This one's for my Dad who had several Raccoons as pets when he was growing up. As for me, they're cute and all, but I've had much different relationships with the little buggers. Nice Video though, enjoy.
Via: Diablo Cody's blog
5.31.2008
today's birthdays
The lovely Brooke Shields is 43 today. Five and a half months older than moi.
Clint Eastwood is 78 today.
Collin Farrel turns 32.
Also born on this day was US poet Walt Whitman (1819 - 1892) In honor of his birthday, I present his poem, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.
Crossing Brooklyn Ferry
FLOOD-TIDE below me! I watch you face to face;
Clouds of the west! sun there half an hour high! I see you also face
to face.
Crowds of men and women attired in the usual costumes! how curious
you are to me!
On the ferry-boats, the hundreds and hundreds that cross, returning
home, are more curious to me than you suppose;
And you that shall cross from shore to shore years hence, are more to
me, and more in my meditations, than you might suppose.
The impalpable sustenance of me from all things, at all hours of the
day;
The simple, compact, well-join'd scheme--myself disintegrated, every
one disintegrated, yet part of the scheme:
The similitudes of the past, and those of the future;
The glories strung like beads on my smallest sights and hearings--on
the walk in the street, and the passage over the river;
The current rushing so swiftly, and swimming with me far away; 10
The others that are to follow me, the ties between me and them;
The certainty of others--the life, love, sight, hearing of others.
Others will enter the gates of the ferry, and cross from shore to
shore;
Others will watch the run of the flood-tide;
Others will see the shipping of Manhattan north and west, and the
heights of Brooklyn to the south and east;
Others will see the islands large and small;
Fifty years hence, others will see them as they cross, the sun half
an hour high;
A hundred years hence, or ever so many hundred years hence, others
will see them,
Will enjoy the sunset, the pouring in of the flood-tide, the falling
back to the sea of the ebb-tide.
It avails not, neither time or place--distance avails not; 20
I am with you, you men and women of a generation, or ever so many
generations hence;
I project myself--also I return--I am with you, and know how it is.
Just as you feel when you look on the river and sky, so I felt;
Just as any of you is one of a living crowd, I was one of a crowd;
Just as you are refresh'd by the gladness of the river and the bright
flow, I was refresh'd;
Just as you stand and lean on the rail, yet hurry with the swift
current, I stood, yet was hurried;
Just as you look on the numberless masts of ships, and the thick-
stem'd pipes of steamboats, I look'd.
I too many and many a time cross'd the river, the sun half an hour
high;
I watched the Twelfth-month sea-gulls--I saw them high in the air,
floating with motionless wings, oscillating their bodies,
I saw how the glistening yellow lit up parts of their bodies, and
left the rest in strong shadow, 30
I saw the slow-wheeling circles, and the gradual edging toward the
south.
I too saw the reflection of the summer sky in the water,
Had my eyes dazzled by the shimmering track of beams,
Look'd at the fine centrifugal spokes of light around the shape of my
head in the sun-lit water,
Look'd on the haze on the hills southward and southwestward,
Look'd on the vapor as it flew in fleeces tinged with violet,
Look'd toward the lower bay to notice the arriving ships,
Saw their approach, saw aboard those that were near me,
Saw the white sails of schooners and sloops--saw the ships at anchor,
The sailors at work in the rigging, or out astride the spars, 40
The round masts, the swinging motion of the hulls, the slender
serpentine pennants,
The large and small steamers in motion, the pilots in their pilot-
houses,
The white wake left by the passage, the quick tremulous whirl of the
wheels,
The flags of all nations, the falling of them at sun-set,
The scallop-edged waves in the twilight, the ladled cups, the
frolicsome crests and glistening,
The stretch afar growing dimmer and dimmer, the gray walls of the
granite store-houses by the docks,
On the river the shadowy group, the big steam-tug closely flank'd on
each side by the barges--the hay-boat, the belated lighter,
On the neighboring shore, the fires from the foundry chimneys burning
high and glaringly into the night,
Casting their flicker of black, contrasted with wild red and yellow
light, over the tops of houses, and down into the clefts of
streets.
These, and all else, were to me the same as they are to you; 50
I project myself a moment to tell you--also I return.
I loved well those cities;
I loved well the stately and rapid river;
The men and women I saw were all near to me;
Others the same--others who look back on me, because I look'd forward
to them;
(The time will come, though I stop here to-day and to-night.)
What is it, then, between us?
