother fill out the family tree. They are barely managing, out in the woods, practically camping, when the accident occurs and changes their lives. Henry shows up to 'help' and has long philosophical discussions with the mom and sister, while helping them care for the father. This leads the mother and son into seeking purpose and God's aid.
Do I think Henry helped them? Actually, I have to disagree with all the other online opinions. I think Henry hampered them in everything. I think he represented evil. They weren't considered bad caregivers until Henry was 'helping' them. He ends up seducing their teenage daughter and contributed to her wild behavior. I think the fact that the mother tolerated him for his help is what alienated the daughter in the first place and made her more susceptible to his advances. And the suggestion is made that he prevents the father from actually recovering. I think the mother and son would have had their quest for spiritual guidance regardless of Henry's visit; people in tough times often reevaluate their needs.
I loved his voice as Morton: he sounds just like a kid with kid thoughts and explanations. He must have been a young boy once! I was also interested in how he felt watched by the sky all the time, I think essentially he was describing his conscience. He knew right and wrong, and he had a good heart.
It left me with many questions: why is no other family mentioned? Why is the daughter so angry all the time? Who is the person the grandmother keeps calling out for? How are they getting by financially? Is it possible that the daughter and Henry had a prior acquaintance with each other, and his visit was subterfuge for being there with her?
I don't mind the questions, I like pondering this kind of stuff. I do think Winton took the easy way out by portraying any "church people" as cliche'd personalities: hateful and judgmental (the Lutherans) or theatrical and creepy (the Catholics). That surprised me a bit, usually he delves a little deeper than what you would expect from a skit on Saturday Night Live.
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