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“The Witches of Commack, Maine” ***

December 10, 2016 by rurugby Leave a Comment

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A very enjoyable and extremely readable book by Robin Merrill that I flew through today, including while with butterflies at Magic Wings in Deerfield, MA today.

But, as a pagan, I have big, big problems with the book.

We aren’t in a war with Jesus, or working with demons.

Most pagans I know are cool, spiritual people. In fact, a lot of them including some teachers like Jesus a lot.

There is nothing evil about Wicca or being a witch, of a lover of nature or trees.

I do think a lot of pagans are seekers of spirituality so that is true. But, I have met very, very few pagans who tried to convert people. It’s of course part of Christian tradition. A part which led to horrible atrocities around the world with conversion of the native peoples of the Americas, Africa and around the world. The horrible things that people who were Christian have done for Christ in history are legion. If you are beating native people or torturing them to convert them, the savage person is the abuser.

But, again a very enjoyable book. And I am planning to continue reading Robin Merrill’s work. I have loved her poetry for a long time and really enjoyed “Shelter”. I actually flew through this one faster, I am planning to read “Daniel”, the sequel to “Shelter” next.

Filed Under: No Filter, poetry, The Ecq Review

Re-Reading Great Books

November 11, 2016 by rurugby Leave a Comment

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Actually didn’t finish any books this week.

I know the election hit me hard. As you can tell from other posts this week, on Tuesday, and Wednesday.

So I was thinking of the books I have re-read this year.

A bunch of which are great.

Colleen Hoover’s fabulous “Slammed” and “Point of Retreat” which I read a few weeks ago.

Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz’s amazing poetry including my favorite of hers the tales of a virgin working as an editor in the porn industry, “Hot Teen Slut” my favorite book of 2014. ****1/2

And her “The Year of No Mistakes” her last poetry book that shows maturity and that she is getting better. I hope she does more poetry in the future ***1/2

The absolutely amazing graphic novel “Daytripper” by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba that makes you think about how death is part of life. Just astounding and my favorite book of 2012. And that I finally bought myself this year as a present for my mom’s Amazon gift card for my birthday.

The absolutely excellent graphic novel about the challenges of being African American and the blues “BB Wolf and the Three LPs” by JD Arnold. Just excellent. ****

The wonderful “Charlotte’s Web” by EB White, which I have probably read 5 or 6 times. ***1/2

And Jack McCarthy’s amazing “Drunks and Other Poems of Recovery” my favorite book of 2013. Astoundingly good book about alcoholism and recovery. *****

And there are a bunch more chapbooks and such too.

Checked out: “Appetites: A Cookbook” by Anthony Bourdain. Pretty interesting, but I honestly prefer his prose, I adore “Kitchen Confidential”. This is good, I may have to copy a recipe or two. *** pg. 51 of 280

Bought (both haven’t arrived yet): “Splinter Factory” a poetry book by Jeffrey McDaniel which I have heard great things about.
“The New Journalism” a compilation by Tom Wolfe from 1975, out of print and seemed up my alley.

I did read a bit of a bunch of things this week so maybe I will finish a couple books by next week.

The very interesting and diverse “Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas” edited by Rebecca Solnit and Rebecca Snedeker. Fascinating stuff, reading out of order, re-read a few maps and descriptions. I’m probably around half done. Small, small text makes me happy for reading glasses. ***1/2

“Daytripper” again, was a couple of comics in, the graphic novel involves comics where Bras de Oliva Domingos dies at many different parts of his life, there is no way to not tear up at the end. I may just finish this after typing the blog tonight. pg 203 of 249

“Ugly Love” by Colleen Hoover, barely started so far, we’ve only just met the main characters, pg 28 of 456 (large print)

“That Girl” by Colleen Hoover: I really don’t think we needed a third book in the “Slammed” series this repeats the story of “Slammed” from Will’s perspective (the boyfriend who had the “Point of Retreat” (2nd book) perspective), the original is in the girlfriend’s perspective Layken/Lake. I love “Slammed” but this is really the same story. I will finish it but not rushing through it. *** pg 72 of 285

“Moscow 2042” by Vladimir Voinovich: The book is still preparing to move 60 years in the future from 1982 to 2042, seems like a fascinating book if a big one, pg 46 of 424. Lots of themes going on here. ***1/2

“Voices of Bipolar Disorder”: The first part talking about the play is unneeded, some really good stuff in this compilation of stories, definitely not a fast read but interesting. As someone with bipolar disorder I will always be reading books like this and I am very happy to be mostly sane. I am likely to finish this this week. pg 131 of 175 ***

“King Dork” by Frank Portman: There is a reason I am not getting far with this book, it’s just not that interesting. More should be happening by page 94 of 344, this will probably be returned to the library next week unfinished. **

“Full Catastrophe Living” by Jon Kabat-Zinn: I read a chapter or so like 25 pages in the first third. A day working in silence appeals to me. I’m very interesting in learning more about mindfulness-based stress reduction. I probably should start this from the beginning.

