Dave's World

Best of Facespace January 2012

2012-02-01T09:52:00.000-06:00

"Did everyone hear the Stanford place kicker tried to kill himself after the Fiesta Bowl? He failed when he was unable to kick the chair out from underneath himself!"

"Thank goodness I know who Todd Palin's voting for! Now if only Kim Kardashian would weigh-in I might be able to make up my mind!"

"Any of my friends or family who might be considering voting for one of these jack holes: do me, yourself, and Charles Darwin a favor and shoot yourself in the face..."

"Did everyone hear that the LSU football team hasn't made it back to Baton Rouge yet? Someone painted a 50 yard line across the highway!"

"So wait, the Neverending Story was sang by a guy??"

"Perry's out of the race?? Who else is going to send troops back to Iraq and get rid of those three departments in the federal government? You know the ones, um, yeah well those three bad ones..."

"I love all the Republican candidates left: Grumpy, Dopey, Richie, and Churchie."

"If the government would lower the capital gains tax rate to zero percent it would encourage so much economic growth in this country that we'd finally be able to put a colony on the moon!!"

61 Hours

2012-01-31T20:37:00.000-06:00

I had to travel all the way to my refrigerator to obtain "61 Hours" (494 pages) by Lee Child. My dad had brought over some left over fried chicken all wrapped up in a bag. Later when I went to raid said chicken I was surprised to find a new (to me anyways) Reacher novel! Thanks mom! The chicken was almost as delicious as the book. From Goodreads:

"Sixty-one hours. Not a minute to spare.

A tour bus crashes in a savage snowstorm and lands Jack Reacher in the middle of a deadly confrontation. In nearby Bolton, South Dakota, one brave woman is standing up for justice in a small town threatened by sinister forces. If she’s going to live long enough to testify, she’ll need help. Because a killer is coming to Bolton, a coldly proficient assassin who never misses.

Reacher’s original plan was to keep on moving. But the next 61 hours will change everything. The secrets are deadlier and his enemies are stronger than he could have guessed—but so is the woman whose life he’ll risk his own to save.

In 61 Hours, Lee Child has written a showdown thriller with an explosive ending that readers will talk about for a long time to come."

It's good to see Lee Child back in good form, at least for me and the random order in which I read his novels, all based on ultra tough guy Jack Reacher. I loved the setting in South Dakota during a nasty winter storm and the slower pace of the novel as well. Think more mystery this time around instead of thriller. Another thing I appreciated about the story was the lack of a goofy love interest too, probably my only major problem with most of the Reacher novels, though I guess 61 hours is a tough time frame in which to meet someone and get to know them well enough to get laid.

Published in 2010, and after 16 novels, I'm still amazed how Child creates such great books based on the same character. The stories are always fresh and very well written with the exception of one sub-par outing in my opinion. Recommended to fans of the genre, specifically thriller and mystery fans. Child is a great writer, always presenting interesting stories and twists, with a great central character.

The Lost Symbol

2012-01-30T20:05:00.001-06:00

My first experience reading Dan Brown comes with his latest novel, "The Lost Symbol" (509 pages), courtesy of a loan from my friend Dann. From the inside cover of the book:

"In this stunning follow-up to the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown demonstrates once again why he is the world's most popular thriller writer. The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling--a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths... all under the watchful eye of Brown's most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol accelerates through a startling landscape toward an unthinkable finale.

As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object--artfully encoded with five symbols--is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation... one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon's beloved mentor, Peter Solomon--a prominent Mason and philanthropist--is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations--all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

As the world discovered in The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, Dan Brown's novels are brilliant tapestries of veiled histories, arcane symbols, and enigmatic codes. In this new novel, he again challenges readers with an intelligent, lightning-paced story that offers surprises at every turn. The Lost Symbol is exactly what Brown's fans have been waiting for... his most thrilling novel yet."

It took me a while to take up "The Lost Symbol." As always I was lacking anything else to read, or at least anything else that seemed mildly more interesting. I really need to go to the book store! Do I say that in every book recap? Probably. It was with a little bit of trepidation that I began reading this particular novel. Researching a bit on Goodreads told me that the consensus for this novel was either really fantastic or really shitty. Luckily for me (or perhaps unluckily) I found the book to be neither. It seems that Brown takes a lot of criticism for his writing style, as in he's not a very good writer. I think stylistically the book was fine and very readable. Content would be another matter from time to time. He really framed an interesting story that chugged along at a great clip for the first half of the book. In fact the structure of the chapters made it hard for me to step away from the story. Each one being short and ending on a cliffhanger at least until the latter half of the book when the action seemed to get bogged down.

The characters seemed to be pretty cut and dry. Super good protagonists meets super bad villain, only missing a mustache to twirl. There's a lot of fascinating information about the Masons, religions, and symbols which I really appreciated. Some I had read or seen shows about before but it was cool to see it play out in the context of the book. Some of the "science" and easily deciphered clues presented in the book definitely had me rolling my eyes, but what the hell do I know. It never went so far that I wanted to put the book down, a common complaint of other reviewers.

I can't say this is a good book for Dan Brown as I've never read any of his other works. I guess fans of his other novels should probably be satisfied with this outing. My only other experience with Dan Brown was "The Da Vinci Code" movie and I thought it was garbage. But who knows, a good novel does not often a good movie make. In general I would recommend this novel especially for fans of mysteries and/or thrillers. Sure it's a little bit on the fast food side but so are a lot of novels I read. Sometimes you just have a Big Mac attack!

Faded Coat of Blue

2012-01-26T12:27:00.002-06:00

"Faded Coat of Blue" (338 pages) by Owen Parry, a pseudonym used by Ralph Peters, is another book I recently swiped from my mother. From Goodreads:

"A recent immigrant to this land — where American has taken up arms against American — Abel Jones finds himself mysteriously chosen as confidential agent to General George McClellan, the 'savior of the Union.' No stranger to the cruel paradoxes of war, Jones is asked to investigate the death of Anthony Fowler, a young volunteer captain shot through the heart outside an encampment of raw recruits. Fowler was one of the North's 'golden youth,' envied and idolized, an impassioned abolitionist and sole son of a powerful merchant dynasty. Instantly, his murder is blamed on the Confederates — but whispers haunt the death of this fallen martyr, leading Abel Jones from the blood of the battlefield through the intrigues of Washington, D.C., and into a web of secrets and sinister relationships where evil and good intertwine...and where heroes fall prey to those who cherished them the most."

"Faded Coat of Blue" is a novel I found myself liking more than I thought I would initially. At its core it's basically just a mystery that takes place at the beginning of the American Civil War. Abel Jones, a somewhat self-righteous and pious man, journeys between Washington D.C. and Philadelphia to unravel the unusual circumstances of Anthony Fowler's death. Jones' hunt for clues was rather interesting and usually kept me guessing all the way toward the end of the story. Even more interesting was just reading about the day to day lives of the people in and around Washington in the early 1960's, be it military officers or just regular people sprinkled throughout the tale.

Recommended for fans of mysteries or perhaps Civil War buffs. The language of the book is a little different as it's written in the style of the period, but it's nothing too detrimental to the overall enjoyment of the book. Apparently "Faded Coat of Blue" is the first in a series of books featuring Abel Jones. I'll definitely check out other installments of his adventures if the opportunity presents itself.

Fetus Free Food

2012-01-24T13:15:00.001-06:00

Oklahoma State Senator Ralph Shortey from District 44 has sponsored State Bill 1418 which states:

"Food; prohibiting the sale or manufacture of food or products which contain aborted human fetuses. Effective date."

Now I don't know about you, dear reader, but I usually do prefer that my food doesn't include aborted human fetuses. I know, call me crazy!

Where do we get these legislators and who the hell votes for them? Maybe even more disturbing is that Senator Shortey represents an area in the Oklahoma City metro! Though calling the south side metropolitan may be a stretch. And I thought all the crazies represented places like Pushmataha County.

We have serious problems in this state and we need serious people apparently to address those problems. The serious people are few and far between...

White Oleander

2012-01-20T10:25:00.000-06:00

"White Oleander" (446 pages) by Janet Fitch is a novel I've been meaning to read for quite some time, mostly due to the recommendation from a couple of friends. From Goodreads:

"Astrid is the only child of a single mother, Ingrid, a brillant, obsessed poet who wields her luminous beauty to intimidate and manipulate men. Astrid worships her mother and cherishes their private world full of ritual and mystery - but their idyll is shattered when Astrid's mother falls apart over a lover. Deranged by rejection, Ingrid murders the man, and is sentenced to life in prison.

White Oleander is the unforgettable story of Astrid's journey through a series of foster homes and her efforts to find a place for herself an impossible circumstances. Each home is its own universe, with a new set of laws and lessons to be learned. With determination and humor, Astrid confronts the challenges of loneliness and poverty, and strives to learn who a motherless child in a an indifferent world can become.

Tough, irrepressible, funny, and warm, Astrid is one of the most indelible characters in recent fiction. White Oleander is an unforgettable story of mothers and daughters, burgeoning sexuality, the redemptive powers of art, and the unstoppable force of the emergent self. Written with exquisite beauty and grace, this is a compelling debut by an author poised to join the ranks of today's most gifted novelists."

I'm a little on the fence about "White Oleander." I gave the book three stars on Goodreads and that was probably being overly generous. While I liked the story for the most part and the characters (and sometimes hated them) I found Astrid's overall journey a little over the top and quite melodramatic. I think so much tragedy for Astrid became a crutch for the writer and bordered on the unbelievable as the novel neared its conclusion. Maybe "White Oleander" is a lot like "Catcher in the Rye." Something powerful to a younger reader that becomes less likable over time with maturity.

There's some good to be found in the story. The overall theme of redemption and forgiveness is nice even with the horrific events throughout book. I really empathized with Claire's character and her moments in the novel and I was truly heartbroken with her outcome. On the other hand I was also disgusted and turned off quite a bit by the blatant pedophilia presented in the first quarter of the story. I can read almost anything but this was tough to swallow for me as a reader.

Overall an interesting story with some really disturbing events. Most likely I wouldn't recommend this book to a discerning reader.

I'd really be interested in the views of anyone out there who has also read this novel.

SkyDance Bridge

2012-01-19T16:44:00.003-06:00

"Construction on Oklahoma City’s iconic new pedestrian bridge, Oklahoma City SkyDance Bridge, inspired by the scissor-tailed flycatcher took shape today as a massive steel 'wing,' was carefully lifted by a crane and pinned to the base structure."

"The bridge spans the new Interstate 40 near Robinson Avenue, connecting pedestrians to the Oklahoma River. The bridge is at the heart of the MAPS 3 downtown park, which is expected to begin construction in 2013."

I'm all for the wonderful renovations that are taking place in and around downtown Oklahoma City, especially the new I-40 corridor replacing the old three mile I-40 bridge downtown that to put mildly is a death trap. Though it would be nice to have more than two exits to the heart of downtown.

What I'm totally not on board with is the SkyDance pedestrian bridge shown in the picture above. Sure it's a unique piece of architecture that will really be cool once completed and lit up at night; however, at what cost? 5.8 million dollars to be exact! Could our city be better served to put that money toward a more important use? I think maybe so.

When I posted the picture on Facebook one of my friends commented that we could spend that kind of money on a pedestrian bridge yet people using our mass transit system (I use that term lightly) are left out in the rain. "It will be extra, super pretty when one is standing in the rain at an uncovered bus stop."

A lot of what we've done as a city is fantastic, a new basketball arena for the millionaires to play in, plans for a new Convention Center even though we just renovated the old one, and tax breaks for an energy company to build a nearly 50 story building downtown. Yes I'm being sarcastic.

Instead of using the 5.8 million on a pedestrian bridge maybe that money could have helped those living under the old I-40 bridge. After all where will they go when it's finally torn down and a new avenue is created in its place? I'm just saying.

I'll end this posting by saying that most of what our city has done with MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects) is fantastic, lifting our quality of life in the area and creating jobs overall, at a minimal cost, a one cent sales tax that will eventually expire. Yet I still have to scratch my head now and then on some of the boneheaded things our city leaders vote to spend money on...

All the Pretty Horses

2012-01-18T11:47:00.000-06:00

"All the Pretty Horses" (302 pages) is the second novel I've read by Cormac McCarthy, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Road." From the back cover of the book:

"The national bestseller and the first volume in Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy, All the Pretty Horses is the tale of John Grady Cole, who at sixteen finds himself at the end of a long line of Texas ranchers, cut off from the only life he has ever imagined for himself. With two companions, he sets off for Mexico on a sometimes idyllic, sometimes comic journey to a place where dreams are paid for in blood. Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction."

"All the Pretty Horses" is a beautifully written work of fiction by McCarthy, though not as bleak as some of his other works from what I've read, the story still has some gut-wrenching moments. The story of John Grady Cole takes him from his homeland of Texas a few years after World War II, where his world is transformed from the divorce of his parents and the ailing health of his father, across the border to Mexico. The idyllic adventure set out by friends slowly evolves into a coming of age story littered with love, tragedy, and at times horror. McCarthy's sweeping prose can be mesmerizing and truly haunting.

At times the Spanish in the novel frustrated me but usually the meaning could be discovered through the context of what was explained in English and through the characters actions. McCarthy's style is a little different from most American authors as well, excluding quotations and many other punctuations, which takes a few pages to get accustomed to but nothing detrimental to the over experience of the book. Highly recommended especially to fan of westerns or coming of age stories. I'll definitely check out the other two books in his "Boarder Trilogy" when the opportunity arises.

The Never Ending Meme, Part Two

2012-01-14T12:33:00.000-06:00

First meme of the new year for me. Once again from Sunday Stealing.

Cheers to all of us thieves!

21. Did you go to your high school prom?
I did. In fact it was with a certain blogger who won't ever update!

22. Perfect time to wake up?
It's not about the hour of the day but the hours of sleep one gets in my opinion.

23. Perfect time to go to bed?
When tired. Usually for me that's on the couch after 12:30 watching Futurama.

24. Do you use your queen right away in chess?
I can't remember the last time I played chess. I usually keep the queen out of the action until necessary.

25. Ever been in a car accident?
A few, nothing too severe.

26. Closer to mom or dad…or neither?
Or both?

27. What age is this exciting life over for you?
I'm confused. Am I supposed to predict my death year or just give the year I became bitter?

28. What decade during the 20th century would you have chosen to be a teenager?
I think my decade, the '80's, was pretty cool.

29. Favorite shoes you have EVER owned?
Checkered Vans back in the day?

30. Do you have an article of clothing you have had since you were in high school?
Not that I'm aware of, though, it would be nice to still have my letter jacket...

31. Were you in track and field?
No. I played Tennis during spring sports.

32. Were you ever in a school talent show?
No, I wasn't that gay even in school.

33. Have you ever written in a library book?
No but I destroyed a book once that the librarian gave me. The Return of the Native. My only regret is that I didn't have 1,000 copies to destroy.

34. Allergic to?
Peaches.

35. Favorite fruit?
I really like peaches but since they make my throat close up I'll go with grapes or pears.

Mockingjay

2012-01-13T20:35:00.000-06:00

I finished out the "Hunger Games" trilogy tonight with "Mockingjay" (390 pages) by Suzanne Collins. From the cover of the book:

"Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans - except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost."

I was really excited to read "Mockingjay" especially after the strong start with "The Hunger Games" and "Catching Fire." The first 200 pages of the novel crawls at an absolute snails pace with virtually nothing going on. Once there seems to be a little action the book abruptly stops with a lame and, to me, forced conclusion. Was Collins required to keep all the books under 400 pages? Our heroine has zero growth throughout the story and is left at the conclusion pretty much how she was at the beginning, with no say in her life. Lame. Not recommended except to just finish the "The Hunger Games" trilogy. Warning: try not to throw the book at something breakable.

2011 Video of the Year

2012-01-05T13:36:00.001-06:00

Catching Fire

2012-01-05T11:12:00.000-06:00

I started "Catching Fire" (391 pages) by Suzanne Collins last night, the second book in the "Hunger Games" trilogy. Again I went through the novel in pretty much one setting. From the inside cover of the book:

"Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before... and surprising readers at every turn."

I liked the second effort by Collins in the Hunger Games trilogy well enough, though there were times I felt I was reading the first book over again. There's definitely a bit of a retread feel. I also grew weary with the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. This kind of long, unresolved story telling between the three puts the young in Young Adult!

Eventually, after a somewhat slow start, the story really starts to take off and I became completely engrossed. Of course that came to a screeching halt with a cliffhanger ending. Fortunately I have the third book at my disposal to continue and finish out the story. Again, another quick, and for the most part, interesting read. Recommended.

The Hunger Games

2012-01-04T13:52:00.000-06:00

Time for some Christmas gift reading. My parents bought me "The Hunger Games" trilogy this season, a series of books I've been meaning to read for a while but never got around to buying them. "The Hunger Games" (374 pages) by Suzanne Collins is the first novel in the trilogy. From Goodreads:

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister Primrose, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love."

First, I really enjoy books of this nature, along the lines of "The Long Walk" or "Brave New World." Reading what used to be the world we live in turned completely upside down by some sort of cataclysmic event or war is always fascinating to me. Though I usually don't read Young Adult fiction (think the "Twilight" series) I do have to say that I found Collins' work engaging and very readable. Indeed I blew through the book in one sitting. That's not to say that the story didn't have some flaws. Some of the plot devises and so called twists were a little contrived, especially toward the conclusion, which I won't spoil here.

Recommended for fans of science fiction, alternate history buffs, and thirteen year old girls! Easy to read with sometimes gratuitous violence and strong characters, I look forward to finishing off this trilogy and seeing the movie in March.

The Enemy

2012-01-03T13:15:00.000-06:00

It wasn't my intention to read another Lee Child novel for a while but the airport in Las Vegas convinced me otherwise. I randomly grabbed "The Enemy" (464 pages) thinking it was a newly released paperback. I was was wrong, it was originally published in 2004. From the back cover:

"Jack Reacher. Hero. Loner. Soldier. Soldier’s son. An elite military cop, he was one of the army’s brightest stars. But in every cop’s life there is one case that changes everything. For Jack Reacher, this is that case.

New Year’s Day, 1990. In a North Carolina motel, a two-star general is found dead. His briefcase is missing. Nobody knows what was in it. Within minutes Reacher has his orders: Control the situation. Within hours the general’s wife is murdered. Then the dominoes really start to fall.

