Reading the Chunksters discussion
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Chapters 59-64 Cryptonomicon
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Hmm... going back and looking at the titles for Horde, I kind of like the simple title My Trip to the Jungle, only because it sounds so innocent but then the story itself ends up being so over the top. I’m not sure what the title The Drums of the Huks means? Maybe I missed something in the story.
I liked Randy’s use of the acronym LAC to describe the time spent in the jungle. “Lewis And Clark” expedition days. :)

Randy helping Blanket Man to the Mercedes. Is this Root, do you think? I don't know who else it would be, but why would they fake Root's death? But on the other hand, I don't see Root being able to walk out to the car on his own having just had major surgery. Maybe I missed a clue as to who that was.

You are not missing much with the graphs. They were pretty simple and basically had shaded areas which indicated that Lawrence was unable to break codes because his mind was not clear. I thought this part was pretty funny, especially when he realized that his life was not running as a linear equation, but instead had turned into a differential equation with the added Factor of Mary Smith Proximity. :D

So, Father Ferdinand is apparently a member of this Societas Eruditorum that Rudy spoke of. I’m curious what that is all about.

I think it's Root, and Root has superpowers. Or maybe the major surgery didn't really happen - they all pretended he was much more badly injured than he was.

I know, right! That was horrible! And Goto didn't react ... I suppose he's just seen so many horrors by this point, he is blind to them.

I'm in the middle of the Rocket chapter. Man, I'm just loving Bobby Shaftoe m..."
I really liked Hoard as well. I thought it was a nice change of pace to have the story develop by retelling events in the form of a letter.

"
I loved that quote by Shaftoe too.

I also liked the part where Lawrence's shoes were described as tourniquets.
"By the time he gets there he is pretty sure that they are functioning as tourniquets preventing uncontrollable arterial bleeding from the wounds they've induced." page 549.
I know that feeling all too well. I have several pairs of shoes in my closet that make my feet feel like this. It is to the point where I have started considering making my own shoes and even crocheted my first pair of boots the other day, that I love.
They have a summer shoe pattern I am going to try next and if it turns out well, it might be the only shoe style I wear this coming summer.



The shoes were a lot easier to make than some of the doily patterns I have tried. I love doilies and I have really come to respect the time and skill they take to make. One doily can take over a week to make.
The shoes took about a couple days and I had to start over a couple times, so that is really quick in comparison.

Anyway, I was going to say after your mention of doilies, Marie, that I have a couple that were my grandmother’s and I look at them in awe because they are so beautiful and intricate. I would love to learn how to crochet so I can try my hand at creating one.

There are many similarities between crochet and embroidery charts so that if you know how to read one, it should be somewhat easy to read another.
Especially if you make a filet crochet doily, which uses a chart that can also be used for embroidery as well. They are beautiful too. I want to say filet crochet is reminiscent of the 1920’s, but I could be off.
I just know that at one point it was a quicker way to make lace-like items. It might be an easy way to transition from embroidery to crochet. :)

I do too, Marie! So many things to try, but there's never enough time. I started embroidering some designs meant for my daughter's Christmas stocking last year, but I never got it finished. And here it is a year later with Christmas a week away and I still have yet to pull it back out and try to finish it up.
Good to know about the similarity between crochet and embroidery charts. Thanks!
I'm in the middle of the Rocket chapter. Man, I'm just loving Bobby Shaftoe more and more. Some of his lines are just so funny because he just gets to the point.
So far I like this line:
This conspiracy thing is going to be a real pain in the ass if it means backing down from casual fistfights.
Lol. I also loved this bit:
"If I don't see you in Manila, let's get in touch after the war." He starts pounding his Shaftoe on the back, pulls some paper money out of his pocket, stuffs it into Shaftoe's hand.
"Goddamn it, you'll see me there," Shaftoe says. "What is this shit for?"
"I am tipping the nice Swedish boy who carried my baggage," Bischoff says.
Shaftoe sucks his teeth and grimaces. He can tell he is not cut out for this cloak-and-dagger nonsense.