Almost a year ago I started reading a book with two stores in it. Both of them were by Joseph Conrad.
The first story was "The Secret Sharer." I liked it so much, I went to the library the next day and checked out a book of Conrad's short stories. The collection published by Penguin included "Typhoon," "Amy Foster," "Falk: A Reminiscence," and "To-morrow."
For better or worse, I read those four stories and then let several months pass before thinking I should write comments about them here. I only have general impressions of what they were. I liked "Falk: A Reminiscence" the best of the Penguin book bunch. In sharp relief I can remember the setting, the characters, the mood, the action, and the emotions of it.
Last week I finally decided to pick up the original book again. I let myself put off reading it for so long because I knew the book would always be sitting on my shelf.
Heart of Darkness
As Conrad's most famous work, I expected it would be great. I would rate the book somewhere between good and great. Some of the conservations were hard for me to understand. A character would talk for a paragraph but I would not be sure which person of the two or three in the scene was the one speaking. Consequently, I had trouble figuring out who they were talking about and had to backtrack. Despite this, I would recommend you pick up the book.
When reading Heart of Darkness I was reminded of the movie Apocalypse Now. In both stories the protagonist is going up a river to find a guy named Kurtz. I will have to watch the movie again because I do not remember much from when I saw it eight years ago.
I also want to read Conrad's novel Lord Jim. It is supposed to have some similarities to Heart of Darkness. However, that might be a few months off. I want to read the textbook for the DSP class I just started. The first chapters of textbooks talk in generalities and are often a waste of time, but my lack of knowledge of electronic embedded systems makes it interesting.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Symphony, St. Patrick's Day, and Juleps
This is the story of three Thursdays gone by.
Before I get to that, the screen on my phone stopped working over the weekend. A new one has been ordered, but until then I would recommend against calling me (unless you are going to keep calling until I pick up) and certainly do not text me.
The Passion of Philip Glass
Three weeks ago I went to a performance of the Pacific Symphony. The honorable Aden had an extra ticket and invited me to the concert. The program was titled The Passion of Philip Glass and consisted of works by this current composer.
The main piece was The Passion of Ramakrishna which included the orchestra and the Pacific Chorale choir. I tried to imagine how difficult it was to write the music for the instruments and the choir. I enjoyed it. During the performance Mr. Glass was in the audience and came on stage for a short Q & A and to accept applause. To learn more about the performance you can check out the program notes or an audio interview with Mr. Glass. There is also a review of it by the Los Angeles Times.
When I told one of my friends about the performance, he immediately knew who Glass was and talked of how he liked his music. He then told me about the film Koyaanisqatsi which Glass scored and sent me a YouTube clip from it.
Saint Patrick's Day
The next Thursday was St. Patrick's Day. If you are out on St. Patrick's Day, it might be expected you run into someone with a name like O'Brien. When I went out I met up with Ngo and Nguyen.
In the afternoon I saw Larry who was on spring break from school in Arizona. We went to The Block where I picked up a book at 40% off at Borders. While I later determined I already had all of the text in that book in another book, I have yet to meet a person who had too many Shelby Foote books. With the addition of Stars in Their Courses I currently have five.
Later that night I ran into Kim, who was in town for work. I head the latest news of her life and what it is like working for a medical device company. It seems some people do not read the directions to medical devices and then file complaints when the product performs exactly as it was designed to. They assume any difference between the way they expect the device to work and how the product actually works must indicate a broken or defective unit.
The place we went had a menu with St. Patrick's Day themed items like Guinness, Irish Car Bombs, corned beef sliders, and corned beef sushi. Right before we left the bartender gave us these containers with green stuff in them. They hold just over a shot of liquid. He said he mixed them up the night before. When I asked him what they contained he said "That is for me to know and you to find out."
What do you think it looks like? I thought it could be the ooze, but I did not have any turtles to test that on. Also, the viscosity did not look right; it had the consistency of water. From the way the bartender talked, I though it would be hazardous if I drank it before I drove.
When I got home I drank it. The green stuff tasted like an A.M.F., which gave me an idea. For next year I will make a concoction like this. The recipe will start like an A.M.F., but creme de menthe will replace the blue curacao and the soda will be skipped. I plan to update you on my results in time for next St. Patrick's Day.
Silver Cups Arrive
Recently I ordered some silver mint julep cups. A mint julep is a strong drink that is mostly bourbon. They are popular in the South during summertime and traditionally served in silver cups. On Thursday I tested my cups. I had three different mint julep recipes but they varied on some key points. I combined the recipes and this is what I did.
First I heated (but did not boil) one cup of water and two cups of sugar on the stove to make some rich simple syrup. Then I poured the warm syrup over some mint leaves from my back yard. After muddling the mint leaves in the syrup, I closed the jar and put it in the fridge overnight. The next morning I removed the mint leaves. I added two tablespoons (or one ounce) of the syrup to three ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whiskey and mixed them in a mixing glass. In a silver cup I put some crushed ice (I used a bag and meat tenderizer to crush it), a mint sprig, a straw, and then the mix.
These are so good I have consumed over half a dozen mint juleps since Thursday. I had to put the cups away so I would stop making and drinking them.
Before I get to that, the screen on my phone stopped working over the weekend. A new one has been ordered, but until then I would recommend against calling me (unless you are going to keep calling until I pick up) and certainly do not text me.
The Passion of Philip Glass
Three weeks ago I went to a performance of the Pacific Symphony. The honorable Aden had an extra ticket and invited me to the concert. The program was titled The Passion of Philip Glass and consisted of works by this current composer.
