"...anything that Hobbits had no immediate use for, but were unwilling to throw away, they called a mathom. Their dwellings were apt to become rather crowded with mathoms, and many of the presents that passed from hand to hand were of that sort."
February of 2008 was longer by one day than is typical for this the shortest month. I doubt that's the reason, but for whatever reason, I was able to enjoy quite a few great books this month.
Grendel-John Gardner
This retelling of Beowulf from the monster's perspective is something that I had read about 10 years ago. Yes, it was because I had read an interview with Jeremy Enigk where it was stated that this book was the inspiration for the eponymous song title. No, that does not mean it wasn't worth reading. It was great. The more I grasp our connection to the classics the more I can see how one's attempt to interact with them by considering them in light of our modern society can produce harmony and dissonance at the same time.
Leepike Ridge- N.D. Wilson
N.D. Wilson first captivated my heart with his wonderful smashing of the fictitious heresy that is fictionalized in the drivel referred to as "Left Behind". His book, "Right Behind", is definitely a funny read. I had heard that this man, who was born in the same year as me, has now moved on to work that is less derivative and parody-based, and now more fantasy-focused. To analyze things from a "worldly" perspective, his publisher is Random House! This definitely piqued my interest, so I bought Leepike Ridge. It is a rich, imaginative book that is good for arousing awe and terror in a young child. Jonathan Xavier enjoyed it, and I did too!
100 Cupboards-N.D. Wilson
This second book by N.D. Wilson was released around Christmas of 2007, and is the first of a series. This first novel set an exciting stage for a somewhat confusing and terrifying world of parallel worlds. Also great for parents and children to read together. I can only hope that this series blossoms into something special--it definitely seems like that may happen. We'll have to wait for the second installment due out in 2008.
The Man Who Was Thursday-G.K. Chesterton
This is one of my hero Gilbert Keith's most famous novels. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It tells the tale of an anarchist society that wants to stand for nothing and yet realizes its own dogma that is the basis for its opposition to dogma. The conflict that occurs as the members of the society realize that there are moles who have infiltrated is fascinating, and as always with Chesterton, true to this day. I must listen to Orson Welles' rendition of it.
Heretics-GK Chesterton This book, which was written prior to Orthodoxy, is a great collection of thoughts on people and notions common in Chesterton's day. I found myself stopping to reread or e-mail or call people, for his ideas should be relished by all. There are so many great thoughts that resonate with my own, whether it be in the realm of science, family, government, theology, or beer. I will definitely read this one again, as I have vowed with practically everything of his that I have read.
Manalive-G.K. Chesterton I put this novel last on the list of books by Chesterton that I read this month, though I read it prior to reading Heretics. I do so because this book is the cream of the crop. The paradox of serious whimsy is breathed to life by Chesterton's pen, as a man named Innocent Smith flies into the lives of prosaic people. The change that ensues shows the often violent truth that we live in a stagnation which must be stirred, and ended for good. I want to be like the man portrayed in that book. Make sure I am on the road to such greatness, will you please?
Science and Grace-Tim Morris and Don Petcher
This last book was one that I'd blogged about quite some time ago. I wanted to read it, so I checked it out from a library and found the general idea of how as a Christian in science one should feel great awe to discover the secrets of the universe. It is true to form in that it doesn't look at things from the standard question of "Oh golly, what should I do about a professor who is not a believer?" and "In how many minutes did God create each individual species?" But at the same time the book is more for those who are contemplating a life in science, for those who haven't yet thought about the philosophy of science. Where they wrote to me, I read closely and agreed mostly. Where they were laying down the basics, I was a bit bored. But that's probably because the sources they were citing were often ones that I had read on a primary level.
So February is gone and I am fearful about March. I don't think I'll be able to beat this month, but we'll see!
This set of songs was based on putting my iTunes Browser on shuffle. Caveat lector: I did skip songs if it was a song I haven't heard because I had got it from friends.
1. Opening credits:"Claridade" – Madredeus This is a beautiful Portuguese song that would indeed make for a great opener. They may sound like drunken Spanish speakers, but maybe that's why I like them so much (Dom included)!
2. Waking up:"Secret Knowledge of Backroads" – Pavement I need that secret knowledge to make it in my field. Again, an apropos title. I don't know Pavement's obscure tracks well enough, but this is a great one.
3. First day of school:"Bbydhyonchord"- Aphex Twin A surreal track by a surreal man for an experience that is anything but ordinary to me.
4. Falling in love:"Add It Up" - Violent Femmes Oh the hilarity. I will say no more.
5. Fight song "Still Talking Shit"- Eazy E This is so hilarious. My 7th grade self would agree wholeheartedly with this selection as a fight song.
6. Breaking up:"Celia inside”- Cardigans The album Emmerdale is growing on me more every day. Happy to see this song come up--it's not exactly about breaking up, but it does have a forlorn feeling to it.
7. Prom "Reel Around the Fountain"- Fun People WOW. I don't like this cover of the first track from the first album by The Smiths particularly, but it as a prom song is magical.
8. Friends:"Street Spirit(Fade Out)"- Radiohead My player is clearly psychic. What is lasting in this world? What is fading out? Who knows......
9. Driving:"Cease"- Bad Religion Like Aaron, I got a Bad Religion song for this one--unlike him, I love straightforward rock for a drive. Right again, mr. itunes. Everything must cease-even traffic.
10. Flashback:"Where Did It Go"- Desmond Dekker "There was a song we used to sing." This song is not just a flashback, it's a nostalgic song about the greatness of our youth. Someone figure out what this computer smokes, and get me some!
11. Getting back together "Pick Up The Change"- Wilco Great song about wanting to be back together and love the way they used to. So perfect.