Somewhere inside the vast worldwide fortress that is the U.S. Army, Reacher is being set up as a fall guy with the worst enemies a man can have. But Reacher won’t quit. He’s fighting a new kind of war–against an enemy he didn’t know he had. And against a conspiracy more chilling, ingenious, and treacherous than anyone could have guessed."

This is definitely my least favorite novel I've read by Child for a variety of reasons. Mostly I think I was turned off by the story taking place in early 1990. Though well written, the story hiccups along at jerks that I found myself not really caring where the story was headed, I just wanted it to conclude. It was somewhat interesting to see Reacher in action when he was in the military but that's about all this novel has to offer in the series. A long investigative story with a Scooby Doo ending. Read anything else by Lee Child before reading "The Enemy."

Books of 2011

2012-01-02T16:32:00.001-06:00

I didn't quite make my goal of fifty books again last year but I feel on the whole I did a lot more reading. 18,945 pages to be exact. My favorite reads of the year are marked with an asterisk.

*1. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

*2. American Rose by Karen Abbott

3. The Confession by John Grisham

4. Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra

5. Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin

6. Mary Ann in Autumn by Armistead Maupin

7. Armageddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut

8. The Street Lawyer by John Grisham

9. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

*10. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis

11. The Camel Club by David Baldacci

12. The Reapers by John Connolly

13. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

14. The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

15. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

*16. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

17. The Cave by Jose Saramago

18. Cry to Heaven by Anne Rice

19. The Collectors by David Baldacci

20. Stone Cold by David Baldacci

21. Divine Justice by David Baldacci

22. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

*23. Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson

*24. In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson.

25. The Short History of a Prince by Jane Hamilton

*26. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

27. Thunderstruck by Erik Larson

28. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

29. A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

30. Running Blind by Lee Child

31. Self-Made Man by Norah Vincent

32. A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin

33. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

34. Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

35. A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire

36. A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin

37. Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child

38. Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child

*39. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

*40. Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire

41. One Shot by Lee Child

2011 Picture of the Year

2012-01-02T15:16:00.001-06:00

Felicia Navidad!

2011-12-24T14:00:00.002-06:00

Or whatever floats your boat this time of year.

I'll be back next week hopefully to do some end of the year postings before heading to Dallas for a long New Years weekend.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

One Shot

2011-12-17T00:02:00.001-06:00

Dave's book club keeps rolling right along frantically trying to reach my goal of 50 books read this year. It's not going to happen unfortunately with Vegas, home for the holidays, and Dallas finishing off the rest of the year. I resumed "One Shot" (466 pages) by Lee Child which I had momentarily set down to read "Out of Oz" last week. From Goodreads:

"Six shots. Five dead. One heartland city thrown into a state of terror. But within hours the cops have it solved: a slam-dunk case. Except for one thing. The accused man says: You got the wrong guy. Then he says: Get Reacher for me. And sure enough, from the world he lives in—no phone, no address, no commitments–ex–military investigator Jack Reacher is coming. In Lee Child’s astonishing new thriller, Reacher’s arrival will change everything—about a case that isn’t what it seems, about lives tangled in baffling ways, about a killer who missed one shot–and by doing so give Jack Reacher one shot at the truth.…

The gunman worked from a parking structure just thirty yards away–point-blank range for a trained military sniper like James Barr. His victims were in the wrong place at the wrong time. But why does Barr want Reacher at his side? There are good reasons why Reacher is the last person Barr would want to see. But when Reacher hears Barr’s own words, he understands. And a slam-dunk case explodes. Soon Reacher is teamed with a young defense lawyer who is working against her D.A. father and dueling with a prosecution team that has an explosive secret of its own. Like most things Reacher has known in life, this case is a complex battlefield. But, as always, in battle, Reacher is at his best.

Moving in the shadows, picking his spots, Reacher gets closer and closer to the unseen enemy who is pulling the strings. And for Reacher, the only way to take him down is to know his ruthlessness and respect his cunning–and then match him shot for shot…"

My fourth Reacher novel this year by Lee Child. I like the author and his awesome main character but I'm probably over it for a while, at least until sometime next year. Too much of a good thing and all that. It dawned on me while reading this current novel why I like this series so much. Each story is completely different from the last, at least in what I've read so far. With a fresh narrative it's actually a welcome to have a reoccurring character. While "One Shot" doesn't quite measure up to the previous two novels I've read by Child, it's still a great thriller and a great read. An author that gets better with his yearly outputs? I wish Janet Evanovich was listening.

Anyhoo, another great story by Child, well written and a worthy mystery/thriller. Recommended for fans of the genre. Pick up any Reacher novel by Child as reading them in order isn't necessary to appreciate the series.

Who's the Coach of the Year?

2011-12-16T18:31:00.002-06:00

This guy!

"Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has been named the winner of the 2011 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. The award, presented by the Fiesta Bowl, is selected by the members of the 1,200-member strong Football Writers Association of America."

Link.

While we're talking about college football: suck it BCS...

Out of Oz

2011-12-15T20:30:00.000-06:00

I ventured into the world of Oz yet again as seen through the eyes of Gregory Maguire in "Out of Oz" (568 pages) in the final volume in the "Wicked Years." From the cover of the book:

"Once peaceful and prosperous, the spectacular Land of Oz is knotted with social unrest: The Emerald City is mounting an invasion of Munchkinland, Glinda is under house arrest, and the Cowardly Lion is on the run from the law. And look who’s knocking at the door. It’s none other than Dorothy. Yes. That Dorothy.

Yet amidst all this chaos, Elphaba’s granddaughter, the tiny green baby born at the close of Son of a Witch, has come of age. Now it is up to Rain to take up her broom—and her legacy—in an Oz wracked by war.

The stirring, long-awaited conclusion to the bestselling series begun with Wicked, Out of Oz is a magical journey rife with revelations and reversals, reprisals and surprises—the hallmarks of the unique imagination of Gregory Maguire."

What can I say? I'm a huge fan of the "Wicked Years" by Maguire. I've been hooked on the series since I pickup up "Wicked" for the first time a couple of years ago. I really think Maguire was back in full form after an uneven, though enjoyable, second and third installment in the series. The events formed and expanded upon starting with the first novel are wrapped up satisfactorily in this final book. Though, in keeping with the previous books, there's still some questions left to ponder by the author. Practically every character, major or minor from the previous novels, has either a role to play here or if not at least a mention. Good stuff.

Highly recommended for fans of the series, second only to "Wicked." I'd also recommend reading the other books in the series before tackling this novel solo as so much has happened over the course of the previous three installments.

-SPOILERS-

Who released Glinda from Southstairs near the novel's conclusion? I took it as Elphaba. One can dream...

The Blue Memory Meme

2011-12-10T18:27:00.003-06:00

Yet again from Sunday Stealing and a day early. It's been a while...

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1) If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?
Shut the fuck up!!

2) If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?
I have absolutely no clue. Maybe Al Gore, he's a pretty cool guy. Or maybe Bret Easton Ellis, to see if he's as fucked up as his novels.

3) You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?
It would have to be somewhere close and cheap. Vegas is out since I'm going next week. Hmmm. Chicago, New York, or San Francisco?

4) What do you think about most?
It is, to say the least.

5) You have the opportunity to spend a romantic night with the music celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?
Again I have no clue, I can't think of a musician crush I'm having right now.

6) You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?
A little incident that landed me in jail in Colorado a couple of years ago.

7) What's your strangest talent?
The ability to remember little factoids that normal people don't give a shit about. An example would be me correcting someone who uses the phase "don't drink the Kool-Aid" when everyone knows they drank Flavor Aid at Jonestown.

8) What would be a question you'd be afraid to tell the truth on?
Nothing comes to mind, at least for the purposes of this blog. I'm a pretty up front person when necessary.

9) Ever had a poem or song written about you?
Now that you mention it I think someone has.

10) When is the last time you played the air guitar?
Today. It's something one has to do daily for a healthy and long life.

11) Do you have any strange phobias?
Not really. I used to be a little nervous flying but as much as I've traveled lately it isn't an issue anymore.

12) What's your religion?
Atheist.

13) What is your current desktop picture?
Blackhawks hockey logo.

14) When you are outside, what are you most likely doing?
Walking to or from my car.

15) What's the last song you listened to?
Fist Up by the Blow.

16) Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?
Off the top of my head would be Shiny Toy Guns. Given some thought would be Fleetwood Mac.

17) What was the last lie you told?
On this meme. Can you find it?

18) Do you believe in karma?
Absofuckinglutely.

19) What is a saying you say a lot?
"Bye Felicia!"

20) What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?
I hate these kinds of questions. My absolute and utter ability to not give a shit about a person or a situation given time. Ditto.

21) Who is your celebrity crush?
Paul Rudd or Chris Pine lately.

22) Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word: heart.
Ache. It's a heartache, nothing but a heartache. Hits you when it's too late, hits you when you're down. It's a fools game, nothing but a fools game. Standing in the cold rain feeling like a clown.

23) How do you vent your anger?
I either curl up into myself or I go batshit crazy.

24) Do you have a collection of anything?
Too many moldering in boxes in storage. Video games, stamps, coins, trading cards...

25) What is your favorite word?
Turd.

26) Are you happy with the person you've become?
Sometimes.

27) What's a sound you hate; sound you love?
I hate the sound Styrofoam being mashed. I love the sound of a spring storm sans tornado.

28) What's your biggest "what if"?
Too numerous to mention. The road/harder path less traveled kind of thing.

29) Do you believe in ghosts?
It's fun to consider but not really.

30) How about aliens?
Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.

31) What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?
Buying that black pullover from Express last fall.

32) What's the worst place you have ever been to?
Jail or Kansas.

33) Can insanity bring on more creativity?
I don't think so, either you have the aptitude or not.

34) Most attractive actor of your opposite gender?
Mila Kunis.

35) To you, what is the meaning of life?
Good friends, better food, and top shelf liquor.

36) Define “Art”.
I can't. It is what I think it is and may not apply to someone else.

37) Do you believe in luck?
Not really but I ALWAYS wash my hands after pissing while playing blackjack, you know, for luck.

38) In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?
I don't know, all of mine have failed at one point or another.

39) What's a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?
Come on Eileen.

40) Where were you yesterday?
At home most of the day chillaxing.

41) What's the worst injury you've ever had?
I sprained my ankle severely once when playing basketball. I know it's not a major injury but I couldn't walk without crutches or a boot for a month.

42) Do you have any obsessions right now?
Always. Right now, Futurama, Skyward Sword, and the War on Christmas.

43) What's up?
Same old shit just another day or nada is my usual response.

44) Ever had a rumor spread about you?
I'm sure I have. I love it. I matter!

45) Do you believe in real magic?
Nope and I don't believe in fake magic either.

46) Do you ever hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?
Absolutely. It's one of my defining characteristics. An elephant never forgets... to kill!!

47) What's your favorite (non-pet) animal?
Tasmanian Devils.

48) What is your secret weapon to get people to like you?
My sparkling personality. Unfortunately it's the same thing I use to get them to hate me.

49) Where is your best friend?
Probably sitting across town being a total dousche.

50) What do you think is Satan's last name?
Seery, Martin, or Brown.

Cowtown Christmas Parade

2011-12-10T11:50:00.001-06:00

Well the Stockyard City Christmas Parade to be exact but it'll always be Cowtown to me. I guess this is becoming a Christmas tradition, going with the Rents and my great niece Lo.

As usual we were right near the dais that held the parade "commentators." Throughout the parade all I could think was...

"Don't they look lovely June?"
"Fabulous Harry I love the feathers."

My favorite part, the longhorns. Later in the parade there was a couple riding two longhorns which were spotted black and white. Their animals names were Oreo and T-bone. How awesome is that?

Nothing says Oklahoma like an outhouse attached to a truck at a parade! Really?

Lamas! Watch out, they spit!

Lo, as sweet as an outbreak of anthrax...

Actually a pretty fun parade only minimally marred by my mother accosting the former Lt. Governor. The only thing missing, in my opinion, was a couple of High School bands. How can you have a parade without a marching band or two?

Skyward Sword Final Anaylsis

2011-12-09T14:33:00.003-06:00

I just finished my first run through of The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword on the Nintendo Wii and all I can say is that it's a fantastic game worthy to be included in a long line of great Zelda games. The big question? Is this this the best Zelda game to date? Not even close but still a wonderful experience. I'd probably rank the game third after The Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past.

What Skyward Sword does well it does exceedingly well. Beautiful graphics, an orchestrated soundtrack, true 1:1 ratio using the controller, a ramped up difficulty from the past two installments, and superb dungeons. What drags down the game from being the best in the series is linear gameplay, a repeat battle of an annoying boss, three times, and one too many fetch quests, especially toward to last third of the game. I'm also a little puzzled that Ganondorf isn't Link's nemesis in this game, which is usually the case in most all console versions of The Legend of Zelda.

My criticisms aside this is a remarkable game that should be played by any Zelda, Nintendo, or Wii fan. Rolling through the quest should take the typical gamer anywhere from 40 to 60 hours to complete with an additional "Hero Mode" opened up upon completion for the more serious gamers. I would rank this game as one of the best games the Wii has to offer. I still can't decide if it overtakes Super Mario Galaxy 2. Play this game if you haven't already or buy a Wii just for the experience, it's definitely worth the 99 bucks.

Kitchen

2011-12-09T10:29:00.001-06:00

I read a quirky little book last night called "Kitchen" (152 pages) by Banana Yoshimoto translated from the Japanese by Megan Backus. The book consists of two novellas. From the cover:

"When Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen was first published in Japan in 1988, 'Banana-mania' seized the country. Kitchen won two of Japan's most prestigious literary prizes, climbed its way to the top of the best-seller list, then remained there for over a year and sold millions of copies. With the appearance of the critically acclaimed Tugumi (1989) and NP (1991), the Japanese literary world realized that in Banana Yoshimoto it was confronted not with a passing fluke but with a full-fledged phenomenon: a young writer of great talent and great passion whose work has quickly earned a place among the best of twentieth-century Japanese literature.

Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen is an enchantingly original and deeply affecting book that juxtaposes two tales about mothers, transsexuality, kitchens, love, tragedy, and the terms they all come to in the minds of a pair of free-spirited young women in contemporary Japan. Told in a whimsical style that recalls the early Marguerite Duras, 'Kitchen' and its companion story, 'Moonlight Shadow,' are elegant tales whose seeming simplicity is the ruse of a masterful storyteller. They are the work of a very special new writer whose voice echoes in the mind and the soul."

Yoshimoto's two stories of loss and love are written perfectly in a very minimalistic way. She has a rare gift of encapsulating many emotions with a simple turn of phrase. I don't think there was much missed through the translations but there were a couple of times I was scratching my head at certain structures here and there; however, I'm not sure if this was really due to the translation or just a product of her quirky style of writing. Highly recommended for a quick and satisfying read with a few sad tones that ultimately end triumphantly. A nice and surprising find.

"One caravan has stopped, another starts up. There are people I have yet to meet, others I'll never see again. People who are gone before you know it, people who are just passing through. Even as we exchange hellos, they seem to grow transparent. I must keep living with the flowing river before my eyes."

Gone Tomorrow

2011-12-08T19:40:00.002-06:00

Another Reacher novel in the books so to speak. "Gone Tomorrow" (543 pages) by Lee Child. From Goodreads:

"New York City. Two in the morning. A subway car heading uptown. Jack Reacher, plus five other passengers. Four are okay. The fifth isn’t.

In the next few tense seconds Reacher will make a choice--and trigger an electrifying chain of events in this gritty, gripping masterwork of suspense by #1 New York Times bestseller Lee Child.

Susan Mark was the fifth passenger. She had a lonely heart, an estranged son, and a big secret. Reacher, working with a woman cop and a host of shadowy feds, wants to know just how big a hole Susan Mark was in, how many lives had already been twisted before hers, and what danger is looming around him now.

Because a race has begun through the streets of Manhattan in a maze crowded with violent, skilled soldiers on all sides of a shadow war. Susan Mark’s plain little life was critical to dozens of others in Washington, California, Afghanistan . . . from a former Delta Force operator now running for the U.S. Senate, to a beautiful young woman with a fantastic story to tell–and to a host of others who have just one thing in common: They’re all lying to Reacher. A little. A lot. Or maybe just enough to get him killed.

In a novel that slams through one hairpin surprise after another, Lee Child unleashes a thriller that spans three decades and gnaws at the heart of America . . . and for Jack Reacher, a man who trusts no one and likes it that way, it’s a mystery with only one answer–the kind that comes when you finally get face-to-face and look your worst enemy in the eye."

I really enjoyed this novel again by Child for two reasons primarily: the back story dealing with events with the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980's and the setting in Manhattan. Having just been to New York City last summer, there's something really cool about reading about current places you've just visited. The story unraveled and took place primary where I was staying and sightseeing during my stay there. Very cool. If only more novels took place in Oklahoma City!

Highly recommended especially for fans of thrillers. There were a few parts were I was on edge and squeamish too, a rarity for me when reading anything.

Must See TV

2011-12-08T16:07:00.000-06:00

I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of television. Sure my TV is on more often than not when I'm at home but usually it's just background noise while I'm reading or doing something else. There's rarely a show that I absolutely must catch on first airing, thanks mostly to the Internet. Lately I've found myself glued to a few shows, meaning more than one at a time, amazingly enough. I thought I would compose a list of what I'm watching and what I think television has to offer that's good recently. I also need to preface my list by saying that there isn't anything worth watching on the networks, namely ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX. Expanded cable and premium cable offer so much better stories that I've found it impossible to watch anything on the big 4. I mean there's no nudity, cursing, and barely watered down adult themes!

The Walking Dead: I've pretty much given up Sunday Funday lately just to watch the offerings on Sunday night on AMC. That's saying a lot! Though the first half of the second season just ended it still makes my list of what everyone should be watching now. Current episodes can be found and watched online as well as On Demand. The latest slate of episodes were a little uneven especially compared to last season, but it's still one of the best and most unique shows on TV right now. It's a worthy watch for no other reason than to contemplate how people would really react if indeed a zombie apocalypse were to happened. The themes of morality versus survival are heavy this season and it really makes one wonder how they would behave in such a dire environment.

