Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Book Review- The Contender by Robert Lipsyte
Alfred Brooks is an African-American young man living in late 1960s Harlem who has dropped out of high school and is facing a bleak future.
On one side, Alfred is being pressured by an emerging civil rights movement to "make something of himself." On the other side is, the temptation to fall into crime and drugs like his best friend James has.
After being beaten by street thugs, Alfred visits a neighborhood gym and decides to become a boxer. Robert Lipsyte does an excellent job of capturing the sights and sounds of late 1960's Harlem and the characters and dialogue are real.
Alfred never becomes a great boxer, but he does learn some valuable lessons about life.
On one side, Alfred is being pressured by an emerging civil rights movement to "make something of himself." On the other side is, the temptation to fall into crime and drugs like his best friend James has.
After being beaten by street thugs, Alfred visits a neighborhood gym and decides to become a boxer. Robert Lipsyte does an excellent job of capturing the sights and sounds of late 1960's Harlem and the characters and dialogue are real.
Alfred never becomes a great boxer, but he does learn some valuable lessons about life.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Day Of Caring
http://www.unitedwaykitsap.org/ Yesterday, I volunteered to help the Kitsap County United Way move its furniture and other office equipment to another section of their building while their main office space is being remodeled.
The work was hard, but I had fun and met some interesting people.All of the volunteers were treated to lunch at the new Bremerton Bar And Grill We dined in the "Safe Room". The building where the Bremerton Bar And Grill is now housed was formerly a bank and the banks vault has been converted into a dining area. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bremerton-Bar-and-Grill/172901399409566?v=wall
The work was hard, but I had fun and met some interesting people.All of the volunteers were treated to lunch at the new Bremerton Bar And Grill We dined in the "Safe Room". The building where the Bremerton Bar And Grill is now housed was formerly a bank and the banks vault has been converted into a dining area. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bremerton-Bar-and-Grill/172901399409566?v=wall
Monday, June 20, 2011
Book Review-Comes The Blind Fury by John Saul
"Comes the Blind Fury" by John Saul is a somewhat scary ghost story from 1980.
Plagued by the guilt of losing a young patient, Doctor Calvin Pendleton, his pregnant wife June and their adopted daughter Michelle move from Boston to the small coastal town of Paradise Point.
Their new home comes complete with a spooky graveyard and a vengeful childs ghost. A century before, a blind child that lived in the Pendleton's new home died in a fall after she was taunted by other children. When Michelle is crippled in an accident, the ghost makes contact with her and the ghost uses Michelle to carry out her vengeance.
It is unclear why the ghost decides to murder children in the present for something that happened a century before, but there are some creepy moments if you can overlook the holes in the narrative.
Plagued by the guilt of losing a young patient, Doctor Calvin Pendleton, his pregnant wife June and their adopted daughter Michelle move from Boston to the small coastal town of Paradise Point.
Their new home comes complete with a spooky graveyard and a vengeful childs ghost. A century before, a blind child that lived in the Pendleton's new home died in a fall after she was taunted by other children. When Michelle is crippled in an accident, the ghost makes contact with her and the ghost uses Michelle to carry out her vengeance.
It is unclear why the ghost decides to murder children in the present for something that happened a century before, but there are some creepy moments if you can overlook the holes in the narrative.
Book Review- Bless The Beasts & Children
"Bless The Beasts & Children" by Glendon Swarthout is an early 1970s novel about a group of misfit children who identify with the plight of a group of doomed buffalo and try to save them.
Cotton, Lally1,Lally2,Goodenow,Shecker, and Teft are self-described "dings" who are banished to an Arizona boys camp by affluent,self-absorbed parents.
The boys eventually end up as "bedwetters" the very bottom of the camp's social structure. Led by their leader Cotton, the boys try to redeem themselves by saving a herd of buffalo that going to be culled by hunters.
Bless The Beasts & Children is a good time capsule of a period when young Americans cared about something beyond the latest electronic gadget.
Cotton, Lally1,Lally2,Goodenow,Shecker, and Teft are self-described "dings" who are banished to an Arizona boys camp by affluent,self-absorbed parents.
The boys eventually end up as "bedwetters" the very bottom of the camp's social structure. Led by their leader Cotton, the boys try to redeem themselves by saving a herd of buffalo that going to be culled by hunters.
Bless The Beasts & Children is a good time capsule of a period when young Americans cared about something beyond the latest electronic gadget.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Crow Attack
Every morning when I walk to breakfast, there is a crow that swoops down and flies a few inches over my head. I can actually feel the wind created by the crow's wings. I assume that the crow is attempting to protect a nest somewhere, but I can't help thinking of that scene from the film "The Omen."
Friday, June 17, 2011
Strange Encounter four
For the past three days, I have encountered one of my room-mates in very different areas of town. I am pretty sure that he's not stalking me.
Some years ago, I used to run into this guy I worked with as a teen about once a year. Eventually, I forgot his name, but I would still see him about once a year. It became a little awkward talking old times with someone whos name I no longer remembered. About 25 years ago, I stopped seeing my old work mate and I haven't seen him since. Sometimes I wonder why we encounter certain people. Is it destiny or pure chance?
Tell me about your strange enounter. Write to Craig @ dragonfly6160@yahoo.com
Some years ago, I used to run into this guy I worked with as a teen about once a year. Eventually, I forgot his name, but I would still see him about once a year. It became a little awkward talking old times with someone whos name I no longer remembered. About 25 years ago, I stopped seeing my old work mate and I haven't seen him since. Sometimes I wonder why we encounter certain people. Is it destiny or pure chance?
Tell me about your strange enounter. Write to Craig @ dragonfly6160@yahoo.com
Strange encounter three
Yesterday,I was sitting on a bench at one of Bremerton's parks when a young man approached me and asked "Is my time up?" I told him that I didn't know what he meant by the question.
He then went on to talk about the various stages of life and again he asked "Is my time up?" I asked the man how old he was and he held up two fingers on one hand and three fingers on the other hand. Not understanding I said "five?" and he said "no, twenty three" I told him that he had plenty of time left.
The odd question made me uneasy, and I decided that it was best that I move on.
He then went on to talk about the various stages of life and again he asked "Is my time up?" I asked the man how old he was and he held up two fingers on one hand and three fingers on the other hand. Not understanding I said "five?" and he said "no, twenty three" I told him that he had plenty of time left.
The odd question made me uneasy, and I decided that it was best that I move on.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
The Great Recession
Today, I walked by several unsold new homes. The yards were covered with weeds and it appeared that the developer has just given up trying to sell them. A sad reminder of the devastation of The Great Recession.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Relay For Life
http://www.relayforlifeofbremerton.org/ For those that live in the Bremerton, Kitsap County area of Washington State, The American Cancer Society will be having a relay for life at Central Kitsap High School track June 25th & 26th, 2011 from noon to noon.
Email-mailto:Email-bremertonckrfl@gmail.com
Email-mailto:Email-bremertonckrfl@gmail.com
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