12. End credits:"Hairdresser On Fire"- Morrissey I think I'm going to burn a cd with songs in this order and hand it out. Astounding, I say. Within an hour the power could totally destroy me, or it could save my life.
if i think i can't, why is it that so many people are there? sure, some of them are lawyers, corporate types, or celebrities who rake in money by batting an eyelash, but surely you who read this entity are not in that category.
so why would i say that i can't afford california?
well, i know the answer, and this is mostly rhetorical....i want a yearly trip to europe. i want to have more than average panda bear's number of kids (think conejos, kids).....and when you put all of that together, the question is, are these wants more ridiculous than wanting to live in nice weather near familiar places?
and what is so bad about being ridiculous? if you are being ridiculed by a fool, you are actually better off than the one that fools dare to mock.
i need to be ridiculous, but the key is to be ridiculed by the right idiots at the right time. meanwhile, my research on richmond is interesting. Here's just one website on the matter.
Here I sit between huge tasks in life and think, "OK, things are relaxed because there's nothing massive to deal with this week or next." But are they really? There's always a phase where things are relatively manageable but in reality, if you squander your time during the lag phase you will be doomed to be shocked by the amount of things that are on your plate when you actually do have a hill to climb.
This brings me to my overall thoughts on life. So many people in this country think that feeling awe and being overwhelmed by life is a sign that things are out of balance. They pine for the time when things were more manageable, when life was characterized by ease. But it seems to me that that sentiment against which we revolt and usually call a bad thing is actually our coming to grips with a life lived well, and that the feeling that frightens us is really our own fear of living life fully.
Those tinges of terror that frighten us are really calls beckoning to arise from our slumber and stop the comatose existence that characterizes our generation. The ability to feel means we will be hurt, but it also means that we can feel joy. And that latter result is far more important than some sort of insular existence where we think that we are invulnerable.
The connection between The Beach Boys and Weezer, and particularly between Rivers Cuomo and Brian Wilson, is more than in my mind.
This site is pretty meticulous---just ignore the tidbit about how both bands played at the Whiskey in Hollywood and you can find some really cool facts that coincide between the two.
For roughly four months, I have lived under the shadow of ignorance. My younger son Andrew is not quite 2 years of age, and most moments his presence in my life is a ray of sunshine that warms my heart.
However, a chief source of consternation is dealing with what I regard to be the most important element that produces the difficulty known as "terrible twos", and that would have to be the fact that toddlers are incapable of expressing themselves appropriately. Nowhere was this clearer in the case of my son Andrew than with regard to one phrase that he used to make.
He would exclaim, sometimes repetitively, "eeekah!", where the eee sound was accentuated. We tried to guess what it meant for several weeks, and it was clear that he knew we were clueless as to what he meant. That was, of course, probably just as frustrating for the poor lad as it was for his aging parents.
At any rate, we had all but given up hope on deciphering his declaration, when yesterday the epiphany struck us in a forceful way. He had picked up the DVD case for Toy Story, and he said "Yeehaw!" while pointing at Woody. I should have seen it all along. After all, his other phrase of excitement would be written something like this: "Doo di dee..... da DON!", which we had already interpreted to be "to infinity and beyond!"
That one was slightly easier to determine, as those cheers usually were accompanied with some dangerous act of climbing up whatever can be climbed, and a stance that would challenge the most formidable Space Ranger.
So, eeekah is yeehaw. When I asked him if that was eeekah, he got so excited, and our mutual frustration over the inevitable issue of language acquisition was abated, at least for this little hill to climb. But there will be more, doubtless.
And I should also say, now that I know what he was saying for all of those weeks, I'll look back fondly when I think of his attempt to say yeehaw.
In honor of part of a recent trip to California, I thought I'd share a bit about what happened while a friend and I were in San Francisco. While his blog often talks about various trips he has taken and I'm sure the average bear would rather read his account than my own, this poor impatient soul wants to make some comments on this trip, especially as there are some details that I imagine will grow more distorted as the weeks progress. We did so much that I want to make sure it receives a fitting tribute, and as there are some parts of it that I'd like to revisit in the future, I want to be as systematic as possible. If there are any mistakes, the real roadside traveler can feel free to criticize as he sees fit. Also, please note that the majority of these images are from the web. I use them gratefully.
So sit back and grab some red wine or absinthe (you will see why later), listen to the song on the youtube video below (you will also see why later) while I write a bit about our trip to SF.
The trip began on Tuesday morning with Aaron flying in from SoCal, while I was riding a shuttle from the Monterey area. We both woke up in the wee hours to get this trip started--I had been at a science conference and hadn't slept too much, but got to my shuttle by 5 a.m. We met at SFO airport to take the BART at about 7:30 in the morning. We spent the train ride catching up and talking about the latest and the greatest in our respective lives. As we exited somewhere around the financial district, we bought a day pass to use all trolleys and buses in the San Francisco area. At first I thought this to be a frivolous waste of money, but as we boarded the trolley I realized this was not accurate. We were only 5 or so blocks from the hotel where we would store our bags and eventually sleep, but the hills were massive.
This was the roadside traveler's elder daughter's doll's perspective of that trolley ride.
So then we were off the trolley and we got to our hotel. One of my first sights reminded me of what is often on my mind when I am away from my family, and that is that I am away from my family. The store that was directly across the street from our hotel was part of SF's extensive Chinatown, and it happened to sell jade. There, staring at my face, was the first of 2 Chinese characters that make up my wife's special Chinese name. I had to take a picture, and so I did.
After dropping our bags off, we walked to the trolley line that would take us down to the piers and other sites.
Before getting on the trolley, we stopped inside California's first cathedral, St. Mary's. If I'm not mistaken, this building was one of the few that remained largely unscathed from the legendary 1906 earthquake. It was pretty nice to see, and from there we got onto the trolley.
