Obsession and Internet Nerdlingers.

This past summer, I visited my local camera shop to buy some film and look around. Before they moved to their current location, they had a couple of long glass cases/countertops displaying all sorts of used camera gear, and I used to go and browse/drool. They changed locations, and, because of some strange zoning ordinance, they were unable to buy used cameras from people; they could now only trade for cameras, so their selection began to dwindle.

As I looked through the case, my eyes were snagged by the latest Holy Grail of a camera (at least for me): the Konica Autoreflex (or Autorex, depending on where you get it). It was produced in the 1960s, and the thing that was so intriguing about this camera was the little switch on top that allows the user to change between half and full format. And it was only $80! I hesitated, because if there's anything that the wife thinks I have enough of, it's cameras. Or books. Or CDs. Or shoes. But mostly cameras.

Word Play

The Girl has an ear for word games that the Boy doesn't have. She's great with puns and catches things that we wouldn't expect her to, since she's only five and in kindergarten. Tonight, we were playing Mad Libs (Scooby Doo version), and it asked for an adverb. "What's an adverb?" she asked.

"It's a word that describes how something is done. So I can talk quietly or loudly, " I said. "You can do things quickly or nicely or angrily."

She screwed up her face, concentrating on the task. "Broccoli?" she asked, then giggled.

Man, I love this girl.

What a difference a comma makes.

Today in Wal-Mart, I saw this cover about Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones-Douglas:


And I thought, "How much more accurate, telling, and morbid would it be if it said, 'Living, for the moment'"?

Books I Forgot.

Two more:
City of Thieves by David Benioff--About a teenager and a deserter in the siege of Leningrad who are arrested on the same night. They are not executed, however--they are given the task by one of the Russian commanders to find for him a dozen eggs within a week (?) for his daughter's wedding cake in a city with all supply routes cut off. Loved it, but violent, vulgar, shocking, and gruesome. I like stories about wartime because they get my brain going--I am also fascinated by/horrified by stories of any sort of apocalyptic nature (I was on a mind buzz for weeks from reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road and Richard Matheson's I am Legend back to back). I don't know if it's the desperation, the loneliness, or what, but I am generally riveted by books like these. I read through most of City of Thieves in one sitting, waiting to get my brakes replaced during car repair month.

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby, for the second time. Hornby blends the protagonist's obsession with music and obsessing over details of his love life so well, with humorous top 5 lists, etc. I had read the book and watched the movie 10 years ago (?), and did the same again this time. Maybe I just like to see myself on the big screen:


The wife and I recently saw a clip on YouTube with Nick Hornby and Ben Folds that was funny:



I know how much Todd likes Dickens (and recent Ben Folds), so I'm sure he'll appreciate this the most of all. Enjoy.

Oh, and if I remember any more books, I'll be sure to tell you (all three of you).

Palindromes for the day, 1/12/2011.

So, what's more fun that having the school get put on "hard lockdown" five minutes before the bell rings because of a potential escaped convict with a handgun who might be on campus--and then sitting in the dark in the classroom (supposedly in "duck and cover" mode) for another 1.5 hours with no outside communication (besides the constantly buzzing cell phones--why fight it?) and a kid behind my lectern who actually pees his pants he has to go so bad?

Finding a new palindrome, that's what. Like most, it doesn't make much sense. But where's the fun in making sense?

Frustration? No, I tart surf.

I've got to figure out what else to add to that, or I need to find out what "tart surfing" is. Is it like channel surfing? Web surfing? (Seriously, when was the last time you heard someone using the phrase "surf the web" without a touch of irony? Say it to yourself: "Well, Oprah's over. I'm going to go surf the web!")

Here's one from the name brand on the teachers' toilet seat:

Olsonite: E.T. in Oslo.

Is this palindrome fixation a gift or a curse? (Just noticed "fixation" could be broken into "No, I tax if..." ).

Truth be told, I'm avoiding grading.

End of the Year/Beginning of the Year Reading Report.

This past year, I decided to keep track of all the books I read in 2010. It went well enough, until I lost the notebook, started keeping track elsewhere, then found the book and wasn't terribly consistent. I have some written down for previous years, but, like the lost notebook of this past year, I wasn't consistent enough to really make it a list. My intention was to post a "Quarterly Reading Report." That passed. Then it was to become the "Bi-Annual Reading Report." But summer was too much fun. I probably don't need to mention I missed the 3rd quarter, too. So, here it is, my reading list for the past year. I won't editorialize too much, unless I feel the book warrants it.

Palindromes for the day.

Is Yaris a Toyota, sir? Ay. Si!

This one doesn't mean anything, but I loved the sound:

Stratford: Dr. of Tarts.