I was starting to think it was all my random ideas and frequent posts that drove everyone away. That may be the case still, but it's nice to see people coming back! Hopefully Cameron, Clint, Hatch and Dave will chime in soon. It's hard to get back in the habit once you've been out of it.
A nice short easy read sounds good to me. I'll be picking up my copy of The Alchemist as soon as I can.
As far as a life update goes... I am currently working part time for Jimmy while I go back to school. I took three summer classes (Gen Ed stuff) and I'm almost finished with them. Makelle still works at the bakery decorating cakes. We just rented out our house and we are in the process of moving all our stuff to Makelle's family's house in Woods Cross. This should give us a chance for Makelle to get back into school this fall as well. We are pretty busy, but everyone is at this stage in life, right?!
I love you all very much and I'm excited to recommit to staying in touch.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
No excuses...
No one should be able to say that they couldn't read the book this month due to lack of time/availability. At 170 pages, double spaced, it couldn't be an easier read. And to make it even easier, iTunes is offering the book as a FREE download for those who would like to listen to it! So no excuses! Go get it, post your comments, keep in touch, yada, yada, yada...
..."The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
..."The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Greetings From Washington!
Hey guys,
I'm sorry that I have not been very active on this whole book club thing. I have made a promise to myself that I would try harder. So I will try and make posts more often and contribute what little knowledge I have to offer.
Just so everyone knows, Deidra, Andon and I love Washington, its such a beautiful state to live in. We had an amazing 4th of July with my entire family up here and I put on a huge firework show that was the hit of the neighborhood. I wish you guys could of been here!
I would also like to send a big Happy Birthday out to the great United States of America. What a wonderful place we have to live and to be free. I would also like to welcome home Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell. They are the 3 American hostage that were taken captive in Columbia over 5 years ago. Its so nice to see them home and to personally know that we as a country never gave up on them even though most people never even knew they were down there.
Once again I apoligize for not being so active on the book club and I will do my best to make it better. If any of you guys find yourselves in Washington our door is always open.
Smurf
I'm sorry that I have not been very active on this whole book club thing. I have made a promise to myself that I would try harder. So I will try and make posts more often and contribute what little knowledge I have to offer.
Just so everyone knows, Deidra, Andon and I love Washington, its such a beautiful state to live in. We had an amazing 4th of July with my entire family up here and I put on a huge firework show that was the hit of the neighborhood. I wish you guys could of been here!
I would also like to send a big Happy Birthday out to the great United States of America. What a wonderful place we have to live and to be free. I would also like to welcome home Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell. They are the 3 American hostage that were taken captive in Columbia over 5 years ago. Its so nice to see them home and to personally know that we as a country never gave up on them even though most people never even knew they were down there.
Once again I apoligize for not being so active on the book club and I will do my best to make it better. If any of you guys find yourselves in Washington our door is always open.
Smurf
Waiting on Cameron...
Or Frank, or Dave, or anyone else that wants to choose a July book. For now, I am reading (and suggesting) "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. Since we're already pushing halfway through the month, this is a short and easy read. Only 150 pages or so, and big font. You could read this in a few short hours, so no excuses! If someone else wants to make a suggestion though, then I am open to that.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The Chris Farley Show
I hope that everyone has got this book and started read it. It may be the best book we've read so far. I have throughly enjoyed it and that may be the reason I'm almost done! I realize our group of friends has a strange affinity for Chris Farley, but that aside, it's an excellent book.
I like the way the book is structured into one long narrative from several different perspectives. You really feel like you get to know exactly who Chris Farley was. With the variety of points of view, it seems like it's a three dimensional look into his life. I'm sort of surprised that his family was so involved in writing it. It seems like there is a ton of information in there that I would consider overly personal and wouldn't want anyone sharing about me or my family.
The most interesting part I've read is at the very beginning when Chris was speaking to people at the rehab facility during his longest stretch of sobriety. Somehow they got the text of the little speech he made and it was really insightful to how people in those situations get stuck in those situations. He was really frank about how he tried to work the system and tell people what they wanted to hear. He seemed to have a real honest opinion about his problems and addictions and there are several people throughout the book that say he genuinely tried to overcome them.
It's too bad that he died as a result of his addiction. This book really shows you the human side of Farley and makes you wish more than anything that he was around just to care about people the way he did while he was alive. He seemed to be a positive influence on everyone he touched. He was a funny man.
PS
The best story in the book is a childhood story that Tom tells about Chris causing trouble around the dinner table after getting caught by his mom doing something completely disgusting. I won't ruin it for those who haven't read it, but that is reason enough to read the book. Best story I've ever heard, hands down.
I like the way the book is structured into one long narrative from several different perspectives. You really feel like you get to know exactly who Chris Farley was. With the variety of points of view, it seems like it's a three dimensional look into his life. I'm sort of surprised that his family was so involved in writing it. It seems like there is a ton of information in there that I would consider overly personal and wouldn't want anyone sharing about me or my family.
