I read Sue Miller's While I Was Gone. I remember leafing through this book, and thinking "I should read a female author soon. I haven't read any this year." Of course, as I look through my records, I find that I've already read two books by women this year: Five Finger Discount, by Helene Stapinski, and Fifty Days of Solitude, by Susan Grumbach.
This is work of fantastic fiction. Ms. Miller has tremendous prose, creating a heightened mood. It was a book I felt. At the end of the book was a bonus of sorts: a question and answer section with the author. I'm a huge fan of DVD commentaries, and reading the author discussing her book was quite satisfying.
Sunday, October 7, 2001
Mikal Gilmore
File this under the serendipity column: HBO has produced a movie about Mikal Gilmore, Gary Gilmore's brother (of The Executioner's Song). Yes, I plan to watch it.
My Flat Tire
On Friday, just after I pulled out of my driveway, I discovered that my driver side rear wheel had a flat. Jenn and Mia were headed for day-care, so they saw my predicament; I, however, was on my own to change this flat.
Changing the tire on my car proved to be very different from my old car. Instead of unthreading nuts from bolts, I unthreaded the bolt itself. The toolkit and jack had precise images describing what to do. It was fairly pleasant.
While rolling the flat tire into my trunk, I found that a huge staple had punctured the tread. Clearly this was the source of the flat. When I got the tire repaired the next day, it only cost me $20.
I kept thinking throughout that hurried morning: There's no better place to change a flat tire than in one's own driveway.
Changing the tire on my car proved to be very different from my old car. Instead of unthreading nuts from bolts, I unthreaded the bolt itself. The toolkit and jack had precise images describing what to do. It was fairly pleasant.
While rolling the flat tire into my trunk, I found that a huge staple had punctured the tread. Clearly this was the source of the flat. When I got the tire repaired the next day, it only cost me $20.
I kept thinking throughout that hurried morning: There's no better place to change a flat tire than in one's own driveway.
Thursday, October 4, 2001
Retiring Bourque's Number
I watched parts of the Boston Bruins season opener. Boston won 4 to 2 over the Anaheim Might Ducks. Samsonov and Kariya (two players I like to watch) scored. Before the game, Ray Bourque's number was retired. He gave a wonderful speech of gratitude, and my favorite part was hearing him speak his (clearly) native Canadian French: "Merci, Montreal!"
Wednesday, October 3, 2001
Concerned About Evil
I had lunch today with Mike Huben, a former work colleague. He and I hashed out the issues regarding Osama bin Laden, and the events of September 11. He told me "what we should do in the Arab third-world": implement a Marshall Plan. Mike's idea is a way to cut off terrorism at the root: by providing funding to create secular schools so that children aren't left destitute, and susceptible to being funneled into radical fundamentalist groups like Al Qaeda. Just like the United States funded work, housing, and food for Europe after World War II, we could "prop" up the Arab third-world's children, and give them real choices.
(I worried to Mike whether this would involve puppet goverments, exactly the kinds of things that got America into trouble before. And he agreed that this is one of the problems with Arab countries: it's hard to find good non-religious goverment infrastructure in place to receive this plan.)
When I brought up my thoughts on trying to 'negotiate' with Al Qaeda, trying to understand their hatred towards us, he asked me plainly: Could the United States have negotiated with Timothy McVeigh?
There is evil in the world, evil people, people that cannot be rational, people who cannot and will not and do not see 'our side'. Diplomacy with these people is impossible. All we can do is mitigate the effects of these people. And perhaps put in place systems that prevent evil from growing within people.
As a fan of Stephen Covey and Phil McGraw, I know that the only person I can change is me. But I also know as a new parent that the one person I can most influence is my baby. And by extension, the best thing we as a nation can do is raise good children.
I like to think people can change. But I doubt Osama bin Laden will be turning over a new leaf anytime soon. He's committed to perpetrating these vicious acts, so that he can influence and gain followers. We didn't seek to change Mr. McVeigh. We executed him. But we can change our kids. And this seems to me to get at the core problem.
(I worried to Mike whether this would involve puppet goverments, exactly the kinds of things that got America into trouble before. And he agreed that this is one of the problems with Arab countries: it's hard to find good non-religious goverment infrastructure in place to receive this plan.)
When I brought up my thoughts on trying to 'negotiate' with Al Qaeda, trying to understand their hatred towards us, he asked me plainly: Could the United States have negotiated with Timothy McVeigh?