The main piece was The Passion of Ramakrishna which included the orchestra and the Pacific Chorale choir. I tried to imagine how difficult it was to write the music for the instruments and the choir. I enjoyed it. During the performance Mr. Glass was in the audience and came on stage for a short Q & A and to accept applause. To learn more about the performance you can check out the program notes or an audio interview with Mr. Glass. There is also a review of it by the Los Angeles Times.
When I told one of my friends about the performance, he immediately knew who Glass was and talked of how he liked his music. He then told me about the film Koyaanisqatsi which Glass scored and sent me a YouTube clip from it.
Saint Patrick's Day
The next Thursday was St. Patrick's Day. If you are out on St. Patrick's Day, it might be expected you run into someone with a name like O'Brien. When I went out I met up with Ngo and Nguyen.
In the afternoon I saw Larry who was on spring break from school in Arizona. We went to The Block where I picked up a book at 40% off at Borders. While I later determined I already had all of the text in that book in another book, I have yet to meet a person who had too many Shelby Foote books. With the addition of Stars in Their Courses I currently have five.
Later that night I ran into Kim, who was in town for work. I head the latest news of her life and what it is like working for a medical device company. It seems some people do not read the directions to medical devices and then file complaints when the product performs exactly as it was designed to. They assume any difference between the way they expect the device to work and how the product actually works must indicate a broken or defective unit.
The place we went had a menu with St. Patrick's Day themed items like Guinness, Irish Car Bombs, corned beef sliders, and corned beef sushi. Right before we left the bartender gave us these containers with green stuff in them. They hold just over a shot of liquid. He said he mixed them up the night before. When I asked him what they contained he said "That is for me to know and you to find out."
What do you think it looks like? I thought it could be the ooze, but I did not have any turtles to test that on. Also, the viscosity did not look right; it had the consistency of water. From the way the bartender talked, I though it would be hazardous if I drank it before I drove.
When I got home I drank it. The green stuff tasted like an A.M.F., which gave me an idea. For next year I will make a concoction like this. The recipe will start like an A.M.F., but creme de menthe will replace the blue curacao and the soda will be skipped. I plan to update you on my results in time for next St. Patrick's Day.
Silver Cups Arrive
Recently I ordered some silver mint julep cups. A mint julep is a strong drink that is mostly bourbon. They are popular in the South during summertime and traditionally served in silver cups. On Thursday I tested my cups. I had three different mint julep recipes but they varied on some key points. I combined the recipes and this is what I did.
First I heated (but did not boil) one cup of water and two cups of sugar on the stove to make some rich simple syrup. Then I poured the warm syrup over some mint leaves from my back yard. After muddling the mint leaves in the syrup, I closed the jar and put it in the fridge overnight. The next morning I removed the mint leaves. I added two tablespoons (or one ounce) of the syrup to three ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whiskey and mixed them in a mixing glass. In a silver cup I put some crushed ice (I used a bag and meat tenderizer to crush it), a mint sprig, a straw, and then the mix.
These are so good I have consumed over half a dozen mint juleps since Thursday. I had to put the cups away so I would stop making and drinking them.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A Weekend in Sacramento
This weekend I was in Sacramento. I was there to attend the California Republican Party Convention. Instead of giving a detailed treatment of everything I did and what was discussed, I will describe a few moments from the weekend.
Friday
I was driving up the 101 when all three lanes of traffic came to a stop. There was a hit and run accident where a motorcyclist was killed. It took me an hour and a half to travel 5 or 10 miles.
The 101 was green and I could see snow on the tops of some of the hills. I was taking the coastal route to pick up Derek near Santa Barbara.
I stopped in a town so small the gas station did not even have a restroom. I expected better out of a town that was important enough to have its name listed on the mileage chart with Salinas and San Francisco.
Saturday
I ordered a pancake and a scrambled egg at Jim-Denny's. I went there with Derek for breakfast because he remembered seeing the place on the Travel Channel's Man v. Food. After he described their pancake, known as the hubcap, I knew I had to eat there. The link has a video that shows what the pancake is like. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish the pancake. It was dense and very thick.
I went to mass at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. It was only a block away from the hotel. While he was not the celebrant, the Bishop of Sacramento, the most Rev. Jaime Soto, is a graduate of my alma mater, Mater Dei. The church looked like an old cathedral inside and outside.
While I did not see this, it was described to me as a scene out of a movie. Rohit was standing and talking with a few people at the convention. Someone approached the group and was eventually introduced to everyone. He then handed Rohit an envelope and said "Have a good convention" before walking away. Rohit was served with court papers.
I heard Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour speak at dinner. He gave a great speech.
That evening I was at a hospitality suite and had to divide my time between a bottle of pale ale in one hand and a flute of champaign in the other. After I finished one of them I enjoyed a dessert courtesy of Tom Del Beccaro who was running for party chairman.
There was one more event I was not present at. At one of the suites that night a gentleman attending the convention had a heart attack and died.
Sunday
Attended a prayer breakfast where Star Parker spoke. She gave a great speech. Parker also has an uplifting story.
In the parking structure I was at the elevator on the second floor. There was a sign that said "Take the elevator to the fitness center on the first floor." There was a stairway right next to the elevator. Apparently one should only get fit at the fitness center and not on the way to it.
I left Sacramento at 1 PM. I planned on taking the 5 and returning the same way I got there. However, the signage was confusing and I ended up crossing the same river twice and following construction detours before I got onto a freeway. After a few miles I learned I was not on the 5 but the 80 west. I figured turning around would take more time than following the 80 as a alternate route. As I drove through the east bay I thought it would be wonderful if I had enough time to call up and visit some of the people I knew who lived only a few minutes away from where I was driving. Even without any extra stops it took me 10 hours to get home.
