Empress Nasi Goreng’s Neighborhood

Suggested by JM:

“Life is too short to read bad books.” I’d always heard that, but I still read books through until the end no matter how bad they were because I had this sense of obligation.  That is, until this week when I tried (really tried) to read a book that is utterly boring and unrealistic. I had to stop reading.

Do you read everything all the way through or do you feel life really is too short to read bad books?

I've almost always completed books that I've started.  Maybe because I usually read books that have been well-reviewed or maybe because I'm generally an optimist and that even after a slow start I hope that it might get better, or maybe I have a stick-to-it-iveness that says if you're going to start something you might as well finish it.

It

Stephen King

Speaking of of finishing it, that does remind me of one of the few books I didn't finish -- "IT" from Stephen King.  Clocking in at over a thousand pages and at the apex of his drug-addled, no-one-will-edit-him 80s long windedness (Steve: more isn't always better) -- I plodded along in this for about 400 pages and then said, "No mas!"

Oddly, I know several people for whom this book was one of their favorites, but I couldn't stand IT.

How will you use technology or the Internet to help you plan and prepare this year’s Thanksgiving feast?
Sponsored by LifeScoop: Bringing You Tips for a Connected Lifestyle.

Just a second ago I was looking at the shopping list I posted here on Vox last year, and thought to myself, hey, it's only 2 weeks away. I wonder if Vox is asking a question about Thanksgiving? 

So there you go. 

The discussion about wind farms has made me realize how much I tend to dislike outdoor "visual clutter" in many of its forms.  Things I don't like include:

--litter, of course.
--large windfarms (as discussed)
--suburban/rural "sprawl" (ditto)
--traffic congestion, especially truck traffic
--actually, in a lot of ways, big cities (which I used to enjoy; my wife can't stand them now, either, and she grew up in New Jersey!)

I'm opposed to the "uglification of America."  I am for scenic beauty, and I support good design.

Billboard in the country

Now, who would think that putting a big billboard like that along a lovely road helps their political cause?  

But worse of course are the jungles of billboards near, say, O'Hare airport.  Few of these are "informational," unless of course you make your main decisions on what liquor to drink or kind of car to buy while moving along in heavy traffic. Rather, they are ugly and distracting; they make the roads less safe.

In Britain, we saw few such in the countryside.  I believe property owners are restricted to a single sign identifying their business:  some rule like that.

I don't like "noise pollution" either, perhaps especially horn-honkers:  a major gripe!  But I think my visual sense is probably stronger.

Relatedly I guess, I like Apple computers.  Great interfaces!  The term "visual clutter" is often used in relation to interfaces.  Designers work hard to reduce it.

Who wants a pilot to have a cockpit where he/she doesn't see the key indicators, can't find the right controls?  Where things aren't in their expected place?  Where they don't do what they "should?"  Where they operate "backwards?"

On The Other Hand--for reasons I can't explain, I don't mind a messy desk.  Actually, even more than that, I think that all of the important work, certainly all of the creative work, is done by people with messy desks!  In this instance, I am  not against "clutter," but for it.

Last month I disclosed in one of my posts that I have a small collection of Jennifer songs. Yesterday, M-----l included a great Jennifer/ba-ba song by Lloyd Cole in his post and mentioned my list. I think M-----l's VOX neighborhood is a bit bigger than mine, so the cat is out of the bag (so to speak). My collection of songs is small since I haven't been a very dedicated collector. I'm usually happy that one shows up in an album I've bought.

Jennifer Songs

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Weird Science

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This image is probably one of my favourites from this year.

It incorporates some of my favourite things - black and white, unusual perspective, non-conforming portraiture, fun with textures and my niece!

bokehs & pearls

Good news:

Yesterday Ben and I were asked by our old roommate Talena if we could watch Osa the chihuahua this weekend while there is construction done in her new apartment! =)

To celebrate, I'm including some videos of Ben and I spending time with Osa.

This is Ben making Osa sing:

It's fun to make her howl because she purses her lips.
AND she starts to hack/cough like she's a smoker.

But my NUMBER ONE FAVORITE THING to do is this:

I'm still waiting for the day she leaps up and bites me in the face.
But I think she's too sweet for that.

I think I'm more of a dog person now.
I had a bad cat experience at my last apartment with Gordo. He was too needy. Shed too much.  Ate too much, ate when nervous, ate until he vomited. It all made me not want to leave my room.

Dogs are so much better, I think.

In other good news, Ben J. was featured on Daily Candy yesterday!
It is an AMAZING write-up.
I am v. proud.

P.S.
I might do a self portrait later...

Aux jours pluvieux qui se raccourcissent, aux ruisseaux qui glougloutent dans les prés, aux landes silencieuses dans la bruine que seul le croassement de quelque corbeau vient transpercer, à ces talus couverts de mousses et de feuilles mouillées je dédie ces quelques lignes en échange de ces beaux cèpes qu'elles a offert au cueilleur de champignon solitaire. Il est parti avec Bobby son chien alors que le jour pointait à peine. Derrière lui se dégageait une odeur de cigarette grillée. Il a marché dans la prairie marécageuse, s'est arrêté quelques instants devant l'ancien lavoir en pensant aux heures de son enfance quand les lavandières battaient le linge en racontant les ragots du village. Il s'est rappelé avoir retourné leurs caissons, y avoir trouvé un nid de paille et miracle du bleu de méthylène ainsi que de l'eau de javel. Il s'en souvient encore du bleu qui se répandait dans le lavoir puis empruntait le fil de l'eau qu'il suivait en trottinant. Il se souvient aussi de ce lavoir qui vidé de son eau livrait ses secrets avec des anguilles à plein seau.
Il a aspiré encore une longue goulée, a toussoté, la fumée s'est élevée en volutes se mélangeant aux fines gouttelettes en suspension dans l'air. Bobby assis sur son arrière train attentif observait sont maître. Puis il est reparti, il a franchi le talus derrière lequel le ru aux sables d'or se fraie un chemin incertain allant jusqu'à disparaitre en chemin pour un peu plus loin réapparaître. Il a enjambé cet obstacle ou auparavant il venait jouer avec des moulins confectionnés de ses propres mains. A l'orée du bois, entre landes, châtaigniers et pins maritimes il a redoublé d'attention comme lorsqu'il était enfant  il a longé les talus, écrasé du pied les landes à la recherche du cèpe qui pour lui est le roi des champignons. A cet homme qui vit en communion avec la nature, à cet homme qui est mon frère et qui ma donné une cagette de cèpes.

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• 13:23 Waiting to hear if my offer on the car gets accepted... #
• 13:41 And...denied. The search goes on. #
• 15:04 Car's mine if I like it tomorrow! #

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Not feeling altogether healthy today, so have been lying a little upon my bed. I have the blinds open and a crow is spending large amounts of time sitting on the lamp post outside my bedroom window and looking in at me. It flies away and then returns to take up its post again. I am not overly superstitious, but I am starting to get a little spooked out by the damn crow. I would indeed like to stone the damn thing.

FD and the crow : not friends at all

Look you saggy bag of black feathers take your business somewhere else! SHOO!