So, I just finished "A Dirty Job" by Christopher Moore, one of my favorite authors. Man...he's good. This book is a creative and original--and down right hilarious--look at Death as an occupation. At first, before I began the book, I was a little worried that it might be a bit too close to comfort to the Showtime series "Dead Like Me", which is also a funny look at Death. However, as is usually the case with Moore, it was entirely creative and totally original. He has an uncanny knack for writing about topics that some people might find too serious to joke about. My favorite book by Moore, "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal", is a fresh look at the life of Jesus. It is both absolutely hysterical and touching, which is a difficult combination, especially when dealing with the life of the most famous man in human history.
"A Dirty Job" also tackles a touchy subject. While the plot hinges on the concept of a "grim reaper" type occupation, it in no way makes light of the difficulty of death on the people surrounding the deceased. In fact, Moore wrote this book after the passing of his mother as a kind of imagination of what death might be like.
I haven't read all of his books YET, but Moore is one of the few authors that makes me want to collect them all. It's difficult for me to loan his books out, because they are books that I know I'm going to want to read over and over again. (Like Blue Highways. Ahem, John!!!)
So, I guess I have a question for all of you...do any of you have authors that stand out to you? And, anyone know of any other books that so deftly tackle heavy topics and balance the drama with humor in such a great way?
(Oh, PS: Mom--do you still have Moore's the Stupidest Angel?!)
(c;
Hey, thanks for stopping by...
Tommy
PPS: For those of you who are on MySpace...I was, for some unknown reason, deleted from the MySpace archives this morning, and I'm not sure if I'm going to rejoin--just a heads up.)
Friday, July 28, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Just another angry little post...
All right, so Bibi and I enjoyed a little Kville culture this evening, and it's been both aggrivating and amusing. First, the aggrivating part. (By the way, this post has brought to my attention my inability to spell the word agg....uh, agriv...um "agrivating.". Argh.
All right, so TSU has created this thing called the JINS course. It stands for Junior InterDiscipliary Studies. It's a course, ideally taken by juniors, that combines different areas of study. Cool. Most of the topics sound awesome. The Rock Generation, a look at rock and roll culture, and the class that this post connects to: The Art and Science of Humor. For the final exam this professor arranged for his students to be able to do one of two things: 1) Write a ten page paper. 2) Perform a 5-10 minute stand-up comedy routine at a local establishment. (Read: Bar.)
Cool! Bibi and I were excited! Our friend was performing in at, at some point, and we were also really excited about seeing other people perform, too.
So, here's my question: Why, in the name of all that is good and holy in this world, do you go to an event, in the UPSTAIRS of a bar, AWAY FROM THE ACTUAL BAR, where there are people who came for the sole purpose of hearing amateur comedy at its finest, and TALK THE WHOLE DAMN TIME?! Ok, I'm counting to ten and breathing.....................................................................
Ok. I'm better. But, seriously...the setup for this particular bar? It's got an upstairs, which is entirely separate from the physical "bar" from which one might procure alchoholic beverages. So, WHY, in the name of Aisha, would you go ALL THE WAY UP STAIRS, away from the beer, to talk during their performances?! I MEAN SERIOUSLY?! AGH!!!! Good grief!
Sorry....I probably should breathe more, eh?
Oh, and the second thing. After the comedy night, we decided to go home. But, on our way out, we ran into some friends and decided to join them, in yet another part of the bar, for karaoke. This is where I saw one of the funniest things I've seen, in a long time. And, yes, this includes the comedy portion of the night. (c;
(Disclaimer: I may, or may not, use vulgarity in this section; I haven't decided yet.)
We're sitting at the table, enjoying some fine off-key singing (I'm really good at off-key singing, so that's how I know that it was "fine off-key" singing), when I glanced behind me. Two guys, two...burley, muscular, country-folk, cowboy-lookin', beer-drinking, chaw chewing guys, were ANGRILY shouting, and violently gesturing at Tim, the man who helps run karaoke. I mean, this was some good ol' fashioned bar brawl precursor that I was witnessing. I started to get a little tense....it was difficult to see this...Tim's a friend of mine, I went to his wedding, for crying out loud...I didn't want to see him get in a fight. These guys were dropping f-bombs (ok, so I decided not to curse) left and right, as well as a plethora of appropriate, and creative, expletives. I was concerned to say the least.
That is, until I realized what they were yelling about.
These two men...these red-neck, hick, hill-billy, walking stereotypes were angry because....
they wanted to sing more.
That's right. They were angry, because they hadn't been able to sing as many songs as they wanted to. Oh...and, the really great part? The song that had sung?
What a Wonderful World.
(c;
Sometimes ya gotta laugh.
Thanks for stopping by...and, ya'll come back now...ya here?
Tommy
All right, so TSU has created this thing called the JINS course. It stands for Junior InterDiscipliary Studies. It's a course, ideally taken by juniors, that combines different areas of study. Cool. Most of the topics sound awesome. The Rock Generation, a look at rock and roll culture, and the class that this post connects to: The Art and Science of Humor. For the final exam this professor arranged for his students to be able to do one of two things: 1) Write a ten page paper. 2) Perform a 5-10 minute stand-up comedy routine at a local establishment. (Read: Bar.)
Cool! Bibi and I were excited! Our friend was performing in at, at some point, and we were also really excited about seeing other people perform, too.
So, here's my question: Why, in the name of all that is good and holy in this world, do you go to an event, in the UPSTAIRS of a bar, AWAY FROM THE ACTUAL BAR, where there are people who came for the sole purpose of hearing amateur comedy at its finest, and TALK THE WHOLE DAMN TIME?! Ok, I'm counting to ten and breathing.....................................................................
Ok. I'm better. But, seriously...the setup for this particular bar? It's got an upstairs, which is entirely separate from the physical "bar" from which one might procure alchoholic beverages. So, WHY, in the name of Aisha, would you go ALL THE WAY UP STAIRS, away from the beer, to talk during their performances?! I MEAN SERIOUSLY?! AGH!!!! Good grief!
Sorry....I probably should breathe more, eh?