I stopped at McDonald's to eat a late lunch. I enjoyed an Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon Burger. While I selected it because it looked like the best item on the menu, I was reassured I made the correct choice when I noticed it also had the most calories of any burger on the menu.
I have driven between Northern and Southern California more times than I can count. With the rain on Sunday the conditions were the worst I have ever seen them. It was raining for more than half the time.
Now the exact route. To get to Sacramento I took the 405 north to the 101 north to the 152 east to the 5 north. This took 536.2 miles. On the way back I took the 80 west to the 680 (which I drove in its entirety) to the 101 south to the 405 south. The entire trip was 1062.3 miles. The way I accidentally took to get back was shorter in distance than the route I planned taking north. However, if I had taken the 680/80 traveling to Sacramento on Friday I would have run into more traffic.
Sometimes people talk about feeling a retreat high. It is a feeling of happiness and a determination to live better after going on a retreat. It could be said after the convention I am on a Republican high. I want to dismantle unnecessary government bureaucracies and lower taxes.
Friday
I was driving up the 101 when all three lanes of traffic came to a stop. There was a hit and run accident where a motorcyclist was killed. It took me an hour and a half to travel 5 or 10 miles.
The 101 was green and I could see snow on the tops of some of the hills. I was taking the coastal route to pick up Derek near Santa Barbara.
I stopped in a town so small the gas station did not even have a restroom. I expected better out of a town that was important enough to have its name listed on the mileage chart with Salinas and San Francisco.
Saturday
I ordered a pancake and a scrambled egg at Jim-Denny's. I went there with Derek for breakfast because he remembered seeing the place on the Travel Channel's Man v. Food. After he described their pancake, known as the hubcap, I knew I had to eat there. The link has a video that shows what the pancake is like. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish the pancake. It was dense and very thick.
I went to mass at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. It was only a block away from the hotel. While he was not the celebrant, the Bishop of Sacramento, the most Rev. Jaime Soto, is a graduate of my alma mater, Mater Dei. The church looked like an old cathedral inside and outside.
While I did not see this, it was described to me as a scene out of a movie. Rohit was standing and talking with a few people at the convention. Someone approached the group and was eventually introduced to everyone. He then handed Rohit an envelope and said "Have a good convention" before walking away. Rohit was served with court papers.
I heard Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour speak at dinner. He gave a great speech.
That evening I was at a hospitality suite and had to divide my time between a bottle of pale ale in one hand and a flute of champaign in the other. After I finished one of them I enjoyed a dessert courtesy of Tom Del Beccaro who was running for party chairman.
There was one more event I was not present at. At one of the suites that night a gentleman attending the convention had a heart attack and died.
Sunday
Attended a prayer breakfast where Star Parker spoke. She gave a great speech. Parker also has an uplifting story.
In the parking structure I was at the elevator on the second floor. There was a sign that said "Take the elevator to the fitness center on the first floor." There was a stairway right next to the elevator. Apparently one should only get fit at the fitness center and not on the way to it.
I left Sacramento at 1 PM. I planned on taking the 5 and returning the same way I got there. However, the signage was confusing and I ended up crossing the same river twice and following construction detours before I got onto a freeway. After a few miles I learned I was not on the 5 but the 80 west. I figured turning around would take more time than following the 80 as a alternate route. As I drove through the east bay I thought it would be wonderful if I had enough time to call up and visit some of the people I knew who lived only a few minutes away from where I was driving. Even without any extra stops it took me 10 hours to get home.
I stopped at McDonald's to eat a late lunch. I enjoyed an Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon Burger. While I selected it because it looked like the best item on the menu, I was reassured I made the correct choice when I noticed it also had the most calories of any burger on the menu.
I have driven between Northern and Southern California more times than I can count. With the rain on Sunday the conditions were the worst I have ever seen them. It was raining for more than half the time.
Now the exact route. To get to Sacramento I took the 405 north to the 101 north to the 152 east to the 5 north. This took 536.2 miles. On the way back I took the 80 west to the 680 (which I drove in its entirety) to the 101 south to the 405 south. The entire trip was 1062.3 miles. The way I accidentally took to get back was shorter in distance than the route I planned taking north. However, if I had taken the 680/80 traveling to Sacramento on Friday I would have run into more traffic.
Sometimes people talk about feeling a retreat high. It is a feeling of happiness and a determination to live better after going on a retreat. It could be said after the convention I am on a Republican high. I want to dismantle unnecessary government bureaucracies and lower taxes.
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Conscience of a Conservative
Last week I completed reading The Conscience of a Conservative by Barry Goldwater. This book lays out and applies principles of a limited government that puts maximizing freedom as its goal.
Even though the book was written over 50 years ago (in 1960), a lot of it is as relevant as if it were just written. The section on the Soviet Union might be dated, but the comments about America supporting people fighting for freedom from their governments' oppressive regimes is very timely.
On Education
As an example of the book's reasoning, I will summarize one of the chapters. Goldwater makes the case why there should be no federal involvement in education. He prefaces his comments by saying he thinks the problems in education involve quality and are not simply fixed by spending money. He then concedes that if the problem with education is quantitative, his main objections are:
Other Topics
There is also a chapter devoted to "Freedom for the Farmer." Goldwater attacks farm subsidies and how the government unreasonably controls what farmers can and cannot grow. I was reminded of the rules addressed in the farm section of Parliament of Whores and the confusion the federal government has about the programs it runs.
