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mixed media report
Feb. 9th, 2009 12:44 pmthings televisionary: Per usual I am way behind the curve on this, but I have just discovered 30 Rock in the last few weeks. I've only seen about a dozen eps of the first season but they make me laugh until I want to vomit. So that's good. Such writing! I get the giggles like a gradeschooler, sitting at my desk, playing things back to myself. "Yo, Kenny, I think my snake is sick. I want you to go on out to my car and rub his belly til he poops."
things written: I have just finished the Audiobook for "The Source" by James Michener. This was my first exposure to Michener's legendary expository density, but this was a very, very good book and ultimately well worth the effort. There is a frame story of an archaeological dig in 1965, built around the timeline of a site in Israel, starting at the time of the first Homo Sapiens and their first tentative flirtation with spirituality, and ending with the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1948. The main characters at the dig are an Irish Catholic, a German-Israeli Jew, and a Palestinian Arab, all colleagues and serving as dialogue archetypes for the developing story.
The timeline progresses through, sheesh, I don't know, a dozen major periods at least: the canaanites, the early tribal hebrews, christians and their various schisms, the muslim conquerors, a couple of waves of crusaders, luther, the turks, the british...
Very well written and engaging, and I think the author did an excellent job of being even-handed with some very contentious source material. I feel like I learned a lot. Recommended to anyone not intimidated by 1000+ pages.
things aural: On a lark I picked up "Scarlet's Walk" by Tori Amos from the library, and am really enjoying it. Wonderful voice, wonderful orchestration. Any TA fans out there that can recommend other discs?
things culinary: Cooked bay scallops (stir fry with peppers, garlic and oyster sauce) and squid (genoese style with tomatoes, potatoes, and marjoram) this saturday, and everyone loved it, and they weren't overdone and rubbery, and no one got sick and died. So go me. Squid will definitely be making repeat appearances in our house.
things written: I have just finished the Audiobook for "The Source" by James Michener. This was my first exposure to Michener's legendary expository density, but this was a very, very good book and ultimately well worth the effort. There is a frame story of an archaeological dig in 1965, built around the timeline of a site in Israel, starting at the time of the first Homo Sapiens and their first tentative flirtation with spirituality, and ending with the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1948. The main characters at the dig are an Irish Catholic, a German-Israeli Jew, and a Palestinian Arab, all colleagues and serving as dialogue archetypes for the developing story.
The timeline progresses through, sheesh, I don't know, a dozen major periods at least: the canaanites, the early tribal hebrews, christians and their various schisms, the muslim conquerors, a couple of waves of crusaders, luther, the turks, the british...
Very well written and engaging, and I think the author did an excellent job of being even-handed with some very contentious source material. I feel like I learned a lot. Recommended to anyone not intimidated by 1000+ pages.
things aural: On a lark I picked up "Scarlet's Walk" by Tori Amos from the library, and am really enjoying it. Wonderful voice, wonderful orchestration. Any TA fans out there that can recommend other discs?
things culinary: Cooked bay scallops (stir fry with peppers, garlic and oyster sauce) and squid (genoese style with tomatoes, potatoes, and marjoram) this saturday, and everyone loved it, and they weren't overdone and rubbery, and no one got sick and died. So go me. Squid will definitely be making repeat appearances in our house.