There is evil in the world, evil people, people that cannot be rational, people who cannot and will not and do not see 'our side'. Diplomacy with these people is impossible. All we can do is mitigate the effects of these people. And perhaps put in place systems that prevent evil from growing within people.
As a fan of Stephen Covey and Phil McGraw, I know that the only person I can change is me. But I also know as a new parent that the one person I can most influence is my baby. And by extension, the best thing we as a nation can do is raise good children.
I like to think people can change. But I doubt Osama bin Laden will be turning over a new leaf anytime soon. He's committed to perpetrating these vicious acts, so that he can influence and gain followers. We didn't seek to change Mr. McVeigh. We executed him. But we can change our kids. And this seems to me to get at the core problem.
Tuesday, October 2, 2001
Sunday, September 30, 2001
Zug
Buried in all our news about our war with Osama bin Laden was the horrific piece about a lone gunman who rampaged into an assembly meeting in Zug, Switzerland. He blasted away with a pistol, and other assault weapons, killing at least 14 people, injuring others, and then killing himself. Stunning.
Also reported in the Boston Globe, but not really 'mainstream' news: there are too many blood donors, but the Red Cross is taking advantage of eager donors to stock pile blood.
And again: there are too many funerals and wakes as a result of the terrorist attacks; Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and others in the fire department cannot attend all the ceremonies for all the men. Giuliani commented he rarely failed to attend the wake/funeral of a civial employee, and has asked the public to attend.
Also reported in the Boston Globe, but not really 'mainstream' news: there are too many blood donors, but the Red Cross is taking advantage of eager donors to stock pile blood.
And again: there are too many funerals and wakes as a result of the terrorist attacks; Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and others in the fire department cannot attend all the ceremonies for all the men. Giuliani commented he rarely failed to attend the wake/funeral of a civial employee, and has asked the public to attend.
Review: The Executioner's Song
Gary Gilmore committed two murders in Utah in 1976. He was sentenced to the death penalty, but threw the state of Utah and the nation into turmoil when he decided not to appeal his sentence.
Norman Mailer won the 1980 Pulizter Prize in Fiction for The Executioner's Song. When I bought this book in June, I was eager to start reading it. He was 'a great author' I had wanted to read, especially Of a Fire on the Moon, which he wrote about the Apollo Space Missions.
It's an awe-inspiring book. 1000 pages devoted to Gary Gilmore, his crime, his trial, and his punishment. Along the way, Mr. Mailer paints portraits of Gilmore's family, the lawyers, judges, prison wardens, and media 'hounds' who would seek to profit from the 'rights' to Gilmore's story.
I didn't know Gary Gilmore was a real person. The Pulitzer Prize category this book won was 'fiction', but I didn't know that either. The book felt like fiction, a very rich fiction. However, as the details of the trial emerged, I began to realize this was based on very real events. About a month into the book, I avoided entering 'Gary Gilmore' into Google, because I was afraid to find out 'how it ended'.
After finishing this book, I'm surprised there was no mention of him during the execution of Timothy McVeigh.
If you don't want to know what happened, stop reading now!
The Gary Gilmore Memorial Society took pictures of themselves in the manner in which the execution took place.
Has Gary Gilmore's death stopped any murders? Has Gary's nearly perpetual incarceration throughout his young adulthood contributed to his murderous acts? Why do some women find themselves attracted to such a flawed person?
I wonder about these questions, as they seem to be the major themes in his book. However, there are many alleys into which Mailer ventures.
I found myself marveling at the 'system' of appeals, and the role of lawyers and judges, con-men, and informants. I learned about how only a few people really get to the heart of a story, and that 'the rest of the media' fight over the same piece of news. I read the life of the victims, and found out that they were good people, good Mormons, who probably didn't deserve this death. And I read about the executioners, and what exactly did they do after the sentence.
On Amazon, one reviewer claimed that they read it twice. I'm not sure if I could. Another reader claimed that they would never part with it. Definitely.
Norman Mailer won the 1980 Pulizter Prize in Fiction for The Executioner's Song. When I bought this book in June, I was eager to start reading it. He was 'a great author' I had wanted to read, especially Of a Fire on the Moon, which he wrote about the Apollo Space Missions.
