Don't Panic!

Well I have officially blasted through The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (no relation) or at least I don't think there is any relation. I mean I'm sure way back in the annals of Adams history, the Adamses got on a ship from England and sailed over here. So its logical to believe that somewhere over there are some of my relations.

Other Adamses that I'm not knowing related to:

John Adams-Though from reading a biography on him, I can see some rather stark similarities. For instance, he constantly felt underappreciated and he believed people didn't like him.

Samuel Adams-Though it would be cool if I could get some free beer for them using my last name.

Michael Adams: He was an astronaut and though many in my family seem to be from outer space there is no reason to believe we are related.

So now that thats done, onward and upward. Next on the agenda is technically The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers. However, I will have to wait for it to be shipped to me so I will tackle The Great Gatsby. I'll see if this Gatsby fellow is truly "great."

What manner of man?

Since last Saturday night, our intrepid bibliophile, Keith Adams, has been able to cross three books (Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway, and Animal Farm by George Orwell) off the list; has worked 53 hours; baked some pretty choice muffins; ran 30 minutes on the treadmill daily; bowled a 216......I'll repeat that because it bears repeating......bowled a 216!, and on top of that he is currently keeping his two nephews overnight. What manner of man indeed.


Dr. Zoidberg: And what about this Keith Adams's social life.

Me: Shut up Zoidberg!

On to the next order of business, the next book on the list as chosen by Patty is The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers. If it is not in stock I shall make an executive decision and choose The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (no relation). Also to reward Keith Adams for his fortitude, he shall be eat at Red Robin's.

Next!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I just finished Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. I especially enjoyed the dialogue used:

"Aw, git reconciled! Dat woman don't want you. You got tuh learn dat all de women in de world ain't been brought up on no teppentine still, and no saw-mill camp. There's some women dat jus' ain't for you tuh broach. You can't get her wid no fish sandwich."

Also interesting is that Hurston was born in Notasulga, Alabama.

So on to the next order of business. Patti wanted me to read book #777 which is The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers. However, I cannot make it to the bookstore for a few days because of work so I will fill the gap by doing what I was suppose to do some 14 years ago. The next book is The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.

Answers!!!! and More!!!!!!!!!!

1. Yes. Total time from pulling into the parking lot at Jones Valley to getting back on the road was probably under 5 minutes.

2. Yes but it was dicey. I actually had plenty of time. First I was coming into downtown a different way than usual. On top of that I was probably only about 83.7% sure where I was going. First I attempted to get off of Memorial Parkway onto Clinton Avenue and just stayed in the lane and got off and yes right back on. So I had to get off and try to navigate my way the opposite way. But everything went well at this point so I was officially downtown. I had to do something while I was downtown that I'm not proud of.....I asked for directions not once, not twice, but three different times. I can tell ya if it had been anyone else's wedding, including my own, I would never have asked directions. I will state or the record that the lady I asked at the Depot Museum gave me wonderful directions (take this road up a block and then take that road over a block and I think she told me the wrong road when actually all she really had to do was say you see where those cars are parked)

More!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3. A squirrel with christmas tree lights for eyes.
4. Dexy's Midnight Runners lead singer Kevin Rowland

Another One Down

Just finished Beloved by Toni Morrison. Not exactly my cup of tea but a nice work.

So now its time to move on to the next book on the list. As per Dana's request next off the list shall be # 609 which is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Its fortuitous that I finished tonight and will be heading to Huntsville tomorrow. Two questions are posed to our intrepid bibliophile: (1) Will Keith be able to get himself ready and leave in time to make a quick stop by Barnes & Noble to pick up the book before heading to Matthew and Dana's wedding? and (2) Can Keith navigate himself from Barnes & Noble to the site of the aforementioned nuptials? For these questions and more stay tuned next time.

Oh! These cliffhangers play such a trick on my fragile constitution.

You can officially put Like Life by Lorrie Moore into the read column. This book was another collection of short stories. The stories centered around characters wondering how there life turned out so different than what they wanted. I personally didn't like this collection as much as I liked Reasons to Life by Amy Hempel.

On to the next book, this time I asked people to pick numbers between 1-1001. The first one selected was Beloved by Toni Morrison. This time when I went to the bookstore all the books on my random list were instock except for one.

Its interesting to look at the books that have been chosen since I've been choosing at random. First, Reasons to Live, then Life Life, and now Beloved (for the most unloved person alive).

A Wasted Trip

After finishing the rest of the books in the Amy Hempel collection which included Reasons to Live, its on to the next stop in the quest. To choose my next book I consulted a random number generator to give me a book and four back-ups in case Barnes and Noble didn't have the first one:

1)Like Life- Lorrie Moore
2) Kingdom of This World- Alejo Carpentier
3) Written on the Body- Jeanette Winterson
4) Professor Unrat- Heinrich Mann
5) Euphues: Anatomy of Wit- John Lyly

So after working all day and with my list in hand, I embarked on my journey to the Barnes & Noble in Jones Valley. One by one I searched for the selected books and not a single one was in stock. I found other books by Moore and Winterson but not the necessary tome. (notice how I break up the monotony by using the word tome instead of book.) I had also decided on my ride into town that I didn't feel like getting anything to eat so basically so I was ready to go home. Just so I didn't make the trip for nothing I went to the Barnes and Noble Cafe for a chai. Luckily my nemesis wasn't working tonight. I'm in line angry at myself for only having readying 5 choices when the lady at the head of the line takes 5 minutes to order her coffee. My goodness! "Grande Caramel Frappachino skinny milk and I'd like the caramel to have been sitting in a perfectly symmetrical octagon with a jar of equal parts fresh mint leaves, peanut butter, and fresh panda spleen for exactly 20 minutes and 34 seconds." I like to think the counter person was pleased when it was my turn and my order consisted of "Tall Chai please." On my way home it was raining and my windshield wipers are in dire need of replacing.

So I suppose I'll be ordering a book off Barnes and Nobles's website.