Shutter Island v. The Kite Runner

In the last week I saw ‘Shutter Island’ and read ‘The Kite Runner’. Both followed a similar trajectory: I was drawn in and hooked by the story, was subsequently disappointed by the all-too-perfectly-resolved ending, and then ultimately satisfied by narrative twists at the last minute (or page). I still think the resolution of the ‘Kite Runner’ plot is too poetically perfect for my tastes. It was gripping until the narrative grew less believable with each twist and revelation. Still good though, and saved by a less-than-perfect ending.

‘Shutter Island’ is growing on me. As I think back over the movie I admire how subtle the foreshadowing was and how the ‘disappointing’ ending actually set me up for a deliciously ambiguous final moment.

My hat’s off to you, director of ‘Shutter Island’. My hat has unfortunately been placed back on my head for you, author of ‘The Kite Runner’.

I Heart Football

I love football. I can’t justify my love for the game at all. I never played it. I don’t think it particularly noble or virtuous. I don’t think it makes me a better person.

But I love the complicated plays that teams run on each down and the infinite number of schemes and counter-schemes that can be employed. I love hating a team or player and pretending that one team is inherently more worthy of victory. I like how the NFL landscape changes each year with new strong or weak teams but I also appreciate the college landscape where traditional powers dominate and create fairy tale seasons for anyone who can beat them.

My love for football is the closest thing I have to an addiction. I read it, watch it, talk it, and regularly try to drag others into the debauchery with me.

Please don’t think less of me.

Community of place

Most of my life I’ve been animated by a deep desire to travel widely. But I’ve also sought depth, hoping to spend as much time as possible in each place. The Foreign Service is such a draw to me because of the opportunity to spend 2-3 years in a place before moving on. But lately I’ve been increasingly drawn to the idea of devoting oneself to a particular place. Nominally Kim and I are committed to community, friends, and the bettering of the places we live. How can those values be lived out during an itinerant life where we continually put down and pull up roots? I know that most relationships and things worth building take many, many years of cultivation but the direction we’re currently heading seems antithetical to those ideals. How well we reconcile those two facts will likely influence our level of satisfaction with life.

The feeding frenzy begins

Yesterday ESPN was abuzz with the news that three of basketball’s most prized free agents, Lebron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade, met in Miami to discuss the possibility of collectively lowering their salary demands to allow them all to play on the same team next year. My initial reaction is that I love this. It’s always a team’s front office that “puts together a team” with players just chess pieces to be used as others see fit. I would love to see players take control of that process and start bargaining together or accepting less money to play with others they respect. In a way this relates to an earlier post. I appreciate anyone who can do something new rather than the accepted route that everyone uses.

Battlefield Earth

Towards my goal of building a personal library I recently picked up a book I felt was literarily and culturally important: Battlefield Earth. Written in 1980 by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, I thought it might shed some light on his philosophies and perhaps even be a thrilling tale. The fact that the movie based on the book is consistently rated one of the worst movies of all time merely intrigued me. 200 pages into the 1000 page tome I took a nearly unprecedented step. I quit. It was just too terrible. The characters were punishingly flat and the plot dragged along a predictable and unimaginative path. How did this become a best seller? I did some reading and numerous ex-scientologists have come forward and said they were told to buy the book. Some were even given large budgets to purchase hundreds of books. Nice work Mr. Hubbard.

Patrick's future library

On Sunday Kim and I attended a used books paradise- over 100,000 books on all subjects. The sale filled two middle school gyms and several hallways. Better than the selection (which turned out to be rather pedestrian) was the affordability: all books were on sale by the bag. Each grocery bag of books was $10 or three for $25. One of my dreams has always been to have a library in my own house complete with built-in bookshelves, a thick wood table in the middle and so many books on so many subjects that my kids don’t have to go anywhere to do reports or study. Yes, yes, I know what you’re saying: Thanks to the internet they’ll have access to blah, blah, blah. I don’t care. I want the library. And on Sunday I came 75+ books closer to that library.