It's an awe-inspiring book. 1000 pages devoted to Gary Gilmore, his crime, his trial, and his punishment. Along the way, Mr. Mailer paints portraits of Gilmore's family, the lawyers, judges, prison wardens, and media 'hounds' who would seek to profit from the 'rights' to Gilmore's story.
I didn't know Gary Gilmore was a real person. The Pulitzer Prize category this book won was 'fiction', but I didn't know that either. The book felt like fiction, a very rich fiction. However, as the details of the trial emerged, I began to realize this was based on very real events. About a month into the book, I avoided entering 'Gary Gilmore' into Google, because I was afraid to find out 'how it ended'.
After finishing this book, I'm surprised there was no mention of him during the execution of Timothy McVeigh.
If you don't want to know what happened, stop reading now!
The Gary Gilmore Memorial Society took pictures of themselves in the manner in which the execution took place.
Has Gary Gilmore's death stopped any murders? Has Gary's nearly perpetual incarceration throughout his young adulthood contributed to his murderous acts? Why do some women find themselves attracted to such a flawed person?
I wonder about these questions, as they seem to be the major themes in his book. However, there are many alleys into which Mailer ventures.
I found myself marveling at the 'system' of appeals, and the role of lawyers and judges, con-men, and informants. I learned about how only a few people really get to the heart of a story, and that 'the rest of the media' fight over the same piece of news. I read the life of the victims, and found out that they were good people, good Mormons, who probably didn't deserve this death. And I read about the executioners, and what exactly did they do after the sentence.
On Amazon, one reviewer claimed that they read it twice. I'm not sure if I could. Another reader claimed that they would never part with it. Definitely.
Saturday, September 29, 2001
Finishing The Executioner's Song
I just finished reading The Executioner's Song, the story of Gary Gilmore.
I'll have more to say about this later, but I must announce it was the longest book I've read in quite some time (it's 1054 pages), and it was exhausting!
I'll have more to say about this later, but I must announce it was the longest book I've read in quite some time (it's 1054 pages), and it was exhausting!
The Dot-Com Hey Days
Today I received the shareholders document describing the merger between divine and Open Market. By October 19, if everything is done right, my old company will be 'something else'.
When I worked at Open Market, I had these crazy dreams that it would grow to be an Oracle, or an SAP. I was at Open Market when it went public, and it is still the headiest day I've ever experienced as a 'working person'. In the span of a day, I had a six-figure net worth. Many that day became millionaires. The sky was the limit, I thought deliriously.
But as the years wore on from that bright day, I started hoping we could be a division of an IBM, or some other such company.
As it is, the rise, and peak, and subsequent descent of Open Market would be mirrored across the nation as Internet companies shot for the moon, then crashed on the return trip. Po Bronson, a savvy author who exemplified those ecstatic times wrote an apology to all his readers who followed him into the boom, only to go bust.
One of the things on my mantle at home is a glass cube containing a miniature copy of the Open Market initial public offering document. You could almost read the text on the fanned out pages, and I often wondered what would happen if I broke open the glass.
From the safety of my new job, I can look back on Open Market with a little more composure. I learned a lot there. And my stock options, whose value varied dramatically, allowed Jenn and I to get into a good house, get a nice car, pay down our credit cards. It was a good trip. I wish we didn't have to land.
When I worked at Open Market, I had these crazy dreams that it would grow to be an Oracle, or an SAP. I was at Open Market when it went public, and it is still the headiest day I've ever experienced as a 'working person'. In the span of a day, I had a six-figure net worth. Many that day became millionaires. The sky was the limit, I thought deliriously.
But as the years wore on from that bright day, I started hoping we could be a division of an IBM, or some other such company.
As it is, the rise, and peak, and subsequent descent of Open Market would be mirrored across the nation as Internet companies shot for the moon, then crashed on the return trip. Po Bronson, a savvy author who exemplified those ecstatic times wrote an apology to all his readers who followed him into the boom, only to go bust.
One of the things on my mantle at home is a glass cube containing a miniature copy of the Open Market initial public offering document. You could almost read the text on the fanned out pages, and I often wondered what would happen if I broke open the glass.
From the safety of my new job, I can look back on Open Market with a little more composure. I learned a lot there. And my stock options, whose value varied dramatically, allowed Jenn and I to get into a good house, get a nice car, pay down our credit cards. It was a good trip. I wish we didn't have to land.
Wednesday, September 26, 2001
9/11 Receding
Since the tragedy, I've been in a funk entertainment-wise. Strangely, I've been drawn to stories about the cataloging of body parts. I've been listening to Howard Stern. I haven't watched a single DVD.