What is the count of the scores or hundreds of years between us?
Whatever it is, it avails not--distance avails not, and place avails
not.
I too lived--Brooklyn, of ample hills, was mine; 60
I too walk'd the streets of Manhattan Island, and bathed in the
waters around it;
I too felt the curious abrupt questionings stir within me,
In the day, among crowds of people, sometimes they came upon me,
In my walks home late at night, or as I lay in my bed, they came upon
me.
I too had been struck from the float forever held in solution;
I too had receiv'd identity by my Body;
That I was, I knew was of my body--and what I should be, I knew I
should be of my body.
It is not upon you alone the dark patches fall,
The dark threw patches down upon me also;
The best I had done seem'd to me blank and suspicious; 70
My great thoughts, as I supposed them, were they not in reality
meagre? would not people laugh at me?
It is not you alone who know what it is to be evil;
I am he who knew what it was to be evil;
I too knitted the old knot of contrariety,
Blabb'd, blush'd, resented, lied, stole, grudg'd,
Had guile, anger, lust, hot wishes I dared not speak,
Was wayward, vain, greedy, shallow, sly, cowardly, malignant;
The wolf, the snake, the hog, not wanting in me,
The cheating look, the frivolous word, the adulterous wish, not
wanting,
Refusals, hates, postponements, meanness, laziness, none of these
wanting. 80
But I was Manhattanese, friendly and proud!
I was call'd by my nighest name by clear loud voices of young men as
they saw me approaching or passing,
Felt their arms on my neck as I stood, or the negligent leaning of
their flesh against me as I sat,
Saw many I loved in the street, or ferry-boat, or public assembly,
yet never told them a word,
Lived the same life with the rest, the same old laughing, gnawing,
sleeping,
Play'd the part that still looks back on the actor or actress,
The same old role, the role that is what we make it, as great as we
like,
Or as small as we like, or both great and small.
Closer yet I approach you;
What thought you have of me, I had as much of you--I laid in my
stores in advance; 90
I consider'd long and seriously of you before you were born.
Who was to know what should come home to me?
Who knows but I am enjoying this?
Who knows but I am as good as looking at you now, for all you cannot
see me?
It is not you alone, nor I alone;
Not a few races, nor a few generations, nor a few centuries;
It is that each came, or comes, or shall come, from its due emission,
From the general centre of all, and forming a part of all:
Everything indicates--the smallest does, and the largest does;
A necessary film envelopes all, and envelopes the Soul for a proper
time. 100
Now I am curious what sight can ever be more stately and admirable to
me than my mast-hemm'd Manhattan,
My river and sun-set, and my scallop-edg'd waves of flood-tide,
The sea-gulls oscillating their bodies, the hay-boat in the twilight,
and the belated lighter;
Curious what Gods can exceed these that clasp me by the hand, and
with voices I love call me promptly and loudly by my nighest
name as I approach;
Curious what is more subtle than this which ties me to the woman or
man that looks in my face,
Which fuses me into you now, and pours my meaning into you.
We understand, then, do we not?
What I promis'd without mentioning it, have you not accepted?
What the study could not teach--what the preaching could not
accomplish, is accomplish'd, is it not?
What the push of reading could not start, is started by me
personally, is it not? 110
Flow on, river! flow with the flood-tide, and ebb with the ebb-tide!
Frolic on, crested and scallop-edg'd waves!
Gorgeous clouds of the sun-set! drench with your splendor me, or the
men and women generations after me;
Cross from shore to shore, countless crowds of passengers!
Stand up, tall masts of Mannahatta!--stand up, beautiful hills of
Brooklyn!
Throb, baffled and curious brain! throw out questions and answers!
Suspend here and everywhere, eternal float of solution!
Gaze, loving and thirsting eyes, in the house, or street, or public
assembly!
Sound out, voices of young men! loudly and musically call me by my
nighest name!
Live, old life! play the part that looks back on the actor or
actress! 120
Play the old role, the role that is great or small, according as one
makes it!
Consider, you who peruse me, whether I may not in unknown ways be
looking upon you;
Be firm, rail over the river, to support those who lean idly, yet
haste with the hasting current;
Fly on, sea-birds! fly sideways, or wheel in large circles high in
the air;
Receive the summer sky, you water! and faithfully hold it, till all
downcast eyes have time to take it from you;
Diverge, fine spokes of light, from the shape of my head, or any
one's head, in the sun-lit water;
Come on, ships from the lower bay! pass up or down, white-sail'd
schooners, sloops, lighters!