American Horror Story: The only show I've watched religiously on FX. Airing on Wednesday night, the show is the story about a couple and their daughter who move to L.A. and move into the locally famous "murder house." Gruesome death scenes preface each episode from different eras of the nearly 100 year old house where those who have died are doomed to remain on the premises. Exceptional actors and bloody special effects makes American Horror Story a must watch. Though a little over the top, the stories abound with nudity, sex, and violence, all good things! Definitely a mind fuck from week to week but that's what keeps me coming back for more, just to see where the hell the story is going to veer off to.

Hell on Wheels: Another gritty new series by AMC on Sunday nights. It's pretty much the story of the transcontinental construction (say that three times) of our railway system. It's a western that tackles themes of the encroachment of civilization to native areas, political palm greasing, and the complications of the end of the Civil War. I'm still withholding judgement on the show but I'm liking what I see so far. Man I really miss Deadwood!

Top Chef: In its 9th season, Top Chef is still a must watch for me on Bravo on Wednesday nights. The series has lost a little bit of it's spice over the years but it's still a well done series with plenty of drama and culinary contests. It's one of the few shows I tune in to season after season and often even blog about, at least I did until I became so lazy here.

Returning shows I'm most exited about:

A Game of Thrones: One of the, if not the best new show on television. The second season is due to return in April on HBO. I came a little late to the party and had to watch the first season online. I did it in one setting. I'm excited to see if the second season follows the second novel as closely as the first season did the first novel. Absolutely not to be missed. Watch the series online or buy it on DVD if you haven't seen it already. I can't imagine anyone not liking this show, especially fans of the series of novels.

Futurama: Good news everyone! Futurama is back on Comedy Central on Thursday night. Though the show is in hiatus right now you can catch a mix of the older episodes as well as the newer ones on Thursday nights. I'm a bit of a Futurama fanatic. I own all of the original episodes on DVD and if I happen to catch the reruns on TV, I usually stop to watch no matter how many times I've seen them. Though the show is not nearly as funny as when it first aired on FOX a decade ago, it's still better than most crap on TV right now. As the writers and actors seem to be getting back in their groove the quality of the show seems to be getting better and better.

So that's pretty much my list of must see TV right now. I'm sure I've missing some terrific shows but I'm somewhat limited by my lack of viewing hours as well as my limited expanded basic cable set up. What's everyone else watching now? What am I missing?

The Obligatory Countdown to Vegas Post

2011-12-08T11:50:00.000-06:00

Ah the Glitter Gulch, my favorite titty bar in all of Las Vegas. Just kidding.

So it should be an interesting trip this year since I'm only traveling with the Rents (parents). No other friends or family are going this trip. Essentially that means I'll be in lone wolf mode a lot, especially at night.

10 days to go!

Bad Luck and Trouble

2011-12-07T11:23:00.002-06:00

Reports of me abandoning my blog have been exaggerated. In fact I've been without a computer since just before Thanksgiving. My dad has had his in the shop so I loaned my laptop out to him while it was being fixed. I could access the Internet on my phone if necessary but it's not very conducive to blogging. Hopefully I'll be back to some kind of regular schedule now.

In the meantime I read "Bad Luck and Trouble" (473 pages) by Lee Child, another novel in his Jack Reacher series. Yet again, it was a random book in the middle of the series but luckily prior knowledge of the previous novels didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. From Goodreads:

"From a helicopter high above the empty California desert, a man is sent free-falling into the night…. In Chicago, a woman learns that an elite team of ex–army investigators is being hunted down one by one.... And on the streets of Portland, Jack Reacher—soldier, cop, hero—is pulled out of his wandering life by a code that few other people could understand. From the first shocking scenes in Lee Child’s explosive new novel, Jack Reacher is plunged like a knife into the heart of a conspiracy that is killing old friends…and is on its way to something even worse.

A decade postmilitary, Reacher has an ATM card and the clothes on his back—no phone, no ties, and no address. But now a woman from his old unit has done the impossible. From Chicago, Frances Neagley finds Reacher, using a signal only the eight members of their elite team of army investigators would know. She tells him a terrifying story—about the brutal death of a man they both served with. Soon Reacher is reuniting with the survivors of his old team, scrambling to raise the living, bury the dead, and connect the dots in a mystery that is growing darker by the day. The deeper they dig, the more they don’t know: about two other comrades who have suddenly gone missing—and a trail that leads into the neon of Vegas and the darkness of international terrorism.

For now, Reacher can only react. To every sound. Every suspicion. Every scent and every moment. Then Reacher will trust the people he once trusted with his life—and take this thing all the way to the end. Because in a world of bad luck and trouble, when someone targets Jack Reacher and his team, they’d better be ready for what comes right back at them…"

Another excellent novel by Child, an author I just recently started reading thanks solely to my mother, an avid reader of mysteries. The story flies by with the help of excellent writing and an interesting collection of characters that you wouldn't want to find yourself going against. The Reacher character is such a great protagonist, someone who's so loyal he's willing to do what he thinks is right regardless of the boundaries of the law and maybe what some would consider moral. He also has a unique talent for numbers and information that is fascinating to read and clearly shows he's more than an ex-army brute.

Check out any book by Lee Child, I believe every novel he's ever written is centered around the Jack Reacher character. Highly recommended. I'm already into another installment in the series.

Loralei Repost

2011-11-26T12:23:00.001-06:00

A repost from 12-04-08. Today is Loralei's third birthday. If we can get her to put some pants on we'll start the party...

My niece finally gave birth to a bouncy baby girl named Loralei on November 26th. I think most babies are usually on the ugly side especially shortly after birth but this one does seem a little sweet... or so I thought.
Anyone that knows me can tell you I have a very low threshold for children. Sure I like to torment them and terrorize them (just like my ex-boyfriends) but once I'm over them they can go away. I've never wanted kids. Ever. Period. I'm that rare breed of asshole that wants to spend his time and money on himself! That's not to say that I don't love all my nieces and nephews, it just took me 16-18 years to want to "hang" with them for more than an hour at a time.

In a moment of weakness I finally held the baby on her second night in the hospital. Four short hours later that night I was back at home reeling on my bathroom floor puking and shitting at the same time into the wee hours of the night. Coincidence? I think not. What started out that night in my bathroom (the most wretched experience I have EVER experienced) has mellowed into a weeklong offering of achiness, fever, soar throat, stuffy nose, and swollen glands. I felt so bad after work on Sunday I went directly to mom's house for some much needed titty. I returned home Tuesday night. Keep in mind that I'm 35 years old folks!
All kidding aside I think Nick and Casey have done a terrific job and I hope they have a long and wonderful life together as a family. I look forward to torturing "Lo" for many years to come as I still do to Casey, Brandy and her little beast Blaire. One thing's for sure, I won't be holding the baby any time soon just in case she really does have it out for me already!
Oh and in case you're wondering I'm not wearing a wig in the picture above, I'm just six months overdue for some Manicuring as Frank likes to say.

Skyward Sword Impressions

2011-11-22T17:45:00.002-06:00

It's that time of year again! No, not Thanksgiving, it's time for all the great holiday video game releases. I've put in a few hours into the new Legend of Zelda game for the Nintendo Wii, Skyward Sword. Here are some of my initial impressions:

The Good:

Graphically the game takes a little step forward from Twilight Princess. The game stylistically is a combination between Twilight Princess and maybe The Wind Waker. The graphics are a little smoother than the last outing and a little more colorful. Probably the prettiest game on the system thus far but still obviously lagging behind what the PS3 and XBOX 360 can do.

Fully orchestrated music! Finally. This is first Legend of Zelda game that takes advantage of a fully orchestrated score and the update is a very welcome one. I haven't heard too many melodies from previous games yet but the music is a fantastic upgrade. In addition, the game comes with a bonus CD of The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony, containing eight tracks from various games in all their symphonic glory. Very cool.

The controls take advantage of Wii Motion Plus, meaning that every move with the wand is in true 1:1 ratio. Simply put, however you move the controller, your sword follows the exact same movement in the game. Puzzles can be solved and enemies can be defeated in exacting ways depending on how you slice or jab with the controller. Indeed this is a huge jump for the series especially when it comes to combat. Most foes will block your thrusts forcing the gamer to attack in precise and differing ways rather than just rattling the Wii remote back and forth.

The Bad:

The game takes its sweet time getting to the action. There's a very long intro/tutorial to the game that takes about an hour before the true story unfolds. While this to be expected, especially after playing the last two installments in the series, it's still a little frustrating for the eager gamer.

From what I've played so far the game is very linear. The adventure seems to go directly from one place to the next without much open ended exploration left to the gamer. Hopefully this will change as the story moves forward as has been the case with previous Zelda games.

The Ugly:

Initially the difficulty seems to be much higher than previous games. Once I finally made my way to the first boss in the first dungeon I literally died at least a dozen times trying to figure out the best means of success. I consider myself a fairly good gamer yet I found myself cusing quite a bit as my ass was handed to me by a foe or while I scratched my head trying to figure out how to progress. I've also found that hearts are less prevalent in this game meaning that it's worth taking along regenerative items before tackling a new area or dungeon.

Overall a great initial reaction to a series I adore. Better graphics, outstanding music, and precise control makes this a worthy addition to the franchise so far. Best Zelda yet? Of that I'm unsure but I'm ready to devote 60 game hours to find out!

I Need to Keep My Mouth Shut

2011-11-20T16:23:00.002-06:00

Naturally after bragging about Oklahoma State's football team (see the post directly before this one) they traveled to Iowa State and laid an egg, losing in overtime 31-37. After about five minutes of pulling my hair out I got over it. In the grand scheme of things life is far too short to get really worked up over a college football game. After the dust settled Saturday it turns out the Pokes aren't in too bad of shape! They still have a solid chance to win the Big 12, to play in the a BCS bowl, and if a couple of more teams lose, play for a National Championship. Thank you Oklahoma and Oregon for the losses yesterday!

I caught the second half of the OSU game at a bar on Friday night. After the loss, a few Sooner fans began chanting "Boomer Sooner" in the bar. This chapped my ass worse than the game itself. I had the pleasure of explaining to my Sooner friends last night after their loss to Baylor that karma is a bitch...

Finally, one last word about college sports. My friend Amy sent me the following article on my phone Saturday morning:

The details of what happened in between are a blur of tears and anger, sorrow and disbelief.

It had been 355 days since the Cowboys last fell on the gridiron but it had been more than 10 years since this close-knit community has had to deal with a far greater loss.

The tragic deaths of Oklahoma State women’s basketball coaches Kurt Budke and Miranda Serna, as well as two other OSU alums, shook the OSU fan base to its core. Then a 37-31 loss to Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium poured salt in a much deeper wound.

OSU has suffered more than any school should and Friday just didn’t seem fair.

I typically travel to road games but, for whatever reason, I skipped the trip to Iowa.

Instead I found myself in Gallagher-Iba at a press conference that can only be described as surreal. It felt like a bad case of déjà vu as it was announced, yet again, that OSU had lost members of its basketball family in a plane crash.

No matter how trivial it might seem it the wake of tragedy, I found solace in the notion that the football team could provide some sort of quick relief, a minor painkiller for an ache felt throughout Cowboy nation.

Then the unimaginable unfolded in the Iowa plains.

OSU’s offense faltered. The defense stumbled. The special teams failed. And for the first time in nearly a year, a loss was marked on the schedule on the most painful of days for it to occur.

As I sat at my computer struggling to find the words to describe the indescribable events, I decided I needed to see something first hand before it would be possible.

I got in my truck and headed down the road to Stillwater Regional Airport. I needed to see the team land. I needed to see something positive, something important.

What awaited me at the airport was a touching scene that reminded me just how special the people of Oklahoma State truly are.

At 2:45 Saturday morning, the cold wind aimlessly ripped through the gathering of nearly 150 orange-clad faithful who were already frozen from the events of the previous day.

But then in the distance, a noise grew louder. It was the sound of the jet carrying the Cowboys safely back home. It is something we all too often take for granted but will be challenged to overlook again.

As the team exited the plane and approached a gate ill-fitting of the gathering on hand, the singing began.

“Proud and immortal

Bright Shines Your Name

Oklahoma State

We Herald Your Fame

Ever You'll Find Us

Loyal and True

To Our Alma Mater

O-S-U.”

Coach Mike Gundy smiled as he appeared to fight back tears. Todd Monken doled out a few hugs. Several players gave high fives and, amid the overwhelming despair, signs of happiness could be found.

The sound that overtook the howling winds and the insufferable hum of desolation was the sound of cheering, providing a soundtrack to recovery from the loss of a team and the loss of lives before it.

The words of the alma mater took on an entirely new meaning. Loyal and true, indeed.

Sure, the national title hopes were lost amid the throngs of cardinal and gold who stormed the field to celebrate the biggest win in Iowa State football history. But the cold dose of reality from the morning helped to put things in perspective.

Monken described the loss as, “… a hard one to take for a long time.”

Brandon Weeden expressed his regret that they couldn’t deliver a win to assist in the healing process from the crash in the Arkansas hills and called it, “one of the hardest days in Oklahoma State history.”

Monken then added, “It’s one thing to lose early in the year, but it's another to get to this point and see the light at the end of the tunnel. We're 10-1, and I don't know if I've ever been 10-1 and felt so empty."

But that empty feeling preceded the warm arrival that awaited them in the early morning hours. That emptiness found some relief.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe it’s not a title this season, but it was a light nonetheless.

That light was provided by the Cowboy fans at the airport and by those who were there in spirit.

The football team might not have won Friday night but you, dear Cowboy fans, are already winners.

This university, this athletic department and this community will overcome tragedy once again and the reason is you. There was undeniable proof that Oklahoma State will again rise above.

I know I will remember Nov. 18, 2011.

I will remember the pain of losing cherished members of the Cowboy family. I will remember watching OSU’s football championship dreams fade away. But most of all, I will remember how lucky I am to be a Cowboy and to be associated with people like you.

One sign at the airport terminal struck me in particular.

“KB and MS would be proud.”

There is no doubt.

It's always good to keep things in perspective. The artice above can be found here.

Ride 'em Cowboys...

10-0!

2011-11-15T13:15:00.002-06:00

I've been a little hesitant to write anything about Oklahoma State's football team this year as not to jinx them. With only two games left in the season I think I'm ready to do some bragging. With their win over Texas Tech Saturday, OSU moved to 10-0 on the season, the best start in school history, the previous best being 9-0 in 1945. They've also achieved their highest AP, Coaches, and BCS rankings at number 2. How did we get there? See below, the two games in bold is where I needed resuscitation:

Sep 3 Louisiana-Lafayette W 61-34
Sep 8 Arizona W 37-14
Sep 17 at Tulsa W 59-33
Sep 24 at (8) Texas A&M W 30-29
Oct 8 Kansas W 70-28
Oct 15 at (22) Texas W 38-26
Oct 22 at Missouri W 45-24
Oct 29 Baylor W 59-24
Nov 5 (17) Kansas State W 52-45
Nov 12 at Texas Tech W 66-6
Nov 18 at Iowa State 7:00 PM
Dec 3 (5) Oklahoma 7:00 PM

Obviously we should smoke Iowa State on Friday night which really leaves one competitive game left on the schedule, the dreaded Sooners in the annual Bedlam game. What's on the line in the last game of the season? Nothing much, just a chance to play for the National Championship in New Orleans! Also at stake is OSU's first Big 12 crown, a Heisman Trophy for Brandon Weeden, and another Biletnikoff Award for Justin Blackmon. No pressure.

What do the locals think of all this Oklahoma State success?

If it is the end of the world I could go out a happy man with a 12-0 regular season record... Go Pokes!!

Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen

2011-11-15T12:57:00.000-06:00

Really Bravo?

In another unusual twist to the Top Chef cooking competition, Bravo gives us Last Chance Kitchen. The last person eliminated on the show has the chance to cook one final time to stay in the competition. The goal for the losers is to cook every week against the most recent person eliminated for a chance to get back in the contest at the end and compete for the 125,000 dollars!

This being the first week of Last Chance Kitchen we are treated to Andrew and Janine (the last two chefs out in the qualifying rounds) cooking in a best pizza throw down.

Andrew prevails over Janine and wins a chef coat that he will defend against next weeks eliminated contestant.

The online only Last Chance Kitchen footage can be found here.

When I heard about this final, final cut that Top Chef was offering I rolled my eyes but upon watching the video I think I'm kind of down with the concept. At the very least it will potentially give a good chef who was prematurely eliminated the chance to get back in the finale.

Thoughts or comments?

Sexual Orientation Protected in OKC!

2011-11-15T11:46:00.000-06:00

"A measure proposed by Ward 2 Oklahoma City Councilman Ed Shadid that extends employment discrimination protection in city offices to gay people passed Tuesday by a 7-2 vote."

Wow. This is great news for Oklahoma City, or at least for those employed by the city. I don't know if I'm more surprised that the vote was actually held or that the margin was so wide.

I think city leaders are finally starting to realize that in order to compete with bigger cities it's legislation like this that actually helps attract economic development. The state of Oklahoma may still be living in the Dark Ages; however, Oklahoma City itself seems to be making moves in the right direction.

So proud of my city and its council right now!

Link.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - Origins Trailer

2011-11-14T23:14:00.001-06:00

Six more days...

Top Chef: Sweet Sixteen

2011-11-14T12:06:00.000-06:00

I was finally able to catch the second episode of Top Chef: Texas after missing the first run last Wednesday. Luckily Bravo always shows re-runs of all their shows twenty times a week!

This week we conclude the third round of the qualifying challenge as well as the bubble round. In the qualifying round the contestants choose from ten different ingredients on a table with each item having a mystery time for competition which were 20, 40, and 60 minutes. Top Chef always has to put in that little twist.

The bubble round was a little more simple. The chef contestants were asked to just make any dish they wanted with the ingredients in the kitchen. Six chefs were left in the bubble round while only two spots were left on the show. Edward and Grayson were the two last chefs to make it into the competition.

Other observations:

Chaz (mama's boy) sure got a lot of talking time this week. I figured this was a pretty good sign that he would make the cut and be part of the final sixteen but unfortunately he wasn't able to even get his food plated in time. His crush for Padma turned into being crushed by the judges.

I love the line up when everyone is spouting their resumes at their introductions. I was really hoping that one of the contestants would confess to being the day shift team leader at Arby's.

