All right. I've decided I'm going to do this again. Probably not books, although books surely will have a place. I'll try to keep the self-absorption to a minimum.
Some goals:
A photo a day (my camera doesn't take the photos I'd necessarily like to take, but I'll work with it).
A sincere and well-considered thought a day (no limitations).
Writing. Every day. Something.
My primary goal is to take writing seriously again. I've been rude to the muse these last years, and it's time I quit that.
So here we go. 2009.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
K-PAX: gene brewer
already read (link).
this one was a little bit ruined by the movie, which i saw first. kevin spacey did a fantastic job as prot, and the movie was in all pretty true to the book -- i guess the only thing that bothers me about reading the book is the fact that i knew already how it would end.
the book was a great read for me, as i really enjoy dipping into recreational scientific and mathematical literature. the information about the theoretical planet K-PAX (near the agape and satori stars, as we've named them) was presented in a way that was at once pleasant and accessible to someone who would be interested, regardless of the reader's personal educational level in the field of astronomy. all scientific and medical data in the book is presented in such a way. there were a couple of times were i felt the narrator dumbing the data down for the reader, but it wasn't something i felt compelled to blame on the actual writer -- the narrator had that sort of air about him, so it was in character.
the book is fun but covers a pretty serious theme: a closer look at humanity, at what makes each of us human, and whether or not we are "alone" in the universe. the book asks the reader to stretch his or her imagination, to second guess what defines reality, and to really interpret all the joy and wonder that can be found in the world.
a very enjoyable read.
this one was a little bit ruined by the movie, which i saw first. kevin spacey did a fantastic job as prot, and the movie was in all pretty true to the book -- i guess the only thing that bothers me about reading the book is the fact that i knew already how it would end.
the book was a great read for me, as i really enjoy dipping into recreational scientific and mathematical literature. the information about the theoretical planet K-PAX (near the agape and satori stars, as we've named them) was presented in a way that was at once pleasant and accessible to someone who would be interested, regardless of the reader's personal educational level in the field of astronomy. all scientific and medical data in the book is presented in such a way. there were a couple of times were i felt the narrator dumbing the data down for the reader, but it wasn't something i felt compelled to blame on the actual writer -- the narrator had that sort of air about him, so it was in character.
the book is fun but covers a pretty serious theme: a closer look at humanity, at what makes each of us human, and whether or not we are "alone" in the universe. the book asks the reader to stretch his or her imagination, to second guess what defines reality, and to really interpret all the joy and wonder that can be found in the world.
a very enjoyable read.
LIFE BEFORE MAN: margaret atwood
currently reading (link).
i just picked this one up at the public library. it's one of a small number of atwood's works that i have yet to read. every time i finish one, i fear drawing closer to the end of the line, with nothing left by her to read. i consider myself lucky (how magnanimous of me) that she's still alive and producing work.
this one looks to be promising -- a wife, a husband, a lover (the wife's). sounds trite but atwood doesn't do anything trite. i'll probably come back to edit this post once i've finished to give my final thoughts.
i just picked this one up at the public library. it's one of a small number of atwood's works that i have yet to read. every time i finish one, i fear drawing closer to the end of the line, with nothing left by her to read. i consider myself lucky (how magnanimous of me) that she's still alive and producing work.
this one looks to be promising -- a wife, a husband, a lover (the wife's). sounds trite but atwood doesn't do anything trite. i'll probably come back to edit this post once i've finished to give my final thoughts.
TABULA RASA
it's been a while since i've felt like bothering with something like this. when my domain expired in september last year, i felt a pang because i hadn't gone without a website in years. i figured it out -- it's been ten years since i first began to publish on the web. it's weird how much changes with time. when i first made a webpage, i think it was hosted by tripod or geocities, i was teaching myself html... and i was asserting my adolescent need for self-expression (to an audience), i guess. over the years, having a website became like having a business card: i exchanged addresses with friends and acquaintances, and we all kept in touch with each others' lives via these little spots of code in the vast intarwebz. then one day, poof! i didn't exist anymore.
granted, there are internet archive sites that leave my e-trail a little more vividly than maybe even i would like to have be the case, but i don't really regret any decisions i made. i certainly never attached a full, real name to a website that could be accessed by just anyone, and even if i had, i think i maintained a fair amount of dignity despite the fact that i was publishing my life for anyone to read.
all this said, i'm not really sure why i'm here now. i've been meaning to come up with something that would enable me to keep in touch with my friends that i've made over the years (who knew that a silly tripod webpage with terrible design would lead to lifelong friendships?) since my website went kaput. i haven't bothered with any of my traditional means, i guess maybe i wanted a fresh start. i don't know that i particularly want to share much with anyone -- these days, a sketchbook or notebook in my backpack suffices very well for me. i think if nothing else, i'd like to keep track of the books i'm reading. i've been meaning to start an official list, but it's one of those things that gets shoved to the end of the to-do list, especially when there are delicious tomes i could be devouring in my free time instead.
granted, there are internet archive sites that leave my e-trail a little more vividly than maybe even i would like to have be the case, but i don't really regret any decisions i made. i certainly never attached a full, real name to a website that could be accessed by just anyone, and even if i had, i think i maintained a fair amount of dignity despite the fact that i was publishing my life for anyone to read.
all this said, i'm not really sure why i'm here now. i've been meaning to come up with something that would enable me to keep in touch with my friends that i've made over the years (who knew that a silly tripod webpage with terrible design would lead to lifelong friendships?) since my website went kaput. i haven't bothered with any of my traditional means, i guess maybe i wanted a fresh start. i don't know that i particularly want to share much with anyone -- these days, a sketchbook or notebook in my backpack suffices very well for me. i think if nothing else, i'd like to keep track of the books i'm reading. i've been meaning to start an official list, but it's one of those things that gets shoved to the end of the to-do list, especially when there are delicious tomes i could be devouring in my free time instead.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)