David

Kim’s brother David arrived on Friday night. He’ll be living with us for the summer and possibly longer as well. He graduated from WSU in May and is now looking for work and taking some time to figure out what he wants to do. Even though she won’t remember this summer, I really like that Aydan’s getting some time with her uncle before we take her out of the country for several years. I also hope it’ll be a good time for him to think through what kind of work he’d eventually like to do. He’s working on the Nationals ground crew and it’d be perfect if he could find a place with a sports organization or some kind of coaching position with high schools or clubs in the area. Whatever happens, we’re looking forward to a great summer with David.

The rights of man

I think there are two kinds of rights: ones that require inaction on the part of others and ones that require action. My right to free speech or religion or assembly requires that others do nothing: just don’t stop me. A “right” to health care or housing or a lawyer requires others to produce a good for me to consume from their own earnings. Both kinds put obligations on others. The first type requires others to be tolerant and endure my rantings, cult, or gatherings. The second type requires others to earn money to pay for my doctor or apartment. I have a right to someone else’s time and money? I can make choices that force others to provide me with expensive goods and services? I think this is a slippery slope that should be resisted whenever possible.

Sabotaging my own job search

On Thursday I had an interview for a visa and passport processing job. It pays acceptably, is full time, and is somewhat related to my future career. The interview itself went well but afterwards I felt I hadn’t conveyed a sense that I really wanted the job. I think that’s because I subconsciously don’t. Right now I play with my little girl, read, and bike. If I took this job I’d be processing paper work for 40 hours a week. Do we need the money that badly? Isn’t this a time with Aydan I’ll never get back? Or is my responsibility to suck it up and earn us some money?

On Friday I interviewed with a temp agency. They call me with short-term jobs and I decide whether or not I’ll take it. That sounds like a better recipe for an enjoyable family summer.

"On the Road"

I'm nearly finished with Jack Kerouac's "On the Road". I thought it would be a good entry into the works that people like Bob Dylan and considered so inspiring.

However, I find myself wondering about its inspirational value. Before each of his road trips, Sal has this unbounded hope and expectation as to what each new destination will bring him. And each experience and city is indeed exciting for a short time before becoming stale. He even revisits cities that he hated with the expectation that things would be different the next time. And they weren't.

The book strikes me as an honest look at how humans operate. We expect so much from the things we don't have but quickly tire of new toys and adventures. It doesn't inspire me to strike out on the road but rather to reevaluate my expectations about life and friendships and new experiences.

1 thought on health care

One idea discussed during the health care debate was price transparency. Apparently this means all involved parties knowing the cost of a procedure or medication beforehand. This seems so obvious it’s hard to believe it isn’t the case. But with Aydan’s birth and subsequent pediatric care I’ve learned it’s not. Actual conversation:

Me: How much will this cost?

Doctor: Why? It’s covered by your insurance. (I don’t think she actually knew that for sure)

Me: I’m just interested.

Doctor: I’m not really sure.

It seems painfully obvious that if none of the purchasers of a product know the price, and if a third party is paying, all possible incentives line up for over-charging and over-prescription.

Perhaps my free market beliefs are getting the better of me, but if a patient is partially responsible for payment, and knows the cost of each item, better financial decisions will be made.

Thoughts on bagged salad mixes

I’ve recently had a change of heart regarding bagged salad mixes. I used to view them as an example of corporate marketing pushing products that only laziness or incompetence on consumers’ parts could possibly justify. Several weeks ago I purchased a bag of salad mix and, surprised, found myself eating more salad. With dinners, as a snack, even the occasional breakfast. I realized I’d been avoiding salads simply because they took longer to make than I was interested in spending at the moment. With the bagged mixes it’s so easy to pour it in a bowl and add some veggies: cereal for grownups. The final breakthrough came at the farmers market: several of the stalls now offer mixed greens. I can now enjoy the ease of a bagged mix without the attendant questions about pesticides and petroleum.

Perhaps it’s my laziness, but so be it. I love bagged salad mixes.

Just testing this out.

Just testing this out.