It's cool that Paul made the final cut. He's the food truck guy. I think it will be interesting to have a contestant from a non-traditional food background on the show. Hopefully he'll last.

Speaking of lasting. People who usually never advance very far into this competition, older chefs and private chefs. Case in point this week, Laurent (51) and Jonathan (private chef). I guess Robin did manage to hang around for a while on Top Chef: Las Vegas much to my dismay...

Has anyone ever had ox tail? Just curious. I've eaten a few crazy things in my time but never tail of any land animal.

No Gail this week. Boo. I was going to try really hard to pay attention to her boobs.

Grayson wanted to be a professional drinker at age 15 but went into the restaurant business instead. In my experience the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.

I like how Molly defended herself for being a cruise chef and being just as good as the other chefs in the competition. She was promptly sent home on the bubble round for over cooking her shrimp.

Next on Top Chef: apparently a lot of cooking, a lot of crying, and a lot of mother fucking cussing.

Next chef out: since I still don't have a good feel about everyone I'm going to say either Ed or Grayson simply because they had to cook twice to make it into the competition.

Next week predictions: a more traditional Top Chef episode?

For me next week is when the show really begins. I look forward to getting to know, and hate, the chefs in this competition!

A Feast for Crows

2011-11-13T17:04:00.001-06:00

Once again I return to George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series with the fourth book "A Feast for Crows (1060 pages). From Goodreads:

"After centuries of bitter strife and fatal treachery, the seven powers dividing the land have decimated one another into an uneasy truce. But it's not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters of the Seven Kingdoms gather. Now, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed while surprising faces—some familiar, others only just appearing—emerge from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges of the terrible times ahead. Nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages, are coming together to stake their fortunes...and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests—but only a few are the survivors."

"A Feast for Crows" is actually half of one book that Martin had originally intended to publish but it became so large it was released into two separate novels, the other being the recently released "A Dance with Dragons." What he did was take half of the characters and placed their entire story into one volume while the other half is represented in the next book. I was a little put off initially by this concept but I got over it fairly easily. As with the other books in the series each chapter is written from the perspective of a single character with the action possibly being in different parts of the realm.

I love this series in spite of the mammoth length of each installment. The only other minor nit I might make with "A Feast of Crows" is the slowly evolving story, at least in comparison with the other entries. Highly recommended. Read this series and start with "A Game of Thrones."

The Madness Meme, Part 2

2011-11-13T14:17:00.000-06:00

I thought I would do some Sunday Stealing today while I'm oozing here on the sofa watching my beloved Dallas Cowboys...

Cheers to all of us thieves!

23. Do you ever walk around the house naked?
Sometimes but not very far, maybe to and from the bathroom.

24. If you were an animal what would you be? Why?
Ozzy Osbourne because he's rich.

25. Hair color you like on someone you’re dating?
I'm not particular just as long as it isn't a soulless Ginger.

26. If suffering an injury, would you rather be left blind or deaf?
I think either would be truly tragic but I think I would have to go with being left deaf though I would miss music dearly.

27. Do you have any special talents?
I'm an expert at drunk texting.

28. What do you do as soon as you walk in the house?
Hang up my keys on the wall near my door.

29. Do you like horror or comedy?
I like both, who doesn't?

30. Are you missing anyone?
A couple of people that I don't get to see very often.

31. Where do you want to live when you are old?
Someplace that isn't solidly a "red state" in Presidential elections.

32. Who is the person you can count on the most?
The Rents (parents).

33. If you could date any celebrity past or present, who would it be?
That's a tough one. Maybe Paul Rudd ala the Romeo and Juliet years.

34. What did you dream last night?
Nothing, I was so exhausted that I had a dreamless night.

35. What is your favorite sport to watch?
College football.

36. Are you named after anyone?
My dad and I guess his father before him.

37. What is your favorite alcoholic drink?
I like all kinds of beers from lagers to stouts and everything in between. If it's a mixed drink I like Captain Morgan and Coke.

38. Non alcoholic drink?
I drink water mostly. I hardly drink caffeine anymore but when I do I go with a Dr. Pepper.

39. Have you ever been in love?
A couple of times, it was a waste of time.

40. Do you sing in the shower?
Sometimes. I blast music through the house when I'm showering more times than not.

41. Have you ever been arrested?
I have and I wouldn't recommend it.

42. What is your favorite Holiday?
Arbor Day.

43. Would you ever get plastic surgery?
Maybe a nip and tuck here or there but nothing major.

44. Have you ever caught a fish?
I have. I like to fish but I hardly ever get to do it.

"In God We Trust"

2011-11-04T12:42:00.001-05:00

"In a 396-9 vote, the House of Representatives reaffirmed 'In God We Trust' as the nation's motto on Wednesday. The resolution's Republican sponsor said it would clear up any confusion President Obama created by once referring mistakenly to 'E Pluribus Unum' — a Latin phrase meaning 'out of many, one' — as our motto. ('In God We Trust' replaced 'E Pluribus Unum' in 1956.) Obama mocked Congress for frittering away its day on such a symbolic gesture instead of focusing on creating jobs."

Link.

Does anyone else like "E Pluribus Unum" better? Why was it changed, along with The Pledge of Allegiance, back in the last century? This would be a great springboard into attacking religion again on my part but I think I'm going to take a pass today, anyone who reads this blog already knows my views: if you're a Christian get some help! There are some great psychotropic medications on the market these days...

In other news, the House of Representatives will be holding votes all week to reaffirm the following:

The bald eagle as the nation's symbol. Too bad we didn't go with the turkey, it seems more apropos these days, no?

The Star Spangled Banner as the nation's anthem. However, the House may try to tweak Francis Scott Key's famous poem by adding God somewhere in the patriotic song.

The American Flag. The House will declare that yes indeed the flag has 13 stripes representing the original 13 colonies and 50 stars representing all fifty states. The colors will also be reaffirmed as such: white signifying purity and hope, red standing for courage and sacrifice, and blue representing freedom, truth and justice. Why one of these colors doesn't represent the Christian God was an egregious oversight by our forefathers!

Taking a back seat to the legislation mentioned above will be jobs and the economy. God bless America...

A Lion Among Men (Revisited)

2011-11-03T17:03:00.001-05:00

It's been almost two years to the day that I first read "A Lion Among Men" (309 pages) by Gregory Maguire. In fact tomorrow would be the exact date. My first impressions of the book can be found here. It's amazing that I can remember exactly what I was doing the day I received this book (helping a friend move) but I had forgotten many of the details of the novel. From Goodreads:

"While civil war looms in Oz, a tetchy oracle named Yackle prepares for death. Before her final hour, a figure known as Brrr the Cowardly Lion arrives searching for information about Elphaba Thropp, the Wicked Witch of the West. Abandoned as a cub, his path from infancy is no Yellow Brick Road. In the wake of laws that oppress talking Animals, he avoids a jail sentence by agreeing to serve as a lackey to the warmongering Emperor of Oz.

A Lion Among Men chronicles a battle of wits hastened by the Emerald City's approaching armies. Can those tarnished by infamy escape their sobriquets to claim their own histories, to live honorably within their own skins before they're skinned alive?

Gregory Maguire's new novel is written with the sympathy and power that have made his books contemporary classics."

As with my other readings of any of the "Wicked Years" novels, I find the second time through to be much more enjoyable. Freed of any expectations I can take in the book for what it is. Though fans commonly like this book the least, I now consider it to be just as strong as "Wicked" or "Son of a Witch," an opinion that is new. True, the book moves along at a much slower. What the pace of the story lacks, it makes up for it with answers to questions readers have wondered about since the first novel. And as I've said before it opens up a whole new can of worms to wonder about.

Having re-read the "Wicked Years" saga, I'm very eager to get down to reading "Out of Oz," which was released last Tuesday, the final installment in the series. From what I've read online the last novel should tie up all the loose ends and storylines proposed in the last three volumes.

"The Wizard was revealed as a mere mortal, and a bit of a charlatan at that. As clever with his hands - all those tiktok inventions, those terrifying images he projected - as he was with his diktats and fiats and fatwahs. Oh my."

Top Chef: Texas!

2011-11-03T13:17:00.002-05:00

Dear Top Chef, I really tried to like your Masters edition, All Stars edition, and Just Desserts edition but I just couldn't. Now that we're back to the original format I couldn't be more stoked. Welcome to season nine of Top Chef Texas!

Blogging about Top Chef is always difficult in the first couple of weeks. It takes some time to get to know all of the new contestants. Bravo made things even harder this years starting off with 400 chef contestants. Well not really. Actually they're starting out with 29. After two episodes all of these contestants will be narrowed down to a more traditional number of 16. The first two rounds focused on the first two groups of chefs where they would be rewarded with a chef coat and make the cut to be in the competition, sent home from the competition, or placed on the bubble where they would have to cook yet again for another chance to make the competition. After two rounds we're left with 11 locks for the show and a hand full of cooks left on the bubble. Next week the third group of chefs will compete as well as those left on the bubble. Whew.

Some random musings on the first episode:

Two new celebrity judges join Tom, Padma, and Gail this season, Emeril Lagasse (I can never look at the man again without thinking of Elzar from Futurama) and Hugh Acheson, who is in dire need of an eyebrow specialist. What happend to everyone's favorite sell-out, Anthony Bourdain? Lame.

As soon as chef contestant Tyler Stone opened his mouth in an interview snippet I knew he would be leaving sooner rather than later. They guy was way too cocky not to be sent home early. In fact Tom sent him home before he even had a chance to cook! Note to future contestants: if you can't butcher a pig you probably shouldn't (1) volunteer to do so and (2) be on a cooking competition show.

A couple of chef contestants failed to finish plating their food, costing one a spot in the final 16 and sending another to the bubble round. Have these people not watched an episode of the series before?

According to the opening it appears as though all the cooking competitions will be split between Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin. No love for Houston? And what about my favorite Texas city of all time, Amarillo? A city that's 300 miles long and 1 mile wide...

Is anyone else disappointed that there isn't a contestant named Suck Lord?

I can't remember what Gail was wearing or what her boobies were doing! Hopefully that's not a bad omen of things to come this season!

It looks like Chicago is going to be well represented this season. I eagerly await to see if there's actually anywhere good to eat in Chicago and where those places are located.

Next on Top Chef: more of the same. Two more rounds of potential contestants duking it out for a spot in the final 16.

Next chef(s) out: a ton of them. There are only five spots left in the competition.

Next week predictions: I think it's a little too early for this, let's wait until we have all of our finalists in place.

So far so good with season nine I think. I like the new opening rounds format where the contestants have to cook to get into the competition. The season should be a lot of fun, as you know everything is bigger in Texas (I wonder how often we're going to hear that gem of a line this year?).

Son of a Witch (A Third Time)

2011-10-31T10:40:00.001-05:00

My push to read the Wicked Years books before "Out of Oz" is released tomorrow continues with my third reading of "Son of a Witch" (329 pages) by Gregory Maguire. My first and second impressions of the novel can be found here and here. As with my third reading of "Wicked" I thought I would just relate some quotes I jotted down as I read through the novel:

"The Witch had locked him in the kitchen with Nanny and that jittery Lion. Showing surprising resourcefulness for one so dotty, Nanny had driven the handle of a one-egg iron skillet into the rotten wood of the doorjamb. Getting the idea, Liir and the Lion gouged at the hinges until the door fell heavily inward." In fact this is not how events went down in "Wicked." It was Nanny who had lock Liir and the Lion in the kitchen as the Witch dealt with Dorothy. A false recollection by Liir or a mistake by the author?

"His voice sounded soothing, even hypnotic, but the prisoner crouching against a back wall scooched her bare feet underneath her skirts. Shell's boots drew near until he was standing flush against her. She moaned or whimpered, and her feet curled the farther under her skirts. Mercy was hard to accept, Lirr guessed. Shell's feet rocked from toe to heel, with a comforting rhythm, and his heels began to lift from the floor." Shell, the future Emporor Apostle, bounder of opiates and rape.

"A capacity for interiority in the growing adult is threatened by the temptation to squander that capacity ruthlessly, to revel in hollowness. The syndrome especially plagues anyone who lives behind a mask."

"In Quadling thinking, one plus one doesn't equal a single unit of two. One plus one equals both."

"His other talent, though, was a distillation of memory into something rich and urgent. He guessed, in the hours or years remaining to him, he would remember the effect of Trism clearly, without corruption, as a secret pulse held in a pocket somewhere behind the heart."

"Still smeared with her birth blood, and the watery beginning of her little feces. He took her to the doorway and held her up in the warm rain. She cleaned up green."

Up next, "A Lion Among Men."

There's No Place Like It...

2011-10-26T21:29:00.004-05:00

Chicago Signs

2011-10-20T13:42:00.012-05:00

Resistance is futile!

What happened to the first sixteen?

We call them speed bumps here in Mayberry. A new meaning for a quicky?

Sign over one of the bathrooms at Roscoe's. I couldn't decide if this was my entrance...

Hang With Me

2011-10-19T16:13:00.004-05:00

I haven't posted in a while as I was away on another trip to Chicago. I arrived back in Oklahoma City on Monday apparently bringing back with me the the plague. I've been in bed or on the sofa since. Bummer.

Song of the trip:

Picture of the trip:

I'll post some more once I'm feeling better...

National Coming Out Day

2011-10-11T11:28:00.000-05:00

I'm out! As if there was any confusion to those who read this blog. I hope that anyone struggling to be open about their orientation has the courage to come out to their friends and/or family today; however, if it isn't something they can do right now, I'm down with that too. The only person one has to be true to is himself.

I've lived openly for so long I don't actually remember when it was I came out. I told my parents I was gay and they said "okay" and that was pretty much it. I've never had issues with any of my close friends or family in regards to my orientation. If anyone has had a problem with it they've kept it to themselves which is a wise decision on their part...

Happy Coming Out Day!

Wicked (A Third Time)

2011-10-07T23:28:00.001-05:00

I've set out for the third year in a row to read the Wicked Years by Gregory Maguire, starting of course with "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" (406 pages). I guess I'm ramping up for the fourth and final installment, "Out of Oz," due to hit stores November 1st. My first and second impressions of the novel can be found here and here. Rather than going over ground already covered in previous posts, I thought it would be fun just to list some quotes from the book that came to my attention.

Melena on Frex: "For a man who condemned worldly pleasures he ate with elegance. She loved to watch the arabesque of fingers and two forks. She suspected that beneath his righteous asceticism he possessed a hidden longing for the easy life."

"Perhaps, thought Nanny, little green Elphaba chose her own sex, and her own color, and to hell with her parents."

"'Perhaps our time here is limited,' said Frex, sighing with contentment and clasping his arms behind his head - the typical male response to happiness, thought Melena: to predict its demise."

"Galinda didn't see the verdant world through the glass of the carriage; she saw her own reflection instead. She had the nearsightedness of youth. She reasoned that because she was beautiful she was significant, though what she signified, and to whom, was not clear to her yet."

"Galinda always felt as if she couldn't see the whole picture. It was disconcerting, and to her credit at least Galinda felt inside herself the ripping apart of some valuable fabric - was it integrity? - when she sat in Madame Morrible's parlor and drank the perfect tea."

"I've told you before, I don't comprehend religion, although conviction is a concept I'm beginning to get. In any case, someone with a real religious conviction is, I propose, a religious convict, and deserves locking up."

Elphaba: "'I should say you'll look back on this summer and cringe. She may be lovely, Boq - no, she is lovely, I agree - but you're worth a dozen of her.' At his shocked expression she threw up her hands. 'Not to me! I don't mean me! Please, that stricken look! Spare me!'"

Elphaba: "I love you so much, Fiyero, you just don't understand: Being born with a talent or an inclination for goodness is the aberration."

Fiyero: "He did not approve of anarchy (well, he knew he was in lazy doubt about everything; doubt was much more energy efficient than conviction)."

"'What's your beef?' said the Cow, in a dark humor."

Nessie to Elphaba: "Well, you can have the shoes, my dear - over my dead body."

"The alien girl - she called herself Dorothy - was by virtue of survival elevated to living sainthood. The dog was merely annoying."

"And of the Witch? In the life of a Witch, there is no after, in the ever after of a Witch, there is no happily; in the story of a Witch, there is no afterword. Of that part that is beyond the life story, beyond the story of the life, there is - alas, or perhaps thank mercy - no telling. She was dead, dead and gone, and all that was left of her was the carapace of her reputation for malice."

"And there the wicked old Witch stayed for a good long time."
"And did she ever come out?"
"Not yet."

Again, one of my favorite reads, at least in the past three years. I enjoy it more and take more from the story with each reading.

Red River Shootout

2011-10-07T14:11:00.000-05:00

Fall is in the air and that means it time for the annual Red River Shootout between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas! Being an Oklahoma State fan I really don't have a dog in this hunt but I do get so amused by the trash talking going on all week, especially on Facespace, between Sooner and Longhorn fans. I usually root for the Sooners since Texas is a vile, evil place and the home of George W. Bush. Here is an example of some of the things I've seen on Facespace this week, having predominately Oklahoma and Texas friends:

And my favorite courtesy of my friend Jason:

‎"And I shall de-horn the wicked." Psalm 75:10. BOOMER! SOONER!

Of course we all know who the best is...

Go Pokes!!

Football rivalries, one of the many small things that make life worth living!

Bible Thumping!

2011-10-07T00:19:00.003-05:00

"Chickasha, Okla. -- Chickasha police arrest Justin Farley, who is accused of beating up his wife for not buying a Bible.

According to a police report, Farley punched his wife three times in the head and then choked her for not buying a Bible at a local Walmart store.

Police said Farley's wife claimed her husband likes to buy Bibles and then tear them apart.

Farley faces a domestic abuse charge, police said." (You think?)

Link.

I have no words... Only in Oklahoma!

A Storm of Swords

2011-10-04T19:31:00.001-05:00

I've continued reading George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, just finishing the third installment, "A Storm of Swords" (1177 pages). From the back cover:

"Here is the third volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin’s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

A Storm of Swords

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world....

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...."

So far "A Storm of Swords" is the best in the series as well as the lengthiest. Martin has created a universe that I literally can't put down with so many twists and turns that it's very hard to predict which direction the story or individual characters will take. This is a good thing. Very well written and deeply engrossing. Highly recommended. I can't wait to read "A Feast for Crows!"