Flaunt away, flags of all nations! be duly lower'd at sunset;
Burn high your fires, foundry chimneys! cast black shadows at
nightfall! cast red and yellow light over the tops of the
houses;
Appearances, now or henceforth, indicate what you are; 130
You necessary film, continue to envelop the soul;
About my body for me, and your body for you, be hung our divinest
aromas;
Thrive, cities! bring your freight, bring your shows, ample and
sufficient rivers;
Expand, being than which none else is perhaps more spiritual;
Keep your places, objects than which none else is more lasting.
We descend upon you and all things--we arrest you all;
We realize the soul only by you, you faithful solids and fluids;
Through you color, form, location, sublimity, ideality;
Through you every proof, comparison, and all the suggestions and
determinations of ourselves.
You have waited, you always wait, you dumb, beautiful ministers! you
novices! 140
We receive you with free sense at last, and are insatiate
henceforward;
Not you any more shall be able to foil us, or withhold yourselves
from us;
We use you, and do not cast you aside--we plant you permanently
within us;
We fathom you not--we love you--there is perfection in you also;
You furnish your parts toward eternity;
Great or small, you furnish your parts toward the soul.
Walt Whitman
photo from Flickr under creative commons license, titled Brooklyn Eagle.
5.30.2008
harvey korman dies at age 81
Sad news today. One of my favorite performers Harvey Korman died. God, I loved watching that man. As a kid, I loved it as he and Tim Conway would crack each other up on Carol Burnett. Then came the Mel Brooks movies. Those lines, as only he can deliver them are floating around in my memory. I think I loved his performance as Hedly Lamar in Blazing Saddles the most, with High Anxiety and History of the World, Part I tying for second. Rest in peace Mr. Korman, the word was much better to have had you in it.
Carol Burnett Show veteran Harvey Korman has died at age 81. He died of heart failure at his home in California.
Besides The Carol Burnett Show, where Korman teamed for a ton of great sketches with Tim Conway (often cracking each other up), Korman appeared in many other shows since the early 60s, including ER, Ellen, Perry Mason, Route 66, The Red Skelton Show, Dennis the Menace, Hazel, Jack Benny, Gidget, The Lucy Show, The Munsters, The Wild, Wild West, F Troop, and many others. He was a regular on the sitcom Mama's Family and did the voice of The Great Gazoo on The Flintstones. Movies that Korman appeared in include History of the World, Part 1, High Anxiety, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Blazing Saddles, Son of Flubber, Gypsy, and others.
Do you ever get the feeling that all of the great classic stars and performers are dying and it's going to be a very different world in a couple of years? Rather depressing.
via tvsquad.com
5.29.2008
an appreciation of sydney pollack
I wanted to post something about fellow Hoosier and adopted New Yorker, Sydney Pollack. He wasn't a gifted actor or director but he had taste and integrity.
His charm overcame the small defects of his acting; by saying he wasn't gifted I'm by no means saying he wasn't good. He was a terrific actor and director. I think his greatest strength lay in his taste. He knew what made a good movie, he seemed to always have the pulse of the Zeitgeist. With a few exceptions, he succeeded with every movie he directed or produced.
His wonderful performance and Nicole Kidman in her see-thru skivvies are the only good memories I have of "Eyes Wide Shut".
I could go on and on about the man, but I'm sure it's been done elsewhere. I just really enjoyed his work and was deeply saddened and surprised when he died. Movies truly won't be the same. RIP.
Three Days of the Condor (1975) movie trailer - Directed by Sydney Pollack.
5.28.2008
searching for the light
Having a bit of a bad week here in the existence known as my life. I won't go into details unless someone asks.
I've just been handed several things that test me as a person, impact my income, my home, my children and my self-worth. All fairly totemic qualities, eh?
How do I handle it? So far with an appalling lack of sleep, teeth grinding (it's baaaaack) and hair falling.
*Warning: Spiritual stuff coming up! If ya don't like it then go read someone else.*
I've been a Christian a long time. All of my life. I even contemplated going to CTU and becoming a minister. I grew up in the Baptist Church. It's hypocrisy and narrowness caused me to loose a lot of faith, but not my belief. I've always been a seeker. I studied and devoured my comparative religions classes at IU. I've studied Zen much to my betterment as a person. I've been a Methodist. It was fine, with very good people (shout out Old Bethel) but when a sermon was preached on the evils of Evolution and nearly all the congregation agreed, I knew it was my time to go.