“The Kingdom of Speech” by Tom Wolfe: Fascinating so far, but more about Darwin then speech so far. Good read at page 68 of 169 ***

So reading a little bit of a lot this week, but I don’t think I made a whole lot of progress on a bunch of these from the post a week and two weeks ago.

Read on!

p.s. After the fact I did finish “Daytripper”, I should read it in one sitting again. Lenny thinks it’s time for kitties on the desk not a keyboard.

Filed Under: books, FridayReads, No Filter, poetry, reading, The Blog, The Ecq Review

I’m a Cat Man

November 10, 2016 by rurugby Leave a Comment

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I’m still shocked Hillary Clinton won’t be President.

But so it goes.

I have cat time, I have music, I have books.

I have lots of cool people I know on social media, a lot of which I should probably know better in real life. Online relationships are a strange thing, that is going to stay true.

And I have internetting and going down the rabbit hole which is fun.

And Lenny jumping up on my desk demanding pets without a keyboard. Squiggy being sweet. Lanna enjoying “American Horror Story” Season 2. I am not up for that tonight.

I have snacks and chocolate and words.

Hi ho.

It should be a long, strange trip. But we will get through this like we do everything else.

So if you can’t deal with this anymore just do what gives you joy. For me it’s cats, words, my wife, music, food. Although I could use more conversation.

And I certainly could be far, far better at finding social capital and working with it.

But I have a comfy shift, I’m listening to Ella Fitzgerald, I had two cats behind me a minute ago, was sipping some armangac, things are good.

Things are still good.

And maybe this will bring better, stronger change in the future.

Filed Under: acceptance, No Filter

Binging on an Author

November 4, 2016 by rurugby Leave a Comment

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I have liked Colleen Hoover for a while. Ever since being one of the first readers of her original Kindle only book “Slammed” when my friend Gennyfer saw it free. And I totally loved it. Then she read my Amazon review on her book and started getting in contact. And she totally loved my poem “Write Poorly” and even included it her follow up that amazingly only came out a month later “Point of Retreat”. It’s amazing to me that this is all less than five years ago, it honestly seems a lot longer.

Since then, Colleen Hoover has gone to be a New York Times bestselling novelist. The interesting thing is since she is a Kindle first person, I feel like you see her books less in the library than her sales indicate.

And a lot of what I read and three of the four books I finished this week are by Colleen Hoover.

The first was Point of Retreat which I finished on Friday night not long after writing the post. It honestly didn’t hit me as hard as “Slammed” on the reread. It’s still very good, but the big conflict is nowhere near as big or interesting. I still have to go with my initial four star rating though since it’s not fair to judge a book by the reread. Although I do it for other media like movies. **** (5 Goodreads)

The second was the good “Confess.” It was a fun read but didn’t hit me like “Slammed” has. But I did finish it unlike “Hopeless” so far, which maybe I will try again. And it was weird to read in large print, the only format the CT libraries had. *** (3 GR)

The third book I finished was from Rick Cormier, “My Life Cracks Me Up”. I’m just going to copy and add to my Goodreads review on it. Really good fun.

I especially like the idea in the epilogue of two journals, one a loose leaf one with negative thoughts you can shred, burn or rip off. The other with positive thoughts you can keep forever. I talked about this earlier in the week as a blogpost.

We all have both, and I may need to add the negative personal journal. Not everything is my life is Three Good Things.

I also had no idea Rick was badass enough to drive a motorcycle through the snow, extremely cool. And I would love to own one of his silly guitar songwriter stuff. It would be an awesome idea to go out on the internet or something. Fun read.

He mentioned to me it really helped him write his excellent memoir of being a psychotherapist, “Mixed Nuts.”

It also was a book type I could see myself making. I have thought of making a best of the blog book at some point. Or even just reposting old pieces and adding some thoughts. We all have such fun stories in our life. ***1/2 (4 GR)

The fourth I had to finish this morning “November 9” by Colleen Hoover. Another compulsively readable book of hers with her also common sometimes ridiculous plot twists. This one was about a couple that met every on November 9th for 5 years and no other times. A lot of this really did seem totally ridiculous but I was completely hooked by it. It’s odd you can be both at the same time. Good fun. ***1/2 (4 GR)

Books checked out:
“The Kingdom of Speech” by Tom Wolfe. I just read a page so far. I am looking forward to it though.