Spelling?

2011-09-29T12:39:00.004-05:00

Who says you can't find anything worthwhile on Facespace?

One For the Money Trailer

2011-09-27T21:48:00.006-05:00

I have to admit, it looks pretty good. Hopefully it will be as funny as the first couple of Stephanie Plum books. Thoughts?

Are the Planets Aligning?

2011-09-27T17:56:00.000-05:00

What I've learned lately...

Republicans (as least those who want to be President) believe in three things:

1) If you don't have health insurance, for whatever reason, you should just die instead of being a burden on the tax payer. Or you could do what Ron Paul laughingly suggested, ask for help from your neighbors or the churches!

2) State sponsored executions in this country are an applause line.

3) Being a homosexual member of the armed services is worthy of being booed. I understand that most of the people on stage at the GOP debate probably don't believe this but then again not one of them had the balls to stand up to the terrible behavior displayed by the conservative crowd.

4) Oklahomans were buying this shit at the Fair:

Patti Stanger needs to know when to shut her mouth.

“'The Millionaire Matchmaker'” told a gay male caller he could maintain an open relationship because 'there is no curbing gay men,' she said."

To be honest, in my opinion, I don't think her remarks were too far off the mark but it's probably not something you would want to say on a television show promoting your own show. Again, in my experiences, I haven't known many gay men who have been able to carry on a long term relationship without some form of cheating entering into the equation, my own personal experiences included. Having said that, the influences of gay social life in Oklahoma City probably contribute more heavily to this phenomenon than gay men being unable to commit. I mean probably the biggest form of social interaction for gay men here is in a dank gay bar replete with alcoholics and drug users. Not a good place to hang out with the hubby.

I still, and will always, hate the Washington Redskins. They can't even beat a banged up Cowboys team that has an offensive line with an average age of 12 along with third sting wide outs! I love how Tony Romo went from the goat to the hero in a matter of a couple of weeks. Yes, it's cool to be a Romosexual again. How 'bout them Cowboys?!

Finally I learned that I just can't ride scary carnival rides anymore. I left my sphincter on the ride pictured below:

Darth Vader

2011-09-25T20:12:00.002-05:00

Saw this at Reddit and the geek in me just couldn't help but pay it forward...

That Meme That's Going Around...

2011-09-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

I like these kinds of memes. From Sunday Stealing.

Cheers to all of us thieves!

A. Age: 38.

B. Bed size: Queen.

C. Chore that you hate: Cleaning the bathroom.

D. Dogs: Not anymore. I do like Beagles and Basset hounds.

E. Essential start to your day: Nothing, if we're talking about legal drugs like caffeine.

F. Favorite color: Blue.

G. Gold or Silver: Platinum!

H. Height: 175.26 cm.

I. Instruments you play: Played French Horn and trumpet but it was many, many years ago.

J. Job title: Intake supervisor at the County Morgue.

K. Kids: No thank you.

L. Live: Shiny Toy Guns?

M. Mother's name: Mildred.

N. Nicknames: Dave, Pooh, Pooh Bear, or the Debil.

O. Overnight hospital stays: None.

P. Pet peeve: Religious zealots and social conservatives.

Q. Quote from a movie: "You wear a mask for so long, you forget who you were beneath it."

R. Right or left handed: Right handed.

S. Siblings: Two, a brother and a sister.

T. Time you wake up: Anywhere between 5AM and 3PM.

U. Underwear: Boxer briefs.

V. Vegetable you hate: Not a fan of tomatoes.

W. What makes you run late: My alarm not going off.

X. X-Rays you've had: Chest and foot.

Y. Yummy food that you make: Just made some stew, viva la fall.

Z. Zoo animal Lions, tigers, and bears.

Dear Diary, I Named an Elephant Today...

2011-09-22T12:16:00.000-05:00

From W.T.F Weekly Meme.

1) Next week is my 30th birthday, but I'm boycotting it because I am not ready to leave my 20's behind. What has been the toughest birthday for you so far?
My toughest birthday was 31. The realization had finally sunk in that I was in my 30's! 40 is just around the corner. Yay!

2) In general, what is your favorite ride at an amusement park?
I really don't like amusement park rides. I have visions of flying off the rails on a roller coaster ala Final Destination 3. I'm going to ride some today at the Fair since my niece left me a bunch of tickets she had left over from her trip there.

3) Recently the Oklahoma City Zoo held a contest to name its newest elephant baby. With today (Sept. 22) being Elephant Appreciation Day, what would you name an elephant if you could name one?
Stampy! From a great Simpsons episode when they had a pet elephant. Can anyone even remember when that show was good?

4) On Sept. 22, 1920, the Band-Aid was invented. What is something you wish you could cover up with a Band-Aid?
Sally Kern's mouth?

5) Other than gasoline, what do you frequently purchase at a gas station?
Smokes, Dr. Pepper, and of course Giant Chewy Sweet Tarts.

6) If you had to eat only three different foods for the rest of your life, what would they be?
This is a tough one! Cereal, soup, and some kind of fish course.

7) Today (Sept. 22) is Dear Diary Day. Finish this sentence: "Dear Diary, I wish I knew ..."
I wish I knew back then what I know now...

8) Would you rather have children and make a decent salary or have no kids and make a great salary?
Not a fan of children so I'd have to go with a great salary. Besides can you even afford to raise kids on a "decent salary?"

Troy Davis

2011-09-22T11:02:00.006-05:00

I'm sure everyone has already seen the drama that unfolded last night as Troy Davis' last appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied and he was finally put to death by the state of Georgia.

"Davis was convicted in 1991 of killing MacPhail, who was working as a security guard at the time. MacPhail rushed to the aid of a homeless man who prosecutors said Davis was bashing with a handgun after asking him for a beer. Prosecutors said Davis had a smirk on his face as he shot the officer to death in a Burger King parking lot in Savannah."

Link.

This is third time Davis' execution had been halted since 2007. Apparently the game clock finally ran out on him in spite of seven witnesses from the original trial changing or recanting all or part of their testimony. That's what's so crazy about this whole story. I'm really surprised that the Supreme Court didn't at least grant a new trial. Having said that, I really don't know the complete facts of the crime and trial other than what I've read and seen on television. Maybe the correct man was punished. What if the correct man wasn't?

There's something very wrong, in my opinion, with a country that allows the state to execute people. Talk about the ultimate government intrusion, to take away all that someone is and will ever be. Putting aside that the death penalty has never been a deterrent to crime, I believe that the possibility of killing one innocent man is justification enough to trash the whole system. Alas, America demands an "eye for an eye."

That's my opinion, what's yours?

Devon Tower Tops Out

2011-09-20T19:31:00.001-05:00

I read in The Oklahoman (aka the Daily Disappointment aka the Fishwrap) the other day that the Devon Tower downtown had reached it's maximum height and the company was going to celebrate with something or other at the sight today. To honor the occasion and the changing Oklahoma City skyline I went down to Bricktown this afternoon to get a picture of the building.

Since it towers over all other buildings in the area, it kind of reminds me of this:

Monday Mayhem

2011-09-19T14:36:00.000-05:00

I keep meaning to participate in this meme and I always seem to forget. Not today! Click on the picture below to check out the site.

What's the best way to get rich?
Hard work and dedication! Oh screw that, playing the lottery.

Have you ever eaten anything that you once saw alive?
The only thing that comes to mind would be lobster and oysters.

What creeps you out the most about clowns?
The fact that someone would choose being a clown as a profession.

Tell us your best or favorite garage sale or flea market find.
Nothing. I don't go to garage sales or flea markets. Strike that, I used to go to a flea market here in Oklahoma City when I was 19 that had a bar in the back. I just went to drink because they didn't try to ID me.

Who should get slapped on the wrist today?
I'm not sure about a slap but I sure would like to punch Sally Kern in the face.

What do you need to accomplish this week?
I need to get my dining room prepped so I can paint the walls and woodwork.

What's your best tip for online shopping?
If you can't get free shipping forget about it.

This was pretty random. Can you tell us something really random to end this week's meme with?
My boy Mario is always watching out for me when I'm at my desk.

Sunday Funday Monday VIII

2011-09-19T13:25:00.002-05:00

This picture is from a couple of weeks ago with my friend Cole on the best day of the week, Sunday Funday. I promise my hair usually doesn't look like I'm wearing a toupee!

Self-Made Man

2011-09-18T17:04:00.003-05:00

Another book I found at the bookstore of mom is "Self-Made Man: One Woman's Year Disguised as a Man" (287 pages) by Norah Vincent. Where does she get all these books? From Goodreads:

"Following in the tradition of John Howard Griffin (Black Like Me) and Barbara Ehrenreich (Nickel and Dimed), Norah Vincent absorbed a cultural experience and reported back on what she observed incognito. For more than a year and a half she ventured into the world as Ned, with an ever-present five o'clock shadow, a crew cut, wire-rim glasses, and her own size 111/2 shoes-a perfect disguise that enabled her to observe the world of men as an insider. The result is a sympathetic, shrewd, and thrilling tour de force of immersion journalism that's destined to challenge preconceptions and attract enormous attention.

With her buddies on the bowling league she enjoyed the rough and rewarding embrace of male camaraderie undetectable to an outsider. A stint in a high-octane sales job taught her the gut- wrenching pressures endured by men who would do anything to succeed. She frequented sex clubs, dated women hungry for love but bitter about men, and infiltrated all- male communities as hermetically sealed as a men's therapy group, and even a monastery. Narrated in her utterly captivating prose style and with exquisite insight, humor, empathy, nuance, and at great personal cost, Norah uses her intimate firsthand experience to explore the many remarkable mysteries of gender identity as well as who men are apart from and in relation to women. Far from becoming bitter or outraged, Vincent ended her journey astounded-and exhausted-by the rigid codes and rituals of masculinity. Having gone where no woman (who wasn't an aspiring or actual transsexual) has gone for any significant length of time, let alone eighteen months, Norah Vincent's surprising account is an enthralling reading experience and a revelatory piece of anecdotally based gender analysis that is sure to spark fierce and fascinating conversation."

A very interesting read from an author I knew nothing about just a few days ago. While I find some of Vincent's generalizations about men to be off target at times, she more than makes up with it with a very adept writing style laced with humor, humiliation, and tons of wit. Then again what do I know? Obviously the gay male is a whole other animal from the predominately blue collar dudes she was infiltrating. Recommended.

The Lower 40 Meme, Part Two

2011-09-18T07:00:00.004-05:00

Once again from Sunday Stealing.

21) Have you ever flown a kite?
Now that I think about it I don't think I ever have. Weird.

22) Do you wish on your fallen lashes?
No, I'm not a fourteen year old girl.

23) Do you consider yourself successful?
Success can be defined in a multitude of ways. Not really but I'm working on it.

24) How many people are on your contact list of your cell?
Off the top of my head I think around 50. Just did a purge of unneeded numbers.

25) Have you ever asked for a pony?
Refer to question number 22.

26) Plans for tomorrow?
I'm going to Homo Depot to try and find a texture solution to cover up the 80 year old wallpaper in my house so I can then paint it, sell it, and get the hell out of Dodge. (I'm writing these answers on Friday night for a Sunday morning post).

27) Can you juggle?
I cannot, but thanks for asking.

28) Missing someone now?
Maybe Kim but I'm always missing that hag.

29) When was the last time you told someone "I love you"?
Probably in the last few days to my mom or your mom.

30) And truly meant it?
Yep. Filler question?

31) How often do you drink?
Far too often, but I'm trying to change that.

32) How are you feeling today?
Good! Got around early, went to the Fair, and ate sustenance on a stick!

33) What do you say too much?
Felicia. It's what I call most everyone.

34) Have you ever been suspended or expelled from school?
Nope. I was a good little boy.

35) What are you looking forward to?
Fall along with cooler weather.

36) Have you ever crawled through a window?
A couple of times but nothing devious.

37) Have you ever eaten dog food?
No, I'm not on Medicare yet. Edit: meant to say Social Security!

38) Can you handle the truth?
No. Can anyone, really?

39) Do you like green eggs and ham?
One the one or two occasions I've had it it tasted the same as regular eggs and ham. Ditto with green beer too.

40) Any cool scars?
Not really other than emotional.

New Blogs I'm Reading

2011-09-17T18:02:00.001-05:00

So they're not all new, to me, but I'm adding them to my blog list just the same.

Apple & Mystery Snail Farming - I have not clue how I stumbled on this blog but it's an interesting look at snail farming! It just goes to show you that you can find just about anything on the Internet.

The Electronic Replicant - Another great blog/page on a variety of topics that I found through comments he's made here.

Good as Gay - I think I found this blog through a comments section on another blog. Great writing from a young perspective on a variety of LGBTQIA topics.

The Oxymoron Conundrum - I've known Mr. Happy for a long time now and I've been reading his blog almost since its inception. An interesting mix of topics, some I admit that aren't my cup of tea, but they're always well written and well thought out.

Boomer Sooner

2011-09-17T11:51:00.001-05:00

Usually once or twice a season one of my Sooner friends will invite me along to an OU game in Norman. Inevitably at some point I'll complain about the band playing nothing but "Boomer Sooner," the fight song. They just roll their eyes and disparage me by saying I'm just an Aggie fan (by the way Oklahoma State hasn't been officially called Oklahoma A & M since 1957). Finally after some digging I found a blogger for The Phoenix New Times who gets exactly what I'm talking about. In an article listing the top 10 worst college fight songs, the author ranks the Oklahoma Sooners as second worst and goes on to say:

"On January 2, 2008, I had the misfortune of attending the Fiesta Bowl. Even though I was in a suite with free food and beer, what should have been an awesome evening was marred by this one horrible song. OU lost the game by 20 points, but as many times as we heard this song, you'd have thought they were winning by 50. Every score, every first down, every defensive stop, hell, every single break in the action seemed to inspire OU's band to fire this one up again. And again. And again. Not only do they play the shit out of it, but it's not even their song. They ripped it off from Yale. Finally, the lyrics are just fucking inane. 'Boomer sooner, boomer sooner, boomer sooner, boomer sooner.' Dear God, please make it stop."

To make this posting even better and timely the blogger goes on to anoint Florida State with the worst fight song in America:

"Aside from being vaguely racist, this is, quite simply, the most annoying college football marching band song of all time. It has no lyrics, consisting only of a stereotypical Native American war chant. FSU fans perform the 'tomahawk chop' motion with their arms while chanting, a tradition that was later co-opted by Atlanta Braves fans, much to the dismay of the sports-watching world. Other Indian-themed sports teams have mimicked it as well, but nobody does it as obnoxiously, or with such maddening frequency, as the FSU marching band. They might be the world's largest marching band, but they also have the world's shittiest fight song."

So tonight as everyone is watching the number one ranked Sooners take on the number five ranked Seminoles listen hard through those television sets to arguably a battle of the two worst college fight songs in the land.

"I'm a Sooner born and a Sooner bred. And when I die I'll be a Sooner dead.
Rah, Oklahoma! Rah, Oklahoma! Rah, Oklahoma! O-K-U!"

Lord.

Link.

How to Use the F Word

2011-09-17T09:29:00.000-05:00

I have an affinity for tee shirts, especially when I travel. I don't feel complete unless I come back with something to wear back in Gooberville. A good example would be the Blackhawks shirt I bought in Chicago last October. Am I a hockey fan? Nope but damn if I didn't love the mascot on the tee shirt.

Of course the more offensive the shirt the better. In my last adventure to New York I got a cheesy shirt in Chinatown, in fact one of only two items I brought back with me from the trip (the other was a Super Mario 1UP Mushroom beanie from Mecca, aka The Nintendo World Store at Rockefeller Plaza, which is quite the schnizzle). The shirt was labeled "How to Use the F Word" and listed the following:

1. Dismay - Oh! Fuck it.
2. Aggression - Fuck you.
3. Passive - Fuck me.
4. Command - Go fuck yourself.
5. Incompetence - He's a fuck-up.
6. Laziness - He's a fuck-off.
7. Ignorance - He's a fucking jerk.
8. Trouble - I guess I'm fucked now.
9. Confusion - What the fuck?
10. Despair - Fucked again.
11. Philosophical - Who gives a fuck?
12. Denial - You ain't fucking me.
13. Rebellion - Fuck the world.
14. Annoyance - Don't fuck with me.
15. Encouragement - Keep on fucking.
16. Etiquette - Pass the fucking salt.
17. Fraud - I got fucked by my insurance agent.
18. Difficulty - I can't understand this fucking business.
19. Identification - Who the fuck are you?
20. Ugliness - You're a dumb looking fuck.
21. Agreement - You're fucking right.
22. Benevolence - Don't do me any fucking favors.

I wore the shirt this morning at the butt crack of dawn to meet my dad for coffee at Starbucks. Unfortunately it was covered by my hoodie due to the cooler weather Zeus has bestowed upon us lately. Thus I was unable to offend anyone.

Of course the coolest tee shirt of all time can be found here.

The Great State Fair of Oklahoma 2011

2011-09-17T06:02:00.002-05:00

Just some random thoughts on one of the biggest events to grace Oklahoma City on a yearly basis, the great State Fair of Oklahoma:

I noticed yet again that there was a Confederate flag flying over the Fair. Why?

I went for a more traditional food choice this year to fill my belly, a hot dog on a stick, or more commonly known as a corn dog (I couldn't find the giant ones that Rick Perry and Michelle "bat shit" Bachmann have been seen eating lately). Good stuff though I'm not sure why mom had to have a bite after she had already visited three other food vendors! I don't like to share. I finished off with a fried Snickers later. It was decent but a little too heavily breaded in my opinion and it wasn't even on a stick.

Of course it was raining. I posted on Facespace that I hadn't seen this much rain since the Festival of the Arts, the other big outdoor event in Oklahoma City which seems to usher in biblical deluges. While having a rainy afternoon kept the attendance down and made parking easier, it also meant that I was freezing my ass off running from building to building.

I was on mullet alert red when I entered the Fair but I have to say I don't recall even seeing one. Lame. I did notice that a lot of the "cowboys" roaming around the grounds had their pants tucked inside their boots. As the old joke goes this is normally a sign of a sheep fucker but I think this actually had more to do with the rivers of rain water running down the streets. Can someone more versed in the cowboy arts give me a clarification on this?

