Meet me halfway

I consider myself a vegetarian in the same way that many people consider themselves part of a denominational faith: I believe strongly in the principles (environmental sustainability, organic production, the health benefits of a plant-based diet, ethical treatment of animals) but am not always a saint in practice. I like the occasional hamburger. Sometimes, during the wee hours of the morning, I could care less where it comes from. I enjoy a good plate of sushi, even though I know that fishing practices in most parts of the world are shameful. The way I see it, I make a few mistakes, but all-in-all I am doing the right thing. Unfortunately, this isn’t how other people tend to view vegetarianism.

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An Unreasonable Man

I watched a surprisingly good movie last night. An Unreasonable Man, a documentary on the life of Ralph Nader, chronicles the life of a complex man, whose numerous accomplishments have been largely overshadowed by his villainous personae. If we skim the surface, we see that Ralph Nader spoiled the 2000 election for the democrats, and insodoing, helped bring to power one of the worst administrations in U.S. history. This documentary helps us look a bit deeper.

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Inside the Doomsday Machine

When starting a book club, why not kick things off with a bang? In an effort to pierce the veil of financial crisis circa 2008, we decided to crack open Michael Lewis’ acclaimed new book The Big Short, which chronicles the years preceding the financial crisis through the eyes of a select few hedge fund managers who made millions predicting doomsday. While the book is often long-winded, redundant, and occasionally frustrating, it succeeds in exposing the systemic flaws of modern finance in a language that even the CEO of a major bank could understand.

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Are we all Supertramps at heart?

Continuing on my Krakauer binge, I recently read Into the Wild over the Thanksgiving holiday. I was hesitant to read the book since I had already seen the movie several times. Contrary to the dogmatic belief that books outrun movies in every competition, I doubted that the story of Chris McCandless really deserved extra attention beyond Sean Penn’s critically acclaimed film. But, given the facts (no iPod, short book, Jon Krakauer is awesome), I decided to give Into the Wild a try.

I was not disappointed. Surprisingly, the immediate story of Chris McCandless’ (last known photo of him above) adventures across the American West and Alaska captured the least of my attention. The real hook is provided by Krakauer, who is able to connect McCandless’ journey to a much larger picture of existential dilemmas facing individuals in modern times. We learn that Alaska has been a prime destination for many “Alexander Supertramps” (the name Chris McCandless assumed during his travels) over the years, each of whom viewed the barren tundra as a proving ground for their romanticized return to nature. We also discover that Krakauer himself spent much of his early adult years climbing dangerous peaks (and defying his father’s wishes in the process) in an autobiographical aside that culminates in an account of his harrowing Devil’s Thumb ascent in the Canadian Rockies. Krakauer draws these connections in order to make a compelling argument: that Chris McCandless was not suicidal, mentally deranged, arrogant, or uniquely selfish. His identity crisis was simply more extreme than the average bear.

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Living in Freedom

I am a bit out of the loop these days when it comes to politics. Given the fact that I am focusing a lot of energy on working hard at my new job, enjoying my free time with Sommer, and embracing life in a new city, I have no problem admitting that this fall’s midterm elections looked more like a game of musical chairs than an historic election. But despite my political apathy, certain buzzwords always seem to get the neurons churning. My favorite of these words is freedom.

My favorite word was mentioned on an interview with George W. Bush that was aired on NPR. He was publicizing his upcoming book, which will apparently offer some reflection on his time as Commander-in-Chief. During the interview, Mr. Bush was asked a difficult question: If you had in your pocession the accurate intelligence that we now have regarding WMDs in Iraq, would you have still approved the invasion? As inept as I think Mr. Bush is, he began his answer rather thoughtfully by explaining that the challenge of being President is making decisions when information is imperfect. Fair enough. The buck stopped at his desk, and he had to make some big decisions. But Bush didn’t stop there. Such thoughtful evasion was eroded the second autopilot kicked in, as he delivered the same spiel that we have heard many times over: that he would invade Iraq again if he had the chance, because Saddam Hussein was a tyrant, and now that he is gone, 25 million people get to live in freedom…

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Tough Luck IPAs

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA: Much to my delight, Sommer has recently fallen in love with IPAs. I thought it was time to begin investing in some delicious beer to keep her hooked. Enter Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. I am not sure it is as good as the 90 minute variety, but it has the hops and the taste that help transform all fatigue and frustration into absolute bliss. Perfect for a long day of work and a long day of waiting. From this moment on, IPA season is on!!

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA: I am a big fan of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and Torpedo builds on such a good tradition. Unfortunately, this beer will be associated with a bit of tough luck… by association. We got robbed last night, and now Sommer’s laptop is gone. We left it on one of our new end tables and it was stolen in the middle of the night. Either someone knew where it was because they are a creepy stalker, or they climbed up onto our side windowsill and saw the power light blinking; or it was just dumb luck. In any case, Sommer’s laptop is gone for the moment, and our privacy has been completely violated. It has been a tough day, and, luckily, Torpedos were in the fridge to help warm us up a bit. Luckily I was able to take the day off of work and be around the house. It could have been a lot worse, but it is still difficult to look on the bright side when an awful act has transpired on our property.

