I’ve been feeling overwhelmed recently. It seems that every time I sit down to write a real post, I find that it’s already been written. I started this blog as a place for me to clarify my own opinions, but when I start the laborious process of synthesizing all that I’ve read on a subject, [...]
I just finished Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, a collection of short stories mostly about Indian Americans. You’re, right, I have been reading a lot lately. Anyway, I liked this book a lot. It’s the kind of book that when you read that a character is yelling, you wince because it sounds loud. I [...]
I just finished Getting Real, a book by 37 Signals which explains a “smaller, faster, better way to build software”. For those who do not know, 37 Signals is a fairly successful company that provides several web applications for small businesses and individuals. In the book, they explain the philosophy that has led to their [...]
How to Win Friends & Influence People: Dale Carnegie: Books
ISBN: 0671723650ISBN-13: 9780671723651
A couple of months ago I got a mysterious package with a company as the return address. I knew that the post office had searched it for bombs, so I wasn’t worried when I opened it. The package contained a book called How [...]
I miss formal writing, and I intend to do more of it.
I went to school for a long time and, while there, I wrote. I learned how to write a thesis and to put it at the beginning of the my paper. I learned to organize an argument, thereby organizing the argument in my head.
Blogs [...]
I heard the following comment on ESPN:
Expand the list of teams to which he is willing to be traded to.
It made me laugh and cringe all at the same time. The speaker (1) had very clearly had the “to which” construction, and he thought it sounded smart. When properly used, it allows a writer to [...]
Snow by Orhan Pamuk (On Amazon)
I read Snow a while ago but never got around to writing a review, in part becuase it was before I started writing again and in part because I didn’t have a lot to say. The novel tells the story of a small town in Turkey, discussing themes like Islamism [...]
It is my Dad’s birthday today (Happy Birthday pops) so I thought I would discuss a topic that interests us both: West Wing.
I have watched West Wing on DVD at least 8 times all the way through, and some episodes many, many more times than that. I have occassionally found myself confused as to whether [...]
Happy Halloween everyone! Also Happy 92nd birthday to my Grandfather.
I work in a very international office and I’m learning things every day. Last week we had a pumpkin carving party and a mildly amusing thing happened. My boss stopped by my office to pick me up and we walked to the party. As we walked, [...]
Self Analysis
I’ve had two occasions for some formal self analysis in the past two days, and let me just say, man, that is tough. I consider myself on of the more introspective people around, but there’s introspection and there’s it’s closely related evil twin, self-deception. I always liked the idea of residual self image from the [...]