Other topics are covered, but it would be better if you checked out the book instead of me summarizing everything. The book is short, easy to read, and to the point. If you want to know why people vote for conservative politicians, some answers can be found in The Conscience of a Conservative.
Even though the book was written over 50 years ago (in 1960), a lot of it is as relevant as if it were just written. The section on the Soviet Union might be dated, but the comments about America supporting people fighting for freedom from their governments' oppressive regimes is very timely.
On Education
As an example of the book's reasoning, I will summarize one of the chapters. Goldwater makes the case why there should be no federal involvement in education. He prefaces his comments by saying he thinks the problems in education involve quality and are not simply fixed by spending money. He then concedes that if the problem with education is quantitative, his main objections are:
- Federal intervention in education is unconstitutional.
- The need for federal funds has not been demonstrated. It can be asked, does State X need more educational facilities? If yes, the next question is does State X need educational facilities that are beyond the reach of its finical means? States have wealth, but some of them chose to spend it on other priorities.
- Federal aid promotes the idea that federal money is "free" money and gives people a distorted picture of the cost of education. The federal government only distributes money that it originally taxed from people, minus the Washington brokerage fee.
- Federal aid to education inevitably means federal control of education.
Other Topics
There is also a chapter devoted to "Freedom for the Farmer." Goldwater attacks farm subsidies and how the government unreasonably controls what farmers can and cannot grow. I was reminded of the rules addressed in the farm section of Parliament of Whores and the confusion the federal government has about the programs it runs.
Other topics are covered, but it would be better if you checked out the book instead of me summarizing everything. The book is short, easy to read, and to the point. If you want to know why people vote for conservative politicians, some answers can be found in The Conscience of a Conservative.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Effects and their Causes
One thing I do not understand is how some people do not recognize things as the effects of specific causes. Here are a few examples.
Effect: A person is always looking for lost items. Cause: He does not keep things in set places and has no organizational plan.
Effect: A person has few friends. Cause: He does not make a good impression on new people he meets, he does not start conservations when he sees people he knows, and his comments to people are insensitive if not mean.
Effect: A person is obese. Cause: He eats out of habit not need, has no sense of portion control, does not make good food choices, and does almost no physical activity.
Effect: A person chokes on food. Cause: He puts large amounts of food into his mouth and does not chew them enough before attempting to swallow.
Effect: A person's computer runs slow and crashes. Cause: A bunch of programs are running in the background and a lot of unnecessary stuff was installed.
Effect: A person does not accomplish anything during a weekend. Cause: He does not make plans to do things, he spends time in front of the computer with no purpose, and he sleeps a lot of the time away.
I could go on, but I do not want to get autobiographical. Plus, it is always easier to see what causes the effects in other people's lives than mine.
I think these relationships are easy to see, which could be my training in physics. In physics there are definite forces and processes that act upon objects. If you want to know how something arrived at its present location and state run the laws backwards in time and account for everything that acted upon the object. While many factors and influences are unknown or uncontrollable, a lot can be learned and controlled with what is known.
There are a few effects in my life I do not like. When I look into the causes, I am only a few steps away from fixing them.
Effect: A person is always looking for lost items. Cause: He does not keep things in set places and has no organizational plan.
Effect: A person has few friends. Cause: He does not make a good impression on new people he meets, he does not start conservations when he sees people he knows, and his comments to people are insensitive if not mean.
Effect: A person is obese. Cause: He eats out of habit not need, has no sense of portion control, does not make good food choices, and does almost no physical activity.
Effect: A person chokes on food. Cause: He puts large amounts of food into his mouth and does not chew them enough before attempting to swallow.
Effect: A person's computer runs slow and crashes. Cause: A bunch of programs are running in the background and a lot of unnecessary stuff was installed.
Effect: A person does not accomplish anything during a weekend. Cause: He does not make plans to do things, he spends time in front of the computer with no purpose, and he sleeps a lot of the time away.
I could go on, but I do not want to get autobiographical. Plus, it is always easier to see what causes the effects in other people's lives than mine.
I think these relationships are easy to see, which could be my training in physics. In physics there are definite forces and processes that act upon objects. If you want to know how something arrived at its present location and state run the laws backwards in time and account for everything that acted upon the object. While many factors and influences are unknown or uncontrollable, a lot can be learned and controlled with what is known.
There are a few effects in my life I do not like. When I look into the causes, I am only a few steps away from fixing them.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Billy Budd and a Piazza
I keep a record of what books I read and when I read them. From this I know from September 7th-10th of last year I read Billy Budd (An inside narrative) by Herman Melville. This novella talked about a young sailor who is impressed into service on a British warship. The book has a lot of references to naval history and nautical terms. It is good I spent a lot of time watching the History Channel a long time ago. Otherwise I would not have known what was meant by the star on the deck of the Victory.
The used copy I have has some lines underlined and comments written in the margins. I tried to ignore them for the most part, but it ended up pointing out things I wanted to discover for myself. The story can be read allegorically and I wish I could have developed my own theories of the story free from influence. If you follow the link below to the Unnamed Geniuses only the first two paragraphs on their site are safe to read before reading the story.
Billy Budd's Journey
How Billy Budd got published is a story in itself. It was written in Melville's twilight years and still only a manuscript at his death in 1891. The work was published in 1924, when it was uncovered by Raymond Weaver while researching Melville. Since it was not a finished work, many versions with small differences have worked their way to publication. Apparently I have a version that had been deemed less than perfect. The ship in my copy is called the Indomitable, not the Bellipotent. Despite my version, I liked the story and would recommend it.