Oh, and the second thing. After the comedy night, we decided to go home. But, on our way out, we ran into some friends and decided to join them, in yet another part of the bar, for karaoke. This is where I saw one of the funniest things I've seen, in a long time. And, yes, this includes the comedy portion of the night. (c;
(Disclaimer: I may, or may not, use vulgarity in this section; I haven't decided yet.)
We're sitting at the table, enjoying some fine off-key singing (I'm really good at off-key singing, so that's how I know that it was "fine off-key" singing), when I glanced behind me. Two guys, two...burley, muscular, country-folk, cowboy-lookin', beer-drinking, chaw chewing guys, were ANGRILY shouting, and violently gesturing at Tim, the man who helps run karaoke. I mean, this was some good ol' fashioned bar brawl precursor that I was witnessing. I started to get a little tense....it was difficult to see this...Tim's a friend of mine, I went to his wedding, for crying out loud...I didn't want to see him get in a fight. These guys were dropping f-bombs (ok, so I decided not to curse) left and right, as well as a plethora of appropriate, and creative, expletives. I was concerned to say the least.
That is, until I realized what they were yelling about.
These two men...these red-neck, hick, hill-billy, walking stereotypes were angry because....
they wanted to sing more.
That's right. They were angry, because they hadn't been able to sing as many songs as they wanted to. Oh...and, the really great part? The song that had sung?
What a Wonderful World.
(c;
Sometimes ya gotta laugh.
Thanks for stopping by...and, ya'll come back now...ya here?
Tommy
Ireland, Ireland...I"m coming Home...
Listening to Jeffrey Foucault right now...man, he's good. If you don't know him yet, find him. He's a folk singer, and he's just really good. My understanding is that his new CD is even better than his already fantastic older albums.
Anyway....just as a warning, this post might be a tad disjointed. (Did I use that word correctly?) I just finished "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", and I'm going to attempt to put my thoughts into some semblence of order for you, my reader. (Wish me luck.)
Part of the problem, I think, is that I read this book right after Bob Dylan's Chronicles. You see, Portrait is just about as antithetical to Chronicles as two books could possibly be. And, by this I mean in structure and form. Chronicles was almost a blur of ideas and thoughts, it was mercurial and fast paced, reading almost made your heart beat faster in order to catch up with Dylan's thoughts.
Portrait, on the other hand, was exactly that...a snapshot. Although, "snapshot" is a poor word choice, because it truly was a "portrait". Snapshots can be taken quickly in succession so as to suggest movement and action. A portrait is, by necessity, much more painstakenly produced...it is the result of a great deal of effort on two fronts: the artist, who has to capture all of the details, and the subject of the piece, who has to stay still for the duration of the sitting.
Joyce accomplished this task in spades. This work was THICK with detail; each page was another layer in the painting, adding to and highlighting the work as a whole
One of the interesting details that came up throughout the book was the repetition of the color grey....(the grey sky, the grey water, the grey beard, the grey hair, etc.) At first I didn't know what to make of it, but upon completing the story, it becomes apparent that Joyce chose the color grey with good reason. The blandness, the monotony of the grey throughout the story contrasts with the bright and vivid colors that are very carefully distributed sparingly in the text. If I may go back to the metaphor of the painted portrait...imagine a faded and timeworn painting that has just a spot of color remaining from the original creation....it stands out and is that much more meaningful because of it's proximity to the drab colorlessness of the rest of the piece.
Joyce does offer an interesting summarization of the themes in the book near the end of the fourth chapter. The book is divided into five parts, and they are: To live, to err, to fall, to triumph, and to recreate life out of life. (p. 172)
The book does, indeed as the title would suggest, convey a portrait of the artist as a young man....you are given a glimpse at what happens in a young mans life to see how he gets to where he ends up. However, it is important to note, that as in all pictures....it is not fair to expect a complete and fully accurate view of the subject. The pictures cannot show what has happened in between images, and it's difficult to truly understand the individual, to relate to the individual, to feel a connection to the individual without these key moments.
Hmmmm....I don't know if I've succeeded in shedding any light on this book or not...but, having finished it...that's what I'm thinking. So, there ya go.
Going to begin "A Dirty Job" by Christopher Moore now. (It's a bit of an abrupt change, to be sure, but I'm ready for something a little lighter.)
All right...thanks for stopping by.
Tommy
Anyway....just as a warning, this post might be a tad disjointed. (Did I use that word correctly?) I just finished "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", and I'm going to attempt to put my thoughts into some semblence of order for you, my reader. (Wish me luck.)
Part of the problem, I think, is that I read this book right after Bob Dylan's Chronicles. You see, Portrait is just about as antithetical to Chronicles as two books could possibly be. And, by this I mean in structure and form. Chronicles was almost a blur of ideas and thoughts, it was mercurial and fast paced, reading almost made your heart beat faster in order to catch up with Dylan's thoughts.
Portrait, on the other hand, was exactly that...a snapshot. Although, "snapshot" is a poor word choice, because it truly was a "portrait". Snapshots can be taken quickly in succession so as to suggest movement and action. A portrait is, by necessity, much more painstakenly produced...it is the result of a great deal of effort on two fronts: the artist, who has to capture all of the details, and the subject of the piece, who has to stay still for the duration of the sitting.
Joyce accomplished this task in spades. This work was THICK with detail; each page was another layer in the painting, adding to and highlighting the work as a whole
One of the interesting details that came up throughout the book was the repetition of the color grey....(the grey sky, the grey water, the grey beard, the grey hair, etc.) At first I didn't know what to make of it, but upon completing the story, it becomes apparent that Joyce chose the color grey with good reason. The blandness, the monotony of the grey throughout the story contrasts with the bright and vivid colors that are very carefully distributed sparingly in the text. If I may go back to the metaphor of the painted portrait...imagine a faded and timeworn painting that has just a spot of color remaining from the original creation....it stands out and is that much more meaningful because of it's proximity to the drab colorlessness of the rest of the piece.