While getting onto the trolley, drops of rain began falling at ever growing speeds. Because the piers are such a popular destination, the trolley was so full we had to stand with half of ourselves exposed to the elements. Eventually we got off of the trolley and stepped into the Buena Vista Cafe, which happens to be the home of the first bar to sell Irish Coffees in the US. While I had secretly scorned my SoCal friend for this route of events, getting inside this lovely establishment after the rain and wind was a lovely break.
As you can see below, they serve Irish Coffees in great clear glasses, as is fitting. However, as you can't see below, these Irish Coffees were strong on the Irish and not so strong on the coffee.
The fact that this drink was generous with the ethanol was all the more welcomed as I was warmed on the inside and out even more as we spent time in this fine establishment. They also made me 2 eggs in a snap, that were over medium in the way that I like it, and one can never complain about THAT.
From there we exited the Buena Vista Cafe and proceeded to amble along the area avenues. We saw some old ships and gazed at the golden gate bridge from afar, and we proceeded to fisherman's wharf. Now, in the past I had seen Pier 39 in all of its touristic gloss, but I wanted real stores with all of their character that seems to flee with the varnish of commercialism. This walk did not disappoint. It's a pity we were there in the mid-morning, but we had too many other things to do so just seeing the neighborhood waking up was treat enough. We entered the odd free museum known as the Musee Mechanique, where a hodge-podge collection of various automated machines that peppered arcades and fairs alike were collected into some sort of order. I took a picture of this one, as it reminded me of our culture's unending thirst for sensationalism. There is nothing new under the sun, and no, you sordid sots, we did not pay the quarter to see any XXX images.
After visiting this museum we turned around and took the trolley back towards the North Beach area of San Francisco. If I remember correctly, we then proceeded to walk around this area. We tried to visit a tattoo museum which was closed at the time, and later when it was open we were told by a German lady that the place was now only a tattoo parlor. This parlor became the source of a joke about getting matching tattoos relating to our trip, but thankfully we never drank enough to reach such levels of insanity.
We walked then to visit another historic church, San Francisco's (aka St. Francis of Assisi) Catholic Church, after whom the city of SF is named, where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe tied the knot.
A few blocks later and we ate an early lunch at a marvelous cafe known as Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store and Cafe. While its employees were hipper than Aaron and I could ever dream of being, they were gracious and good servers. Our lunch of fresh sandwiches was well complemented with good European quality coffee, and we journeyed onwards.
From there we visited both the famous (or infamous, if you are one of those establishment types) City Lights Bookstore, which had no less than four books on Orson Welles that I'd never seen anywhere else, as well as the Beat Museum (without actually paying for the museum, as it was not free!).
As you can see by the fragmented word "opless", the Beat Museum was next to a place that was not the most savory in the neighborhood, which does not bother me per se. However, the catcalling losers in front (or would it be dogcalling, as these are men calling men about 3rd party females?) were as impetuous as they were stupid. I had a plot to lecture them on the moral fabric of our society with its disgustingly high divorce rates, et cetera, but cooler thoughts prevailed. I digress.
At any rate, nature was now loudly calling my name (finding a bathroom is among the top 5 of my biggest quibbles with big cities), so we hurried on towards the TransAmerica Tower. Seeing no tourist-friendly entrance, we sojourned in the nearby Starbucks, which had one of the filthiest restrooms by Starbucks standards.
From here we went on to go towards the famous Coit Tower. In climbing the stairs of Telegraph Hill, I was captivated by the fact that I got to see the parrots of said locale flying among the branches(the DVD documentary is worth watching, in my estimation), and the way that the houses on the hill were so well integrated into the heights of the hill. I see a strong resemblance between the way that Tolkien's hobbits had homes that went into the hill, and the way that these blessed souls fill the space of the steep heights. In the midst of this blessing were some curses on the steepness of the lay of the land, but overall it was beautiful.
At the pinnacle of Telegraph Hill was Coit Tower, which was a nice building to climb and see the surrounding areas. The murals on the inside were very reminiscent of Diego Rivera, but they capture the diversity and optimism that California has had, and should always have.
After these wearying climbs, we were in the parking lot and Aaron swore there was a bus that was coming our way to take us away. I didn't buy it, as there were no signs indicating this to be a fact. Eventually, we continued our march bravely on foot, and saw the legendarily looped Lombard Street off in the distance. We made it from Coit Tower to the top of Lombard Street and I took a picture or two of Aaron. Panting and heaving (at least somewhat), we got on the bus and started going back to our base camp, the Grant Plaza Hotel.
I suppose this is a fitting time to speak the praises of this hotel. The Grant Plaza Hotel is by no means luxurious, but for something like 59 dollars per night + fees, frills were not to be expected. We took our bags out of their locker space, and went upstairs. Being a bit tired from the early morning, what was fitting but to have some red, red wine? Nothing, in my book. We shared a bottle of Zinfandel that I had acquired from Monterey, which hit the spot. The rooms were economic in size, but Aaron and I both agreed that we would come back, even with females in tow. Here's a photo of this establishment, clearly taken on a sunnier day than the 1.5 that we enjoyed.
Recharged and exuberant again, we went outside and strolled through Chinatown. We had passed a tea house, so we stopped there to complement our alcohol with caffeine and more hydration, as we had done with the Irish Coffees during the morning's trip to the Buena Vista.
As we pondered dinner and the like, we agreed that a second trip up Lombard Street was both necessary and worthwhile. Why, do you ask? I had taken a picture of Aaron but hadn't actually pushed the save button! Sucking it up, we climbed the summit a second time, this time with photos. I should also say that after all of these ascents, my calves were quite sore for at least 4 subsequent days.