My Signet Classic edition is titled Billy Budd and Other Tales and also includes a set of short stories as well as The Town-Ho's Story (chapter 54 from Moby-Dick).
The Piazza Tales
The second part of the book is a collection of stories that were published under the title The Piazza Tales. I have a few words about each of them.
When I read Melville affects how much I like it. Compared to other authors, the writing is harder to follow and the sentences can be choppy instead of flowing.
When I read the short stories during the day I could easily keep reading them. In contrast, reading at night when I was tired felt like a struggle. I was easily distracted from the plot by asides or awkward phrasing. Since I read "The Piazza" during the night, I might have an unfounded negative opinion of it.
If you pick up these Melville stories, I recommend you start with the Bs Billy Budd, "Bartleby," and "Benito Cereno."
The used copy I have has some lines underlined and comments written in the margins. I tried to ignore them for the most part, but it ended up pointing out things I wanted to discover for myself. The story can be read allegorically and I wish I could have developed my own theories of the story free from influence. If you follow the link below to the Unnamed Geniuses only the first two paragraphs on their site are safe to read before reading the story.
Billy Budd's Journey
How Billy Budd got published is a story in itself. It was written in Melville's twilight years and still only a manuscript at his death in 1891. The work was published in 1924, when it was uncovered by Raymond Weaver while researching Melville. Since it was not a finished work, many versions with small differences have worked their way to publication. Apparently I have a version that had been deemed less than perfect. The ship in my copy is called the Indomitable, not the Bellipotent. Despite my version, I liked the story and would recommend it.
My Signet Classic edition is titled Billy Budd and Other Tales and also includes a set of short stories as well as The Town-Ho's Story (chapter 54 from Moby-Dick).
The Piazza Tales
The second part of the book is a collection of stories that were published under the title The Piazza Tales. I have a few words about each of them.
- "The Piazza"- The worst of this story bunch.
- "Bartleby"- A good story about what happens when a person "prefers not" to.
- "Benito Cereno"- This good story starts when a captain boards a haggard ship. What happens next should not be missed.
- "The Lightening-Rod Man"- Lightening-rod salesmen must have been the Nineteenth Century's equivalent of the Twentieth Century's vacuum salesmen.
- "The Encantadas or Enchanted Isles"- A series of ten sketches focused on a group of islands. Overall, the collection was OK but not as good as "Bartleby" and "Benito Cereno." I liked the sixth through ninth sketches because they told specific stories about people instead of waxing poetic about the isles themselves or their aspects. The Enchanted Isles spoken of are better known as the Galápagos Islands.
- "The Bell-Tower"- Some guy builds a bell-tower in Italy. I had to reread a few parts of it and still think I missed something relevant.
When I read Melville affects how much I like it. Compared to other authors, the writing is harder to follow and the sentences can be choppy instead of flowing.
When I read the short stories during the day I could easily keep reading them. In contrast, reading at night when I was tired felt like a struggle. I was easily distracted from the plot by asides or awkward phrasing. Since I read "The Piazza" during the night, I might have an unfounded negative opinion of it.
If you pick up these Melville stories, I recommend you start with the Bs Billy Budd, "Bartleby," and "Benito Cereno."
Friday, March 11, 2011
Best phrases and cool clubs
For a while I have been thinking, what are the best and most exciting words that can be put together? I have two possibilities in mind Free Food and Free Books. There are reasons to recommend both of them as the best. Free food has to be dealt with and consumed immediately, while free books can last much longer. The enjoyment of free food is temporary, while free books can provide joy over a longer period of time. However, I think free food wins. It is offered more often than free books and the quality of free food is usually higher than free books.
There are two food opportunities I should share. Tomorrow (Saturday) from 2-5 in the afternoon, if you buy certain drinks at Starbucks you will get a free petite treat. It is the last of their Tribute Days event. Today I had a Salted Caramel Sweet Square and it was wonderful. I decided immediately I must make a post so you can take advantage of this opportunity tomorrow.
The DQ Blizzard Fan Club
My Mom found the Blizzard Fan Club online and it is wonderful. At least every other month they send you a coupon for a buy one, get one free Blizzard. They also send you a coupon when you join and on your birthday.
There are two food opportunities I should share. Tomorrow (Saturday) from 2-5 in the afternoon, if you buy certain drinks at Starbucks you will get a free petite treat. It is the last of their Tribute Days event. Today I had a Salted Caramel Sweet Square and it was wonderful. I decided immediately I must make a post so you can take advantage of this opportunity tomorrow.
The DQ Blizzard Fan Club
My Mom found the Blizzard Fan Club online and it is wonderful. At least every other month they send you a coupon for a buy one, get one free Blizzard. They also send you a coupon when you join and on your birthday.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Posts unfinished and Words not said
I like to tell complete stories in my posts. In the last week I finished reading a book, got a letter in the mail, and started a program to learn a skill. However, I do not want to make posts about any of these things because there is still important stuff yet to happen. The book I read has a sequel, the letter leads to a 2-3 week wait period, and the new skill I am learning I have started to learn twice before but never followed through to the end.
I bring this up because I have a lot of ideas that have been partially written but not posted. Right now there are 32 posts in draft form on the blog.
These drafts take on a variety of forms. Some are earlier versions of posts I have made that should be deleted. A few have complete stories in them, but are not relevant to anything I am doing now or connected to something meaningful. There are four posts that talk about books I have read with space set aside for stories I have yet to read. Many drafts are the seeds of ideas that never sprouted and should be ploughed under. However, a few of them are nearly complete ideas and could be posted with a minor amount of editing.