Joyce does offer an interesting summarization of the themes in the book near the end of the fourth chapter. The book is divided into five parts, and they are: To live, to err, to fall, to triumph, and to recreate life out of life. (p. 172)
The book does, indeed as the title would suggest, convey a portrait of the artist as a young man....you are given a glimpse at what happens in a young mans life to see how he gets to where he ends up. However, it is important to note, that as in all pictures....it is not fair to expect a complete and fully accurate view of the subject. The pictures cannot show what has happened in between images, and it's difficult to truly understand the individual, to relate to the individual, to feel a connection to the individual without these key moments.
Hmmmm....I don't know if I've succeeded in shedding any light on this book or not...but, having finished it...that's what I'm thinking. So, there ya go.
Going to begin "A Dirty Job" by Christopher Moore now. (It's a bit of an abrupt change, to be sure, but I'm ready for something a little lighter.)
All right...thanks for stopping by.
Tommy
Monday, July 24, 2006
the official "review" of my blog....
Here it is....straight from the proverbial horse's mouth.
(It's amazing what you can find on the internet, isn't it?
Review of My Life
"I just saw
(It's amazing what you can find on the internet, isn't it?
Review of My Life
"I just saw
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Afternoon Delight...
No...not that kind.
Just finished Chronicles....it was good. I don't think I'm a big enough Dylan fan to truly have gotten all that I could have out of the book, however. So...if you're a really big Dylan fan, read it. If you're not....um, well still read it.
I'm going to start working towards Ulysses by James Joyce. I don't think I'm ready yet, so I'm starting with "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man". It comes highly recommended. However, I don't think I'm quite ready for it, yet, either, so first I'm going to have lunch.
Thanks for reading...
Tommy
Just finished Chronicles....it was good. I don't think I'm a big enough Dylan fan to truly have gotten all that I could have out of the book, however. So...if you're a really big Dylan fan, read it. If you're not....um, well still read it.
I'm going to start working towards Ulysses by James Joyce. I don't think I'm ready yet, so I'm starting with "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man". It comes highly recommended. However, I don't think I'm quite ready for it, yet, either, so first I'm going to have lunch.
Thanks for reading...
Tommy
Friday, July 21, 2006
singin' in the rain
I'm sitting in the back room of our house, looking out the window, listening to my iPod watching the rain drizzle down through the post office parking lot. Bibi left this morning for the weekend, and I'm busy copying CD's to said iPod. It's fun. I'm also reading a whole lot. That is also fun. (c;
So, it's amazing, to me, the diverse subjects from which Dylan draws in his book....I mean, I never thought the guy was stupid, but they do say that weed kills brain cells, so I'm going to be totally honest when I say, 'holy crap! the guy is REALLY smart!!!'
He goes from discussing the applicability of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers to his reading newspapers from the 1850's so that he can better understand the language used by people from that timeperiod.
I just finished section where Dylan describes that mathematics that went into a major shift in his playing technique. It was massively and utterly confusing, yet highly interesting at the same time. He rattles off mathematical theories like it's a to-do list for a quiet fall morning dedicated to fixing up the house!
Wow...
thanks for reading....
Tommy
So, it's amazing, to me, the diverse subjects from which Dylan draws in his book....I mean, I never thought the guy was stupid, but they do say that weed kills brain cells, so I'm going to be totally honest when I say, 'holy crap! the guy is REALLY smart!!!'
He goes from discussing the applicability of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers to his reading newspapers from the 1850's so that he can better understand the language used by people from that timeperiod.
I just finished section where Dylan describes that mathematics that went into a major shift in his playing technique. It was massively and utterly confusing, yet highly interesting at the same time. He rattles off mathematical theories like it's a to-do list for a quiet fall morning dedicated to fixing up the house!
Wow...
thanks for reading....
Tommy
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
We are the Grapes of Wrath...so do not cross our Path!!! (Attempt Two)
Ok...this morning I tried to do this this morning, and it didn't happen...so, we'll try it again.
Sorry for the cheesy title, but I had to quote Veggietales. (For those of you who don't know what that is, carry on. For those of you who do, what are you doing watching cartoons at your age?!)
All right, so I was thinking about what I wrote yesterday about Dylan's writing. And, the thing that struck me, and that I forgot to write about yesterday, was how much Dylan reminds me of the main character from The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinback. Tom Joad exudes this sense of how things SHOULD be in the world...he is all about doing whatever he can...regardless of how small or how seemingly futile that work is....I don't know I guess I kind of see Joad as the polar opposite of Jack Kerouac....that's just my opinion, so it could easily be contested. (Holly!!!) But, I really found that I admired Joad, and looked up to him....he was someone that could easily be...sorry, not so much easily...but....well, hmm.....someone that I would WANT to emulate....does that make sense?
Anyway...thats all. Oh! Earlier this week Jenorama let me in on a new little toy for this blog. I now have a statcounter...so that means that I know how many people look at my blog! But, the REALLY cool thing is that I can see where, and who (by process of geographic origination) is reading my blog!
For instance, there is someone from Baring (I assume Dan!) reading...someone from Nebraska...(Brandon and Keri?!); someone from Philadelphia (hi Kelli!); a couple of people from KC (hi Rachel, Sarah, and Jen! (anyone else?!); as well as many others! (Georgia!!!)
And, who in the world is reading my blog from the United Kingdom?!
That's all!
Thanks for stopping by!
Tommy
Sorry for the cheesy title, but I had to quote Veggietales. (For those of you who don't know what that is, carry on. For those of you who do, what are you doing watching cartoons at your age?!)
All right, so I was thinking about what I wrote yesterday about Dylan's writing. And, the thing that struck me, and that I forgot to write about yesterday, was how much Dylan reminds me of the main character from The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinback. Tom Joad exudes this sense of how things SHOULD be in the world...he is all about doing whatever he can...regardless of how small or how seemingly futile that work is....I don't know I guess I kind of see Joad as the polar opposite of Jack Kerouac....that's just my opinion, so it could easily be contested. (Holly!!!) But, I really found that I admired Joad, and looked up to him....he was someone that could easily be...sorry, not so much easily...but....well, hmm.....someone that I would WANT to emulate....does that make sense?
Anyway...thats all. Oh! Earlier this week Jenorama let me in on a new little toy for this blog. I now have a statcounter...so that means that I know how many people look at my blog! But, the REALLY cool thing is that I can see where, and who (by process of geographic origination) is reading my blog!