I always look forward to seeing the Oklahoma Democratic Party kiosk every year for the morbid pleasure to see what my pathetic excuse for a political party is up to. I found through talking to one of the volunteers that they were no longer allowed to hand out bumper stickers of a political nature as people had apparently used them as a form of graffiti on cars parked at the Fair in years past. Weird. On a more positive note, they did have a bean poll which I found pretty cool. They had a list of political issues in tubes where you could add up to ten beans to any of the issues you care about most. I split my beans evenly to environment, protecting Social Security, and other topics of a liberal nature. I omitted adding a bean to increasing military spending and deficit reduction.

Finally, apparently, what could jokingly be called the Space Needle, is now closed. I was looking forward to an unobstructed view of downtown. Alas it's become extinct much like the monorail only to be left unused as a reminder of what used to be really cool about the Fair experience.

So readers, what's your favorite things about your state fairs? Is it something you take part in yearly?

New Animal Crossing 3DS Trailer!

2011-09-16T21:03:00.000-05:00

Yes I'm a lunatic when it comes to this series of games. Think the SIMS meet Nintendo. I'm patiently waiting to obtain a Nintendo 3DS for this game alone. Looks like there's some interesting additions to the gameplay. Enjoy. Or don't.

You Know You're From Oklahoma If...

2011-09-16T11:25:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting here hoping the rain will subside so I can make a trip to the State Fair and eat something, anything, fried on a stick! You know the State Fair is going on in Oklahoma City because it's fucking raining.

Speaking of "you know" phases, here's another list I found online this morning on how you know you're from Oklahoma. It's a little longer than the other list I posted on this blog as my first post ever.

Though many of the items on this list are indicative of life in Oklahoma, a lot of them could be swapped with another state in the south or Bible Belt.

You know you're from Oklahoma if...

You say ya'll... many times a day.
Bedlam is a BIG deal.
You can tell when it's tornado weather.
When you drive through a neighborhood anyone out walking will smile and wave at you. You've worn flip flops in the winter.
You have stopped to let a family of deer cross the road.
You thought the twister ride at Universal Studios wasn't windy enough.
You know who your neighbors are, how many children they have, and when one of them gets married or graduates.
There are at least 2 to 3 Sonics, McDonald's, and Little Caesar's in your town. You've been off roading - many times.
You or someone you know was born, raised and still lives in the same town.
You know that Miami, Oklahoma and Miami, Florida are pronounced two different ways. You plan events around football games.
You are a Cowboy or Sooner fan.
You learned how to do country and western dances at school.
A tornado warning siren is your signal to go out in the yard and look for a funnel. You can properly pronounce Eufaula, Gotebo, Okemah and Chickasha.
You can remember the name of the last state legislator to introduce a bill involving castration, and he didn't mean farm animals.
You know exactly what calf fries are, and eat them anyway.
You think that people who complain about the wind in other states are sissies.
It doesn't bother you to use an airport named for a man who died in an airplane crash.
You have owned at least one belt buckle bigger than your fist.
A bad traffic jam involves two cars staring each other down at a four-way stop, each determined to be the most polite and let the other go first.
It doesn't seem odd to see the term "chicken fried chicken" on a menu.
You save all your life for your dream vacation, and use it to go to the OU/Texas game.
It doesn't seem peculiar if your sweetie says "I'm going in to town for something" even though you live in town.
You don't turn on the news until 20 minutes past the hour, because that's the only thing you care about anyway.
Your quarterback is hurt and it is the top story on the six o'clock news.
You keep track of the grain and hog futures on the radio.
You don't buy all your vegetables at the grocery store.
You go to the State Fair for your only vacation.
You get up at 5:30 A.M. and go to the coffee shop, where the waitress never asks what you would like. She already knows.
You are on a first name basis with the county sheriff.
You think that using the elevator involves a corn truck.
You can drive 80 mph on a two-lane dirt road with one hand, but driving 45 mph on a four-lane expressway in a city scares you to death.
You use manure on your grass instead of Weed and Feed.
Your nearest neighbor is in the next zip code.
You know the difference between feed corn and sweet corn... while it's still on the stalk.
You wear cowboy boots to church.
You know that everything goes better with Ranch.
You learned how to shoot a gun before you learned how to multiply.
"You wanna Coke?" "Yeah." "What kind?" "Dr. Pepper."
You know what "Orange Power" and "Crimson & Cream" means.
You actually get these jokes and are fixin' to send them on to other friends from Oklahoma.

Anyone out there from another state want to share a similar list?

Bonjour, Girl!

2011-09-12T15:36:00.003-05:00

Orginally saw this the other day at David Dust. Check it out, I laughed so hard I shed a solitary tear...

Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

2011-09-12T13:11:00.001-05:00

I made a quick trip to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum this morning on a whim. Maybe it was because of all the coverage yesterday of the tenth anniversary of 9/11. It's a nice place to visit for somber reflection. I just thought I would share.

The Reflecting Pool that used to be fifth street.

The Field of Empty Chairs. The nine rows of chairs represent the nine stories of the building with each chair in position relative to what floor someone lost their life. The five westernmost chairs honor those who died outside the Murrah Building.

The Survivor Tree. An elm that survived the blast across the street from the Murrah Building.

Sally Kern Needs to Shut the Fuck Up!!

2011-09-09T13:32:00.003-05:00

Lunatic Oklahoma State Representative Sally Kern is at it again:

"You know if you just look at it in practical terms, which has destroyed and ended the life of more people? Terrorism attack here in America or HIV/AIDS? In the last twenty years, fifteen to twenty years, we’ve had maybe three terrorist attacks on our soil with a little over 5,000 people regrettably losing their lives. In the same time frame, there have been hundreds of thousands who have died because of having AIDS. So which one’s the biggest threat? And you know, every day our young people, adults too, but especially our young people, are bombarded at school, in movies, in music, on TV, in the mall, in magazines, they’re bombarded with ‘homosexuality is normal and natural.’ It’s something they have to deal with every day. Fortunately we don’t have to deal with a terrorist attack every day, and that’s what I mean."

Link.

Absolutely disgusting. Her hate speech not only besmirches those who live with or have died from HIV/AIDS but also those who have fallen due to terrorist attacks here and abroad. This on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. She should be ashamed. Yet the good folks of western Oklahoma City and Bethany continue to re-elect this nutbag. Thank Jeebus we have term limits in Oklahoma.

A friend on Facespace commented on this story saying that Kern was a pathetic embarrassment to Oklahoma. She was wrong. She's a pathetic embarrassment to humanity.

Thursday Night Football

2011-09-08T16:39:00.000-05:00

I'm not really a fan of Thursday night college football but I have no choice to watch Oklahoma State take on the Arizona Mildcats. It's actually a pretty nice game and a rematch of last year's bowl game between the two teams. We won the last meeting by the way...

I predict the Pokes win tonight by at least 14.

Any football fans out there?

Pictures from last weeks game in Stillwater. If you look really hard you can see me, I'm the one in orange...

Running Blind

2011-09-07T15:30:00.000-05:00

My next novel from the bookstore of mom is "Running Blind" (486 pages) by Lee Child, an author I've never read before. From Goodreads:

"People say that knowledge is power. The more knowledge, the more power. Suppose you knew the winning numbers in the lottery? What would you do? You would run to the store. You would mark the numbers on the play card. And you would win. Same for the stock market. Same for basketball or the horses or anything. Same for killing people.

Women are dying. Women who have nothing in common except the fact that they once worked for the military. And they knew Jack Reacher. How and why these women are in danger completely baffles the elite FBI team working the case. There is no trace evidence. There are no links between victims. Their bodies have no fatal wounds. And the killer entered their homes and exited again like a summer breeze. Are these perfect crimes? There is only one certainty: there is a new kind of killer out there, one so calm, cautious, and careful that even the brilliant Reacher is left running blind."

An interesting mystery/thriller in spite of it being the fourth in a series of books featuring hero Jack Reacher (my mother always gives me books that are in the middle of some series). This fact didn't deter from me liking the novel though it would have been nice to start at the beginning and know a little more about Reacher's background story. Well written by Child, especially when it comes to dialogue. Mysteries or thrillers are so common place in the market it's hard to find a writer or story that really stands out. Having said that I was very impressed by the conclusion of this novel and how the killer is found. It had me guessing right up to the end. Recommended for fans of the genre and Lee Child.

Fried Bubblegum

2011-09-07T14:03:00.005-05:00

Leave it to the Texas State Fair to come up with the most bizarre food you can fry, again. Justin Martinez, a 30 year-old Arlington, Texas baker, took home the State Fair of Texas's Seventh Annual Big Tex Choice prize for "Most Creative" for fried bubblegum.

Link.

Interestingly, there's no actual gum in the recipe. Martinez created the familiar taste with bubblegum flavored marshmallows that were deep fried, covered in icing and then dusted with powdered sugar.

Disgusting. And I thought last year's fried beer entry was bad enough!

So once again as fair season rears its ugly head, I ask all you foodies out there: what's the weirdest fried food you've ever had on a stick (or not on a stick)?

I'm still waiting for fried weasel...

The 20 Questions of Doom Meme

2011-09-04T13:29:00.000-05:00

As always, courtesy of Sunday Stealing.

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Do you believe in Heaven?
I do not. As I've said many times on this blog I don't suffer from that particular mental illness.

2. Have you ever come close to dying?
Not that I'm aware of, though I did have an interesting experience with a freight elevator once.

3. What jewelery do you wear 24/7?
None. I wear a watch but not 24/7.

4. Would you ever consider having plastic surgery?
Maybe. Botox or something along those lines.

5. What do you wear to bed?
It varies. Usually I fall asleep in my clothes on the sofa. If I actually drag myself to bed I go with a tee and underwear.

6. Have you ever done anything illegal?
Sure. Hasn't everyone?

7. Who was the last person that you touched?
Dann.

8. Where did you eat last?
Mexico Joes yesterday in Stillwater.

9. Besides your own blog, are there any that you routinely read but never comment on?
Yes, often. I lurk around many blogs.

10. Ever been involved with the police?
I've never dated a policeman. Was that the question?

11. Do you talk in your sleep?
I've been told that I do on occasion.

12. Now a celebrity fantasy. Who would you take on a ménage à trois for a dirty weekend?
This is an oddly placed question.

13. Do you feel that you’ve had a truly successful life?
Not really but I'm working on it.

14. Where do you wish you were?
Chicago or New York City.

15. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Never.

16. Is there any type of dancing that you love to do?
I like to two-step and waltz but I don't know if I would characterize it as love.

17. Last gift you received?
I can't remember. Books from my mother maybe.

18. Last sport you played?
Beer pong.

19. Last place you went on holiday?
New York City last month.

20. Current Song?
"Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People.

City on Fire!

2011-09-02T13:26:00.000-05:00

Happy September everyone! Cooler weather, football, and conflagrations.

The drought is certainly taking its toll on Oklahoma as fires rage around the city. The other night I could see big plumes of smoke to the north and the east from my front porch! Luckily living in the ghetto pretty much shelters me from out of control fires.

My friend Timmy made a good point on Facespace the other day about the fires. Why aren't conservatives blaming god's wrath on this latest round of natural disasters in Oklahoma? You know, like they did the earthquakes and hurricane back east. Maybe because Oklahoma bleeds red more than most states and is kooky Christian country. There are more churches in Oklahoma than in all of California. Wrap your head around that.

Besides burning up, here's what's on tap for me this month:

9/3 - Football!!! I'm so starved for sports I just about can't stand it. Sure there's the WNBA and Tennis. I may be gay but I'm still a man! I'm looking forward to good things from Oklahoma State and the Dallas Cowboys this season. (And death to the Sooners!)

9/4 - Arctic Cold Front! Supposedly the hottest summer on record in Oklahoma will come to an end early Sunday morning with a cold front moving through the state. The forecast for the week following the cold front has our highs only in the '80's! Break out the fur coats.

9/5 - Labor Day. Just an excuse to have two Sunday Fundays in a row.

9/9 - Visit Oklahoma City Weekend (TM). My friend Jason from Chicago is visiting me here in the city for the second year in a row. What could possess him to want to come here again is beyond me but I'm excited to see my friend. He'll also have a boyfriend in tow that I believe has never been to Oklahoma. Commence with culture shock.

9/15 - The Great State Fair of Oklahoma opens. Ten days of bad food, scary rides, and people watching like you wouldn't believe! Look for me in line at the fried turd on a stick vendor.

9/25 - OKC AIDS Walk and 5K Run. A great charity and event but why did they move it to September from October? I hope it's not too hot.

So what's everyone else doing of interest this month?

A Clash of Kings

2011-08-31T13:54:00.000-05:00

Someday fall may actually arrive, or at least below 100 degree weather, and I'll be able to leave the house. In the meantime, as always, I've been reading. I took a trip to Barnes and Noble to pick up "A Clash of Kings" (761 pages). It's the follow up to George R. R. Martin's "A Game of Thrones." From Goodreads:

"A Clash of Kings is the follow-up to A Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin's fabulous introduction to a multilayered epic fantasy adventure that marked one of the most auspicious kickoffs in years. For those who enjoy their fantasy big, thick, and complex -- Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series is for you. Fans of Jordan, Brooks, Goodkind, Feist, and high fantasy escapism in general are recommended -- no, commanded -- to flock to this breathtaking series. You'll be doing yourself an immense favor."

I don't know who Jordan, Brooks, Goodkind, and Feist are since I don't really read anything in the fantasy genre but I'm now hooked on Martin's series in spite of the complexity and mammoth lengths of each book.

There's really not a lot I can say since this book is a sequel in a series. The writing is engaging with many characters and plots all working together. I'm definitely going to snag "A Storm of Swords" the next time I hit the book store.

Sizzling Sixteen

2011-08-26T11:37:00.000-05:00

I can't believe Janet Evanovich has written 16 books about Stephanie Plum. I can't believe I've read them all, including the latest entry yesterday, "Sizzling Sixteen" (326 pages). From the back of the book:

"Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a 'lucky' bottle from her Uncle Pip. Problem is, Uncle Pip didn’t specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck....

BAD LUCK:
Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, has run up a gambling debt of $786,000 with mobster Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash can be produced. Nobody else will pay to get Vinnie back, leaving it up to Stephanie, office manager Connie, and file clerk Lula to raise the money if they want to save their jobs.

GOOD LUCK:
Being in the business of tracking down people, Stephanie, Lula, and Connie have an advantage in finding Vinnie. If they can rescue him, it will buy them some time to raise the cash.

BAD LUCK:
Finding a safe place to hide Vinnie turns out to be harder than raising $786,000. Vinnie’s messing up local stoner Walter 'Moon Man' Dunphy's vibe, running up pay-per-view porn charges in security expert Ranger’s apartment, and making Stephanie question genetics.

GOOD LUCK:
Between a bonds office yard sale that has the entire Burg turning out, Mooner’s Hobbit-Con charity event, and Uncle Pip’s mysterious bottle, they just might raise enough money to save Vinnie and the business from ruin.

BAD LUCK:
Saving Vincent Plum Bail Bonds means Stephanie can keep being a bounty hunter. In Trenton, this involves hunting down a man wanted for polygamy, a Turnpike toilet paper bandit, and a drug dealer with a pet alligator named Mr. Jingles.

GOOD LUCK:
The job of bounty hunter comes with perks in the guise of Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, and the dark and dangerous, Ranger. With any luck at all, Uncle Pip’s lucky bottle will have Stephanie getting lucky---the only question is . . . with whom?

Sizzling Sixteen . . . so hot, the pages might spontaneously combust!"

One word review of the latest books in the Stephanie Plum series: meh. "Sizzling Sixteen" was better than "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" but that isn't saying much. I really enjoy the characters of this series and the overall premise of the books but unfortunately after sixteen installments there has been zero growth. Stephanie gets a new case or two and bumbles her way around while flirting with Joe or Ranger. Exchange plot lines every novel and that's pretty much all you have. The first few novels in the series were really fantastic but unfortunately the formula has grown stale over the course of many, many books.

I'll continue to read each new entry yearly, at least they're always good for a chuckle. Recommended for fans of Janet Evanovich and the Stephanie Plum series.

Orange Power!!

2011-08-24T16:29:00.003-05:00

10. More. Days.

I know the video is a little cheesey but I'm so pumped about the 2011 college football season. I just found out I have tickets to the first game of the season! Commence foaming at the mouth...

Go Pokes!!

Thunderstruck

2011-08-22T17:04:00.000-05:00

With the conclusion of "Thunderstruck" (463 pages) I have read everything Erik Larson has written, so far. From the book's cover:

"A true story of love, murder, and the end of the world’s 'great hush.'

In Thunderstruck, Erik Larson tells the interwoven stories of two men — Hawley Crippen, a very unlikely murderer, and Guglielmo Marconi, the obsessive creator of a seemingly supernatural means of communication — whose lives intersect during one of the greatest criminal chases of all time.

Set in Edwardian London and on the stormy coasts of Cornwall, Cape Cod, and Nova Scotia, Thunderstruck evokes the dynamism of those years when great shipping companies competed to build the biggest, fastest ocean liners, scientific advances dazzled the public with visions of a world transformed, and the rich outdid one another with ostentatious displays of wealth. Against this background, Marconi races against incredible odds and relentless skepticism to perfect his invention: the wireless, a prime catalyst for the emergence of the world we know today. Meanwhile, Crippen, 'the kindest of men,' nearly commits the perfect crime.

With his superb narrative skills, Erik Larson guides these parallel narratives toward a relentlessly suspenseful meeting on the waters of the North Atlantic. Along the way, he tells of a sad and tragic love affair that was described on the front pages of newspapers around the world, a chief inspector who found himself strangely sympathetic to the killer and his lover, and a driven and compelling inventor who transformed the way we communicate. Thunderstruck presents a vibrant portrait of an era of séances, science, and fog, inhabited by inventors, magicians, and Scotland Yard detectives, all presided over by the amiable and fun-loving Edward VII as the world slid inevitably toward the first great war of the twentieth century. Gripping from the first page, and rich with fascinating detail about the time, the people, and the new inventions that connect and divide us, Thunderstruck is splendid narrative history from a master of the form."

