Here I sit/lay after a Thursday of mostly working and them some drinking. The fine establishment that is called "Sancho's Broken Arrow" has aided my thirst for drink. I suppose the subject matter of today's post would be "A Prayer for
Ownen Meany", "Iron Sunrise", "B is for Beer", and "Notes from a Small Island".
Actually, my girlfriend, Kate, was kind enough to allow me to meet her parents down in their Florida beach condo a few weeks ago. I finished Mr. Meany. Pretty dynamic book from about the 2/3 mark. Totally different ending to the book from the "hey look at the little person walk around and be sensitive because he's religious" style of prose presented at the beginning. I had a blast reading this book and hope that Kate finishes it in time to see the play here in Denver. We rode the chair lift (Mary Jane Ski Resort) with a fellow who recently saw the theatrical adaptation and I must admit it sounded like it'd be right up my alley.
Stross' sequel to "Singularity Sky" was a different note in the same universe. The action was less intense but more even. The environments were more tangible but the ideas weren't as fresh as it's predecessor. Not as humorous and not as wonderful (how can you beat a cosmos travelling AI called Festival who drops whatever one wants from the heavens to whomever has the gall to ask for it?) as the prequel but a great extension to the marvelous spine that is the setting of the two books. I can't wait to read "Accelerando" and I hope Charlie the best in his nomination for best Novel (Hugo). Wednesday (character) reminds me of the gal from Stevenson's "Snow Crash".
Tom Robbins deposited a children's book for adults or an adult's book for children pertaining to beer. I read it last night in a couple hours and had a blast. I plan to see Robbins in a week, hear him banter about the new work, get him to kindly sign my purchased copy, then give my copy to my cousin so he can read it to his daughter. Wonderful book.
Bill Bryson wrote a book about his 20 year residence that is the Isle of Britain. He gonzos his way though the countryside. I haven't finished it, and dearly wish I was reading something a bit more exciting. Sure, if I were a citizen of England or any other country of the group of islands I'd relish in his descriptions of my countryside... but to me it's just descriptions (in the first person, not much dialogue) of somewhere I've never been and not as interesting (just yet) as a fiction novel. I picked it of because of my love of London as setting - see "The Baroque Cycle".
Which brings me to beer. I've had a few. I feel great. I can't wait for the summertime. Hopefully I can score some
Phish tickets for the Red Rocks shows. My dad proposed to his girlfriend of 9 years last night (her birthday) and apparently my mother is planning on visiting this summer with my stepfather for a week or so. The snowboarding season is over and its time to start climbing, after work, in the canyons again.
