Matthew Dicks's Blog, page 720
December 25, 2009
A bounty of Christmas goodness!
My wife is the best gift giver ever, and particularly the best stocking stuffer of all time.
My gifts from Christmas morning included:
1. A signed first edition of Kurt Vonnegut's A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY, with a rare illustrated signature.
2. Several clever golf accoutrements
3. Christopher Myer's modern adaptation of the Lewis Carroll's THE JABBERWOCKY. I recite this poem from memory to our daughter quite often, so now I'll have some images to go along with the words. And hoops...
December 24, 2009
The Simpsons and me
Twenty years ago, I was eighteen. I had just graduated high school and had quickly moved out on my own. I was living in a townhouse in Attleboro, Massachusetts with two of my friends. One was going to college and the other worked in manufacturing. I was managing a McDonald's restaurant. None of us had much money, and our typical meal consisted of elbow macaroni and canned soups. During our first winter, we could not afford to turn on the heat and stayed warm by sitting side by side on...
December 23, 2009
What woman buys this stuff?
This product litters the counter of my local 7-11, and it's always half-empty or better.
I don't get it.
December 22, 2009
Hollywood does it right
Having just finished reading UNDER THE DOME and SCROOGENOMICS, I've decided to treat myself with a re-reading of Peter Benchley's JAWS, a book that I have not read since I was a teenager.
I'm hoping it's as good as I remember it.
I thought the contrast between the original cover of the novel and the movie poster was striking. Both are effectively ominous, but the book cover doesn't hold a candle to its cinematic counterpart.
In fact, in comparison, it looks a little silly.
December 21, 2009
Literally singing the praises of books!
What's better than an independent bookseller singing the praises of your book to the tune of a classic Christmas carol?
Not much!
Uncommonly bad advice
My wife is Jewish. I am not. I have agreed to raise our daughter in the Jewish tradition, though for my wife, this tends to lean more on the culture aspects of the Jewish faith rather than the actual religious dogma.
I support this decision, though I have also made it clear that when our daughter approaches me at the age of seventeen, declaring herself a Buddhist, a Pastafarian or an agnostic, I will tell her to follow her heart and do what she thinks is right (and hide from her...
No more ring
My wife called me at work to tell me that the phone service in our home was out.
"The Internet and cable?" I asked, panicking inside. A Friday night at home without the Internet? What would we do?
"No. Just the phone line," she assured me.
"Oh, that's good," I said and meant it. In fact, I was secretly hoping that she couldn't get it working for at least a month. I hate the house phone. Actually, I hate all telephones, but at least I can ignore my own cell phone. When the house phone...
December 20, 2009
Timing is everything
Just as the Miami Dolphins tied the score, sending their game against Tennessee into overtime (annoying me immensely), my Google Alert pointed me to this delightful post on The Official Gordon Korman Web Site.
It read:
"I quite accidentally stumbled across this writer, and I'm glad I did. Matthew Dicks is the first author in a long time that held my interest the same way GK does. I finished the book in 2-3 days, and GK's the only other author who's books I finish that fast.
This is...
Not cool
Nothing against a holiday wreath, but what's with the disembodied baby's head?
Who thinks this is cute? I had to stare at it throughout breakfast, and it got creepier by the second.
Holiday treat
Praise from Jim Higgins of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, who includes SOMETHING MISSING in his Ten Books You Will Just Simply Enjoy.