Another great read by Larson, though my least favorite of in a collection of great stories. Like "The Devil in the White City" Larson takes two seemingly different stories and shows how they intersect in history. Brilliant and a pleasure to read as always. I don't think there's another author in the world that could coax me in to reading anything about Guglielmo Marconi, despite the visionary he might have been.

The work of non-fiction is fast paced and full of Larson's wonderful ability to retell historic events as though it was a work of fiction. Highly recommended as with all his other books. Not to be missed.

The Heaven Eleven Meme

2011-08-20T13:53:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I participated in Sunday Stealing so I thought I would get an early start and post my answers today. I know my blog is slowly dieing but I'm just not feeling it lately. It seems that Facespace has been a better venue lately to be snarly. That and I'm still shell shocked to be back in the south...

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. If you could live in any other time period, which would you pick?
Between the two great wars, the 1920's, either in America or Europe. I'm fascinated by this time in history.

2. What is your favorite topic to write on your blog other than a meme?
Nothing really, I just write about what interests me at any particular time. If I had a theme it would be more empty than it already is around here.

3. What are some traits that you admire in a lover?
I like eyes and smiles and also someone who is clean.

4. Could you adjust to life in another country?
Absolutely, especially in Europe. I'd totally settle in Berlin if I had the money to move there.

5. If you could study anything, what would it be?
Quantum physics.

6. What is your favorite possession that cost less than $15?
I'm quite fond of my Oklahoma State iPhone protector that has Pistol Pete on it.

7. Which color do you wear most often?
Off the top of my head I would have to say blue.

8. What has been your “theme song”, or favorite song this summer?
"Hello," "Just Can't Get Enough," or "Take Over Control." All these songs remind me of time in Chicago or Louisiana this summer.

9. What's the most romantic thing that's ever been said to you?
Nothing. A close second would be "who is this?"

10. What would be your dream birthday cake?
I'm not a big fan of cake especially from bakeries, usually they're shitty. My mom makes a pretty decent strawberry cake though.

11. What is the coolest thing you’ve ever done?
That's a tough question. Traveling is the coolest thing I can think of off the top of my head. I was an exchange student in German when I was 17, that probably counts as travel.

A Game of Thrones

2011-08-19T12:30:00.000-05:00

I finally had to see what all the hype was involving George R. R. Martin's "A Game of Thrones" (694 pages). From the cover of the book:

"Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones."

I really wanted to like this novel more than what was given me. I plugged through a bunch of different chapters centered around a multitude of characters. So many characters in fact it was hard to keep everyone straight initially. Finally after about 500 pages into this tome everything started to click and the action began to pick up speed. By the end of the first part of this series I was thirsty for the story to continue and naturally it ended on a cliff hanger. Now that I'm somewhat sucked in I guess I'll need to buy the next novel.

A friend of mine described "A Game of Thrones" as "Lord of the Rings" with tits. I'm not sure I would go that far. There is some gratuitous sex sprinkled throughout the novel but nothing too extreme. I enjoyed Martin's writing style for the most part and give him credit for creating an engrossing world with a ton of characters and cultures. As a book to set up a series I think "A Game of Thrones" mostly succeeds but damn if it doesn't take its time getting on with it! Recommended especially for fans of fantasy which admittedly I'm not.

After reading the "A Game of Thrones" I watched the first season of the HBO series of the same name online. It's a great treatment to the novel, following it very closely. Violence, sex, and nudity abounds. All good stuff...

Fancy a Ride to Coober Pedy?

2011-08-09T13:08:00.001-05:00

Well I'm back in in Oklahoma, boo. I guess I should post some of my adventures in New York City. I was lucky enough to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Musical on Saturday night. It was fantastic, probably my favorite now just edging out Wicked.

For those of you unaware, the musical is based on the movie of the same name starring Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, and Terence Stamp. The plot chronicles the three drag queens on their journey through the Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs in their bus named Priscilla. It's a fun and often touching movie that should not be missed.

The musical followed the plot of the movie very well incorporating 80's songs into the mix. The performances were all very strong and the set design very well done especially the bus which moved all over the stage and even opened up for an interior view. On a slightly disappointing note the role of Felicia normally portrayed by Nick Adams was replaced by his understudy Bryan West. West was still outstanding in the show and my favorite member, not to mention cute with an unbelievable butt!

If you're in New York City in the near future see this musical!

"I hereby christen this budget Barbie camper van, Priscilla Queen of the desert!"

Check!

2011-08-03T15:28:00.001-05:00

Laundry done and bags packed. Check.

Book and iPod for the plane. Check.

Bath house membership in my wallet. Check.

I'm ready to go to New York City!!

I'm totally kidding, I'm not taking a book on the plane...

I have no clue what to expect from the Big Apple as I've never been to New York City before. The only firm plans I have are to see my friend Lindsey, to see "Wicked" and "Priscilla Queen of the Desert," and to eat at "Craft." Other than that the sky's the limit!

Everyone have a wonderful week, see you on the flip side...

Screw This: Fire and Brimestone Edition!

2011-07-29T13:00:00.000-05:00

One of the favorite past times of any self respecting Oklahoman is bitching about the weather. We're like the Goldilocks of America. It's too hot, it's too cold, it's too windy, we need rain! As of right now it's too fucking hot. The graph above is one of the more conservative estimates I've seen around the local web sites. Some forecasts say we could hit highs between 108 and 110 next week. My yard is completely dead, did I mention we're in a drought as well?

The sign from Moore Liquor Marquee isn't too far from the truth. Check out their Facespace page for more of their marquee shenanigans. They seem to have a comment on everything under the sun especially fighting the Christians of south Oklahoma City (my favorite).

Fortunately I'm going to miss some of this dreadful heat as I'll be heading east next week to relax on a little island called Manhattan!

Approaching the weather in a glass is half full kind of way, today is supposed to be the hottest average day in Oklahoma. From this point, as an average, the weather will slowly cool down as we march toward spring. Something to look forward to, no?

The Short History of a Prince

2011-07-28T23:06:00.001-05:00

I was beginning to wonder if I would hit fifty books this year but at the rate I'm going I should be able to catch up. Next on my reading list via the bookshelf of mom was "The Short History of a Prince" (349 pages)by Jane Hamilton. From Goodreads:

"As a teenager in Oak Ridge, Illinois, Walter McCloud is desperate for adventure, hoping for love and success as a dancer. 'If life for Walter was composed in part of confusion, shame and deception, the ballet was order, dignity and forthright beauty.' In 1995, at 38, nothing has turned out as he had expected. Having spent years working in a dollhouse shop in New York and engaging in that city's ready sexual excitement, Walter finally returns to his Midwestern roots, accepting a teaching job in Otten, Wisconsin--a place that might have little to recommend it save its proximity to his family's summer home. ('It had taken Walter several years to admit to himself that he couldn't go on indefinitely selling Lilliputian Coke bottles and microscopic toilet-roll dowels.') In this new community, he will have to keep his head down, a stance that has long suited him, because he prefers to hold one memory of lost intimacy and perfection in high, private relief.

Walter's exile, or new start, allows memory to come to the fore, particularly that painful year in which his brother was dying of Hodgkin's and he and his fellow dancers were dying for experience. Jane Hamilton explores the distance between desire and reality, satisfaction and secrecy, irresistibly alternating between past and present. At first, we can't wait for Walter to break through, and it's tempting to race through her prince's history--one which is, happily, not that short. But to do so would be to miss out on Hamilton's fine major and minor characters and her exploration of competition, complicity, and silence. At one point, Walter fears that his pupils have 'no clue that there was pleasure to be found in observing character. They seemed to be afraid to look around themselves and find a world every bit as amusing, ridiculous and unjust as Dickens's London...' Hamilton's readers, however, will find this pleasure in abundance."

Hamilton's novel is a nice little story about family and loss and one's perception of failure. As the book's dust cover states: "With compassion and humor, and alternating between Walter's adolescent and adult voices, the novel tells of Walter's heartbreak as he realizes that his passion cannot make up for the innate talent that he lacks." What I really like among all the grief and reflections of the past is the revelation by Walter that maybe one can be happy with simply a place to live, a boyfriend, and a dog.

I've read through some other reviews that this novel requires some "heavy lifting" by the reader. I didn't find this to be the case. Hamilton's style is full of detail and rich characters but I think this enhances the simple story of Walter McCloud and two years in his life from two different decades. I also appreciated that many parts of the story took place in Chicago. How can this be bad thing? Recommended.

In the Garden of Beasts

2011-07-26T15:48:00.001-05:00

My reading of Erik Larson continues with his newly published work of non-fiction, "In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin" (448 pages). From the author's web page:

"With this new book, I invite you to journey to Berlin during Hitler’s first year in power, 1933, in the company of a real-life father and daughter from Chicago who suddenly found themselves transported to the heart of the city. They had no conception of the harrowing days that lay ahead. At the time, nothing was certain—Hitler did not yet possess absolute power, and few outsiders expected his government to survive. The family encountered a city suffused with energy and optimism, with some of the most striking, avant-garde buildings in the world. Its theaters, concert halls, and cafés were jammed; the streets teemed with well-dressed attractive people. But my two protagonists were about to begin an education that would change them forever, with ultimately tragic consequences.

The father was William E. Dodd, a mild-mannered professor who, much to his surprise and everyone else’s, was picked by President Roosevelt to be America’s first ambassador to Nazi Germany. His daughter, Martha, was 24 years old, and chose to come along for the adventure, and to escape a dead marriage to a New York banker. They and the rest of their family settled in a grand old house on the city’s central park, the Tiergarten—in literal translation, the Garden of Beasts.

Dodd expected to encounter the same warm citizenry he had known three decades earlier while a graduate student in Leipzig; he hoped to use reason and quiet persuasion to temper Hitler’s government. Martha found the 'New Germany' utterly enthralling, totally unlike the horrific realm depicted in newspapers back home. For her, as for many other foreign visitors at the time, the transformation of Germany was thrilling and not at all frightening. Not yet.

As that first year unfolded they experienced days full of energy, intrigue, and romance—and, ultimately, terror, on a scale they could never have imagined. Their experience tells volumes about why the world took so long to recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler."

Another wonderful effort by Larson to take another point in history, this time a year in Berlin, and transform it into an edge of your seat work of non-fiction. The book chronicles Ambassador Dodd's family in their first year in Nazi Germany, as told mostly through the eyes of Ambassador Dodd and his daughter Martha. The narratives combines notes, diaries, and diplomatic cables that all combine in an engrossing story of the truly horrific rise of Hitler's power. One has to wonder how Germany could be transformed so easily with the German people and the diplomatic world at large doing little or nothing to protest.

Again, another well written and meticulous account by Larson. Highly recommended for fans of the author or the subject matter. Read this book!

One for the Money Casting

2011-07-26T13:00:00.002-05:00

The most popular post in my entire blog at least since late 2009 has been One for the Money: The Movie. Since this is the case I thought an update to the movie based on the best selling Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich was in order. The series has generated 17 novels so far, I'm a little behind having stopped at 15 last year.

A quick search at IMDb produced a list of the full cast:

Katherine Heigl ... Stephanie Plum
John Leguizamo ... Jimmy Alpha
Daniel Sunjata ... Ranger
Jason O'Mara ... Joe Morelli
Debbie Reynolds ... Grandma Mazur
Patrick Fischler ... Vinnie Plum
Sherri Shepherd ... Lula
Leonardo Nam ... John Cho
Nate Mooney ... Eddie Gazarra
Ana Reeder ... Connie
Gavin-Keith Umeh ... Benito Ramirez
Adam Paul ... Bernie Kuntz
Brenna Roth ... Sara
Danny Mastrogiorgio ... Lenny
Michael Laurence ... Lonnie Dodd

While I'm not exactly thrilled by the casting I'll reserve judgement until January 27th, 2012 when the movie is released.

I think Debbie Reynolds is actually a pretty good choice to play Grandma Mazur but I was really hoping for Betty White.

What do all of you Stephanie Plum fans out there think?

The Twenty-Fiver Meme

2011-07-24T13:49:00.002-05:00

Happy Sunday everyone! I just returned from "Captain America" with the Rents (parents). It's surprisingly good, so check it out. Now on to today's Sunday Stealing...

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Tell us about something that made you laugh last night.
Futurama. I was watching the third season on DVD last night.

2. What were you doing at 8 PM last night?
Oozing on the sofa watching show from question number 1.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Driving the Rents home from the theatre.

4. What happened to you in 2006? (Feel free to republish an old post from '06.)
I went to Mexico with Shimmy. Check it out.

5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
"Bye Felicia."

6. How many beverages did you have today?
I had a soda at the theatre.

7. What color is your hairbrush?
I haven't used a brush or comb in many, many years.

8. What was the last thing you paid for?
Bought a pack of smokes this morning.

9. Where were you last night?
At the house all night.

10. What color is your front door?
Red. Gotta live the feng shui.

11. Where do you keep your change?
In a beer growler on the floor next to my desk.

12. What’s the weather like today?
It's supposed to get up to 105 today. I'm so over summer. I haven't had to mow at all in the month of July.

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor?
Double chocolate from Baskin Robbins!

14. What excites you?
The prospect of moving.

15. Do you want to cut your hair?
Not quite, it hasn't hit the ears yet.

16. Are you over the age of 35?
I am amazingly! 38 and counting.

17. Do you talk a lot?
Not really.

18. Do you watch Franklin and Bash?
I have no clue what this reference is.

19. Do you know anyone named Steven?
Not anyone in the inner circle.

20. Do you make up your own words?
Yeah, usually a combination of curse words.

21. Are you a jealous person?
Not usually.

22. What does the last text message you received say?
A post from Amy telling me I should go after someone newly single that I don't know.

23. Where’s the next place you’re going to?
New York City baby! Just over a week to go!

24. Who’s the rudest person in your life?
Probably my friend Brucifer, but in a good way.

25. Are you crushing on anyone that you shouldn't be?
Not at the moment, enjoying my solitude.

Isaac's Storm

2011-07-20T23:57:00.001-05:00

Does anyone know the greatest natural disaster in American history? I do now after reading "Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History" (323 pages) by Erik Larson. From the back of the book:

"September 8, 1900, began innocently in the seaside town of Galveston, Texas. Even Isaac Cline, resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau, failed to grasp the true meaning of the strange deep-sea swells and peculiar winds that greeted the city that morning. Mere hours later, Galveston found itself submerged by a monster hurricane that completely destroyed the town and killed over 6,000 people in what remains the greatest natural disaster in American history - and Isaac Cline found himself victim of a devastating personal tragedy.

Using Cline's own telegrams, letters, and reports, the testimony of scores of survivors, and our latest understanding of the science of hurricanes, Erik Larson builds a chronicle of one man's heroic struggle and fatal miscalculation in the face of a storm of unimaginable magnitude. Thrilling, powerful, and unrelentingly suspenseful, Isaac's Storm is the story of what can happen human arrogance meets the uncontrollable force of nature."

Not normally a subject matter I would be interested in reading, "Isaac's Storm" drew me in for one reason: Erik Larson. After reading "The Devil in the White City" last year by Larson, I would be willing to read anything he writes on any subject. "Issac's Storm" doesn't disappoint on every level a story can be measured. It has Larson's addictive style and foreshadowing that literally kept me on edge throughout the reading, which I pretty much did in one sitting tonight. The accounts and historical record that the author takes and combines into a story that reads like a fictional thriller is superb. Highly readable and emotional, this isn't a dusty work of non-fiction of the events of a period of time in 1900. I don't think I'll ever be able to shake the description of the 90 nuns and orphans who died in an attempt not to lose anyone by tying each other to ropes as the flood waters were rising in the orphanage... The story is a study of disaster and loss, the technology at the time, and man's hubris all rolled into one.

Highly recommended, one of the best books I've read so far this year. Get up now from your computer, quit your job, abandon the kids and go to a bookstore and buy this book or download it online. It's that good.

Thanks for the book Dann!

Angela's Ashes

2011-07-20T10:34:00.001-05:00

Amazingly I still haven't had to purchase a book since the death of Borders here in Oklahoma City. I continue to visit the bookstore of mom. Where does she get all these books? My latest theft is "Angela's Ashes" (364 pages) by Frank McCourt. From the book's jacket:

"'When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.'

So begins the luminous memoir of Frank McCourt, born in Depression-era Brooklyn to recent Irish immigrants and raised in the slums of Limerick, Ireland. Frank's mother, Angela, has no money to feed the children since Frank's father, Malachy, rarely works, and when he does he drinks his wages. Yet Malachy does nurture in Frank an appetite for the one thing he can provide: a story.

Perhaps it is a story that accounts for Frank's survival. Wearing rags for diapers, begging a pig's head for Christmas dinner, and searching the pubs for his father, Frank endures poverty, near-starvation and the casual cruelty of relatives and neighbors yet lives to tell his tale with eloquence, exuberance and remarkable forgiveness."

"Angela's Ashes" has to be one of the most depressing books I've ever read. Following McCourt's childhood journey of poverty from Brooklyn to Ireland and back to America in the 1930's and 40's is truly an ordeal and sometimes hard to read. Having said that, "Angela's Ashes" is also one of the funniest books I've read as well. McCourt presents several of his memories as a confused child unsure what's going on and slowly the stories evolve along with his age and maturity.

There's not really a whole more I can say about a memoir. Essentially we are taken on a journey through McCourt's childhood where he suffers through extreme poverty, the Catholic Church, and an extended family with sometimes less than good intentions. The author's wit and charm makes this tale of woe a more positive experience. Highly recommended.

If I hear the term "Jesus, Mary, and the Holy Joseph" one more time I might convert to Catholicism!

Eating Ramen Noodles and Starbursts While in Witness Protection

2011-07-20T07:03:00.000-05:00

From WTF Weekly Meme:

1) If you had to go into the witness protection program and were given the chance to chose your new name, what would you pick for your name?

Rollo Tomasi. Bonus points to anyone who knows what that's from without looking it up.

2) In many books there are random blank pages, sometimes right after the credits page or between chapters. Sometimes the pages say "This page is intentionally left blank." Why do you think they feel the need to say that, and is it really "blank" if that is printed on it?

Your guess is as good as mine. Here's what Wikipedia said about it. I like the idea of "rest for the restless mind."

3) The makers of Starburst candies has based its current ad campaign around the idea of contradictions (They're solid but juicy like a liquid). In what way or ways is your life a contradiction?

