update

Hey to both of my avid readers....

Sorry I've been so lax in my updates, but Robinson Crusoe is taking a little longer than I thought it would to finish. Things have been crazy. School is going well, but we had midquarters last week, so I needed to spend some more time on that. Bibi and I have been trying to work out who our photographer is going to be, and we're driving to Columbia MO to meet with one this Saturday. It's been hard...it's a lot of money, and while we both REALLY want pictures, but MAN! It's a lot of money, that's all I'm saying. (c;

The play, Of Mice and Men, is also rather time-consuming. It's been awesome, and it's going to be a GREAT show, but it's really taken over my life after school is out.

Anyway, I will update more later, and I"ll be seeing you!

Thanks for reading...
Tommy

robinson crusoe

I'm in the midst of Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe. I have to say, it's been a unexpected treat thus far. I went into the book knowing nothing except that it was about a guy that was shipwrecked. However, the deeper, underlying themes are so strong and interesting, that it really makes the idea of being isolated and alone--literally--something that anyone can relate to.

Crusoe's struggles, superficially, are with how to survive, as a basically middle-class guy stuck in a confounding situation. He is struggling moreso, mentally with the knowledge that he disobeyed his father's advice, which predicted--with uncanny specificity--Crusoe's present dilmena. Our hero's father proclaimed that the greatest joy in life--indeed, the only true path to contentment--lay in always choosing the middle ground, the simple life. And, if Crusoe insisted on living life adventureously, it would lead only to strife, conflict, torment and being isolated from everyone around him, so that there would be no one to help him.

Crusoe is also struggling with the existence, and nature, of God. He is English, and as the English do in the early 1700's, he calls on God quite frequently. However, it is more of an exclamation, not an earnest and sincere statement. And, these phrases, ("Dear Lord, help me in my dire circumstances...etc") are only when Crusoe feels that his problems are too great for his own abilities. He is quite frank and honest in his lack of consistancy...he acknowledges that as soon as the present troubles are gone, so is his desire to rely on God.

It is only when he starts to realize his true isolation--and, coincidently, when he starts to read his Bible--that Crusoe recognizes that his "prayers" have been nothing more than curses and empty words. Crusoe goes through a slow yet constant change to realizing his need for God's intervention.

To close, I wanted to mention one of the most powerful passages in this book so far. Defoe has Crusoe proclaiming, "that whenever they come to a true sense of things, they will find deliverance from sin a much greater blessing than deliverance from affliction." In other words, Crusoe is coming to the conclusion that he need not even pray for deliverance from his private "holy land" because God has done so much for him already." However, shortly after this passage, in what is a surprisingly honest confession, Defoe allows Crusoe to admit that it would be completely rediculous to not continue wanting that release. That, even though forgiveness of sins is an unparalled blessing, so would be getting off the island!

All right, more later!

Thanks for reading...
Tommy

Robinson Crusoe

Started Robinson Crusoe a couple of days ago...it's a good one so far, and it's way different than I thought it would be. (But, since I really didn't know anything about it to begin with--other than it has something to do with a guy who gets shipwrecked on an island--that's not surprising.)

Ok, well, more later!

thanks for reading...
Tommy

done and done...and I mean done!

All right all you crazy book lovers...I'm finally done with Wuthering Heights. And, I just have to say...hey! It was pretty good!

I've been struggling this morning with whether or not my posts will give away the ending to books in my review. Well, I haven't decided yet, but for this one I'm going to. (So, if you don't want to know the ending of a book that was written like 900 years ago, STOP READING!!!!)

All right, so, all along I was upset at the use of the term romance in connection to this book. It seemed to me that the negativity and cruelty exhibited throughout the book by quite a few characters, and the lack of a real emotional connection between characters that are supposedly in "love", just didn't warrant the use of such a label. Heathcliff was obsessed,to be sure, but was Catherine really the focus of his obsession? Or, was that intense desire more closely directed at what Catherine stood for? Wealth, family, class and a life full of possibility? The obsession was, it seemed to me, more about Catherine having been born into a family that kept her, as opposed to Heathcliff, who was born...well, who knows anything about H's family?

Catherine did not seem to be worthy of Heathcliff's affections, regardless of where those affections were focused. Catherine was a very inconstant person. She stood for nothing throughout the entire book. She's basically the poster child for adultery. She gave of herself to two men, and then when both men confront each other (as would most likely happen) she feels as if they are being unreasonable. C'mon!!! For crying outloud, she's married to one guy, and stringing Heathcliff along and she gets all weepy-eyed and hysterical when they want her to be a bit more decisive.

