Monday, February 01, 2010

Not a book report

I'm back among the Workers these days, the curious folk who live in the building where I am sometimes called upon to build documents for money. I try not to show up too early, so that they will be up and breakfasted before my arrival.

Many of the people I used to know among them are no longer there. This financial crisis thingie has hit and hit hard. There have been layoffs, and a few times those remaining have been asked to accept a decrease in pay to help ensure the short-term stability of the company. Today was one such day. This makes me fear for my own situation there, which is temporary anyway. It also makes me feel quite sad for the situation in which the Workers find themselves.

I heard on television that unemployment is always a "lagging indicator" in tough economic times, which is meant to indicate that it takes longer to stabilize than the actual crisis. This isn't much comfort.

So I find myself a bit melancholic this Monday evening. Hoping a good night's sleep will take care of some of that. If not, perhaps I will devour a sheet cake.

*****

I've been thinking about the 100 Books/100 Films thing, and am now convinced that I would rather saw off my foot than attempt to write 200 posts like the one I posted Sunday. To say nothing of asking anyone to pop in and slog through such posts. The reasonable thing to do would be to publish a few lumped together every week or so, focusing on highlights and lowlights. I except I'll do a book or film all on its lonesome from time to time, but only in such cases where I genuinely had something to say or a strong response.

Bear with me, I am still figuring things out.

This also means I can blog like a normal person more often, without it getting buried in what would be a new review every two days or so. I find I am looking forward to doing some normal posts.

*****

The lists I am going by, incidentally (the AFI Top 100 Films and the Modern Library Top 100 Books), are not meant to imply that I necessarily endorse their choices for the cream of their respective crops. Any two people would have wildly varying lists, and there are a number on these lists which I might rank higher or lower or omit in favor of another selection.

The main thing is that they are concrete lists, and each have many selections which I have never experienced for one reason or another. The books one, in particular, intrigues me with a nice blend of things I know I enjoyed, things I have always meant to read, and things I had never heard of before. And, yeah, a few I know already are clunkers.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

To be honest, the world is awash with reviews - book reviews, theatre reviews, film reviews, restaurant reviews and every other sort of reviews. The question is: do we really need any more reviews?

To my mind, what is interesting in a blog is when the blogger writes about matters close to his/her heart, about experience, about life.

I didn't read your Sunday post(s) but I did read this one. Perhaps that says something.

And what about that camera of yours - do you no longer take it out for walks? Who knows what a dusty lens might see after such a long rest?

Baino said...

Strange, I'm actually in agreeance with Silver Tiger. Book reviews are ten a penny but if you read something that rocked your world, I'd be interested. Same with the film reviews. Whether they're worth spending the money at VMax or wait until they're on DVD. Frankly, I'm a personal blog nut and enjoy travelling vicariously and hearing how the other half lives.

Then it's your blog, you do what you want to! I'll catch up on the long posts on the weekends I'm sure!

As for work/recessions/GFC's. You'll be pleased to know that the Us is out of recession this week. So much so that your President has time and money to travel to Indonesia and Australia next month. Aww . .isn't that nice.

Anonymous said...

Good post and this mail helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you for your information.

Liz Dwyer said...

So... did you consume the sheet cake?

I like this book idea of yours and I hope you write whatever you darn well please about them.

Liz Dwyer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.