[Just a note on Evolution. I URGE you to go look it up!! The Theory of Evolution is not a theory in the sense, "I have a theory that my socks get sucked into a parallel dimension while in the dryer." It is a proven, quantifiable Scientific Theory. Which means a group of like or similarly known facts that are related or relatable to one-another. A group, a family, a pride, a Theory. Preaching on the wrongness of God's creation of Evolution makes about as much sense as preaching against the evils of the Theory of Gravity! It exists, deal wit it!]
Anyway, back to my subject... I was invited to go to a Quaker (Religious Society of Friends) meeting and found it was where I needed to be. Where I was supposed to be. I will write about that someday.
So to answer my earlier question, how do I handle it? I'm trying my best. I know several things about my God. God loves me un-conditionally, guides me and teaches me. I know God loves me. I'm convinced God has no commitment greater than love. The Bible doesn't say God can be loving or God is often loving or even God is usually loving. It says God IS love.
I don't believe God is testing me. I think God can help us through our tests and bad times, but doesn't initiate them to test us. That strikes me somewhat of a cat toying with a mouse till the mouse submits to it's fate as his lunch. My God is not willful or vindictive. Our path is our own, but He is there, if we care to call on him to help us down it.
Russian author, Vasily Grossman once wrote:
Human history is not the battle of good struggling to overcome evil. It is a battle fought by a great evil struggling to crush a small kernel of human kindness. But if what is human in human beings has not been destroyed even now, then evil will never conquer.
That kernel of human kindness is, I believe, what Quakers call the Inner Light. The guiding presence of God within us that can never be extinguished. Whether it's in an unprogrammed Meeting where one sits in silence the entire hour waiting for the Light to shine or for 15 mins of silent worship as we do in our Meeting led by a pastor, we wait patiently and silently till the message is received, if ever.
I've meditated on it and searched deeply for the Light. My life is in turmoil right now and it unnerves and distress me, but I know God's Light and Grace are in me. That Light shines on and on and on. Peace.
5.27.2008
unmixed attention - a photographic study in concentration
"The French philosopher Simone Weil said, 'Absolutely unmixed attention is prayer.' I love that. I think that could be as close as someone can get to a wonderful definition of prayer. In that sense, prayer has nothing spiritual or religious about it. A mathematician working at a problem or a little kid trying to pick out scales on the piano is a person at prayer. She's not saying prayer is absolute unmixed attention; it's the other way. The attention itself is the quality that she wants to call prayer. So whatever context you're putting it in, whether it's inside a church or inside a toy box, that's the quality that is the sacred one." -- Translator Stephen Mitchell
All photos from flickr tagged with 'concentration', licensed under Creative Commons.
Weil writes, “every time that a human being succeeds in making an effort of attention with the sole idea of increasing his grasp of truth, he acquires a greater aptitude for grasping it, even if his effort produces no visible fruit.” As we desire the light, we increase our capacity for perceiving it.
All photos from flickr tagged with 'concentration', licensed under Creative Commons.
Technorati Tags: simone weil,french,phiosophy,concentration,attention,spiritual,prayers
the birdman of alcatraz
Peaceful image of the day.
I know, it's highly ironic to use a picture with Alcatraz in the background as a peaceful image, but I do love some irony.
5.26.2008
hitchhiker's guide to "tag galaxy"
I discovered this site through StumbleUpon and thought I'd share here. It's really cool.
It's called Tag Galaxy, a very cool visual representation of your Flickr tag search. Honestly, you can search Flickr just as easily from your homepage but not have nearly as much fun!
You start off by entering a tag. I started off with “Indy 500”. Once you click “Go”, the fun starts. You are whisked away to what looks to be a star, in this case labeled "Indy 500", surrounded by planets that represent complementary tags such as Indycar, Indiana, Indianapolis and Race. If you’re happy with your initial search, you can just click the star and you'll be zoomed in to a globe that quickly propagates with images related to that tag, but if you click on one of the planets, you’ll zoom into a specific set of image results associated with one unique tag. Drilling down to that sphere brings you to another galaxy cluster centered with a star and even more orbiting planets. You don’t necessary have to view pictures. The visual treats preceding any image browsing are enough to wow you. Link.
5.25.2008
closing in on mars: where to watch
It's almost time!! As NASA attempts a first-ever landing near the polar ice cap of another world.
