Rancid

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini My rating: 1 of 5 stars This novel is the definition of a useless space opera. 1000+ pages of nothing worth of value. It is a mélange of every science fiction book out there. I fell for the sunk cost fallacy. Waiting to see if it would get better. Never happened. The Author is more of a Fantasy (dungeon and dragon writer) and this book is written in this fashion. I think he is going to write a series on his theme called the fractal universe. I see no math here or fractals. Some authors can do both, others well... I don't read fantasy so I really can't criticize his fantasy novels. If you are a hard sci-fi guy. I would stay away from this one. View all my reviews

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius My rating: 3 of 5 stars He really wrote this book as notes to himself. he had an interesting way of thinking. Some of his notes even sound like he had Christian principles behind him, of course, his empire persecuted Christians, but at t time he considered some Christians corrupt. View all my reviews

On my third month since my Cabg surgery. I can't deny that things are getting better. But recovery is taking longer than I expected.  I still go to cardiopulmonary rehab twice a week. A few days ago I had to go to Virtua pulmonary. I thought I had a doctor's visit but it was spirometry tests What has helped me mentally is I have been allowed to return to work even though I'm not 100%. I had a lot of projects that I want to do in the house but physically I just wasn't able to do so, and that led to a lot of frustration. By going back to work I can keep my mind busy and be a little bit more productive. I'm still not allowed to travel the sternum just takes a while to heal.  Spiritually, I'm going to no place. Was trying to get regular in-presence meetings it has been difficult. The Kingdom Hall that I decided to go to is farther away. And my biggest problem is that I cannot walk very well. So I attend the meetings via Zoom. I also try to kill time by reading but t...

Murder at the ABA by Isaac Asimov My rating: 3 of 5 stars Murder at the ABA While Isaac Asimov is considered to be a very excellent science fiction writer. He has written books in other genres. "Murder at the ABA" is considered to be by him one of his best books in regard to the mystery genre. And this particular novel he has inserted himself into the plot. This is known as metafiction. The novel per se is of an odd taste. All I can say is that the characters in the novel are not detectives they are writers but they are forced to become detectives at the loft of a colleague during the convention of the ABA. Therefore it's a little bit more of a whodunnit type of book. Enjoy. View all my reviews

 The kind of people we are  going to meet each day—the bitter, the stupid, the jealous, the petty, racists, polluters, rage profiteers, reality television stars, trolls and on and on. ( I know many of those labels apply to me as well) These people are frustrating. They make the world less safe, less productive, less collaborative. They poison the common good. They destroy any semblance of common understanding or commonality, period. But instead of getting angry at them, try pity first. As we’ve said before, these people aren’t actually having a good time. Nor, in most cases, are they avoiding the consequences of their own actions (in some cases, they suffer most). Even if it doesn’t always seem so obvious. After all, you could be like them if you wanted. Why? Because it’s a horrible, shameful way to live. These people who frustrate us are cut off from that. They have been led astray. Or they have chosen to go astray. And that is something to pity From the thought of Ryan Holid...

 For too long many of you as I, have been led to believe that to show emotion is to show weakness My father would say if you cry, I will put Maria's dress on you (Maria was my little sister).  Once in the Bronx, I slice my knee up to the knee cap, and at Pelham bay hospital he did not allow anesthesia, I left the hospital walking under my own power in pain, with no crutches,  or wheelchair, and I was not allowed to cry. My mother agreed with him.  Suck it up, we’re told, stop being a crybaby. You’re stronger than that. No one wants to hear it. I got that from outside and inside the congregation as well. Of course, many of us who are different had to remodel our thinking to adjust to our upbringing and culture, even where today it would not be considered normal. Yet I wonder how many of my fellow Christians would consider Jesus a coward whe  finally succumbs to his pain, calling out to his father, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ In that raw, agonizing...

What you read.  Who you study under.  What you prioritize.  How you treat someone.  What your routine is like.  The training you undergo.  What rules  you follow.  What habits you cultivate. Day to day, practiced over a lifetime. For some it will do good... But for others like myself... Nope. too late.