For instance, there is someone from Baring (I assume Dan!) reading...someone from Nebraska...(Brandon and Keri?!); someone from Philadelphia (hi Kelli!); a couple of people from KC (hi Rachel, Sarah, and Jen! (anyone else?!); as well as many others! (Georgia!!!)
And, who in the world is reading my blog from the United Kingdom?!
That's all!
Thanks for stopping by!
Tommy
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
insert clever title here
So, I'm reading Chronicles, by Bob Dylan. It's interesting....the thing that I've noticed, is that Dylan's voice, his manner of telling the story of his life, well, it reminds me of Jack Kerouac. But, not the "real" Jack Kerouac; the Kerouac that I imagined Kerouac would sound like before I read On The Road. See, I had this vision of the beat poets, and it was epitomized by Jack. There was supposed to be an idealism, an optimism, a hope in their writing.
There wasn't.
In all honesty, in my humble opinion, and anyone is welcome to argue with me, I think that On The Road is one of the most overrated books ever. (Of course, I can only judge based on the books that I have read.) It was a jumble of ADHD-riddled prose that seemed more focused on writing a boring sentence in a creative way, using $5 words, than writing challenging thoughts and interesting ideas. Does that make sense?
Dylan though...man...what a voice! The way he writes about so many different things all in one paragraph! It's the same mixture that you'd find in Kerouac's writing, but...it's this heart stopping mind-grabbing text that takes your breath...it's fascinating....
Man, well, it's a bit intimidating trying to write about it.
So, that's all.
Thanks for reading.
Tommy
There wasn't.
In all honesty, in my humble opinion, and anyone is welcome to argue with me, I think that On The Road is one of the most overrated books ever. (Of course, I can only judge based on the books that I have read.) It was a jumble of ADHD-riddled prose that seemed more focused on writing a boring sentence in a creative way, using $5 words, than writing challenging thoughts and interesting ideas. Does that make sense?
Dylan though...man...what a voice! The way he writes about so many different things all in one paragraph! It's the same mixture that you'd find in Kerouac's writing, but...it's this heart stopping mind-grabbing text that takes your breath...it's fascinating....
Man, well, it's a bit intimidating trying to write about it.
So, that's all.
Thanks for reading.
Tommy
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Running Down a Dream....
Hello! It's late Sunday night....oh, wait...nope, it's VERY early Monday morning. (c; Bibi and I just spend some time out at Spring Lake. I became friends with the guy who bought the house right next to mine, right before I sold it, and he and his girlfriend had Bibi and I out tonight for dinner and really good conversation...it was really enjoyable. Bibi and I were both actively engaged in the conversation, and it was just really fun.
Today's been a pretty productive day. Bibi went to work, as I wrote earlier, and I read Into the Vicious Heart. I finished it around 7 this evening. It was thought provoking for me.
Background: My sophomore year in high school, I had a teacher who wanted us to watch Schindler's List. I really didn't want to watch it. I have no problem READING about the Holocaust, but I just really didn't want to watch a movie about it...it seemed wrong to me that I was being forced to watch something that I was, in my opinion at the time, fully aware of, and fully sympathetic to.
Flash Foward to Today: The epilogue of ITVH mentions how American and British soldiers in Europe attended showings of film footage from the liberation. At many viewings, the general audience would have many different reactions. Some people got physically ill, and some laughed because of the discomfort caused by what they were seeing. Still others got up and began to walk out. The GI's would block the exits and tell them to sit down. It was important for them to see it, not because it was shocking or explicit, but because the people, the victims that were shown in the films....they had no choice...they couldn't just get up and leave. It is important for us to remind ourselves of the depth that humans can reach in our "inhumanity". When I read this, I felt proud of the GI's for taking a stand against the people in those theaters. And then, I realized with a little bit of shame, how I had reacted to the teacher wanting us to watch Schindler's List. You see, I was REALLY mad that I had been forced to watch the movie. I don't really, in all honesty, know why it bothered me so much...but I remember that it really did bother me. And, in reading this book, I recognized a major change in myself that this book brought about. I recognize now...that there are times that might be uncomfortable....that might make us wince or make us ill, physically or otherwise, that are absolutely necessary...in order to understand who we are all linked....that this is not about me, or you, or even a small group of "us"....being a human is about being part of 'humanity'....
Ok...well, that was a bit jumbled...I hope that made sense. (If not....read that book.)
So, as I said earlier, today was a productive day. Bibi and I have been talking now for a while about our future plans. We made the decision, a while back, to agressively persue joining the Peace Corps. Originally we planned on waiting to have kids until she was 25. (I would be 31.) That was fine, when we started thinking about the Peace Corps. Now we're realizing that we may not want to wait THAT long to have kids. We'd both like to start trying in about a year. Well, we talked about it today, and we both feel very strongly that we want our 'family', not just our 'coupleness' to be more global and international. So, we're going to, at least for now, halt plans for the Peace Corps. (Now, for all of you quick-to-jump-to-correction type people, yes, we know you can't have kids and join the Peace Corps....wait for it....I'm going to address that particular issue shortly...you just need to have patience.....no, seriously....wait for it....) We realize now that there are many different options out there. And, in all honesty, there are opportunities that are not quite so mainstream that may be more attractive when the time comes. So, we're going to start looking to options for a few years down the road. (So, Sarah, and Katie, we're MOST likely going to be moving to KC in another year. (c; ) We're considering, among others, looking at the possibility of working on a Department of Defense base, and doing humanitarian work along with our regular jobs. (Lucas: "In this life there are nothing but possibilities." --Empire Records)
Wheww....that was a long paragraph.
All right you crazy kids....get a good nights rest...you're gonna need it.
Thanks for reading....
Oh, one more thing...I'm going to start the Bob Dylan Autobiography tonight. (A little light reading, after the heavy reading....)
Tommy
Easy like Sunday Morning....
It's Sunday, almost noon, and I'm sitting in our big comfy chair, sipping coffee (yeah, i know...it's 100 degrees, we don't have A/C, and still he drinks his coffee....) and enjoying the day.