Phoenix Mars Lander will enter Mars' atmosphere at almost 13,000 miles per hour Sunday evening and then undergo what NASA engineers refer to as "seven minutes of hell" as it deploys a heat shield, then a parachute, and fires thrusters to touch down at just before 8 PM. (EDT). At least that's when NASA first learns if the landing was a success--it takes the signal 15 minutes to reach Earth.
The Phoenix Mars Lander should land about 7:53 PM (EDT), 4:53 (PDT).
Follow these historic and nail biting events (only 55% of all International Mars missions have succeeded) at these links.
Live coverage televised and online can be watched on the Canadian Discovery Channel (7-9 PM), The NASA Channel here in the States and Science Channel on some services. You can go to NASA TV and watch it streamed live online. NASA is expecting upwards of 500,000 to tune in to its live coverage on the Web. Those tuning in will see the images at the same time as NASA, and get the analysis in real time. Phoenix's mission: Dig for ice that scientists believe exists just below the surface, and determine if it has ever, or could ever, support life. If you are a member of Second Life, you can watch here. Link.
For a great overview of the Phoenix and the mission, go to the JPL Phoenix site. Link: JPL When at this site don't miss the Video: Guided Tour of Mars Landing. I linked to it - just in case. You can also follow the Phoenix on Twitter here. Link.
Another good video can be found here. It should start when page is loaded. Link.
5.24.2008
things i saw on my walk
I took a walk on this very gorgeous Saturday before the 500 and it put me in a muuuuuch better mood. I thought I'd share.
I stopped to take a picture of this old '54 and the old Man who owns it came out. He asked me if I smoked. Told him no. Then he tried to sell it to me! $600 and this can by yours.
I played with it in Photoshop.
My kids always get a kick out of this one. "Look! It's our street."
5.23.2008
phoenix mars lander: step-by-step martian landing guide
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander is due to slam into the Martian atmosphere this Sunday at 7:46:33 PM EDT (2346:33 GMT) while traveling at 12,600 mph (20,277 kph).
After nearly 10 months speeding across 422 million miles (679 million km), the Phoenix spacecraft is just days away from plunging into the Martian atmosphere on Sunday to land near the north pole of Mars.
Story LINK.
Via: Space.com
5.22.2008
when stars explode
Bad Astronomy is breaking some very cool news today: for the first time in history, astronomers have unambiguously observed the exact moment when a star explodes. Amazing!
Story: Link.
5.21.2008
kindergarten program
My daughter's Kindergarten Program. She went here for about three years in day-care and school. She starts a new school this year, I'm sure she'll miss it. She made a lot of really good friends.
5.20.2008
panoramic picture of china quake
indy wins 2012 super bowl bid
Indianapolis won the 2012 Super Bowl! See you there....
Story link, Watch the announcement (press on-demand)
ted kennedy has brain tumor
Just got the 2:00 news feed and was saddened to read that Ted Kennedy has a brain tumor. Prayers are with him and the entire family. Peace.
Story link on CNN, Story link on Huffington Post
(Copyright 2008 by Tony Auth/Phila. Inquirer)5.19.2008
A Thought About My Grandfather
My Grandfather, Clyde Brown, was a Hoosier farmer. He was an wonderful, honest and guileless man. He was humble, never put "on airs" and never spoke overly glowing of public figures. Everyone in his eyes, was an equal.
The decor of my grandparents home was simple and uncluttered. There weren't many pictures or paintings hanging on the walls. It just wasn't their way.
One photo they did have hanging, was in the hallway leading from a breeze-way to their living room. It was an old, badly faded black and white photo of a man with odd glasses, a pointy jaw, a long cigarette holder and a wide smile. One day, when I was about eight years old, I finally asked my grandfather who the man in the photo was, "Is he a relative?"
He had a wonderful laugh, and a whimsical, almost mischievous smile, but he didn't cry. He was born a Mid-Western Baptist in 19th Century, stoicism and he were good pals. I'd only see him emotional again when he lost my grandmother, then later, when he was in his mid-90's, loosing his battle with age and reason.
For me, that moment was indelible. I remained forever fascinated with presidents and the presidency. I studied history, eventually becoming a Presidential historian. Knowing what I know about FDR, I consider him a great president, but I don't hold him or any president with the same esteem my grandfather had. I know too much, I've become too cynical. What I do retain from that moment, is a respect for the office. I may not always respect the person in office, but I have a great and profound respect for the Presidency; The idea and ideal of it.
