Back in 2013, I think it was, I joined an online reading group to read Infinite Jest. David Foster Wallace's 1996 novel that blew the minds of readers and critics alike. It's still doing that! The Infinite Jest is now more than ever. Because I've been seeing YouTube videos from many BookTubers claiming the novel is … Continue reading The Infinite Jest: Now More Than Ever
Tag: David Foster Wallace
Pluribus: “The most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness.”Smash or Pass?
Pluribus is a new series on Apple TV (I've watched it on Amazon Prime) with the premiss: "The most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness." It explores the question of Free Will versus perpetual joy. At first, I would have kicked it (passed.) Because I thought it disjointed, with a confusing opening. … Continue reading Pluribus: “The most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness.”Smash or Pass?
Balling For Taylor Swift
Balling for Taylor Swift caught my attention. Because before she showed up at an NFL football game, I didn't know much about her. Now I do. This is complex. There are permutations of complications. Oh sure, I'd heard the name, Taylor Swift, but never one song. Of the 1,700+ songs on my playlists - there's … Continue reading Balling For Taylor Swift
The Last Dream
The last dream I had was March 17, 2022. It was about a friend, an old friend, one of my best friends. In the dream, he was digging a swimming pool foundation with a backhoe. As it came to pass, that was the night after he died. I had called three days before and he … Continue reading The Last Dream
My Favorite Books: ranked by others
was something I looked into the other day, over the holiday. Because I am curious and think this way. How do my favorite books, 83 so far, rate with others on Goodreads? I've been a member of the popular online booksite since 2006. Everyone can list the books they read, rate them (1 - 5 … Continue reading My Favorite Books: ranked by others
George Bernard Shaw: “a Tolstoy with jokes”
It's true! Or a David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest 100 years 'prior to'. I was introduced to Shaw's play Pygmalion (1914) sixty some years ago. When my mother took me by the hand and made me accompany her to My Fair Lady, a modern version of the theater performance, staring Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. I can't recall … Continue reading George Bernard Shaw: “a Tolstoy with jokes”
The Perfect Storm Hypothesis
is an idea I agree with. In essence it is: What happened could not have have happened in any other way than it did. I first encountered it in a personality theory class. Raymond B. Cattell, an English/American Psychologist (1905-1998)) devised a theory, a formula, for why individuals do what they do. He was a … Continue reading The Perfect Storm Hypothesis
Metrics for Year End Review
It's coming on Christmas and then the new year. That means it's time to start reflecting on the year past. I've done this for a number of years now and have come up with a new, quantitative way, to systematically, synthesize my analysis and reflection. Hopefully this will lead to better, or at least improved, … Continue reading Metrics for Year End Review
Hunger of the Pine: Teal Swan
What is the hunger of the pine? And who is Teal Swan? That all depends. Hunger of the Pine is both a song and a book. According to the author, Alt-J, and Miley Cyrus, of the song - it's a metaphor for the yearning, or pining for love or a loved one. The author of the … Continue reading Hunger of the Pine: Teal Swan
Living at the Edge of the World: Homeless
Living at the Edge of the World is a story about a young girl who lived underground (mostly) for five years, in New York City, from 1986 to 1990. In her own words (mostly) with the help of journalist, Jamie Pastor Bolnick. President Donald Trump recently said he wants to put a woman on the moon … Continue reading Living at the Edge of the World: Homeless