Bibi just left for work, and we have a good morning together. Good conversation/discussion over breakfast, which was nice. It's wonderful being married to someone who challenges you, while still respecting your opinion, you know?
Had dinner and drinks with some friends last night. It was a lot of fun. Their kids were in and out, bobbing through the house and conversation; and a steady flow of unexpected guests made for a surprisingly enjoyable time. (We knew were were going to have a blast, but it's the unexpected that make things even more enjoyable!)
I finished the short story collection yesterday. It was good...very good. I found myself surprised during every short story, which was nice. He's a good author. (Richard Matheson, for those of you who don't want to look down one screen.)
I just started a new one yesterday. It's a book loaned to me by a friend who teaches high school history. It's called "Inside the Vicious Heart", by Robert H. Abzug. It is a collection of memories and first person accounts from Americans as they liberated concentration camps during WWII. The subtitle is, "Americans and the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps". No, not a light summer read, but one that I think is really important. I've never even considered what that must have been like....you know? I mean, I've been aware of the concentration camps most of my life, and with that constant knowledge there comes a certain...what's the word..almost numbness to the truth of what occured. But for people all over the world during WWII, it was an unexpressably horrible truth that was revealed by jouralists and GI's returning from Europe.
Anyway, not an easy read, but an important one.
Well, I'll keep you all updated...have a great Sunday, and thanks for reading...
Tommy
Bibi just left for work, and we have a good morning together. Good conversation/discussion over breakfast, which was nice. It's wonderful being married to someone who challenges you, while still respecting your opinion, you know?
Had dinner and drinks with some friends last night. It was a lot of fun. Their kids were in and out, bobbing through the house and conversation; and a steady flow of unexpected guests made for a surprisingly enjoyable time. (We knew were were going to have a blast, but it's the unexpected that make things even more enjoyable!)
I finished the short story collection yesterday. It was good...very good. I found myself surprised during every short story, which was nice. He's a good author. (Richard Matheson, for those of you who don't want to look down one screen.)
I just started a new one yesterday. It's a book loaned to me by a friend who teaches high school history. It's called "Inside the Vicious Heart", by Robert H. Abzug. It is a collection of memories and first person accounts from Americans as they liberated concentration camps during WWII. The subtitle is, "Americans and the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps". No, not a light summer read, but one that I think is really important. I've never even considered what that must have been like....you know? I mean, I've been aware of the concentration camps most of my life, and with that constant knowledge there comes a certain...what's the word..almost numbness to the truth of what occured. But for people all over the world during WWII, it was an unexpressably horrible truth that was revealed by jouralists and GI's returning from Europe.
Anyway, not an easy read, but an important one.
Well, I'll keep you all updated...have a great Sunday, and thanks for reading...
Tommy
Thursday, July 13, 2006
MUST SEE BLOGGING!!!
No, not really...nothing too important, but it's hard to keep coming up with a clever title to entice people to read. (However, it has become apparent that I have more readers than I previously thought...hi becki and john!!!)
Today's been a good day. Bibi and I were planning on getting up early (around 8) but decided to sleep until....um, well....much later than that. So, we got up and had a late lunch ( (c; ) and then we watched 40 Days and 40 Nights. (Bibi had never seen it before.) Then, she got a call from Goody's, a store here in town, and they told her that she was hired! Whoo hoo!!! Yeah! (She's excited.)
So, we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. I made some corn on the cob that we had gotten at the Farmer's Market last weekend...that was kind of depressing. It seems that it doesn't keep QUITE that long, and we stopped eating when we found the...maggot/meal worm/definitely-still-alive-and-breathing-thing in one of the ears. Ugh.
We then sat outside on the porch while Bibi talked to her folks and I read for awhile. I'm reading something that's a "bit" out of my normal range of reading...it's a book called "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson. It's a collection of his short stories and one of his novels. It's actually a vampire novel, but it's VERY different from the vampire books I read as a kid and the crap vampire books that Anne Rice puts out. (Sorry, I really don't like her books.) For example, at one point, the soul survivor in the world is wondering about all of the legends about vampires. He asks himself why crosses affect all vampires....what about people who were Jewish before they became vampires? What then? It's interesting...
All right everyone...have a great night, and...as always, thanks for reading....
Tommy
Today's been a good day. Bibi and I were planning on getting up early (around 8) but decided to sleep until....um, well....much later than that. So, we got up and had a late lunch ( (c; ) and then we watched 40 Days and 40 Nights. (Bibi had never seen it before.) Then, she got a call from Goody's, a store here in town, and they told her that she was hired! Whoo hoo!!! Yeah! (She's excited.)
So, we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. I made some corn on the cob that we had gotten at the Farmer's Market last weekend...that was kind of depressing. It seems that it doesn't keep QUITE that long, and we stopped eating when we found the...maggot/meal worm/definitely-still-alive-and-breathing-thing in one of the ears. Ugh.
We then sat outside on the porch while Bibi talked to her folks and I read for awhile. I'm reading something that's a "bit" out of my normal range of reading...it's a book called "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson. It's a collection of his short stories and one of his novels. It's actually a vampire novel, but it's VERY different from the vampire books I read as a kid and the crap vampire books that Anne Rice puts out. (Sorry, I really don't like her books.) For example, at one point, the soul survivor in the world is wondering about all of the legends about vampires. He asks himself why crosses affect all vampires....what about people who were Jewish before they became vampires? What then? It's interesting...
All right everyone...have a great night, and...as always, thanks for reading....
Tommy
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
...stuck a feather in his cap and called it....
I just finished reading "Paul Rever" by....uh, someone. Hmm....if you're interested, I'll look it up...otherwise, deal with my laziness.
I found it pretty interesting; my friend Dave uses portions of it in his high school class, and I thought it did a really good job of putting common assumptions and popular views of historical events into a factual context. It was fascinating to see how events really played out in the weeks leading up to, and the few days after Revere's infamous ride. (Hmm...note to self: Look up "famous" and "infamous" to determine if you're actually using them correctly....)