I've seen first hand how FDR's programs allowed my family to stay afloat during the depression. Allowed them to keep their farm, and feed their family, neighbors and America. I witnessed a silent moment of gratitude to that man and those programs. I witnessed a "thank you" simultaneously sent across four decades in time and to heaven.
My interest in history was born from that moment, and that grateful tear.
indianapolis' endangered species chocolate, ethical and profitable
Nice article in the Indy Star today about Endangered Species Chocolate. Seems to be a local company doing three things, earning a profit, giving charitably to good causes and ensuring the best quality, ethically traded chocolate.
Endangered Species Chocolate donates at least 10 percent of its profits to support "species, habitat and humanity" -- hence its distinctive name. Recipients have included Chimp Haven, the Ocean Conservancy and Peace Learning Center.
"We have found that by being ethical and holding our values more dear than profits, we're actually becoming more profitable," said Mark Waddell, one of the regional sales managers.
I wish them the best of luck. Nice to know there are companies right here in Indianapolis with a social conscience.
my love of reading
I was 9 years old the Summer of 1975 and my home town was serviced by the Shelby County Library Book Mobile. It faithfully arrived every two weeks. As I readied for it's arrival that afternoon, the morning began simply enough. I rode my bike over to my friend Michelle's house, she lived just behind the State Bank of Waldron, where the Book-Mobile parked.
I'd just been hooked by "Space Shows" on TV. In prime time, Kolchak, the Night Stalker began, though I watched it through interlocked fingers. I had discovered Star Trek in Syndication. The Sixth Sense (not the movie) was airing it's only season at 10 O'clock on Saturday night. The animated Star Trek was still showing random episodes of it's two season run. Shazam was also airing on Saturday morning. The Six Million Dollar Man had just aired it's first full season, following three TV movies the year before. So with this on my mind, I found a dog-eared paper-back called "The Caves of Steel" by Isaac Asimov. In this novel, Asimov first introduced Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw
I thought it looked pretty cool. I quickly took it up to the small, cluttered corner check-out desk. Smiling like the Cheshire Cat, I proudly handed her the book. I remember thinking she was taking a long time to check me out. 
Usually it was a smooth and rhythmic; open...stamp...close. Whoosh... Click... Thump. I looked up. She was thumbing through the book, fanning quickly through it's sun-faded pages. Looking at the book, then at me, she bluntly put it under her desk and said, "This is not a book you can read. It's too grown-up and its science fiction."
Well of course this made it even better!! I had to read this book now! I rode my bike home, got my Mom, told her what happened and she drove me back to the Book Mobile. Mom asked the Librarian why she wouldn't let me read the book I wanted. The Librarian stuck to her guns. She said I was too young to read it. Then leaning forward, she half-whispered, "Mrs. Monroe, you do realize this book is trash!"
You should understand that my dear Mother is one of the least combative or argumentative persons in the world. She's a Baptist Deacon; the daughter of a pacifist farmer; a Wife; a Mother and a Banker, but when it came to our education, she was a "Mama bear" rising to protect her cubs. Her opinion was, if we were reading it was good. She didn't care if it was comic books, science fiction or Judy Blume. (OK, she probably would have cared about the Judy Blume. Props to my Aunt Elizabeth)
Mom pointed to the book, she was quiet, measured, "Open the book to any page, if he can read it, he can check-out any book from now on, without my permission." After a short, Mom to Librarian Mexican stand-off, she opened it; I read it, was hooked and Mom was my hero.
Asimov, for at least two generations of SF fans, was the gateway drug to the harder stuff. You know; Gene Wolfe, John Varley, Larry Niven and Robert L. Forward. High school and college broadened my horizons to many more genres, but my heart still remains with SF. I just finished a Star Trek Novel about the Klingon Empire, a very literate and wonderful novel of a near future Internet Bank heist by Charles Stross and re-read the biography of Teddy Roosevelt's early life. After some thousands of books later, I've tried to pass on my love to my own children. My son, 12 is taking high school math. A subject his Mother and I are horrible at. He has little use for reading unless it's about a video game, football or math. At least he's reading something. My daughter, just 6, loves reading. Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash is a current four star selection.
Thanks Mom and as Elijah Baley would say, Jehoshaphat!
A version of this was originally posted on my MySpace blog, July 18, 2007.
Technorati Tags: reading,science fiction,book mobile,isaac asimov,the caves of steel,mrs,mcnosh,elijah baley,love
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