One of the harder things in writing is removing good stories, interesting coincidences, and funny asides from my drafts. If I kept in everything I thought of my posts would become unnecessarily long and meandering. I do not mean to hold back entire posts covering interesting and fun things, but some posts and ideas are not at the point where I am happy with them. However, having 32 draft posts is too much. I need to clean them up and start publishing.
Fixing this
As part of my effort to publish these posts, here is a drink I wrote about in November. I found this drink when I wanted to do something with half and half. As soon as I saw a recipe that used blue curacao I was excited. Up until that point I had only used blue curacao for making the A.M.F. I found this on the wonderful site Barnonedrinks.com.
Valium
1 oz. Blue curacao
1 oz. Half and half cream
1/2 oz. Amaretto
1/2 oz. Dark rum
1/2 oz. Irish cream
1/2 oz. Kahlua
1/2 oz. Light rum
Combine all the ingredients (ice is not necessary) and enjoy.
This drink has a rich pharmaceutical color.
I bring this up because I have a lot of ideas that have been partially written but not posted. Right now there are 32 posts in draft form on the blog.
These drafts take on a variety of forms. Some are earlier versions of posts I have made that should be deleted. A few have complete stories in them, but are not relevant to anything I am doing now or connected to something meaningful. There are four posts that talk about books I have read with space set aside for stories I have yet to read. Many drafts are the seeds of ideas that never sprouted and should be ploughed under. However, a few of them are nearly complete ideas and could be posted with a minor amount of editing.
One of the harder things in writing is removing good stories, interesting coincidences, and funny asides from my drafts. If I kept in everything I thought of my posts would become unnecessarily long and meandering. I do not mean to hold back entire posts covering interesting and fun things, but some posts and ideas are not at the point where I am happy with them. However, having 32 draft posts is too much. I need to clean them up and start publishing.
Fixing this
As part of my effort to publish these posts, here is a drink I wrote about in November. I found this drink when I wanted to do something with half and half. As soon as I saw a recipe that used blue curacao I was excited. Up until that point I had only used blue curacao for making the A.M.F. I found this on the wonderful site Barnonedrinks.com.
Valium
1 oz. Blue curacao
1 oz. Half and half cream
1/2 oz. Amaretto
1/2 oz. Dark rum
1/2 oz. Irish cream
1/2 oz. Kahlua
1/2 oz. Light rum
Combine all the ingredients (ice is not necessary) and enjoy.
This drink has a rich pharmaceutical color.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Movies and Appreciation
One thing I do not understand is how some people watch movies. Some people think movies are important enough to watch but not important enough to pay full attention to.
Some movies are simple and only require a small amount of attention. However, many movies have a lot of subtlety and meaningful details strewn about. I do not understand how people think it is a good idea to read something and effectively listen to a movie. Movies are visual as well as audio experiences.
Whenever I watch movies with the Vietnamese Crew we always talk during the movies. (This is when at Eric's house, we are not those annoying people who talk in theaters.) I will say things like "She has made three stupid choices in a row, she deserves to die," or find ridiculous holes in the plot. However, all of these movies I speak during are ones I have seen, bad movies, or straight to DVD animated movies based upon video games.
Movies make more sense and are more enjoyable when you watch them, listen to them, and give them your full attention.
A few movies I have seen recently that merit mentioning are Drag me to Hell, From Paris with Love, and The Social Network.
Drive Angry 3D
On the topic of movies, this past weekend I saw one. If you are a fan of bad Nicholas Cage movies, or think that phrase is a oxymoron, you should know I just saw Drive Angry 3D with my friends Aden and Nick.
After you check out the long trailer, if you want more there are a few other clips and interviews here. In the words of Roger Ebert's review:
Nick asked me to say horrible things about Fandango because of the confusion it created. We went to three theaters (two at the Tustin Marketplace and then the Irvine Spectrum) before we got to one that was showing the movie and we could make the next showing. There was even talk of having to drive angry to see the movie.
Some movies are simple and only require a small amount of attention. However, many movies have a lot of subtlety and meaningful details strewn about. I do not understand how people think it is a good idea to read something and effectively listen to a movie. Movies are visual as well as audio experiences.
Whenever I watch movies with the Vietnamese Crew we always talk during the movies. (This is when at Eric's house, we are not those annoying people who talk in theaters.) I will say things like "She has made three stupid choices in a row, she deserves to die," or find ridiculous holes in the plot. However, all of these movies I speak during are ones I have seen, bad movies, or straight to DVD animated movies based upon video games.
Movies make more sense and are more enjoyable when you watch them, listen to them, and give them your full attention.
A few movies I have seen recently that merit mentioning are Drag me to Hell, From Paris with Love, and The Social Network.
Drive Angry 3D
On the topic of movies, this past weekend I saw one. If you are a fan of bad Nicholas Cage movies, or think that phrase is a oxymoron, you should know I just saw Drive Angry 3D with my friends Aden and Nick.
After you check out the long trailer, if you want more there are a few other clips and interviews here. In the words of Roger Ebert's review:
Here is an exercise in deliberate vulgarity, gross excess, and the pornography of violence, not to forget garden variety pornography. You get your money's worth.Between the trailers and Ebert's words, there is little I can add.
Nick asked me to say horrible things about Fandango because of the confusion it created. We went to three theaters (two at the Tustin Marketplace and then the Irvine Spectrum) before we got to one that was showing the movie and we could make the next showing. There was even talk of having to drive angry to see the movie.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
More with Amanda and Mount Vernon
This is the second part of my trip to Washington D.C. for Presidents' Day Weekend. (First part is available here.)