Decadent Imperial IPA: After being robbed, I felt it appropriate to grab something nice to for Sommer to drink; something extravagant and delicious! I knew it had to be an IPA, so that made the search at Whole Foods limited. Just as I was about to give up, my eye caught the word “decadent” on a gorgeous bomber covered in red wax. It wasn’t just decadent either… it was a decadent Imperial IPA. The granddaddy of them all. 10 percent abv. The real McCoy. This beer tasted just as good as I thought it would! Unbelievably crisp, tasty, heavy, and wonderful. This day won’t ever be spun in a good light, but god bless the power of good beer and good company to keep spirits up in the must unsettling times.

New Friends on the Windowsill

I am excited to say that my beer collecting days have recommenced after a three year hiatus. Now that I have recovered part of the old collection, I felt it appropriate to once again make an effort to try new and interesting brews on occasion. This week I added three new friends to the windowsill that is home to the collection.

Harpoon IPA: Not the best IPA I have ever tasted, but it was 99 cents per bottle at Newflower Market (Sunflower Market everywhere else…). Definitely can’t argue with that when you are trying to drink good beer on a budget. I wanted to save this one because it represents my current dime store budget at the moment. It has been hard to make room for the finer things, so it is definitely appreciated when a good beer is available for the everyman.

Sam Smith Organic Ale: I am almost positive that tried this one back in the Cross House era, but it slips my memory and there is no longer proof of such good times. This one was absolutely delicious! I am a big fan of everything hops, and I have to award bonus points for the beer being organic. Also, beers always taste better when they are shared with great people over new job opportunities! I felt compelled to get something nice given Sommer’s new position at the District Attorney’s Office and my first paycheck at GTN. One of these days this won’t be a “special occasion beer.”

Lhasa Beer: My favorite of the three new additions. First of all, it is from Tibet! I just got done reading “Into Thin Air,” so I definitely appreciate all things Himalayan. Also, this beer has to be one of the smoothest and most refreshing I have ever tasted! I am not usually a light beer/lager guy, but the crispness of Lhasa made up for the lack of hops or rich flavors. What is the story behind this one you might ask? First “guys” night in Dallas would be the answer. Guys night out is a strange admission for me, especially given that most of my life has been spent in the cross country fraternity. But it is something I can’t take for granted now. I just feel fortunate that I know guys like Cullen and Matt who have been very welcoming, friendly, and willing to share bottles of scotch. Cheers!!

I officially abandoned this one on page 68. It just seemed like a goddam waste of time after a while. The whole narrative just rambles on like a broken record. That Holden Caulfield kid is a goddam pain in the ass. He might be the biggest cheesiest damn phony to ever walk the pages of a “classic.” He would probably deserve some sympathy if he wasn’t always busy horsing around. He just whines constantly about nothing, over and over again. It makes you wonder if he has some kind of condition or something. I mean, his mind is like a goddam yo-yo flying all over the place. I normally like yo-yo’s, but they are ruined for me now that I have had to read page after page from the fake biography of a goddam cheeseball phony bastard sonuvabitch. I just seriously couldn’t read any more after a point. It just didn’t seem worth it, especially since I have a bunch of other damn books that I should probably read. I bet those other books won’t have any damn characters as goddamn annoying as that yo-yo brained Holden Caulfield and his ugly pimple-faced crumby bastard prep-school pals. Did I mention that it was redundant??

Or am I making a huge mistake? Should I continue to struggle through this book just to say I’ve read it? Does anyone agree with my critique that this book is a superfluous mess?

Or is this more akin to the time that I failed to get through The Sorcerer’s Stone because I thought it was too childish, only to realize ten years later that I was a complete idiot (despite the convenience of reading Harry Potter 1-7 in one continuous block of time, nothing can atone for all that was spoiled during the years previous).

Please let me know what you think. But unless I receive some serious support for pushing on, this thing is going to find a permanent place on the shelf.

Koran Burning

The right to speak is one of the most basic freedoms. Historical change has never occurred without some form of discussion, dissent, or demonstration rooted within a context where free speech was central. Sometimes our voice is all we have. People who lack property, money, influence, education, and health care can still march through the streets and speak their mind. Such a right is a cornerstone for any democratic system worth its weight.

But we can’t forget that there exist many other important freedoms. One such freedom is the freedom to practice religion without being persecuted. Such a right has a special significance for the founding of the United States of America, where the first Anglo settlers immigrated in order to avoid religious persecution. Whether you are an atheist hippie or a fundamentalist Christian, the importance of the freedom to practice religion should not be debatable if you actually value this nation’s foundational principles.

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After getting my fantasy fix in The Magicians, I felt compelled to return to reality and take on some Jon Krakauer. To everyone’s bafflement, I had never previously cracked the spine of any of Krakauer’s novels, making me all the more excited to finally get into some fast paced non-fiction.

I started Under the Banner of Heaven on my drive to Dallas with Sommer, my girlfriend. I jokingly offered to read the first chapter out loud once she began her shift behind the wheel. What began as an overdramatic recital of the first few lines turned into a brisk reading of the first 45 pages of the book. Through hoarse rasps I continued to read story after painful story of the lives of women in Colorado City, a town on the Arizona-Utah border that has been squeezed by the fist of Mormon fundamentalism for more than a century. This town serves as the core that connects Krakauer’s diverse forays into the dark history of Mormonism.

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