12/7/07 A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card. This is a book in his Ender Series. These are some of the only Science Fiction novels I actually enjoy reading. This is a Christmas story set in the battle school.
Archive for December, 2007
Thanks to my friend Jeremy I found out today that one of my favorite authors, Terry Pratchett has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He announced the news on Paul Kidby’s website (Kidby is the long time illustrator for Pratchett’s books)
http://www.paulkidby.com/news/index.html
Pratchett is one of those writers that captures the imagination. His novels are a constant read for me. I will usually sit down with one of his books and know I will be entertained and challenged. I have probably read everyone of his books at least three or four times. I went for a year and a half and did nothing but read his novels (Obviously between times of work and other activities.) He usually challenges a person to think while they read. His commentary on life, politics, religion, culture, you name it is fairly spot on. I rarely read something and say “That’s not right.” or “That’s not how it works.” His books are an excellent read.
I believe his greatest feat is his ability to draw a person in to the story till they are not able to put the book down. I often find myself reading thinking, “Here it goes.” When he starts the build up to the final action. Then there is a long sigh afterwards as you realize the ride you just took. This is true no matter how many times I read the books. I recently read what I call the Vimes series again. It starts with Guards! Guards! and continues through several books, Men At Arms, Feet of Clay, Jingo, The Fifth Elephant, Night Watch, and the latest Thud. When I finish the book I am reading now I will probably start the Witches series again These start with Equal Rites and goes through Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad, Lords and Ladies, Maskerade, and Carpe Jugulum. My favorite series though is his young adult books. They seem to be more insightful then his more adult books.
I know Pratchett isn’t dead. He will continue to write, and as he said in his announcement
” ’I am not dead’. I will, of course, be dead at some future point, as
will everybody else. For me, this maybe further off than you think – it’s too soon to tell.”
And I know he would not write forever, but his characters are constant companions for me and it is upsetting to know their complete stories may never be known. That is why I am sad today. I want to know what happens to everyone and I may never know.
p.s. If anyone is thinking about buying me a Christmas present, I still haven’t been able to get Pratchett’s Wintersmith or Making Money. Just to let you know.
Anyone who has talked to me knows I am a big Falcon fan. When they hired Petrino at the beginning of the year I thought maybe this time a college coach will hang around. He did have experience as an assistant at the pro-levels, he knew what the pro game was about. He also had a reputation for developing quarterbacks. Maybe he would become a good coach and help develop Vick into a great quarterback. I guess that is what he thought too. Then everything came unraveled. As the season progressed I began to wonder if maybe he was tanking the season on purpose in an attempt to get a higher draft pick. It was frustrating. The times he seemed to hit on something that was a success for the club he abandoned it too soon, in my opinion. He never gave any of his quarterbacks much of a chance to improve in his system. It was horrible. Now I think I know why. I don’t think he was ever happy in the pros. He was tanking the season so he could leave at the end. Maybe by showing “incompetence” he would be able to get out of his contract without as much fuss. That theory came to fruition yesterday.
Petrino resigns Falcons post after 13 games, goes to Arkansas
This is only a theory but it sounds accurate considering his actions.
So the weekend was hectic, it is not the best time to post, especially around the holidays. Yesterday was good though. I had an interview with a college about entering their licensure program for Teacher Assistants. They also said there was a good chance I would get some scholarship money. I have to apply and have transcripts sent to them. Let’s see what happens.
Not long before one Christmas, when I was either in late elementary school or early middle school, I was being bad. I can’t remember what I was doing, I do know it got the typical parent response around the holidays, “If your not good Santa won’t bring you presents. He brings bad boys and girls switches and coal.” I scoffed and told them there was no Santa. So he decided to prove me wrong. Christmas morning rolls around and I am excited, I had been expecting a new bike and couldn’t wait to get it. When we ran into the living room my brother and sister had all their presents but me, I had a stocking full of switches and coal. Of course I began to ball my head off. I couldn’t believe it, there was a Santa and all those warnings I thought were just to scare kids into being straight were true. But I did learn something else about Santa, he can’t help giving children toys. The switches and coal were just as a warning, “If you don’t believe in me I will not bring you presents in the future. Take heed.” He had hidden my presents in the dining room, with my new bike. But since that day I still remember, there is a Santa.
Since I have grown up he has changed some what. Now he knows that I need money more than gifts so he leaves $100 dollars in my stocking, but it is Santa. I believe it.
Pull the plug on Lake Lynn, suit demands
Here is an example of insanity and proof, in my opinion, that we live in a law suit crazed world. A woman bought land on the bottom of a lake now wants the lake drained to develop the land. The Lake has been there since 1976. The quote by her lawyer regarding the city is rather enlightening. What do you think?
I think it would be like me buying land on the moon then suing the government because they didn’t have a shuttle to get me there
Mental floss had a link to a website that would determine the reading level of a blog. This is mine. I guess I could be worse.
12/5/07 Philosophy in the Flesh : The Embodied Mind and Its Challenge to Western Thought by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. This posits that science has proven that reason is embodied. The processes of our various systems give rise to rational thought not an insubstantial being. (I am reading two books at the same time yes!)
12/5/07 For the Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro. It is a collection of short stories. I have never read her so I am looking forward to getting to know her.
I was some what disgusted yesterday when I logged on to a local TV station’s website and, of the five lead stories, three of them involved the death of someone, or multiple people. I know the old news motto “If it bleeds, it leads.” but this is rideculous. Are there no other stories they could feature? This is the Christmas season (don’t be upset I used the C word) there are many stories of good deeds that could have replaced one or all of those stories. A friend of mine used to work at a TV station in the area. She told me there were several mornings the anchors would gather around the wire machines waiting for stories. If there was not a death the would be upset.
I guess though we should also examine the fact they would not be showing these stories if we were not watching them.