SOME FAVORITE BOOKS

Just finished reading My Sister's Keeper, and it was as good as all of the recommendations I had received. So now on my list of favorite novels about family life, I have three; We Were The Mulvaneys, by Joyce Carol Oates, Poisenwood Bible, (and I've forgotten the author), and now the above mentioned book by Jodi Picoult. I guarantee, you won't be disappointed in any of the stories. All unique, all different locales, the only common traits, is they all concern families, and all are written by master story tellers. What are called "page turners". Read, enjoy!

WHY I HATE THE F-WORD

There are two programs built into you body over which you have little or no control. They are so powerful, and really, so meaningful, and can be so beautiful, and so important, since they deal with the future of with whole human race. I am speaking of sex and childbirth, two programs, that once turned on, are impossible, or almost impossible to turn off. Your body takes over your mind, it overwhelms any thoughts or ideas you thought ruled your actions, and it takes charge. Fortunately we have no denigrating word for childbirth, but to take something which is the starting point of human creation, and label it with the F-word, which has become a joke if a comedian says it, or the most common expletive, as in F-you, or Mother-Fer, so common that some people can't seem to get five words out, without using it in some form or another. I find this distasteful, I find it boring,I find it limiting to people's vocabularies. Instead of expressing strong passion, a driving need, an act of love, it is used to express anger, vehemence, disdain, or even rage. Surely we have lost our way if we must express disdain and rage almost constantly. Something is very wrong here. And when we feel we must say something powerful to express negative feelings, can't we find other words?

Jon Stewart, you are one of my favorites, but you are a prime example of what I mean. It t'aint funny McGee, at least not to me, at least not anymore.

WHAT IS GAMMING?

When seafarers come together for social discourse, or to exchange ideas and information, they are having a gam, or gamming. You don't have to be a seafarer to join me in an exchange of ideas,; anyone is welcome.