Is it Really Mid-June?
I finally finished my book club book.
I was only a few days late finishing. I had mixed feelings about it. It's a memoir by this guy whose fiance calls off his wedding just a couple of weeks beforehand. Around the same time, he gets a demotion at work. Since his life has pretty much fallen apart, he still goes on the honeymoon with his brother, thus the title. On the honeymoon, he and his brother decide to take a year off and just travel around the world together. Sounds like such an awesome idea, and something I would love to do if I had the cash.
The first 1/4 or so of the book is about the author and his life pre-trip - his relationship with the fiance, his fantastic job as a lobbyist and before that chief of staff to Governor Pete Wilson. I was really interested in that part and enjoyed it. Once he hit the road, it became a little more tedious for me. He and his brother spend an awful lot of time on the trip trying to get laid. I also expected more about the places they visited. I like a travel book to "take me there". He gives sort of brief descriptions of some of the places they visit, but I didn't really get a picture of what it's like to be there. I think he wanted to concentrate more on his relationship with his brother and his own internal journey, which would be cool, but he sort of gives that a gloss over too. There's no description of conversations he and his brother has or his own feelings, more just a conclusion that he and his brother really know each other now or he really appreciates what's real in life now. So, disappointing for me. There were some interesting parts and some thought-provoking passages. Like his strong belief that you shouldn't use guidebooks. I must admit that I'm addicted to Frommer's and shouldn't be so tied to it when travelling.
Now I've started a little light summer reading, a mystery by a local writer:
I also saw a film last night:
You've probably heard about this documentary - it's a film version of a slide show that Al Gore has been giving since he "lost" the election about global warming. My love of documentary is well-known around these parts, but even so, this is a good one. If you care about nature and our world at all, you should see this film. The case Gore makes for the damage that is being done to our planet and the effects of that damage is overwhelming. He uses chart after chart and stunning graphics to show the changes that have occurred in the last 50 or so years and where we'll be in the next 50 or so years. It's frightening. I saw some of the most provocative graphics in previews and wish I hadn't. If I saw them for the first time in the context of the film, I think I probably would have audibly gasped. It's not all bleak and hopeless, though. There's a piece toward the end where Gore recounts the amazing feats the American people have accomplished - it's a more stirring statement of patriotism than any waving flag or bumper sticker could ever hope to be. We can save our planet and its people. It only takes a little effort from each of us and the political will of our leaders.
I sewed together my June Mitred Square:
I'm not crazy about this one, but I think in context with all the other crazy colors it'll be fine. I think it's that baby colors square, especially in contrast with the bright colors of the rest of it. It seems too random. But it'll be fine in the end.
I was only a few days late finishing. I had mixed feelings about it. It's a memoir by this guy whose fiance calls off his wedding just a couple of weeks beforehand. Around the same time, he gets a demotion at work. Since his life has pretty much fallen apart, he still goes on the honeymoon with his brother, thus the title. On the honeymoon, he and his brother decide to take a year off and just travel around the world together. Sounds like such an awesome idea, and something I would love to do if I had the cash.
The first 1/4 or so of the book is about the author and his life pre-trip - his relationship with the fiance, his fantastic job as a lobbyist and before that chief of staff to Governor Pete Wilson. I was really interested in that part and enjoyed it. Once he hit the road, it became a little more tedious for me. He and his brother spend an awful lot of time on the trip trying to get laid. I also expected more about the places they visited. I like a travel book to "take me there". He gives sort of brief descriptions of some of the places they visit, but I didn't really get a picture of what it's like to be there. I think he wanted to concentrate more on his relationship with his brother and his own internal journey, which would be cool, but he sort of gives that a gloss over too. There's no description of conversations he and his brother has or his own feelings, more just a conclusion that he and his brother really know each other now or he really appreciates what's real in life now. So, disappointing for me. There were some interesting parts and some thought-provoking passages. Like his strong belief that you shouldn't use guidebooks. I must admit that I'm addicted to Frommer's and shouldn't be so tied to it when travelling.
Now I've started a little light summer reading, a mystery by a local writer:
I also saw a film last night:
You've probably heard about this documentary - it's a film version of a slide show that Al Gore has been giving since he "lost" the election about global warming. My love of documentary is well-known around these parts, but even so, this is a good one. If you care about nature and our world at all, you should see this film. The case Gore makes for the damage that is being done to our planet and the effects of that damage is overwhelming. He uses chart after chart and stunning graphics to show the changes that have occurred in the last 50 or so years and where we'll be in the next 50 or so years. It's frightening. I saw some of the most provocative graphics in previews and wish I hadn't. If I saw them for the first time in the context of the film, I think I probably would have audibly gasped. It's not all bleak and hopeless, though. There's a piece toward the end where Gore recounts the amazing feats the American people have accomplished - it's a more stirring statement of patriotism than any waving flag or bumper sticker could ever hope to be. We can save our planet and its people. It only takes a little effort from each of us and the political will of our leaders.
I sewed together my June Mitred Square:
I'm not crazy about this one, but I think in context with all the other crazy colors it'll be fine. I think it's that baby colors square, especially in contrast with the bright colors of the rest of it. It seems too random. But it'll be fine in the end.
rdladd@arnan.com
