I had a good discussion yesterday with David Sebastian, a librarian at Redondo Beach Public Library. He pointed out a few items for inclusion here:
I'll make these perma-links over on the right side of the site. Thanks David!
Tina and I recently came back from a fantastic week's vacation in Portland, OR. Great trip, great hotel, great hikes. Here are some photos:
Books I've recently read:
Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones
A kid's fantasy novel about a young woman who's been suddenly aged 70 years by an evil witch. A quick and fun read, but I was struck by the overwhelming passivity of Sophie, the hero. This is the most passive, do-nothing protagonist since Clay in Less Than Zero. You keep wanting to yell at her to get up and act against all of the indignities that are heaped onto her. Outside of that, the settings in the book (including the Moving Castle itself) and the supporting characters of Howl the Sorceror and the hearth-dwelling fire demon draw you through the story. I'm not sure I'm recommending this book as a book, but I'll definitely be in line next year when Hayao Miyazaki's animated feature film is released.
James Thurber: Writings and Drawings
I was recently in Portland for a week, and reading this book for an hour every morning over coffee in the lobby of Fifth Avenue Suites ranks as one of the most pleasant reading experiences I've ever had. Many of Thurber's stories take place in hotel lobbies, so the synchronicity was palpable. Thurber himself is much more acerbic and witty than I remember him from elementary school. Rediscovering him through this collection of his best pieces, assembled by Garrison Keillor, was a joy. His autobiographical pieces on growing up in Ohio are hilarious stand-outs. Comedic intelligence in American prose does exist, and this is a good place to start exploring it.
The Collected Works of Arthur C. Clarke
Every short story ever written by the man who invented the geosyncronous telecommunications satellite. Superb and complete. The White Hart stories are his masterpieces, and all of them are here. British, twentieth-century, forward-looking and refreshing.
After the Plague, by T.C. Boyle
Almost every character in this book of short stories is a complete jerk. From the body-fascist triathlete with no time for joy in her 2%-fat life, to her jackass stoner boyfriend who sabotages her greatest triumph with spiked Gatorade, this is not an escapist book. That's perfectly fine, but I don't find Boyle as affecting as others do. This book, like many postmodern collections, leaves me squeaky-clean, untouched by emotion. It didn't help that there were so few likeable characters.
Living with Books, by Alan Powers
A coffee table book, this nevertheless had quite a few good ideas for my study project. I found an unusual, yet functional, cantilevered bookcase design that will look distinctive with the hardwood floors I'm planning. I just need a carpenter to tell me if it's stable enough to resist earthquakes.
Our starting point:
This room started as an extra bedroom in a "2-down, 1-up" townhouse. We're going to turn it into a proper study. Items to be considered:
Water - There is a small area in the lower right of the window that could use some caulk. Water has obviously leaked in at some point in the past, although I've never caught it wet since. There's a sprinkler system just outside that constantly sprays the window; I'll be switching the sprinkler head to a drip irrigation system at some point in this project.
Closet - The closet is an unfortunate part of this room, as it has no real purpose in the study. I can't simply rip out the doors and add the space to the room ... the closet is structured in a way that makes that option very ugly. Right now I'm using it as the brewing supply closet and mead cellar, and it may just stay that way.
Sofa or chairs? - Which will get used more? Which is more comfortable? Which will look better? I don't want an overstuffed sofa or LaZBoy, those would overwhelm the small room, but I do need a place to lie down and read. I'm pretty sure this means I'm going modern for the sofa, but I'm keeping an eye out for (much cheaper) alternatives.
Lighting - This is the part I have the least handle on. How do you light a room that where you spend all your time reading, probably flat on your back on a sofa? Uplights? Track lighting? Tiki devil outdoor lights from Attack of the Killer Bs? Some combination of all of these?
Repainting - Red. Deep, unapologetic red. Just a bit rustier than a crayon, that's the type of red I'm talking about. I'm tired of yuppie pastels. Give me a color.
Floor - I'm putting in a hardwood floor, probably bamboo.
Shelving - The big one.