The most interesting part I've read is at the very beginning when Chris was speaking to people at the rehab facility during his longest stretch of sobriety. Somehow they got the text of the little speech he made and it was really insightful to how people in those situations get stuck in those situations. He was really frank about how he tried to work the system and tell people what they wanted to hear. He seemed to have a real honest opinion about his problems and addictions and there are several people throughout the book that say he genuinely tried to overcome them.
It's too bad that he died as a result of his addiction. This book really shows you the human side of Farley and makes you wish more than anything that he was around just to care about people the way he did while he was alive. He seemed to be a positive influence on everyone he touched. He was a funny man.
PS
The best story in the book is a childhood story that Tom tells about Chris causing trouble around the dinner table after getting caught by his mom doing something completely disgusting. I won't ruin it for those who haven't read it, but that is reason enough to read the book. Best story I've ever heard, hands down.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Ben is S-M-R-T!
So whatever voodoo water you've been drinking, please offer some to the rest of us.
I first need to apologize that this post is going to kick the porn paintings down the totem pole a spot. Although, I must admit that Jimmy will probably become more productive. After Nick posted those paintings, Jimmy checked the blog on the hour and spent more time in the bathroom than usual.
Now that the month is over and My Name is Asher Lev is wrapped up, I wanted to give my final impression on the book. I'm astounded that Ben called the ending like a prophetic monk that had been fasting for three months. I was pretty shocked when he came up with the idea of painting the crucifixes. Asher's life was a culmination of several compromises. The more he painted the further he drifted from being a devout Jew. That is true of anything you spend your time with. When I served my mission, my life was significantly lop-sided in spirituality. Now that I'm married, have a job, and try to have a social life, my spirituality has come back down to a more evenly distributed level.
I'm all for being well rounded. I think versatility is one of the most important things someone can develop in life (the parable of the talents, for example). But, ultimately I agree with Asher's mother as she was walking out of the gallery. There are limits. Asher went too far. I don't follow Shakespeare's, "To thine own self be true" in all instances. I personally think that we have a filter in our brain that allows us to cast some ideas or words to the side before we throw them into reality. Asher may not have been the great painter he could have possibly been if he hadn't painted those crucifixes, but does anyone need to be at that level at the expense of those who matter most to you? There is a theme presented several times in the book that taking life is the worst thing someone can do because you kill the generations of people who would have been had not their progenitor been killed. What Asher did will have similar ripple effects to his generations. His kids would never know their grandparents, great aunts and uncles, everyone with whom Asher associated throughout his life. And even if he didn't have kids his actions would echo in that community for a long, long time.
It's disappointing. I wish he wouldn't have done that. The Rebbe was right to tell him to leave. Jacob Kahn was right to tell him that he better become a great artist as the only recompense for the pain he caused. Once you've done something to that magnitude, the only thing you can do is spend the rest of your life trying to justify it.
I'm looking forward to The Chris Farley Show.
I first need to apologize that this post is going to kick the porn paintings down the totem pole a spot. Although, I must admit that Jimmy will probably become more productive. After Nick posted those paintings, Jimmy checked the blog on the hour and spent more time in the bathroom than usual.
Now that the month is over and My Name is Asher Lev is wrapped up, I wanted to give my final impression on the book. I'm astounded that Ben called the ending like a prophetic monk that had been fasting for three months. I was pretty shocked when he came up with the idea of painting the crucifixes. Asher's life was a culmination of several compromises. The more he painted the further he drifted from being a devout Jew. That is true of anything you spend your time with. When I served my mission, my life was significantly lop-sided in spirituality. Now that I'm married, have a job, and try to have a social life, my spirituality has come back down to a more evenly distributed level.
I'm all for being well rounded. I think versatility is one of the most important things someone can develop in life (the parable of the talents, for example). But, ultimately I agree with Asher's mother as she was walking out of the gallery. There are limits. Asher went too far. I don't follow Shakespeare's, "To thine own self be true" in all instances. I personally think that we have a filter in our brain that allows us to cast some ideas or words to the side before we throw them into reality. Asher may not have been the great painter he could have possibly been if he hadn't painted those crucifixes, but does anyone need to be at that level at the expense of those who matter most to you? There is a theme presented several times in the book that taking life is the worst thing someone can do because you kill the generations of people who would have been had not their progenitor been killed. What Asher did will have similar ripple effects to his generations. His kids would never know their grandparents, great aunts and uncles, everyone with whom Asher associated throughout his life. And even if he didn't have kids his actions would echo in that community for a long, long time.
It's disappointing. I wish he wouldn't have done that. The Rebbe was right to tell him to leave. Jacob Kahn was right to tell him that he better become a great artist as the only recompense for the pain he caused. Once you've done something to that magnitude, the only thing you can do is spend the rest of your life trying to justify it.
I'm looking forward to The Chris Farley Show.
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