Diary of a Network Geek

The trials and tribulations of a Certified Novell Engineer who's been stranded in Houston, Texas.

12/27/2005

I can’t believe…

Filed under: Criticism, Marginalia, and Notes,Dog and Pony Shows,Hoffman's Home for Wayward Boys,Life, the Universe, and Everything,Personal,Things to Read — Posted by the Network Geek during the Hour of the Hare which is terribly early in the morning or 6:11 am for you boring, normal people.
The moon is Waning Crescent

I ate the whole thing…
Well, not the whole thing, but, close enough.
See, I couldn’t afford to be home with family this year for Christmas, so I made Christmas dinner for Doc and I Sunday afternoon. It was good, but, as per usual when I really get into my cooking, I over-indulged a little bit.
Hilda, of course, made out like a bandit. Not only did she get several giant bones from Santa, but stole a large piece of turkey from the counter. She was so cute, though, that I could hardly stay mad at her. Besides, I probably would have given her a piece later, anyway.
Obviously, I survived reading Scripture. You have to picture this, though, the first time I’m reading or speaking in front of a significant crowd in close to 20 years and Mercy Street was packed to overflowing. It was literally standing room only. I think I read too fast, but, according to people in the audience, I did just fine. They should eventually have a podcast of the service available, so, you know I’ll have to go check it out and see how bad I rushed it.
I received a warning phone-call from a friend, followed by a call from his new, er, dating, ah, girl… Oh, whatever she is, she called to invite me to a New Year’s Eve party. Apparently, he was worried that they were going to be a little testosterone impaired, so I got called in for reinforcements. I’ll be bringing my near infamous beer bread, too, so that I’m there for more than my gender. (Hey, a guy’s gotta’ do what a guy’s gotta’ do.)
I abandoned the book I was trying to force myself to finish this weekend, Writing Personal Essays. It just wasn’t giving me any really new information and I was reading it out of some compulsive “need” to finish everything I start or not let even a second-hand book go to waste or something. Anyway, I felt much better setting it down and re-reading my copy of a book I gave Doc for Christmas called Zen in the Martial Arts. Back in the days when I studied a bit of several martial arts, I read this and got a lot out of it. In fact, I used to read this book every couple of years, but I haven’t recently, until this weekend. It was a little frightening how relevant the message was to my life right now.
Today, I’ll start a book I grabbed while waiting in line at Border’s, getting last minute gifts, called The Torturer’s Apprentice. The title grabbed me and the table of contents, with the titles of the short-stories contained therein, really hooked me, so I bought it. It’s literary fiction, which I don’t usually read, so, I’m stepping outside my comfort zone. Again. Seems like a good season to do that.
Though, I’m not stepping too far out. My mother was asking about my blog last night. I told her that there’s nothing here she needs to read. I’m fairly certain that my brother reads the blog, now and again, but he won’t say anything and no one in the family will ask. My mother was just messing with my head. See how my family is? Explains a lot about my warped sense of humor, doesn’t it?

6 Comments

  1. With a book titled “Writing Personal Essays”, I’m surprised you didnt bail on it sooner. I’m a sucker for trying to read books that are supposed to teach me something new but I find that most of the time i get so bored i end up shelving them a few minutes after I start them. I’ve been dying to read War and Peace but I’m holding off because I think I like the IDEA of reading War and Peace better than actually reading it. Hope you had a good holiday too Geek. Holla.

    Comment by Timmortal — 12/27/2005 @ 9:45 am

  2. Uh, it seemed like a good idea at the time?
    I get pretty determined to read stupid junk sometimes. What can I say, I’m a hard-headed, strong-willed German. It’s what I do.

    Comment by the Network Geek — 12/27/2005 @ 10:08 am

  3. Never a worry that my mom would read my blog. She is “against the internet,” bless her. Glad you made it through your reading and had a good holiday. Cheyenne, like Hilda, made out like a bandit. I have learned though that dogs do not digest almonds…

    Comment by Alison — 12/27/2005 @ 11:16 am

  4. i think i have about three or four of those “writing better…fill in the blank…” books then there are those artist’s way books, and the idea books, and oh man, i have too many…that may or may not have ever been cracked open. this is a sort of learn-by-doing thingy. can i come to your NYE party? beer bread sounds good, even though i hate beer. (is that sacreligious?)

    Comment by amanda — 12/27/2005 @ 2:03 pm

  5. Alison, I learned the hard way that Hilda is highly lactose intolerant. Like projectile strength intolerant. But, apparently, she’s very, very freshly oven-roasted turkey tolerant. Clever girl.

    Amanda, if you’re going to be Houston, I’ll put in a good word with the hostess, but, I have to warn you, you may not be able to resist the power of the beer bread. Luckily, I’m not the kind of guy who kisses on the first loaf, so, you’d be safe with me. Honest. I would not lie about something like that. Really.

    Comment by the Network Geek — 12/27/2005 @ 2:09 pm

  6. I want to say something intelligent regarding your discussion of books, but it’s just not in me right now. So I’ll just say hi. Hi, Geek!

    Comment by Jill — 12/27/2005 @ 4:51 pm

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