Quote of the Day:
What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it. –Gabriel Garcia Marquez
It seems to lean the direction of gluttony to be packin’ up the hi-tech duffel again so soon…..nevertheless…..
Barely a week home from TB’s Bermuda cruise, time enough to endure several workaday crises, I’m back on the road again tomorrow. Chicago this time with Sweet and a player to be named later. I’m flying solo tomorrow for the first time in years. Already missing the Scamp and Rock Star, but also relishing the opportunity to get in some good old-fashioned airplane book readin’ time.
Speakin’ a-which, I picked up One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez whilst cruisin’. I have seen this novel listed on many “must-read” lists over the years but due to Oprah’s stamp of approval I have never been tempted to dive in. Without digressing this digression too far, it’s mainly that I always associated anything Oprah-endorsed as being for chicks. Turns out, like most ill-informed stereotypical assumptions, I was wrong. This book is hard. I mean page after page of dancin’ around the thin red line separatin’ sanity and not, everybody is screwin’ everybody, politics and killin’ and death and suicide and war and murder and unfocused anger; all in all, some really hilarious passages. The laughing takes the sting out some of the dark epiphanies the book inspires. I am only half-finished so far. I may try to post more thoughts on it when I get back from Chi-town if I can piece together anything in the vicinity of cohesive. Suffice to say, not a chick book. It is for anyone, Oprah endorsed or not. Oh, one more thing. The gypsy Melquiades–he already died, sadly–is one of my favorite characters ever.
I think maybe ol’ TB is part gypsy. I could see myself travellin’ the world, never plantin’ roots. I would want to be like old Melquiades, seeking out the best new contraptions, the ones that really worked and finding like-minded fellows along the trade routes to visit and philosophize with for a few days every couple of years.
So it’s off to Chicago. Two days with Sweet, then I join up with the Scamp and Rock Star for some July 4th weekend excitement. Be sure to watch my Twitter feed for pithy, possibly witty, and occasional photographic, real-time updates of the adventure. But first, a little slide show of the sights in beautiful Bermuda. See y’all next week.
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Beautiful pics – especially the sunset at sea – reminds me of what my sea captain grandfather used to say “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky at morning, sailor take warning”. I’ve been reading the Steig Larsson Millenium (sp?) trilogy the last few months. I’ve liked them very much and am on the last book now. Not sure where to read next. I think I have finally gotten my reading skills back in order. Looking foward to a long 4th of July holiday on the boat in a sunblock cover up!
Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of my favorite authors; definitely not a chicklit author. Try Love in the Time of Cholera if you want to read more of his work. Great to see you have been getting out and about. I have been doing the same (Santa Fe, Providence and soon to Seattle). Sorry to say I will not be making it to the Southland this summer
Have a great time in Chicago with Sweet. Happy 4th to you and the fam.
I would love to know the sleeping arrangements between TB, Sweet, and Gingerella(TB’s player to be named later).
Love the pics!