I must return to this site when I have time to actually attempt to use it in conjunction with a writing project. Soon. Real soon, I hope!
It's Friday... Thank God! I am beat to a pulp.
posted by Michael A. Wells 9:17 AM
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Really like this viewpoint
Michael Dirda is the Washington Post Senior Book Editor
He's a really well read individual and about once a week takes questions in an on-line discussion of books.
The following was a snipit from today's discussion. It exact exchange is less important here than the extracted remarks, but I'm including a link to the entire post:
"... I'm a soft reviewer, and my presumption is always that if a book doesn't work for me, it's my fault. So I try harder to understand what the author was doing or trying to do. You know, art doesn't have to be successful to matter; the experiments that try new things and fail are likely to be more valued than those that continue purring along down the well trodden ruts. One of my mottos is from Schopenhauer: We should stand before works of art like servants before their masters and wait until they speak to us..."
This is an interesting perspective. Especially from one who reviews work. I suppose it is refreshing to see someone as open minded in a position to have a great deal of impact on published works he reviews.
You're a Sapphire. You seem to be unreachable, but deep inside, you are really a nice and warm person. You are elegant and get along well with people once you know them.
Went home last night with best of intentions and a bad case of feeling slugish. My blood sugar numbers were high yesterday and that may well have contributed to not feeling well. I read some - Crescent is indeed interesting but with a lot of middle eastern names, it seems to bog down somewhat in reading. I think I am going to like it, it just isn't a "quick read" sort of book. Of course feeling the way I did last night was likely not helping it any.
Busy day today on tap. I really still don't feel all that hot.
Ok, I'm off to the salt mines.
posted by Michael A. Wells 9:27 AM
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
Wednesday Morning - Getting Into Gear
last night I got a copy of Crescent by Diana Abu-Jaber
I started reading Crescent last night. I first heard about this book listening to NPR. By the way, National Public Radio is wonderful. There is such a wide range of information, culture and humor that a peraon can be exposed to on NPR. Back to the book... I had heard an interview with the author and she was so interesting that I had to read the book. The novel is a romantic story with a flavor of rich middle eastern culture which the author obviously knows well. That's all I will say or really even can say for now about it.
I was really kind of down last night. I'm not sure if it was just for being still tired from such a busy weekend. Actually I had a number of quite depressing items to deal with at work. I'm sure I carried some of that home with me.
My resolve today is to kick my butt into gear and get going. There is half a week left out there to make things happen in. Got to run for now...
Titles I have identified to Read before the year is over...
The Head Game by Roger Kahn
Dragon Bones by Lisa See
The Physics of Baseball by Robert K. Adair
Assignment in Eternity by Robert A. Heinlein
Crescent by Diane Abu-Jaber
Bird by Bird by Anne Lammot
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
Dreaming - Hard Luck and Good Times in America by Carolyn See
This should keep me busy and off the streets a while.::Grin::
posted by Michael A. Wells 9:26 PM
Monday Afternoon
Just a brief update... things have been so busy
The weekend was really nice. Games Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Friday Meghan and I went to the game had a fantastic time! I got Jessie Foppert's autograph ( Giants Rookie Pitcher that I think is really a promising star ) Meghan got to look at him. I'm not sure which of us felt we got the better deal ::grin::
Saturday night's game- Cathy and I went. She set in her seat while I checked out the Giants batting pratice. She's reading a Readers Digest and I guess some fans see a ball coming and yell, "Watch Out!" Plop... lands right next to her. She picks it up and puts it on her lap under the magazine and continues to read. Grrrrrrrrr... and how many games do some adults go to and never get a foul ball? Oh, did I use the word Never!??? Anyway - I just missed getting Barry Bonds autograph... he signed a bunch of them after batting pratice and I was so close. ::sigh::
Sunday it was my son Michael's turn at the ballpark... another great game- Bonds went yard for the first time ever at Kauffman Stadium in a game. Saturday during BP he was rocking them out of the place. I got sun burned... it was a day game.
We went out to eat BBQ Sunday night. Meghan left for Sea Cadet Boot Camp Sunday morning... Miss her already. Read a little last night - no writing. I've got couple hours slated for this evening though.
posted by Michael A. Wells 3:39 PM
