Quote of the Day: Jon Caldwell

"All those writers were a bunch of depressed alcoholics."


My ex-roommate and all-around wonderful human being said that once about all the Modern American writers of the twentieth century. He was referring to your Faulkners, your Hemingways, and your Fitzgeralds; and you know what, he wasn't wrong either. Most of them were a bunch of drunks who loved nothing better than crying in their absinthe. They're still fun sometimes and they occasionally even write good books. Paul Bowles was no exception. I just finished his novel "The Sheltering Sky" and I have to tell the world how much I loved it. The language was razor-sharp and the imagery stays with you long after you've closed the book. It's about an American couple traveling through north Africa right after the Second World War and the tragedy that befalls them. it's quite timely too, if you are into that sort of thing, as it deals with America's encounter with the Muslim world. Some people may find it to be a depressing book, but to me the only depressing books are the ones that are poorly written.


I wrestled with a demon today and slayed him. I'm sure most of you know about the healthy eating habits I've been practicing pretty faithfully over the past six months. Well anyway, on the way back into to my office from the cafe where I eat my roasted turkey sandwich almost everyday I have to pass by the receptionists' desk, the desk that holds a glass bowl filled with delicious mini-chocolate bars on it. I'd gotten into the habit of grabbing two tiny candy bars on the way back to my desk every day; which isn't that big of a deal in and of itself since their about fifty calories a piece. However, I decided to kick the habit one day when I noticed that my mouth was expecting a piece of chocolate after the roasted turkey. I'm sure my mouth watering was akin to physiological reaction a junkie gets when he's jonesing. I made the decision right then and there to be the master of my own domain and force the mind to rule the body, not the other way around. I'm happy to report that as of today, it's been two weeks since I've touched a piece of that candy. Yeah, I pretty much rock.

And that ends our tour today of the dark underworld that is Collin's psyche.