The lesson that I gleaned from this book was somewhat of a paradigm shifter. It became apparent to me, through reading this text, that my understanding of the American Revolution was...well, incomplete at best. The thing that I've always felt was the underlying "theme" of the founding of our county was the rugged individualism that was the cornerstone of my "republican party affiliation" from high school. I mean, Paul Revere rides solo throughout the New England countryside, alerting everyone to the presense of the Redcoats; individual minutemen were their own commanders, as they ambushed and flustered the British "Regulars" with their irreverent and uncommon tactics. These were the ideas I USED to have....
First of all, Paul Revere had a partner. He was somewhat less successful in his ride, but William Dawes (anyone, anyone?) performed the same function that Revere did....the difference? He didn't have a poem entitled, "The Midnight Ride of William Dawes".
Furthermore, the success of Revere's ride hinged on the sense of community and the ability of the New England people to work together for a common goal.
And, as far as the minutemen working on their own? It was, again, an example of people coming together to work for a common goal that made it not so much an "army of one", but a highly disciplined and well-oiled machinery of differing parts working in symphony.
Happy belated Independence Day, everyone!
Thanks for reading...
Tommy
I found it pretty interesting; my friend Dave uses portions of it in his high school class, and I thought it did a really good job of putting common assumptions and popular views of historical events into a factual context. It was fascinating to see how events really played out in the weeks leading up to, and the few days after Revere's infamous ride. (Hmm...note to self: Look up "famous" and "infamous" to determine if you're actually using them correctly....)
The lesson that I gleaned from this book was somewhat of a paradigm shifter. It became apparent to me, through reading this text, that my understanding of the American Revolution was...well, incomplete at best. The thing that I've always felt was the underlying "theme" of the founding of our county was the rugged individualism that was the cornerstone of my "republican party affiliation" from high school. I mean, Paul Revere rides solo throughout the New England countryside, alerting everyone to the presense of the Redcoats; individual minutemen were their own commanders, as they ambushed and flustered the British "Regulars" with their irreverent and uncommon tactics. These were the ideas I USED to have....
First of all, Paul Revere had a partner. He was somewhat less successful in his ride, but William Dawes (anyone, anyone?) performed the same function that Revere did....the difference? He didn't have a poem entitled, "The Midnight Ride of William Dawes".
Furthermore, the success of Revere's ride hinged on the sense of community and the ability of the New England people to work together for a common goal.
And, as far as the minutemen working on their own? It was, again, an example of people coming together to work for a common goal that made it not so much an "army of one", but a highly disciplined and well-oiled machinery of differing parts working in symphony.
Happy belated Independence Day, everyone!
Thanks for reading...
Tommy
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Hallelujah...
I'm sitting here thinking about the lyrics to the song Hallelujah, performed by many, but most recently by Rufus Wainwright. "Love is not a victory march, it's a cold and it's a broken, 'Hallelujah".
The thing that I'm learning is that love is not about being right. When Bibi and I argue, I'm constantly having to remind myself that the point of our being together is not to exalt myself, it's not to prove how smart I am, or how right I am. She already knows that, she has spent time with me. She KNOWS me. The point SHOULD be to understand her point, not to slam my point in her face.
It's disGUSTing how earnestly I will argue, completely ignoring her needs in order to come out on top.
It's absolutely BEAUTIFUL the change that I see in myself, though. As we grow together, more and more in our discussions I find myself wanting to push aside the meaningless and hollow desire to be "right" and seeking a common understanding between us....it's not about a victory march of my "self"....love is about breaking that tie to "me" and forging the bond between the two of us.
I just wish I would learn faster, you know?
Thanks for reading...
Tommy
The thing that I'm learning is that love is not about being right. When Bibi and I argue, I'm constantly having to remind myself that the point of our being together is not to exalt myself, it's not to prove how smart I am, or how right I am. She already knows that, she has spent time with me. She KNOWS me. The point SHOULD be to understand her point, not to slam my point in her face.
It's disGUSTing how earnestly I will argue, completely ignoring her needs in order to come out on top.
It's absolutely BEAUTIFUL the change that I see in myself, though. As we grow together, more and more in our discussions I find myself wanting to push aside the meaningless and hollow desire to be "right" and seeking a common understanding between us....it's not about a victory march of my "self"....love is about breaking that tie to "me" and forging the bond between the two of us.
I just wish I would learn faster, you know?
Thanks for reading...
Tommy
Saturday, July 08, 2006
S...A...T-U-R...D-A-Y....NIGHT!!!!
Today's been one heck of a day.
Bibi and I were going to get up early and go to the Farmer's Market, but she was really sleepy, so I let her stay in bed, and I walked to the square. I picked up some really tasty tomatoes, and a dozen ear of corn. SWEET CORN?! Sweet!
I walked back and sat on the porch reading my Paul Revere book, sipping a really tasty cup of coffee (of course) and just enjoying a pleasant Saturday morning.
Around 11 I realized I wanted my "Hang-Over Special" for lunch. (No, I wasn't hung over, I just really like it in general.) So, I hopped on my bike and rode over to the grocery store and got some supplies.
Came back, Bibi had gotten up and she was going to work out with a friend. So, I relaxed, made a little lunch (saved the HOS for dinner with Bibi) and read some more on the porch. We cleaned up some after Bibi got back from working out, and then watched a movie. I then made some sweet-tea and sat outside for awhile (man I love me some sitting outside!!!) and then Bibi and I made dinner. It was SO good....Sweet Corn, roasted zuchinni in a lemon-butter sauce and the Hang-Over Special. Here it is, in all it's goodness...deceptively simple, and surprisingly tasty:
One loaf of crusty, chewy, thick sourdough bread
One Ripe Tomato
One hunk of Colby Jack cheese.
You slice the tomato into moderately thick slices and place them on a slice of the sourdough bread. (It should be about two to three slices of tomato per slice of bread.) Then you cut some slices of the colby jack onto the tomato.
Now, there are two variations:
ONE: If you are eating this concoction on morning where you're not feeling " too well", eat this cold. The bread can be toasted, but the cheese and the tomato should be cold.