This picks up on Presidents' Day. We went to the home of George Washington, Mount Vernon. Located on the Potomac River in Virgina, it is a short drive from Washington D.C. However, Mount Vernon is worth the extra effort to see. The property is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. They are a private organization dedicated to preserving Mount Vernon as Washington knew it for generations to come. They have been operating for over 150 years. This is a view of the mansion house facing the river.
The good people at Mount Vernon were hosting events to celebrate Washington's birthday. The Old Guard Fife and Drum Band performed military music from the period.
There was also a surprise birthday party for Washington. He even got gifts from some of the children.
This 16-sided barn is a reconstruction based upon Washington's own plans. Animals would walk in circles and break down the wheat as they walked. The lose grain would then fall through slits in the floor to the lower level. It would then be collected and milled at the mill on the property. This was an innovative idea.
In addition to the working plantation, there was an attached museum and learning center. They had one of Gilbert Stuart's paintings there. One of the more interesting things was a short movie about Revolutionary War battles titled "General Washington, Commander-in-Chief." It had seats that rumbled with the cannon fire, smoke, and even snow. Their website has information on all of their videos.
Here is the tomb of George and Martha Washington.
This is the view of the Potomac River from the mansion house. Most of the visible lands are owned by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association to be preserved in their natural state from the 1700s. It rained for part of the day, which made for dark skies.
That evening pork was eaten for dinner. During the night it dropped below freezing and the morning found snow had fallen.
Tuesday
We went to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to watch money being made. They print the county's paper currency there as well as paper securities like savings bonds, some certificates and awards, and White House invitations. Even with the place operating 24 hours a day, they still needed to open a second currency printing location in Fort Worth, Texas. If your money has an FW near the bottom right corner on the front it was printed in Fort Worth. At the time of our visit they were printing the new $100 bill which has not been released yet.
The National Botanical Gardens were hit next. They are kept heated for the plants, which was quite a contrast with the cold outside. For lunch the Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian was visited. I had an Indian Taco made with buffalo meat and chestnut pudding for dessert. It was wonderful.
At the National Building Museum there was an exhibit titled LEGO Architecture: Towering Ambition. It featured Lego creations by Adam Reed Tucker that were reproductions of buildings. I had to pay $5 to get into the exhibit, but that was the only money I spent the entire weekend on an entry fee. Every other museum and event I went to was free. This is his Empire State Building with the John Hancock Building lurking in the shadows.
At the end of the exhibit Lego blocks were available so people could play and build things. Amanda took inspiration from Campanile, while I threw pieces together in a color coordinated way. As some of your know, the main decorating theme of my room in Legos.
Monuments to be proud of
There are several ways for a person to be remembered and commemorated after death. Some of these are better than others. These are a few of the notable ones.
Have a memorial larger than your desk. FDR has two memorials in Washington D.C. When President he declared if he was to have a memorial in Washington it was to be no bigger than his desk. (He also specified the exact place of the memorial.) After this small memorial was built, a separate large memorial was built. For our purposes of a successful memorial, anything larger than a desk is considered a good way to be remembered.
Have a waffle house named for a person. Across the street from Ford's Theater and next to the house where Abraham Lincoln died is Lincoln's Waffle House. I would be ecstatic if someone named a waffle house for me after I died or even when I am still alive.
Have an entire room devoted to your teeth. At Mount Vernon the lower set of Washington's false teeth are exhibited with a dental timeline on the wall. The story of Washington's teeth is simple; they fell out and had to be replaced. However, I think the story of my teeth is more interesting. I had my wisdom teeth removed, braces, jaw surgery, a frenectomy, and am now doing teeth whitening; that is all with my original teeth.
Have a memorial that is a representation or pun for what it is commemorating. Near the Bureau of Engraving and Printing there are some Department of Agriculture buildings. They are across the street and connected by a bridge.
The inscription reads:
Since the pedestrian bridge extends from one building to another, it is a proper memorial for someone who did extension work.
Have a coat of arms as a symbol for a city. This is the flag of Washington D.C. and its official symbol.
If you think they chose this to represent the three branches of government and the two states that gave land to form it you are wrong. This is based on George Washington's coat of arms.
If you can come up with any good memorial ideas leave a comment.
This picks up on Presidents' Day. We went to the home of George Washington, Mount Vernon. Located on the Potomac River in Virgina, it is a short drive from Washington D.C. However, Mount Vernon is worth the extra effort to see. The property is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. They are a private organization dedicated to preserving Mount Vernon as Washington knew it for generations to come. They have been operating for over 150 years. This is a view of the mansion house facing the river.
The good people at Mount Vernon were hosting events to celebrate Washington's birthday. The Old Guard Fife and Drum Band performed military music from the period.
There was also a surprise birthday party for Washington. He even got gifts from some of the children.
This 16-sided barn is a reconstruction based upon Washington's own plans. Animals would walk in circles and break down the wheat as they walked. The lose grain would then fall through slits in the floor to the lower level. It would then be collected and milled at the mill on the property. This was an innovative idea.
In addition to the working plantation, there was an attached museum and learning center. They had one of Gilbert Stuart's paintings there. One of the more interesting things was a short movie about Revolutionary War battles titled "General Washington, Commander-in-Chief." It had seats that rumbled with the cannon fire, smoke, and even snow. Their website has information on all of their videos.
Here is the tomb of George and Martha Washington.
This is the view of the Potomac River from the mansion house. Most of the visible lands are owned by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association to be preserved in their natural state from the 1700s. It rained for part of the day, which made for dark skies.
