Worth checking out...

I read the best book last night! A friend of mine lent me the library book he had just finished: The Orion Protocol by Gary Tigerman. We were talking about the anniversary of the first moon landing and got around to the subject of those conspiracy theorists who think that the moon "landing" took place on some California soundstage. A hoax too elaborate for even our hallowed government, but I digress. Anyhow - he ran out to his car and got the me the book he had just finished and was on his way to return. I couldn't put it down; it was well written and had just the right amount of comic relief. I hate to give away the plot, but it does have to do with the Apollo moon missions and really makes the reader wonder why we walked on the moon and then never went back. My dad the sci-fi, Project Blue Book buff would have loved this! When I was in high school he read Chariots of the Gods over and over again and loved to debate whether or not we are alone in the universe.

My book drawer at home is perilously empty - I even brought my bag of hard-boiled detective pulp fiction home with me! I had put the pile of Mickey Spillane-esque paperbacks in the back room at the office for lunch hours and never really got to them. This past weekend I finished my Ken Follett frenzy by reading Jackdaws, Whiteout and finally, World Without End. He is one of the best writers - particularly when he writes about the World War II era. I had read Pillars of the Earth years ago right after it was published and World Without End is a sequel of sorts, taking place about two hundred years later. A lot of the characters are descendants of the characters in the first book and the entire story is set in and around the fictional Kingsbridge Cathedral in fourteenth century England. It is over a thousand pages long and took me two days to read - but well worth the time.

I'm experimenting with not watching television. For the past couple of weeks, particularly on evenings when I am planning to lose myself in a good book, I don't even turn the television on - and I haven't missed it. We had satellite TV at our house and I was spoiled with TiVo and being able to search the guide and all that good stuff. After we moved, I got digital cable and a DVR and with no HBO or anything like that, it was over $75 a month! I called and requested basic cable with no DVR and it's still $35 - so I'm seriously considering just disconnecting it completely. Wasn't it great when we were kids and TV was just free? Anyhow, I have a cupboard full of DVDs and a DVD player in case I feel the need to zone out in front of the television - so I almost have myself convinced. It may actually be liberating to be TV free...

Ah, lunch... One of Cari's italian hoagie subs on fresh sourdough bread from Taste of Philly, just three doors down. Her sandwiches are every bit as good as her pizza! Yum!