After this second journey up Lombard St., we got a bit lost looking for a cigar shop to get a cutter, but eventually we decided on dinner. A science colleague had recommended a place near Haight-Ashbury called Cha Cha Cha.
En route to dinner, we did manage to see one thing on Aaron's to-do list, the octagon house. Maybe it's because we merely passed it without seeing it from the inside, but this had to be the only part of the trip that was not worthy of a revisit in my estimation. But we saw it, nonetheless, and below you can see a stolen snapshot of it.
Going to Haight-Ashbury was a bit cliche, but what can I say? It was getting dark and we really only cared about getting dinner and relaxing. At Cha Cha Cha, we enjoyed some decent Sangria with our tapas style meal of Latin-American fusion food.
Leaving the hippie area of Haight-Ashbury, we journeyed back to our hotel, mostly on foot. Smoking cigars and talking about politics/Ron Paul after sangria and a big meal is basically my view of heaven, so the fact that it was dark and that there wasn't too much to see was fine by me. We passed by the majestic city hall building, and looked for some place to get a drink and stay warm at night.
We entered one bar seeking warmth in a place known as the Redwood Lounge, but it was completely full of people in suits and my SoCal-based attire just wasn't cutting it. As a result, we crossed the street to the Hotel Monaco, which was just as above us in terms of the amount of money we could spend on a hotel, but the bar was relatively empty. The restaurant wing has a great 1920's feel to it, and it was there that the inspiration to this blog's name was born.
For you see, as we ordered mixed drinks, I saw from the menu that the song "Red Red Wine" was actually written by Neil Diamond. As shocked as I was to learn this, I was even more shocked to learn from the waitress that no one had previously asked her about this. How could this be??? Was it just me or did everyone know that UB40 was doing a cover of the man who sings "Heartlight"? I called my fact hound friend Jim, and he too was unaware of this tidbit of information. A few minutes later I could hear the song via youtube, and it seemed to me like the theme of the trip cohered based on this song. A song where a man laments his love who is far away (in my case, Maryland) finds some solace from the fruit of the vine. Or maybe I was (and am) just waxing poetic. Regardless, after our drinks, we decided to call it a night.
We got back to the hotel at roughly 11 pm, which is early by the standards of most, but remember that we had started our days at 4 am, and child-rearing and science conferences alike are no meager tasks! Plus, we had a second bottle of wine that would not survive the plane trip, and so I had to not waste the bounty of my trip to Monterey. We opened a second bottle of Zinfandel, and the red, red wine made for more great conversation. However, prudence demanded that we only enjoy some of this lovely liquor. So half of the bottle remained unenjoyed. After discussing various theological and philosophical arguments, red, red wine and weariness overcame me, as the sounds of Belle and Sebastian lulled me to sleep.
On Wednesday morning, we were up early feeling fine, and after the functional showers that characterize two guys on a mission, we checked out, storing our bags in the trusty Grant Plaza Hotel lockers again. First on our itinerary was breakfast at a Little Italy establishment that certainly made for my favorite food of the trip. It's a place known as Mama's of Washington Square. I ordered a Farmer's omelette, which consisted of eggs, spinach leaves, goat cheese, bacon, and leeks. The ingredients were all high quality, very fresh, and put together well. They make their own jam that was also a nice tart complement to their sourdough toast/loaf that they serve. The cappuccino that I ordered there was also good, but not up to par w/Mario's.
After breakfast we went on our last large portion of the trip, which was a walk along Golden Gate Bridge. We took a bus that landed right in front of the bridge, and as we were slightly pressed for time we immediately began walking. Here are two sights from our walk from one end to the other and back.
This is my failed attempt to capture the immensity and scale of this great work of architecture.
This picture was taken along the route. Both Aaron and I thought it would be morbidly amusing to show ourselves looking sad next to these phone booths. If you look closely, the writing discourages people from taking their lives from the heights of the bridge, stating that there is hope. Without our wives and red, red wine, we might have jumped. Then again, with cooler heads, we might have not jumped. And we didn't.
After finishing the walk on the bridge, we waited for quite some time for a bus. Eventually, we got back to the North Beach/Little Italy area, and we were off to our last real stop, the mecca of Beat Poets and alcohol--Vesuvio Cafe.
Now, this place wasn't just legendary, it had the magical ambiance I'd expect from a place like that even when it was around lunchtime. We stopped with the teddy bear to have some cappuccinos, as you can see below.
However, as time progressed and I went to pay the bill so that we could leave, I saw from a sign at the bar that this fine establishment had begun serving absinthe, which was formerly illegal in this overly paranoid country. We decided to give it a go, and we were instructed on the fine art of drinking this drink of lore. The practice of properly sipping of the licorice-flavored liquor is quite elegant, as one starts with glasses of pure absinthe and a leaf-shaped spoon on top. One then places a sugar cube on said leaf, and clear cold water is poured through the sugar cube and mixed into the absinthe. While the liquor starts off as a clear substance, it metamorphoses into a milk-like drink. I took a small sip of it undiluted and it was quite potent. Nonetheless, wanting to follow protocol I drank the rest of our portion in the watered down form. I must say that though it is true that I do not like black licorice, this liquor form was very pleasing to the palate, and the soul. We drank the absinthe as slowly as possible without causing stress about missing my flight.
This stock photo somewhat captures the experience--hopefully the roadside traveler has his own pics of the day. If I recall, he didn't take any pictures because the moment was too cool to stop and take a picture, in my book at least.