TWO: Dinner or lunch, you can toast the whole thing, and it's pretty damn tasty. However, the tomato is the key; if it's not bursting with juices? Well, forget the whole thing and take two advil and a glass of water. (c;
Now? Bibi and I are playing cards and listening to some of our favorite music. It's been a great night! (c;
Thanks for reading you all....
Oh, Brandon and Keri...thanks for reading!!! I miss you guys!!!
JNo, I know...I feel BAD for not getting together with ya'll after the last day of school. And, thanks for the b-day wish!!! (c;
Sarah, thanks for reading every day!
Tommy
Bibi and I were going to get up early and go to the Farmer's Market, but she was really sleepy, so I let her stay in bed, and I walked to the square. I picked up some really tasty tomatoes, and a dozen ear of corn. SWEET CORN?! Sweet!
I walked back and sat on the porch reading my Paul Revere book, sipping a really tasty cup of coffee (of course) and just enjoying a pleasant Saturday morning.
Around 11 I realized I wanted my "Hang-Over Special" for lunch. (No, I wasn't hung over, I just really like it in general.) So, I hopped on my bike and rode over to the grocery store and got some supplies.
Came back, Bibi had gotten up and she was going to work out with a friend. So, I relaxed, made a little lunch (saved the HOS for dinner with Bibi) and read some more on the porch. We cleaned up some after Bibi got back from working out, and then watched a movie. I then made some sweet-tea and sat outside for awhile (man I love me some sitting outside!!!) and then Bibi and I made dinner. It was SO good....Sweet Corn, roasted zuchinni in a lemon-butter sauce and the Hang-Over Special. Here it is, in all it's goodness...deceptively simple, and surprisingly tasty:
One loaf of crusty, chewy, thick sourdough bread
One Ripe Tomato
One hunk of Colby Jack cheese.
You slice the tomato into moderately thick slices and place them on a slice of the sourdough bread. (It should be about two to three slices of tomato per slice of bread.) Then you cut some slices of the colby jack onto the tomato.
Now, there are two variations:
ONE: If you are eating this concoction on morning where you're not feeling " too well", eat this cold. The bread can be toasted, but the cheese and the tomato should be cold.
TWO: Dinner or lunch, you can toast the whole thing, and it's pretty damn tasty. However, the tomato is the key; if it's not bursting with juices? Well, forget the whole thing and take two advil and a glass of water. (c;
Now? Bibi and I are playing cards and listening to some of our favorite music. It's been a great night! (c;
Thanks for reading you all....
Oh, Brandon and Keri...thanks for reading!!! I miss you guys!!!
JNo, I know...I feel BAD for not getting together with ya'll after the last day of school. And, thanks for the b-day wish!!! (c;
Sarah, thanks for reading every day!
Tommy
Friday, July 07, 2006
Roll Call Update
Sarah, apparently you're my only reader. So, thanks! (c; It's good to know that I can captivate at least one person's attention for five minutes every day.
So, thanks for reading....Sarah.
Tommy
So, thanks for reading....Sarah.
Tommy
Thursday, July 06, 2006
An Angry Post...
Hey ya'll!
Well, today was kind of interesting. I woke up and made some coffee. (Nothing too weird so far.) I was sitting on our front porch reading a biography of Paul Revere (it's good, and it's very well written.) when a truck started driving by. (Again, not too weird, it IS Kirksville, and pick-up trucks are the mode of transportation of choice for the vast majority of Kirksville's citizens).
This pick-up truck drove in front of my house. As it passed the tree, just to the left of the house, I glanced up again. I saw two young guys in the truck both laughing....the one on the passenger side leaned out the window, reached deep down inside and halked a ginormous lougie (sp?!) on my car. As the spit flew out of his mouth he looked up and saw me. I immediately threw down my book, jumped up and ran off the porch. I, again, immediately, stepped on one of those spiky pine-cone ball seedlings that litter my frontyard, (I was barefoot) and ran through the yard to try and get the punk's license plate (I was too late). I called the police (yes, I felt foolish reporting it, but damn it I was pissed!!!!) and they said they'd see what they could do. I sat for another hour on the porch stewing and HOPING they'd drive by again so I could get the license plate. Yeah, that didn't happen. Ugh. Stupid asshats.
All right....more later...
Thanks for reading! (c;
Tommy
Well, today was kind of interesting. I woke up and made some coffee. (Nothing too weird so far.) I was sitting on our front porch reading a biography of Paul Revere (it's good, and it's very well written.) when a truck started driving by. (Again, not too weird, it IS Kirksville, and pick-up trucks are the mode of transportation of choice for the vast majority of Kirksville's citizens).
This pick-up truck drove in front of my house. As it passed the tree, just to the left of the house, I glanced up again. I saw two young guys in the truck both laughing....the one on the passenger side leaned out the window, reached deep down inside and halked a ginormous lougie (sp?!) on my car. As the spit flew out of his mouth he looked up and saw me. I immediately threw down my book, jumped up and ran off the porch. I, again, immediately, stepped on one of those spiky pine-cone ball seedlings that litter my frontyard, (I was barefoot) and ran through the yard to try and get the punk's license plate (I was too late). I called the police (yes, I felt foolish reporting it, but damn it I was pissed!!!!) and they said they'd see what they could do. I sat for another hour on the porch stewing and HOPING they'd drive by again so I could get the license plate. Yeah, that didn't happen. Ugh. Stupid asshats.
All right....more later...
Thanks for reading! (c;
Tommy
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Humpty Day...
Hey ya'll! Well, Bibi and I made it back to Kville after an unbelievably relaxing weekend. We got to KC saturday, and hung out with Bibi's family and watched the World Cup game, which was cool. Then we played Vengence (the greatest card game ever) for a while. (I've gotten Bibi--and now her whole family addicted--thanks Dan and Matt for teaching me!)
We went over to my sis's house, and had a great time just relaxing and hanging out. We had good food, watched Memoir's of a Geisha, and slept in really, really late Sunday. (Ahhhhhh....) I wanted to wait and not watch the movie til after I'd read the book, but it was pretty good.