I spend the evenings reading e-mail, and plowing through Executioner's Song. I'm now towards the end of this book, and it is taking on the somber details of how a single man gets executed. And I have Dead Man Walking on my NetFlix DVD rental queue. Morbid.
I'm slowly getting out of the funk, though. I did tune into The Ellen Show. I am anxiously awaiting the start of the NHL season.
I spend the evenings reading e-mail, and plowing through Executioner's Song. I'm now towards the end of this book, and it is taking on the somber details of how a single man gets executed. And I have Dead Man Walking on my NetFlix DVD rental queue. Morbid.
I'm slowly getting out of the funk, though. I did tune into The Ellen Show. I am anxiously awaiting the start of the NHL season.
Tuesday, September 25, 2001
Picking Up Where I Left Off
I picked up Executioner's Song again. I'm closing in on the finish of this 1000+ page book.
Sunday, September 23, 2001
My First Boss
This past weekend, I ran into Pete Winston, the president of ICS, the company I worked for immediately after college.
Pete interviewed me all those many years ago, when I was a young buck finishing up college. I spent a wonderful four years at ICS, watching the company grow from 40 to 100 people. The first week I was there, we moved from tight attic-space to a spacious floor in a brand new building near the heart of MIT. There was a feeling of opportunity and excitement that prevailed those first few months I was there.
At ICS, I was given every opportunity to flourish and grow. I worked on C and UNIX programs (eventually shipping code that facilitated software installation from a CD-ROM). I worked on technical training (hitting San Jose and Dallas seemingly every month for almost a year). I learned about technical sales, and technical marketing. I knew everyone at the company, and for a while, it was my social structure. I met a lot of good people there. It was the perfect place for a new graduate.
Pete and I chatted about a few people, and traded views on the hi-tech economy. We caught up with where things were. It's amazing how quickly you can 'catch up'.
As I write this, I'm now remembering the one thing I wanted to say after we parted: Thanks for taking a chance and hiring me all those years ago!
Pete interviewed me all those many years ago, when I was a young buck finishing up college. I spent a wonderful four years at ICS, watching the company grow from 40 to 100 people. The first week I was there, we moved from tight attic-space to a spacious floor in a brand new building near the heart of MIT. There was a feeling of opportunity and excitement that prevailed those first few months I was there.
At ICS, I was given every opportunity to flourish and grow. I worked on C and UNIX programs (eventually shipping code that facilitated software installation from a CD-ROM). I worked on technical training (hitting San Jose and Dallas seemingly every month for almost a year). I learned about technical sales, and technical marketing. I knew everyone at the company, and for a while, it was my social structure. I met a lot of good people there. It was the perfect place for a new graduate.
Pete and I chatted about a few people, and traded views on the hi-tech economy. We caught up with where things were. It's amazing how quickly you can 'catch up'.
As I write this, I'm now remembering the one thing I wanted to say after we parted: Thanks for taking a chance and hiring me all those years ago!
Wednesday, September 19, 2001
The Optimal Way
About a month ago, I posted some thoughts on why I'm trying to learn more about MS Office. Today, someone forwarded an article to me which contained these two paragraphs:
"In this study of how non-technical people use computers, they observed that people don't read manuals. And once they figure out how to achieve something, they will not change their protocol even if doing things a different way is quicker.
"It's paradoxical because people would save time if they learned how to use computers in an optimal way. But most computer users are laboring under this paradox right now."
This is why I'm learning about MS Office. Whenever I use it, I half worry that there's a faster way, a more productive way, a more efficient way to do what I'm doing. Early on in my job, I spent time converting a report from a database program into something I can read in Excel. I executed numerous Excel menu items to make the report look good. Well, I have to do this conversion every week. Instead of doing the same steps over again, I pulled out an Excel macro to slurp up the report from a text file, auto-format and auto-filter, and save the file with a new name. Instead of spending five minutes every week, I now do this same task in ten seconds.
"In this study of how non-technical people use computers, they observed that people don't read manuals. And once they figure out how to achieve something, they will not change their protocol even if doing things a different way is quicker.
"It's paradoxical because people would save time if they learned how to use computers in an optimal way. But most computer users are laboring under this paradox right now."