Meanwhile, the other patrons of Vesuvio were telling amazing stories about their lives, and all we could do was simply soak it in. One character had one of those larynx boxes to help him to communicate, and he was telling wild stories of days gone, and it was as though we had entered a dream. Whether it was the mere ambiance, the absinthe or both, I may never know. But it was magical. I went to the restroom and took a picture of myself in the bathroom mirror, and it seemed as though I had morphed into the deer from Jagermeister. Was this absinthe not fully purified from its hallucinogenic aspects of wormwood?? Would I, like Van Gogh, end up doing something drastic like cut my ear off due to far-off love and absinthe's delirium?
Then I wondered whether I had started floating, as I looked down on the bar. I kid, I kid-the balcony seating was quite nice, actually.
Seriously, it was a great time to drink in Vesuvio's, even if it was lunch time. So is this the trip of red wine or absinthe? As usual, my vote is for both! As we left, perhaps the most awkward moment of the trip came, as the bartender had asked us what we do for a living. Here we were in the heart of the free hippie lifestyle, and I was a government scientist and Aaron was part of the collective "man", as a jail deputy! We were treated warmly, nonetheless, and invited back at any time. Hopefully that time is sooner rather than later.
From there we picked up our bags and went on the BART. My plane left earlier so we parted ways at one stop, where, as I understand, Aaron almost talked to the former drummer of Jawbreaker. But that's another story, for another time.
Well, as I close this post, I hope you get a sense of why I wanted to write systematically on what we accomplished in such a small span of time. It was a feat that I will look back upon fondly, hoping to replicate in the details of seeing San Francisco again, and conceptually. Hopefully this encourages everyone to travel more and to travel well! Cheers!
I am becoming increasingly pleased with my older son's use of his imagination while playing. During some sort of interplanetary battle he was creating dialogue between two space pilots, and one cried out desperately for some "galactic toothpaste".
When I asked what it was for, wondering if there was some hygienic hubris to this history, he stated that it was for defeating the bad guys. Maybe my lectures on tooth brushing have gone too far or maybe he's more creative than I thought. Or maybe both are true.
Whatever the basis, I am happy to be alive with people like him near me.
Now that February is upon us, I'm going to make good on my promise and reflect upon my literary lunches on a monthly basis.
I am America (and so can you) – Stephen Colbert
After all of the traumatic events this country endures, I find settling down to an episode of the Colbert Report to be a soothing and hilarious opiate. To see that this great work is in book form made me want to sip the same nectar while away from the TV. And so I did. This book is overall as good as the TV show at its best moments. I highly recommend it to everyone, but make sure you don't get the Chinese counterfeit (ha ha!). My personal favorite section is the chart that helps one determine one's class in society.
Beowulf In an effort to cultivate my care for the classics, I bought this book several years ago. I wanted to read this work, as its importance to those such as Tolkien has weighed heavily on my mind. I found it much better than my 9th grade memory of it, which was only happy about the fact that hearing Old English was a hauntingly beautiful experience. The notion of national identity is smashed to pieces in some senses, as stories of certain kingdoms which have come, gone, been squeezed together, and the like, leave me realizing that there are permanent concepts that show themselves in a fleeting fashion. The way that pagan mythology is interwoven with a Christian theme is also quite fascinating. I plan on reading Gardner's Grendel for this month, so that particular motif will be especially interest when placed in a contrast where the story focuses on the monster as opposed to the hero.
Cautionary Tales for Children-Hilaire Belloc While Hilaire Belloc is hotly on my mind, this book is actually the first of his that I have read. I found the poem about the disobedient child who was eaten by a lion to be strikingly apropos, as the tragedy in San Francisco has been rumored to have been caused by similar rebellion. Overall this set of poems is exciting and still amusing today.
Old Thunder A Life of Hilaire Belloc-Joseph Pearce This biography of Hilaire Belloc was the straw that broke this camel's back. I am now sure that I need to read as much of this man's work as possible. Enough said.
The Twits-Roald Dahl This quick read by Roald Dahl tells a great story of the way one's morality alters one's appearance, and how judgment comes to such people. As an agnostic, his remedy to the problem strikes me as a bit too harsh, but it's too enjoyable to complain too much.
George’s Marvelous Medicine-Roald Dahl
This story by Dahl has a similar judgment on those that do not appreciate youth and goodness, with a similar shortcoming. Not as enjoyable as the Twits, but fun to read nonetheless.
The Ball and The Cross-G.K. Chesterton I have read Orthodoxy, and now I have read The Ball and The Cross. This book was captivating from start to finish. I would love to make a movie out of this story some day, but something tells me that that's unlikely. Like Orthodoxy, it's one that I want to read again and again (and again).
As my friends know quite well, I have begun the process of looking for a "real" job. Yes, instead of being a temporary worker, I may soon become a professor.
Upon returning from my first interview, I was describing the university to my son, stating that if he got in he would be able to attend free of charge, and that the school is one of the best regarded in the country.
To which he replied with this question, "Do they have a lot of soda machines?"
and that is that. This quote will undoubtedly convince you of his greatness. If it does not, please leave me alone forever and ever. Amen.
"Then let us love one another and laugh. Time passes, and we shall soon laugh no longer--and meanwhile common living is a burden, and earnest men are at siege upon us all around. Let us suffer absurdities, for that is only to suffer one another." - Hilaire Belloc
My wife picked up a bookshelf from target today. She could put it into the cart and then into the trunk, but going any further would probably do damage to her ~ 24 weeks pregnant frame. As I went outside to carry it from the car to the apartment, I noticed a sign on the box that got me annoyed with whomever wrote it down.
To my disgust, it had an advisory saying that 3-4 people should carry it! Now, I'm kicking myself because I can't find the exact shelf on target.com, but the point is, it wasn't more than 100 pounds. I carried from the car the 30 or so feet to the spot where it belonged in our apartment with no stress or worry that my back would be strained, and I'm a sissy boy intellectual!