I'm like those Sour Patch Kids candy, except first I'm sweet and then I'm sour.

4) July 20 is "Ugly Truck Day." Who seriously comes up with these things? What is the ugliest type of vehicle?

I dislike most Dodge vehicles because they are ugly. Who came up with that half car half station wagon monstrosity?

5) People who drive pickup trucks and own dogs often drive around with their dogs roaming around loose in the bed of the truck. Do you think this practice is okay or is it wrong in a PETA type of way?

I'm not sure. Living in Oklahoma you see more of this than you think. I'm not sure what to think about it. A dog can be killed just as easily in the cab as in the back of the truck.

6) Borders announced this week that it will close the rest of its 399 stores after a bankruptcy earlier this year and closing many stores already. With the invention of electronic book readers and e-books, do you think the print book industry is totally dying or do you think there will always be people who prefer to read books on paper?

I'm one of those people who prefer to hold a real book, even better if it's a hard cover copy over a paperback. Borders closed down here some time ago and I was devastated as it was my favorite place to purchase books. I'm sad to see the chain close completely. From here on out I'm buying local I guess.

7) Have you ever thought you saw the face of the Virgin Mary or Jesus or some other religious figure in an inanimate object?

No but I'm not a crazy person.

8) I heard a local radio talk show discuss ramen noodles in depth last week. A woman called in saying she made spaghetti with ramen noodles, tomato soup, and Italian seasoning. Do you have any good (or just interesting) recipes that use ramen noodles?

Who doesn't love Ramen noodles? If you dislike them you're a Communist! I eat them occasionally and I only prepare them by the instructions on the back.

9) What do you think is the most repulsive form of music?

There are certainly forms of music I dislike but I don't think I would characterize it as repulsive. Even some forms of rap and bullshit country bumpkin red neck music does have some artistic talent somewhere.

10) When I was a kid and all my classmates were at summer camps, I was always stuck at home because my parents couldn't afford to send me off to camp. Were you one of the lucky kids who got to go to a summer camp of some sort?

The only camp besides band camp I ever attended was a Baptist bible camp one year. I had a Coors sleeping bag they wouldn't allow me to bring and all these many years later I'm disgusted by that action. My dad worked for a Coors distributor my entire life. This is what fed and clothed me! I should've went to a Catholic camp!

Burnt and Home

2011-07-19T11:22:00.001-05:00

How sad my life is that even returning from a weekend trip to eastern Oklahoma makes me a little depressed. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to live there with all the toothless folk, I just loathe Oklahoma City the more I travel.

Okay, enough whining.

My favorite quotes from the float trip that I happened to save on my iPhone:

Floyd: "I've had my tongue up your ass so don't act like you don't know me!"

Matt: "Dann thought he sharted but he didn't."

Matt: "Never trust a fart over 30."

Flyod: "Allegedly."

Unknown but I think Russell: "I went to vodka, I mean vacation bible school."

I had a really great time with a fun group for the most part. There were some lesbians with sticks up there ass next door to us and a couple incidents with some homophobes but nothing too dramatic went down. The paramedics only had to come to our bunkhouse once! Yeah, were that group.

I look forward to doing the trip again next year, if not sooner. Only next time I'll be sleeping in a better cabin/bunkhouse.

Edit: thought I should add one with me in it:

Tahlequah Bound!

2011-07-15T11:50:00.004-05:00

Heading to eastern Oklahoma to float the Illinois river this weekend with a couple hundred of my closest friends! Well I'll know a dozen anyways. Que the banjo music...

Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

Divine Justice

2011-07-13T21:15:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to Dave's World book club! Is everyone keeping up with their required book a day reading? I certainly hope not, otherwise you'll be as pathetic as I am holed up at home. Fortunately I'm on the mend. Unfortunately I think my antibiotic are making me sick. I just can't catch a break. So between eating and sleeping I've been reading a lot. The latest entry is "Divine Justice" (523 pages) by David Baldacci, the fourth book in the Camel Club series. From the author's web page (is web page one or two words? I never can seem to get that right...):

"Oliver Stone and the Camel Club return in David Baldacci's most surprising thriller yet... DIVINE JUSTICE.

Known by his alias, 'Oliver Stone,' John Carr is the most wanted man in America. With two pulls of the trigger, the men who destroyed Stone’s life and kept him in the shadows were finally silenced.

But his freedom comes at a steep price: The assassinations he carried out prompts the highest levels of the U. S. government to unleash a massive manhunt. Behind the scenes, master spy Macklin Hayes is playing a very personal game of cat and mouse. He, more than anyone else, wants Stone dead.

With their friend and unofficial leader in hiding, the members of the Camel Club risk everything to save him. Now, as the hunters close in, Stone’s flight from the demons of his past will take him from the power corridors of Washington, D.C., to the small, isolated coal-mining town of Divine, Virginia—and into a world every bit as bloody and lethal as the one he left behind."

"Divine Justice" I think brings to a close the storylines which were established and continued in "The Collectors" and "Stone Cold." I really enjoy this series of stories but I'm definitely ready for a change and luckily I'm all out of Camel Club books. You know the saying about too much of a good thing.

Another fantastic read by Baldacci with his oddball assortment of characters only this time the group is coming to the aid of their leader, the mysterious Oliver Stone. For a change most of the action in the novel takes place in a rural destination in western Virgina. A nice and needed change I think.

If you're a thriller or political intrigue fan, the Camel Club series is not to be missed. Recommended. Again one should start with the first book in the series, the Camel Club, to catch everything that has happened thus far.

I have three books queued and ready to go. Where to begin? A Gothic novel? Irish poverty? Maybe a story about a boy who wants to be a ballerina...

Stone Cold

2011-07-12T21:07:00.001-05:00

My reading convalescence continues with "Stone Cold" (511 pages) by David Baldacci, the third book in the Camel Club series. From the author's web site:

"Oliver Stone, the leader of the mysterious group that calls itself the Camel Club, is both feared and respected by those who've crossed his path. Keeping a vigilant watch over our leaders in Washington, D.C., the Camel Club has won over some allies, but it has also earned formidable enemies - including those in power who will do anything to prevent Stone and his friends from uncovering the hidden, secret work of the government.

Annabelle Conroy, an honorary member of the Camel Club, is also the greatest con artist of her generation. She has swindled forty million dollars from casino king Jerry Bagger, the man who murdered her mother. Now he's hot on her trail with only one goal in mind: Annabelle's death. But as Stone and the Camel Club circle the wagons to protect Annabelle, a new opponent, who makes Bagger's menace pale by comparison, suddenly arises.

One by one, men from Stone's shadowy past are turning up dead. Behind this slaughter stands one man: Harry Finn. To almost all who know him, Finn is a doting father and loving husband who uses his skills behind the scenes to keep our nation safe. But the other face of Harry Finn is that of an unstoppable killer who inevitably sets his lethal bull's-eye on Oliver Stone. And with Finn, Stone may well have met his match.

As Annabelle and the Camel Club fight for their lives, the twists and turns whipsaw, leading to a finale that is as explosive as it is shattering. And when buried secrets are at last violently resurrected, the members of the Camel Club left standing will be changed forever.

With unrelenting pacing, stunning reversals, and two of the most compelling characters in modern fiction, STONE COLD is David Baldacci writing at his breathtaking best."

Obviously I like this series by Baldacci as it's the third book I've read of his this year. The writing is crisp and fast with great deatil into the military intellegence world written in a way that is easily understood by the reader. "Stone Cold" is more of a direct sequel to "The Collectors" rather than a stand alone novel like the first entry in the series. Again these kinds of thrillers usually aren't what I read on a regular basis but I really like the content of the stories and the many interesting characters that Baldacci writes.

Recommended by fans of the genre and the author, however since it's the third book in a series of stories featuring these characters, if you haven't read any of them it would be more enjoyable to start with the first book, The Camel Club.

The Collectors

2011-07-12T11:20:00.000-05:00

Sometimes being sick has its advantages, I have got a lot of reading done this week. Next on my list was "The Collectors" (511 pages) by David Baldacci. This is a sequel of sorts to his novel "The Camel Club." A sequel in that it involved the same core group of characters from the novel with new characters and a new storyline. From the book:

"Over the hill. Out of the loop. And trying to save their country...

In Washington D.C., four men with mysterious pasts call themselves the Camel Club. Their mission: find out what's really happening behind the closed doors of America's leaders.

The assassination of the Speaker of the House has rocked the nation. And the Camel Club has found a chilling connection with another death: that of the director of the Library of Congress's Rare Books and Special Collections Division.

The club's unofficial leader, a man who calls himself Oliver Stone, discovers that someone is selling America to its enemies one secret at a time. Then Annabelle Conroy, the greatest con artist of her generation, comes to town and join forces with the Camel Club for her own reasons. And Stone will need all the help she can give, because the two murders are hurtling the Camel Club into a world of espionage that is bringing America to its knees."

The description above is actually kind of lame and doesn't do the novel enough justice. I really enjoy the quirky characters that Baldacci has created in these first two Camel Club books. They are full of diverse and interesting backgrounds. I also like the addition of Annabelle into the mix as an honorary member. The novel actually tells two stories that eventually intersect with each other very smartly. As much as I like "The Camel Club," I would have to say that I definitely enjoyed "The Collectors" quite a bit more.

Definitely recommended even if you haven't read the first book in the series, "The Camel Club," though it's probably good to start at the beginning to understand what's happened to these characters in their past adventures. Baldacci takes complicated political and thriller storylines and presents them in a very accessible way to the reader. The mix of humour throughout the novel is greatly appreciated and enjoyable as well. "The Collectors" is one of those books you'll find yourself reading late in the night saying to yourself, "just one more chapter, just one more chapter." That's always a good thing, for me, in anything I read.

I'm Alive, Again!

2011-07-12T09:05:00.001-05:00

The other day I posted about my drama over being sick part of last week and over the weekend. After an assortment of shots and medications I thought I was on the mend. I started feeling better Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. By Sunday night, however, something was changing, my throat was getting a little worse and my fever was back. By the time I crawled out of bed on Monday morning my throat was so swollen I could barely swallow well enough to even get water down. In somewhat of a panic I made a trip to St. Anthony's Emergency Room.

After a thankfully short check in process I was moved to a newer part of the hospital that was their minor emergency area. The ER physician looked at my throat for about two seconds and told me I probably had a peritonsillar abscess, an infection in the tissues of the throat next to one of the tonsils. An abscess is a collection of pus that forms near an area of infected skin or other soft tissue. The doctor on duty said they would have to do some tests first to verify this was the case before they went probing into my throat near the carotid artery. Specifically he wanted to do a CT scan of my head. When my mom asked him how much this would cost, knowing I don't have insurance, he seemed absolutely offended to be asked and replied rather shortly that he didn't know and it didn't matter as it had to be done. The guy was a complete jackass, but in my many years of experience with doctors I wasn't surprised. Fortunately he was the only bad experience I had in the entire ordeal, if one can have a good experience at a hospital.

So I experienced a lot of firsts yesterday. I had my first IV, my first CT scan (the iodine they put in your IV is a wild sensation), and my first taste of morphine. After the tests were completed it was confirmed that I had an abscess and I was handed over to an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist and thankfully was finished with Dr. Douschbag. The procedure for removing the abscess is by having a long needle injected into your throat and draining the puss out. I've actually had this wonderful procedure done one other time in my life at a doctor's office. It was one of the most painful and horrific experiences of my entire life. Naturally I was terrified to have to go through this again.

After some more waiting and another round of steroids the ENT doctor showed up and went over the procedure with me. He was extremely kind and seemed genuinely concerned with pain management through the ordeal. They began by hooking me up with some morphine and spraying my throat with a topical anesthetic. After I was good and numb he then injected me with another numbing agent near the area where he would be draining my abscess. The last time I had this procedure done the previous doctor did not do this last part. No wonder it hurt like a mother fucker! After I was good and numb he injected a needed into the swollen area and began extracting the puss, I actually got to help by pushing on the swollen area of my throat to help fill the needle. Not getting much out he switch to a lower gage needle and was finally able to get some result. By the end of the procedure he had taken out 11 cc of vile nastiness from my throat. Almost immediately I was able to swallow normal again.

I hung out for a little and then was eventually released to go home. I skipped the administration office on my way out, screw them, they can bill me. Those of you have insurance consider yourself lucky. If I had had insurance I would have had my tonsils taken out that day if not a long time before, as was offered by the doctor. I asked him how much it was cost and he laughed and probably said a whole bunch of money. Eventually I'll have them removed. The majority of the time when I'm really sick it has something to do with my tonsils.

So that was my lovely Monday experience. I'm glad I made the decision to go to St. Anthony's Hospital. With the exception of the ER physician, everyone was extremely nice from the specialists to the nurses to the girls in the X-Ray lab. The ENT specialist and nurse during my minor procedure seemed to be really concerned with my pain management and I really appreciate that as not all health care providers seem to make that a priority.

So in reference to how much things cost when visiting a doctor's office or hospital, don't you think they should have some vague clue as to how much certain procedures or test cost? Would you take your car in for repairs and have them do the work without not knowing what the cost would be until after the work was done? Maybe patient access to medical costs should have been part of our illustrious health care reform last year! I'll report back on the costs after I get a bill just for the fun of it so everyone can know how many hundred of dollars my bag of saline cost.

Cry to Heaven

2011-07-10T12:50:00.001-05:00

If anyone had told me a few weeks ago that I would be reading a book about eighteenth-century castrati by Ann Rice I would have told that person that they were high. So I just finished "Cry to Heaven" (564 pages) by Anne Rice, a story about eighteenth-century castrati. My friend Amy mailed me an old copy of the book and insisted that I read it. She also sweetened the deal by including several packages of Giant Chewy Sweet Tarts, my favorite sweet treat. From Goodreads:

"They were the castrati--male sopranos whose glorious voices brought them adulation throughout Europe even as they were despised as 'monsters'. For Tonio Treschi, the child of Venetian nobility, kidnapped and castrated in a murderous family conspiracy, only one thing would soothe his soul--revenge!"

I actually found the story of this novel engaging. Before reading this book I had no clue that young boys were castrated and sold to various church organizations to be trained musically to take the place of women as sopranos in operas as well as other musical endeavours. At the time the Catholic Church forbade women from taking the stage in many parts of Italy (358th reason to loathe Christianity). Through some research I found that at it's height it was estimated that 4,000 young boys a year were put through this horrific process whether they showed an inclination to music or not! Finally the practice was outlawed and phased out sometime in the nineteenth-century.

Through family conflicts, Tonio Treschi, was forced to live the life of a eunuch against his will. The story follows his journey from a young child of wealth to his forced castration and finally to his rise as one of the most gifted castrati singers of his time. Always his motivation is to seek revenge on those who stole his manhood. Indeed one of the most powerful points of the book for me was the change that Tonio undergoes throughout the book to where finally he accepts what "God has given him" and accepts his place and tires of his need for revenge. I like stories of transformation and reading character arcs that change dramatically from beginning to end.

Surprising the novel also contains a lot of sexual content though it's much more prevalent in the first third of the book. Apparently some castrati were able to still perform sexually if they were castrated at a later age just before puberty. There's a lot of steamy homosexual and heterosexual content to be found in these pages.

Finally, while I think Anne Rice is a capable writer, I think the novel could have been trimmed down from its 500 plus pages. She has a tendency for some lengthy and flowery descriptions, though, it's apparent she did her research of the time and places of the era. Venice, Naples, and Rome are all well represented through the written word and come to life very well in all their eighteenth-century glory.

I would recommend this novel even though the subject matter may seem a little bizarre. I gave the novel a 4 out of 5 stars rating on Goodreads, maybe a little too generous, but the overall themes of transformation and revenge make the story a very worthy read. Thanks for the book Amy!

The Plaid Hat Meme

2011-07-10T11:49:00.003-05:00

Yay Sunday Stealing! How I've missed thee...

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. When showering, do you start the water and then get in, or get in then start the water?
I get in and then start the water but I adjust the temperature before getting under the water.

2. Have you ever showered with someone of the opposite sex?
Yes, in fact your mom was over last night.

3. Were you ever been forced to shower with one of your siblings?
I'm sure I was but it would have to be when I was really young as my siblings are quite a bit older than me. Or maybe I was being punished for bad grammar.

4. Have you ever dropped your soap on your foot?
Yes on many occasions; however, while in prison I didn't pick it back up!

5. How old do people say you look?
I'm not sure but the general consensus is that I look younger than my 38 years.

6. How old do you act?
It varies, anywhere from 15 to 50.

7. What’s the last song you sang?
To a group it was "I Miss You" by Blink 182 on karaoke night.

"And as I stared I counted the webs from all the spiders
Catching things and eating their insides
Like indecision to call you and hear your voice of treason
Will you come home and stop this pain tonight?"

8. Have you recently become a member of anything?
Brilliantly Blonde added me to her Facespace book club today, does that count?

9. What are your plans for next weekend?
Headed to Northeastern Oklahoma to float the Illinois river with 150 of my closest friends. I hope no one tells me that I have a pretty mouth...

10. Do you kiss with your eyes open or closed?
Definitely closed unless I'm kissing a blind person.

11. Whats the sexiest thing about Sarah Palin?
Absolutely nothing.

12. Who’s the sexiest famous woman alive?
Just off the top of my head I like Milas Kunis.

13. Who’s the sexiest famous man alive?
Paul Rudd or Chris Pine.

14. Does your family have a crazy uncle?
My family is dominated by women so I'd probably be the craziest uncle. My favorite and funniest uncle died a few years otherwise I would choose him.

15. Have you ever smuggled something into another country?
I inadvertently brought in fruit through the Mexican boarder years ago.

16. Do you live in a city with a good sports team?
Hell to the yes! The Oklahoma City Thunder! I guess you could also count the Oklahoma Swooners 30 minutes down the road which has quite the cult following in these parts. I'm not a fan.

17. What is the most unusual?
This question.

18. How do feel about the Goth people?
"Hell is the possibility of sanity." -Daria

19. Can you fix or your significant other your own car?
I can fix something easy like changing a tire but unfortunately most times I would need a mechanic. I could fix the grammar in this sentence much more easily than fixing a car!

20. Would you want to kill Casey Anthony yourself if you were guaranteed to get away with it?
Why on Earth would I want to do that? Maybe someone should kill the prosecution team for the bang up job they did.