I took a book by Brett Easton Ellis with me, and--to be perfectly honest--could NOT get into it. I hate giving up on a book, but man...just couldn't do it. So, now I"m reading a biography of Paul Revere, which is good so far. (All of 3 pages.)
Sunday night we went back to Bibi's and hung out some more. We started watching True Romance with her fam, and man that's a great movie! Brad Pitt is freakin' GREAT in it. It's an excellent movie written by Quentin Tarrantino, so you should all check it out.
Went mini golfing with some friends in KC, and that was fun. Funny side note: anyone else ever witnessed a mini-golf accident that required the paramedics to come? I have. (c;
Monday morning we had breakfast with some other friends and then....Monday night...I got to see my very first Minnesota Twin's baseball game....it was GREAT! They, of course, kicked ass. (c; It was good times.
Tuesday, the fourth, Bibi's dad and I went to get fireworks for Bibi's little sister, and then we watched some more World Cup. I also got to read portions of a book that Bibi's mom is working on, which was absolutely excellent. It was neat seeing how she writes, and man does she have a knack for turning a phrase. It was absorbing, compelling, and fantastic story-telling. I'll let you all know about publishing dates so that you can all buy the first printing. (c;
Tuesday night we went to a park in Lee's Summit to watch the fireworks, and it was an unexpectedly great sight...the park was on a bit of a hill, which meant that we could see about 20 other major shows going on in the distance as we waited for the Lee's Summit show to begin. I've never seen something like that before...it was really cool.
Pet Peeve: Would someone please explain to me the logic in showing up hours before a 30 minute fireworks show, only to leave ten minutes into the program to "beat the traffic", and inadvertently (sp?!) obstructing everyone's view with your DAMN headlights?!
This morning Bibi and I woke up much later than we had planned and had breakfast with Bibi's dad and little sister. Then we got on the road, laden down with tubs of Cholay, (which if you haven't had, what the hell are you waiting for?!) some of the things we didn't have room for after the wedding and all the flowers from the wedding. Now we're relaxing and getting ready for some Chinese food. Mmmm....good times.
All right ya'll....let me know who's out there....it's the "My Life" role call....leave me a comment to let me know who ACTUALLY reads this damn thing. (c;
Oh....favorite "Knock Knock joke of the day"
Knock Knock.
"who's there?"
Madame
"Madame who?"
Ma' damn foots stuck in the door...open up!!!
And...
Why was Tigger digging in the toilet?
Answer:
He was looking for Pooh.
(c;
Thanks for reading everyone...
Tommy
We went over to my sis's house, and had a great time just relaxing and hanging out. We had good food, watched Memoir's of a Geisha, and slept in really, really late Sunday. (Ahhhhhh....) I wanted to wait and not watch the movie til after I'd read the book, but it was pretty good.
I took a book by Brett Easton Ellis with me, and--to be perfectly honest--could NOT get into it. I hate giving up on a book, but man...just couldn't do it. So, now I"m reading a biography of Paul Revere, which is good so far. (All of 3 pages.)
Sunday night we went back to Bibi's and hung out some more. We started watching True Romance with her fam, and man that's a great movie! Brad Pitt is freakin' GREAT in it. It's an excellent movie written by Quentin Tarrantino, so you should all check it out.
Went mini golfing with some friends in KC, and that was fun. Funny side note: anyone else ever witnessed a mini-golf accident that required the paramedics to come? I have. (c;
Monday morning we had breakfast with some other friends and then....Monday night...I got to see my very first Minnesota Twin's baseball game....it was GREAT! They, of course, kicked ass. (c; It was good times.
Tuesday, the fourth, Bibi's dad and I went to get fireworks for Bibi's little sister, and then we watched some more World Cup. I also got to read portions of a book that Bibi's mom is working on, which was absolutely excellent. It was neat seeing how she writes, and man does she have a knack for turning a phrase. It was absorbing, compelling, and fantastic story-telling. I'll let you all know about publishing dates so that you can all buy the first printing. (c;
Tuesday night we went to a park in Lee's Summit to watch the fireworks, and it was an unexpectedly great sight...the park was on a bit of a hill, which meant that we could see about 20 other major shows going on in the distance as we waited for the Lee's Summit show to begin. I've never seen something like that before...it was really cool.
Pet Peeve: Would someone please explain to me the logic in showing up hours before a 30 minute fireworks show, only to leave ten minutes into the program to "beat the traffic", and inadvertently (sp?!) obstructing everyone's view with your DAMN headlights?!
This morning Bibi and I woke up much later than we had planned and had breakfast with Bibi's dad and little sister. Then we got on the road, laden down with tubs of Cholay, (which if you haven't had, what the hell are you waiting for?!) some of the things we didn't have room for after the wedding and all the flowers from the wedding. Now we're relaxing and getting ready for some Chinese food. Mmmm....good times.
All right ya'll....let me know who's out there....it's the "My Life" role call....leave me a comment to let me know who ACTUALLY reads this damn thing. (c;
Oh....favorite "Knock Knock joke of the day"
Knock Knock.
"who's there?"
Madame
"Madame who?"
Ma' damn foots stuck in the door...open up!!!
And...
Why was Tigger digging in the toilet?
Answer:
He was looking for Pooh.
(c;
Thanks for reading everyone...
Tommy
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Saturday...in the park....I think it's almost Fourth of July
Hey everyone!
Things are going well here. Bibi and I are leaving shortly to go to KC for a few days. My friend Dave got us tickets to see the Twins play the Royals. The Twins are my favorite team, and Bibi and Dave like the Royals, so it should be a good time. (Especially because the Twins are going to kick some ass.)
I don't really have anything else to report, except that....um, well, nope that's all.
Have a great fourth, and let me know what your plans are for the duration of the summer!
Thanks for stopping by...
Tommy
Things are going well here. Bibi and I are leaving shortly to go to KC for a few days. My friend Dave got us tickets to see the Twins play the Royals. The Twins are my favorite team, and Bibi and Dave like the Royals, so it should be a good time. (Especially because the Twins are going to kick some ass.)
I don't really have anything else to report, except that....um, well, nope that's all.
Have a great fourth, and let me know what your plans are for the duration of the summer!
Thanks for stopping by...
Tommy
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