Seriously people, do we need a sign to tell us how many people are needed to lift a particular box? And do we also need that sign to make it such that 3 people are lifting about 40 pounds each (and that's a maximal estimate--I'm guessing this thing was about 80 pounds)? I could see how maybe 2 people would be needed to hold the thing, but ultimately we should be big enough to know if something is too heavy for us. I'm sure it was a protective move to ensure that no lawsuits happen, but it really was laughable to think that 3-4 people would be needed to carry this thing.
We live in a society that is tailor made for weakness and litigious stupidity. It must end, and it will end when we start taking on more responsibility for ourselves.
Has anyone else wondered why we should care about the presidential preferences of states like Iowa and New Hampshire, whose ethnic background is 91% and 97% white, respectively?
What sort of prognosticating power could such homogeneous lands have on a country that is much more of a melting pot in character?
This assignment of importance to those states that have caucuses or primaries earlier in the year reminds me of the ridiculous superstitiousness that pervades our society in other realms, such as Groundhog's day.
Because a good friend of mine has posted his reading list of 2007, I thought it would also be appropriate to step back and list the various books that I was able to get through before the ball fell down in Times Square. As I look at the list I am happy to have read or reread these various books (and I realize how much time I spent studying Roman Catholicism!) but wish I would have had the time to have finished others which occupy a huge pile throughout my home.
I'm not sure if this ordering is the best, but it is what it is. There are also some other books that I checked out from libraries, and since they're not around I can't rouse my memory to be sure that I read them in 2007. Combine that with the size of this list, and I chose to omit them. Maybe in 2008, I'll be more systematic and write book reviews as I go.
Out of the Silent Planet - C.S. Lewis
This introductory book from Lewis' trilogy is great on so many levels-he sets the stage for a crazy dystopic future seen in That Hideous Strength. Due to time constraints and my own worries over this country's direction, I abstained from going past the next book.
Perelandra - C.S. Lewis
The world of spirits and planets is explained on a deeper level as Ransom travels to a second planet. I love the reflection on how different planets have different modes of expression. Is it sexist? Methinks not.
Till we have Faces - C.S. Lewis
My favorite book of all of Lewis, perhaps because in this Greek myth retold he comes closest to using his knowledge of the classics and applying it to his own writing, which is something that makes me love Tolkien so dearly.
The Four Loves - C.S. Lewis
This book which is also on audio is something I listened to as a young teenager, and now that I've experienced love and the lack thereof on deeper levels I find his insights all the more witty and telling of the human condition.
The Gambler - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
I'm glad to say that I've read the gambler--here Dostoyevsky deals with the trivialities of society and the way in which those things can enslave people and ruin families.
Notes from the Underground- Fyodor Dostoyevsky
This could be my new favorite by my Russian friend. He doesn't develop characters in this story the way that he does in the Brothers K, etc., but the depth of the emotion that is conveyed by the writer as he shares his frustrations and near insanity is beautifully done.
The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
I mentioned above that taking legend and retelling it in a new light is beautiful to me--so I had to go through old faithful and read this with my son (again). Always a delight to read his work, and I'm looking forward to the movies in 2010 and 2011.
The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
Every time I read these books, the little side stories grow in my mind for they can come into closer focus as the rest of the book is almost memorized by me. Just thinking about Barrow Wights was enough to make me so happy to reread this book.
The Two Towers - J.R.R. Tolkien
Ditto on this one-thinking about Kreeft's analysis of this book was also on my mind as I read this, in just thinking that this book is ultimately about Sauron, who is the Lord of the Rings may sound like an obvious thing to you, but hey, I miss obvious points all of the time!
Christianity for Modern Pagans - Peter Kreeft
Speaking of Kreeft, I had seen this book at my church's book table which is purchased via the honor system. Then when I saw it at the library I got to check it out. It reminded me that I wanted to read Pascal, and brought a lot of important thoughts to mind about what it means to believe, and what should be said in sharing this faith with others. In this book he quotes portions of Pascal's Pensees and reorganizes them based on topics that he thinks, while he provides his commentary on the Pensees.
Pensees - Blaise Pascal
Wanting to get the words straight from the horse's mouth, I went to read the Pensees as Pascal wrote them, and I didn't skip the chapters that Kreeft skipped for the sake of clarity and brevity. At times I thought this concoction was a mad mess, and at other moments I saw how he would present the world from both the view of one who believes in God and from the view of the skeptic. The madness that exists in the text is merely the natural consequence of these different perspectives colliding, and when I looked at it that way, I saw the grandeur of the Pensees.
The Winter of Our Discontent - John Steinbeck
Steinbeck has been on my "to read" list, beyond Of Mice and Men, that is. Winter of Our Discontent was a great story about what it means to be a successful American, which is something near and dear to me as I pursue a career that seems to be both very successful and hopelessly underappreciated in terms of work vs. pay.
The Trial - Franz Kafka I will admit that I do not like Metamorphosis, which is supposed to be his best. But this book was turned into a movie by Orson Welles, and while that one is a bit hard to follow, I had to read the book since my hero had made a movie of it. This was no Metamorphosis--I really enjoyed the paranoia and despair of a world beset in self-contradicting laws. The threat of a government that is so big that we can't be sure of what we are charged (habeas corpus, anyone?) is portrayed in a gripping way, and I have to say that the changes Welles made did not improve this great book. Definitely a must read.
Stonewall Jackson : The Black Man's Friend - Richard G. Williams Jr. and James. I. Robertson Jr.
Living in Maryland has put the War of Northern Aggression on my mind, and this analysis of how a religious man like Jackson could still support the South was a great read. Instead of casting things in light of national policy, in this book we see the world of Jackson and the local blacks in his town, as he sought to teach them to read in violation of laws, so that they would develop a heart and mind for the truth. The mere fact that there is a stained glass window dedicated to Stonewall Jackson in the local church that the freed slaves attended was enough for me to see that underneath the oppression of slavery, the goodness of humanity persisted and prevailed. That it would have prevailed without a war costing 600,000 lives is, of course, a matter on which we could debate, but it is a position that I maintain.
