In yesterday's blog I mentioned that I didn't have a way to archive these blog entries. I figured out one yesterday so I'm once again off to the races, happily gathering, organizing and archiving records and data, a task I feel a deep satisfaction in doing. The older I get, the more I'm becoming convinced that all along I was really meant to be a librarian.I came across the records of this gentleman yesterday, Col. Robert L. Howard. Incredible. Written up for three Medals of Honor.
This may be a lowbrow admission on my part, but I find that I enjoy reading the historical novels of Jeff Shaara. As I mentioned before, I am presently reading The Glorious Cause, about the American Revolution. It's helping me to fit the various characters in place: Washington, Cornwallis, Howe, Lee, etc. I always knew about them from other readings, but now, having Shaara's fictionalized little anecdotes and incidents about them in my head, I can connect them better with the things I read about them elsewhere. I see he has written books about other American wars... I suppose I'll come across those at yard sales as well...
"This is a war universe. War all the time. There may be other universes, but ours seems to be based on war and games." - William S. Burroughs
I started watching The Gods Must Be Crazy II last night. I saw the original movie years ago and thought it quite amusing; the sequel is funny as well. If you haven't seen it, the first movie is a South African production starring a Kalahari Bushman named N!xau (that exclamation mark is a tongue click, which forms much of the language of these people). The first film was a slapstick comedy that depicts N'xau's confusion with the ways of civilized town folk. The second film appears to be more of the same.
An interesting feature of the second film is a little ultralight plane which is wicked cool. It looks like a lot of fun to fly around in. I have been unable to identify the manufacturer (a Lazair, perhaps) - but then, I have yet to view the DVD features. Maybe it's described there. Or perhaps it doesn't really exist in real life and is just something constructed for the film. The stunts involving it are fascinating: at one point an updraft takes the occupants to 25,000 feet, where the lack of air makes them high. You find out it also runs on whiskey. At another point the plane lands in a tree and is disassembled and lowered to the ground (!). The wheel is bitten by a small animal, and so to take off the pilot removes the seat, knocks through the floor and runs Flintstones-style. It really is amusing...
My friend Don was watching an episode of the British sitcom One Foot in the Grave yesterday; I highly encouraged this and we exchanged e-mails about this show. I have had more I'm-laughing-so-hard-I'm-running-out-of-breath-and-growing-dizzy moments watching this show than any other on television, it is that funny. The episodes defy description - suffice to say that all sorts of bizarre things happen to an older couple (the Meldrews) and that the plot lines frequently have a dark, wicked twist to them.
One of my favorite episodes takes place entirely inside a little car as the three characters are stuck in holiday gridlocked traffic... a salacious conversation takes place between drivers in two cars stopped alongside the protagonists (through the Meldrews' car), they discover that the garage crew recorded an vulgar, insulting song on the cassette they play on the stereo system, an absolutely improbable and bizarre story is exchanged between the two women passengers, etc. It's hard to believe that so much invention takes place in a parked car! I can't recommend this show enough.
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