However, moving through time, (almost twenty-some years) we see that all of Heathcliff's attempts to spoil and sully everyone that stood between he and Catherine, are for naught. Ha! Catherine's daughter and Haverston fall in LOVE!!!! Yeah!!!!!

All right, 'nuf about that. I start Robinson Crusoe today. I'm looking forward to it!

Later, and thanks for reading...
Tommy

...

So, I'm still reading Wuthering Heights, and it's actually turning out to be quite good. Still, I have no idea why it's categorized as a great romance, but it's a great book, none the less. It's interesting to consider the lengths one will go to in order to receive recompense for wrongs one feels have been committed. Admittedly, Heathcliff has suffered a great deal, from being an unwanted "gypsy-child" to being tormented by Catherine's brother almost his entire life. This book is a very poignant example of the Biblical concept of reaping the payment for the father's sins onto the child. Yikes! I'm about fifty pages from the end, so I'll be able to conclude my thoughts on this book shortly.

a new tack...

So, I've been struggling with the whole idea of what I can possibly write about in my blog, because work is out for legal reasons, and well, I just don't lead that exciting of a life outside of work. However!!! I do have a bit of a nasty habit of reading every single thing that I can get my hands on....SO, I think this blog will become something of a venue for me to expound on all of the books that I read. cool! I'm happy, and if that doesn't suit you, (my two readers) than too bad.

About a week ago, I read Prozac Nation. It was interesting. I wouldn't say that I liked it, but it definitely kept me involved. (Angrily muttering to myself is involved, isnt' it?) Honestly, it was very frustrating because I couldn't relate to the main character. All she saw was pain and personal attacks, and all I saw was her friends and loved ones reaching out and trying to help, and then just reaching their breaking point. But then, I think that that's kind of the point...because, after all, I'm not depressed...therefore, I can't possibly relate to someone who's entire outlook is colored by a disease as debilitating as depression. It also made me think about my objections to Tom "crazy as a loon" Cruise. I REALLY don't agree with his psychotic rantings. Mental illnesses ARE real. However, I'm kind of riding the fence between Cruise and the conclusion of Prozac Nation. You see, I think (and I know I'm going WAY out on a limb here) that we, as a nation, are grossly over-medicated. For people who really and trully have a mental illness, I say go for it. However, I think that there needs to be a substantial difference between feeling blue and feeling like the entire world is one giant tidal wave of pain that is coming in from all sides like a mental "perfect storm."

Ok. 'Nuff about that book.

Right now I'm reading "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte, as per recommendation by Matt. Now, admittedly, I'm only about half way through it, but I don't get why it's one of the world's great love stories....Catherine and Heathcliff are not characters to be imitated. For crying out loud!!! He's a raving, vengeful lunatic man, and she's a spoilled, self-centered, selfish witch!!! The passages that are often quoted as being indicative of the depth of emotion between H. and C. and rarely given a context. H. is usually making those broad, beautiful declarations in FRONT OF HIS WIFE, who, incidentely ISN"T Catherine!!!!

However, again, it's provoking an emotional response, which, i guess is the point, and it does keep me reading. All right, more later. Oh, if there are any recommendations that people have, I almost always read what my friends/complete strangers suggest. (c;

More later!

the weekend

Well, this weekend was the big meet'n'greet between bibi's family and mine. And, well, for those of you who know about my particular feelings as regards to family--it should come as a major shock to know that it went SO well!!!! It was awesome! We had a great time, and it was very relaxed and a lot of fun. (c; Great time was had by all. So, there we go.

price of rice...

Hey ya'll. (Ya'll bein' Tim, cuz evidently--he's the only one who reads this.) What can I say...a fellow teacher made the comment yesterday--in seeing the devastation in the south--that there can be some interesting--albeit horrific conclusions made about our culture. In Southeast Asia, after the tsunami hit, there wasn't this kind of lawless depravity occurring. What does is say about us as a people, when instead of pulling together, we fight, bicker, rape, steal, and cheat? We argue, spout, proclaim, and blame. Mother Theresea, who was a Catholic very much connected to a people from an entirely different background (Hindi) once said of the American people...that ours was a much worse illness--that of being unwanted. Interesting I think.

School

Hey ya'll! I'm back...say, does anyone read this at all? Send me an e-mail or make a comment to let me know...ok? I have to decide whether or not to continue posting (once in a blue moon.)