At The Helm - Kathy Barker
This book is a divergence from the others--it's almost a manual on what it means to be the boss of a lab. I enjoyed the stories on what it takes, but at the same time my fear and uncertainty on this career path grew.
Nothing Feels Good - Andy Greenwald I was mailed this book by a friend who instructed me to burn it upon reading it. This analysis of "emo" as a genre and a state of mind had some interesting vignettes but was overall a silly analysis of culture where the blog as a medium was the apex of being "emo". Ending a few years ago he wrote as though there would be no new "emo" as personalization found its true expression on the internet. The point is--the book is well emoted (ha!) but not thought out well. Maybe he was truly being emo in so doing.......
Orson Welles:Hello Americans - Simon Callow
Callow's second book on Welles did not let down from his first great work on the earlier phase of Welles' life. Here the pace slows down dramatically and we spend about 400 pages reading about what transpired in 6 or 7 years or so. As you can guess, a lot of detail is put into this story, but it is done in a way that is exciting. As both a comment on one man's life and the overall culture of the world in which he lived, I commend this book to all. It also gave me ideas as to what movies of his to track down next. Having seen MacBeth and Jane Eyre since, I can say that I've not been let down by Callow's descriptions!
Orson Welles Remembered - Peter Prescott Tonguette
This book is a straightforward collection of interview quotes from people who knew Welles. It sounds boring but the subject is not, and so this makes for a great read.
The Spirit and Forms of Protestantism - Louis Bouyer
After Francis Beckwith's reversion to Catholicism, I began focusing on this matter with more seriousness. This book was bought for me by a friend in the summer of 2005, but I didn't touch it until the spring of 2007. This book is a very thought-provoking work, where Protestantism as an idea is described as in agreement with Roman Catholicism. Bouyer lays the charge that the things that are actually unique about us as Protestants are the very areas where the Spirit of Protestantism is choked out by varying forces such as nominalistic philosophy. A must read, in my opinion.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church - The U.S. Catholic Church (I guess that's the author, if you trust amazon.com)
This book was hard to read all the way through, but I thought that if I wanted to be "fair and balanced" that it was necessary to do. It was an interesting endeavour.
The Roman Catholic Controversy - James White
This book was one by the author of a book that I formerly loved, and now I think may have been based on the fervor of angst towards an idea. I looked to see what his strongest points were, but am now convinced that any criticism of Rome must not come from this way of argumentation. That's all I'll say on this thread, at least.
Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences - Norman L. Geisler and Ralph E. MacKenzie
This assessment of the differences between Catholics and Evangelicals varies in terms the view of how much Protestants and Catholics have in common. I suppose that's why it was worth reading. Other than that it gets a bit tiring to read, though I suppose showing how many ways you can skin this cat of ecumenism is a worthwhile pursuit.
Called to Communion - Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (the theologian now known as the Pope)
Many people have told me that the current Pope is a great writer, so I sat down and read one where the issue of unity from the Catholic view would be a good way to start. The book is a very deep read that I think I'll reread in 2008.
Rome Sweet Home - Scott and Kimberly Hahn
This is a personal narrative by a former Presbyterian minister gone Catholic and his wife. It describes why he was interested in Rome, which helped me understand (I think) why many have done so through the years. No matter what they said, I still don't see the beauty of the Rosary, at least as it is expressed by most people who don't even know what the mysteries are about.
Hail, Holy Queen - Scott Hahn
Speaking of the Rosary, this book by Hahn is a defense of the Roman Catholic view of Mary. He presents her as a new Eve and the ark of the new covenant, which was an interesting concept. I have heard from some that elements of this book are not standard among Catholics, so I don't know what to think about this issue.
Triumph: The Power and the Glory of the Catholic Church - H. W. Crocker III
This popularized narrative of the history of the Catholic Church presents a defense of Roman Catholicism as it was followed by kings and princes and paupers throughout its inception up to the present day. I wanted to read this to have a grasp of how a Catholic looks at things like the Inquisition, and reading this was a good way to learn about it. He seems to come across as harsh to the Eastern Orthodox, but overall his defense is couched in asking whether a particular injustice was coming from the church or its followers--that's an important question to ask.
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization - Thomas E. Woods Jr
Much like the previous book, this book analyzes history from the Catholic perspective. Its focus is more on concepts such as art, architecture, science, etc. I probably enjoyed each page of this book more, but it feels piecemeal at the end, whereas the Crocker book feels more systematic. Overall, these books written in defense of Catholicism remind me that as Protestants we have only been around in our form since the 1500's. 500/2000 means that roughly 3/4 of the Church's existence was lacking our presence, so understanding the good of Rome is I think a must for all Christians, despite our assessment of any of their wrongs-doctrinal, philosophical, or structural (or anything else).
Simply Christian - N.T. Wright
This is N.T. Wright's version of Lewis' Mere Christianity. I liked it but kept wondering what it means--where should I go to church in his opinion? Is he a relativist on the matter of Anglican vs. Catholic vs. Protestant vs. Eastern Orthodox, etc.? That's the big problem I have with ecumenism based on determining what our faith's lowest common denominator is.
The Shape of Sola Scriptura - Keith Mathison
Because of my readings on the Catholic view of Scripture, I gave this book a read. I was disturbed by what seems to me like an arbitrary distinction between Sola Scriptura and what he terms as Solo Scriptura. Ultimately, the importance of creeds comes to mind, as Mathison and others have attacked heterodox views such as hyperpreterism by appealing to the Apostle's Creed. If the Scripture alone is our rule of faith, why seek to find historical precedent outside of Scripture? Either we are not consistent, or our true rule is bigger than Scripture.