My favorite two books by Tom Wolfe are long essays first “From Bauhaus to Our House” about how the Bauhaus movement sterilized a lot of architecture, see the amazing intricacies of a Craftsman home, that were actually called that because you could buy the whole kit from Sears, totally amazing. And to be replaced by big glass boxes like Philip Johnson’s Seagram building, and pretty much all suburban Edge City towers with tons of parking. Also I think the complete awfulness of the Soviet Bloc housing which is in so much of the world including most American projects. I should try to find my copy again which could be in storage or just borrow it from the library. **** (5 GR)

Also “The Painted Word” about how the art critic has shaped so much of modern art. I think this may have been more true in the 50s-70s then today. But, I think it’s still very true about MFA programs, galleries and museums. So probably still quite true. Both are great. **** (5 GR)

And I just reserved both from the library again, should probably hear more about them again in a couple weeks.

Bought: None

Also read:
““Voices of Bipolar Disorder: The Healing Companion: Stories for Courage, Comfort and Strength”, interesting set of essays from various perspectives, I read another 40% since last week, and up to page 109 of 175. I am lucky to have mild bipolar disorder usually. I do suffer from depression a lot and my most major manias came after life changes (finishing college, finishing my MBA, losing my dad, 2 year anniversary of my dad’s death). *** (3 GR)

“King Dork” by Frank Portman, I think I may have read a bit of this, this week, but not totally sure. Fun little read about dorks who are constantly thinking up new band names far more often than actually practicing. It’s also oddly obsessed with “A Catcher in the Rye”, it’s even part of the cover. On page 87 of 344. I may push through this in the week and a half before it’s due at the library (after 2 renewals). I’ve had it out since mid-September. I love that I can renew online with the library. And a library book shelf (it’s on my top left) is very important when you check out a lot of books. **1/2 (3 GR)

“This Girl” by Colleen Hoover. It’s #3 in the “Slammed” series and really an odd idea. It’s basically a retelling of the book “Slammed” by the male character Will. I feel like we got his perspective in book 2 of the series “Point of Retreat.” Colleen Hoover now loves to have chapters back and forth from the perspective of the lead characters. That was true in both “Confess” and “November 9”. I loved reading “Slammed” and “Point of Retreat” again, I’m doing this a bit at a time. It’s an odd book. On page 64 of 285. ***/3 GR

“Moscow 2042” by Vladimir Voinovich. Very interesting book, I’ve only read the first few chapters. It’s about a Russian exile who lives in Germany who heard about a time machine that flies faster than light speed. He wants to see Moscow 60 years in the future (it was written in 1982 during the Soviet times). I’ve heard it is similar to 1984. I am very intrigued by the start, very, very different than the wonderful YA romance of Colleen Hoover.

The odd thing is I feel like I didn’t read much this week, but I guess that wasn’t true at all. Reading is after all fun-da-mental. Although I was more than half done with “Point of Retreat” 85%, “Confess” around 75% and “My Life Cracks Me Up” around 60% last week. The only book I read all of this week was “November 9”. It’s also interesting that this post is now over 500 words longer than my Nanowrimo book. I’m amazed I completed that in 2005. I haven’t even really gotten started with it since. I guess blogging can be my thing.

Filed Under: books, FridayReads, No Filter, reading, The Ecq Review

Nanowrimo 2016 Day One

November 1, 2016 by rurugby Leave a Comment

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I have had this idea for “The Off Channel” for a long, long time. I think I even posted about an earlier short attempt. And I had a thought about including Donald Trump in the start of a society where you had implanted media you couldn’t turn off.

And then I realized that most of the best dystopias I have enjoyed like “1984”, “Fahrenheit 451” and “Brave New World” started in the middle.

There is power there.

So I started typing more.

I’m at about 800 words, I would have had a lot more if my phone battery didn’t die during the write-in at the Seymour (CT) Starbucks tonight. I am glad though that I have an app to type on my phone with Google Docs.

I honestly don’t expect to get close to 50,000 this time. Although I might use it to flesh out some of my concerns about the security state.

My most interesting and frightening conversation tonight was with someone who said he worked in the security industry and that implants are likely to happen. And that looking at more people with all the data collection we have and computing power can spot the outliers.

We live in frightening times.

Filed Under: books, No Filter, The Ecq Review

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