That evening pork was eaten for dinner. During the night it dropped below freezing and the morning found snow had fallen.
Tuesday
We went to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to watch money being made. They print the county's paper currency there as well as paper securities like savings bonds, some certificates and awards, and White House invitations. Even with the place operating 24 hours a day, they still needed to open a second currency printing location in Fort Worth, Texas. If your money has an FW near the bottom right corner on the front it was printed in Fort Worth. At the time of our visit they were printing the new $100 bill which has not been released yet.
The National Botanical Gardens were hit next. They are kept heated for the plants, which was quite a contrast with the cold outside. For lunch the Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian was visited. I had an Indian Taco made with buffalo meat and chestnut pudding for dessert. It was wonderful.
At the National Building Museum there was an exhibit titled LEGO Architecture: Towering Ambition. It featured Lego creations by Adam Reed Tucker that were reproductions of buildings. I had to pay $5 to get into the exhibit, but that was the only money I spent the entire weekend on an entry fee. Every other museum and event I went to was free. This is his Empire State Building with the John Hancock Building lurking in the shadows.
At the end of the exhibit Lego blocks were available so people could play and build things. Amanda took inspiration from Campanile, while I threw pieces together in a color coordinated way. As some of your know, the main decorating theme of my room in Legos.
Monuments to be proud of
There are several ways for a person to be remembered and commemorated after death. Some of these are better than others. These are a few of the notable ones.
Have a memorial larger than your desk. FDR has two memorials in Washington D.C. When President he declared if he was to have a memorial in Washington it was to be no bigger than his desk. (He also specified the exact place of the memorial.) After this small memorial was built, a separate large memorial was built. For our purposes of a successful memorial, anything larger than a desk is considered a good way to be remembered.
Have a waffle house named for a person. Across the street from Ford's Theater and next to the house where Abraham Lincoln died is Lincoln's Waffle House. I would be ecstatic if someone named a waffle house for me after I died or even when I am still alive.
Have an entire room devoted to your teeth. At Mount Vernon the lower set of Washington's false teeth are exhibited with a dental timeline on the wall. The story of Washington's teeth is simple; they fell out and had to be replaced. However, I think the story of my teeth is more interesting. I had my wisdom teeth removed, braces, jaw surgery, a frenectomy, and am now doing teeth whitening; that is all with my original teeth.
Have a memorial that is a representation or pun for what it is commemorating. Near the Bureau of Engraving and Printing there are some Department of Agriculture buildings. They are across the street and connected by a bridge.
The inscription reads:
Knapp Memorial Arch
In recognition of the public service of Seaman A. Knapp in extension work for the Department of Agriculture from 1898 to 1911.
Since the pedestrian bridge extends from one building to another, it is a proper memorial for someone who did extension work.
Have a coat of arms as a symbol for a city. This is the flag of Washington D.C. and its official symbol.
If you think they chose this to represent the three branches of government and the two states that gave land to form it you are wrong. This is based on George Washington's coat of arms.
If you can come up with any good memorial ideas leave a comment.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
A short story
A few weeks ago I applied for a job. It was to be a part time webmaster and online coordinator for a church. I was excited because my skills were a strong match for the job, I have experience in online content, and I have a lot of demonstrated church related knowledge.
After typing a cover letter and submitting a resume, they said they wanted an interview. I was excited because the person spearheading the project was someone I knew well from other activities with that group.
When I appeared for the interview, I think I did a great job answering their questions. When asked about specific skills I had, I avoided saying no and instead answered by explaining my experiences and skills that were similar and could easily be related to the skills they wanted. They said they would let me know if they wanted me to interview for the second round in a week. I sent the three people who interviewed me emails the next day thanking them for interviewing me and giving them a four step plan to use the website to reach out to people and connect them to the church.
Then I got an email yesterday saying I was no longer in consideration for the position.
The bad things: I had experience dealing with that type of organization, I had many skills they wanted, I had a good pre-existing relationship to one of the people who made the decision, and I gave a good (if not great) interview. I did everything on my end correct and was lucky to have a few factors I could not control turn out well. However, it could not even get me to the second round.
Earlier this week I said "I will be devastated if they do not want to interview me a second time." Despite all of the reasons listed above, I feel OK about it. Maybe it has something to do with the good things.
The good things: I gained experience interviewing and will be better next time. Getting a part time job would have encouraged me to be complacent in my current situation instead of pushing myself to a better place.
After typing a cover letter and submitting a resume, they said they wanted an interview. I was excited because the person spearheading the project was someone I knew well from other activities with that group.
When I appeared for the interview, I think I did a great job answering their questions. When asked about specific skills I had, I avoided saying no and instead answered by explaining my experiences and skills that were similar and could easily be related to the skills they wanted. They said they would let me know if they wanted me to interview for the second round in a week. I sent the three people who interviewed me emails the next day thanking them for interviewing me and giving them a four step plan to use the website to reach out to people and connect them to the church.
Then I got an email yesterday saying I was no longer in consideration for the position.
The bad things: I had experience dealing with that type of organization, I had many skills they wanted, I had a good pre-existing relationship to one of the people who made the decision, and I gave a good (if not great) interview. I did everything on my end correct and was lucky to have a few factors I could not control turn out well. However, it could not even get me to the second round.
Earlier this week I said "I will be devastated if they do not want to interview me a second time." Despite all of the reasons listed above, I feel OK about it. Maybe it has something to do with the good things.
The good things: I gained experience interviewing and will be better next time. Getting a part time job would have encouraged me to be complacent in my current situation instead of pushing myself to a better place.
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