Orthodoxy - G.K. Chesterton
I grew in my love for British wit as I read this Catholic luminary's view of the Apostle's Creed and faith in general. 2008 will be full of this man's work, as I loved the way he could turn a phrase and cast things in a new light as his argument developed. A MUST READ!
The Language of God - Francis Collins
This book, by the director of one of the NIH's Institutes, presents the case for a version of theistic evolution that gives evidence of God via a principle that he terms as Biologos. Overall, I think it strange that the same sort of design arguments that are used by Paley and his modern associates seen in the Intelligent Design Movement are not palatable, whereas cosmological arguments for design that have the same logical construction are all well and good. I'd like to talk to him about the differences between biological evolution and cosmological evolution, and why one points to design while the other doesn't.
Darwin Strikes Back - Thomas Woodward
This book details the way in which mainstream scientists have responded by and large to intelligent design proponents. The main question I have after reading it is, so what are the ID proponents going to do to show that they practice science? I have heard a lot of rhetoric and discussion of ID's foundations, but "publish or perish" must drive that movement if it wants to gain credibility.
The Edge of Evolution - Michael Behe
Speaking of gaining credibility, Behe did make a good stride in defending his position with this book. He discusses exactly what has been observed in experimental analyses of evolution, especially with the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The results of such reflection leads one quite underwhelmed by what has been seen. His argument that evolution fills in the gaps of the structure of life in a manner similar to the spandrels of a cathedral is especially interesting. Sure to bother creationists and Dawkins-style evolutionists alike, it was an interesting read.
WHEW!!!! So that was 2007 in books for me. 2008 is already off to a good start!
I posted this within a comment box on a friend's blog, but I spent so long on it (and I wouldn't mind reading someone else's responses), so I decided to put this here too....
1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? Truly enjoy sushi.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? To a degree, but those are made privately so I shall divulge no further.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Physically, no.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes-both emotionally and physically.
5. What countries did you visit? Canada--Banff was a great town, and I must say that their Rockies are superior to ours.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? Money.
7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Hm....083107-my last birthday in my twenties...no other day sticks out in my mind.
8. Did you change? For the better, (super)naturally.
9. Are you happy with the year over all? I can't be happy with a period of time as large as a year---too much injustice and hatred to cloud out my thoughts of joy that can be seen on a day to day basis.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Only emotional wounds.
11. Are you going to change something about yourself next year? I'm going to work out again.
12. Do you think 2008 will be a better year than 2007? Year, shmear. Who knows who will be be elected, etc. I am a mere butterfly.
13. Did you go to an amusement park? Went to Disneyland--the 29 year streak is still on, despite living in Maryland.
14. Where did most of your money go? Paying off the seemingly insurmountable debt that crushes my will to live when I give it a moment's thought.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Ron Paul, great literature, great music, great movies, etc.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007? "All I Need" by Radiohead-it's more proof that C is the best chord in the galaxy.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:happier or sadder? Every year I feel both emotions on a deeper level than the year before.
thinner or fatter? definitely fatter, but the rollercoaster is at the top of the hill and we are getting ready for an exciting drop and hope for no more hills in the future!
richer or poorer? richer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I wish I'd spent more time with my kids.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Working jobs that mean nothing to me.
20. Did you go on a summer vacation? We went to California-it was decent.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007? No, my wife would kill me if I did.
22. 23. What was your favorite TV program? My Name is Earl, The Sopranos.
24. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn’t dislike this time last year? I'm always meeting new people, so yes.
25. What was the best book you read? This is tough to answer. I think I'll go with Notes from the Underground by Dostoyevsky or Orthodoxy by Chesterton.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Another tough one...I guess it would have to be Belle and Sebastian, though I speak of the fervency of my appreciation of them, as they're not new to me.
27. Who do you think you were on the phone with the most? I try to distribute minutes freely, with a bias towards fellow T-Mobile customers. Those that come to mind most in that sub-fraction would be Ben and Jim.
28. What did you want and not get? A house.
29. What was your favorite film of this year? The Darjeeling Limited
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? If I remember correctly, we just hung out at home on the day when I turned 29 and Jonathan X. turned 7.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having the NIH move to California.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Old Faithful
33. What kept you sane? A sense of connection to history, and a generous set of drinks after a hard day's night.
34.Did you ever go to the hospital ? Just once, outside of visits to Building 10 of the NIH.
35. What political issue stirred you the most? Ron Paul for president!!!!!!!!!!!!!
36. Whom did you miss? Christopher Dallas Helwig
37. Who was the best new person you met? No one really comes to mind there.
38. Did you get a tattoo? NO, and I think I'm done.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
If your right hand is causing you pain Cut it off, cut it off If your colours have started to run Let them all run, run away from you
There is lightning in this room Above our heads, waiting to strike I'm a thinker not a talker Put your faith, your faith in God
We were hoping for some romance All we found was more despair We must talk about our problems We are in a state of flux
I'd kill for an adventure Just you and I, in the Curzon Bar Dancing till we knew So all that we've learnt disappears
When you shouted at me I saw my father in the second grade Concerned and kind Yet unable to reach me
We were hoping for some romance All we found was more despair We must talk about our problems We are in a state of flux
State of flux
We need to talk
We were hoping for some romance All we found was more despair We must talk about our problems We are in a state of flux
"Then let us love one another and laugh. Time passes, and we shall soon laugh no longer--and meanwhile common living is a burden, and earnest men are at siege upon us all around. Let us suffer absurdities, for that is only to suffer one another." --- Hilaire Belloc
