The Night Manager is a surprising story in the post-Cold War world, where the power-vacuum of major war players is being filled by arms dealers while the big powers play like all is well. However, stuck in the middle is Jonathan Pine...
Month: May 2017
Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings, by E. S. Morse
My Copy: 9780486207469 As interested as I was to get into the subject matter, I have to admit, the presentation was a bit much. I bought this book many years ago when I found myself an anime-freak and wanted to write and be able to include some real terms and such about Japanese architecture. I have … Continue reading Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings, by E. S. Morse
A Theory: “Superhero” Pop Culture Might Have Helped Elect Donald Trump
(image found on Pinterest) You know when there's some unpleasant niggling at the back of your mind that you can't put your finger on? Well, leave it to Bill Maher to put a name to it in his closer on May 20th's episode of Real Time. Now I have to admit, there's something about superheroes and … Continue reading A Theory: “Superhero” Pop Culture Might Have Helped Elect Donald Trump
Mastering the 21 Immutable Principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, by Paulo Guillobel
My Copy: 9781514109328 (image courtesy amazon.com) As a newbie to Jiu-Jitsu (and its seemingly half-dozen acceptable spellings), I felt like I needed an understanding as to how it all worked. However, this is not a "technique-book," but more of a "mindset-book." Mastering the 21 Immutable Principles is a thin read and deceptively easy to understand. But, … Continue reading Mastering the 21 Immutable Principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, by Paulo Guillobel
The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
My Copy: 9780553278224 Mr. Bradbury's done excellent work, and I keep coming back to The Martian Chronicles when I just wanna read something short for the hell of it. Bradbury has a few miniature, practically stand-alone stories placed between arching stories, but the common thread is simple: humans can leave Earth and--like it or not--they're going … Continue reading The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
#027–Blitz Q: Why do they show the World Series of Poker on ESPN?
I'm not a big sports fan, so there's not much of a reason for me to watch ESPN in the first place. But I really got wondering what the deal was when I saw the Poker championships on ESPN. Uh...I'm confused. Is poker a sport? What would make it a sport? Seriously, is it a … Continue reading #027–Blitz Q: Why do they show the World Series of Poker on ESPN?
Blind-Sided: Homicide Where it is Least Expected, by Gregory K. Moffatt
It's all too common for Americans to see or hear about robberies, workplace violence, school shootings, terrorism, etc. What's perhaps hardest is hearing from those close to the perpetrator state that they couldn't believe this had happened. While the rest of us scoff in disbelief at how someone couldn't know, let's face it, most of us wouldn't recognize the warning signs without some help...
Finding my dreams: or, how to stop working in my sleep…
I've noticed a sleepless trend the last few months. To be more precise, it's the inability to know how much sleep I've gotten or if it could be considered sleep. Most of my nights remind me of the one M*A*S*H episode of exhausted Hawkeye telling Col. Blake. "I had a dream that I was asleep … Continue reading Finding my dreams: or, how to stop working in my sleep…
Getting that strength training in (even that naughty core, because you’re screwed if you don’t).
I had a ton of fun getting back into what I really wanted to do this week: kickboxing. I also said "what the hell" and went into Jiu-Jitsu right after. After two weeks away from my fave punching bags and snarky partners in crime, I found myself amazed that I didn't miss much as far … Continue reading Getting that strength training in (even that naughty core, because you’re screwed if you don’t).
#026–How much power has Congress given away to the Executive Branch?
This is a question I've been wanting to ask for years, because the older I get, the more I'm scratching my head going "wait, isn't Congress supposed to do ______?" I find it a bit dismaying that the leaders that are supposed to most closely represent our wishes at the highest levels of government seem … Continue reading #026–How much power has Congress given away to the Executive Branch?
The Chatty Introvert 