This is why I'm learning about MS Office. Whenever I use it, I half worry that there's a faster way, a more productive way, a more efficient way to do what I'm doing. Early on in my job, I spent time converting a report from a database program into something I can read in Excel. I executed numerous Excel menu items to make the report look good. Well, I have to do this conversion every week. Instead of doing the same steps over again, I pulled out an Excel macro to slurp up the report from a text file, auto-format and auto-filter, and save the file with a new name. Instead of spending five minutes every week, I now do this same task in ten seconds.
Tuesday, September 18, 2001
9/11 Receding
I sent e-mail to the various folks I know who work/live in New York City. All are well and safe. I also heard (through another mailing list) from an ex-colleague who took photos of the burning towers. Sigh. One week ago I was transfixed in front of the television, mesmerized by the unspeakable disaster. Today, I feel a little bit 'recovered', a little bit ready for the next step.
I'm glad the U.S. is being so deliberate with its 'planning'. I also think the language of 'war' is being 'toned down' a bit: we're in a conflict, a battle.
A lot of what I've been reading on the web comes from Phil Agre's Red Rock Eater mailing list. On his digest page, look for the links "attack", and feast on what the World Wide Web has to offer in terms of background information.
I'm glad the U.S. is being so deliberate with its 'planning'. I also think the language of 'war' is being 'toned down' a bit: we're in a conflict, a battle.
A lot of what I've been reading on the web comes from Phil Agre's Red Rock Eater mailing list. On his digest page, look for the links "attack", and feast on what the World Wide Web has to offer in terms of background information.
Relief
I think there is now some 'relief' from the onslaught of television images concerning the terrorist attacks. Last night, I saw commercials on network television.
Friday, September 14, 2001
Asking Questions About 9/11
Television is overflowing with news about the terrorist attack. It's almost suffocating.
Over the past few days, I have read print and online newspapers, visited chat rooms, read online essays, and listened to talk radio.
Like many, I mourn for the lives lost that Tuesday. Like many, I veer between shock, anger, hatred, and exhaustion. Like many, I have only a few degrees of separation from these terrorist acts.
The overwhelming sentiment for a concerted military retaliation strikes me at once desireable, and at once deplorable. Perhaps there's no room for diplomacy anymore. Maybe the perpetrators of these heinous acts deserve the full might of our sword. I don't know.
I do know this. These terrorists acted this way because of some tremendous hatred towards us. I think one question that needs to be explored is why? Why are they compelled to act this way?
Please don't think for a moment that I'll protest a military strike; I'll probably be among those cheering. But I do believe our leaders should strive to understand their underlying hatred. Is it territory? Is it religous belief? What is their fundamental disagreement with us? What drives their hatred, and can that be assuaged somehow?
Only a small minority feel the need to ask these questions. I believe these are important questions because only a small minority of people are driven to such fanatical acts. If we are truly to prevent such an act from occurring again, the first step is to ask what gives rise to this fanaticism?
Over the past few days, I have read print and online newspapers, visited chat rooms, read online essays, and listened to talk radio.
Like many, I mourn for the lives lost that Tuesday. Like many, I veer between shock, anger, hatred, and exhaustion. Like many, I have only a few degrees of separation from these terrorist acts.
The overwhelming sentiment for a concerted military retaliation strikes me at once desireable, and at once deplorable. Perhaps there's no room for diplomacy anymore. Maybe the perpetrators of these heinous acts deserve the full might of our sword. I don't know.
I do know this. These terrorists acted this way because of some tremendous hatred towards us. I think one question that needs to be explored is why? Why are they compelled to act this way?
Please don't think for a moment that I'll protest a military strike; I'll probably be among those cheering. But I do believe our leaders should strive to understand their underlying hatred. Is it territory? Is it religous belief? What is their fundamental disagreement with us? What drives their hatred, and can that be assuaged somehow?
Only a small minority feel the need to ask these questions. I believe these are important questions because only a small minority of people are driven to such fanatical acts. If we are truly to prevent such an act from occurring again, the first step is to ask what gives rise to this fanaticism?
WTC: Picture Essay
I liked Grace Suh's picture essay of the World Trade Center. She has another picture essay of the terrible Tuesday.
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
WTC, b. 1973
Correction made to my 9/11/2001 entry: the World Trade Center's Twin Tower's were completed in 1973, when I was five years old.
The 9/11 Planes
I found (through Red Rock Eater News) an animated picture that depicts the flight paths of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center.
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