Keeping track of weather

There are dozens of ways to track weather these days; channels are dedicated to it, my phone gives me a constant update depending on my location, we are inundated with ways to immediately update ourselves, yet, some old colloquialisms work just as well.

Take this morning for instance, I was in awe staring at the sky; the clouds looked beautiful, tinted with amazing hues of red and orange. It immediately made me thing of the old saying: 'Red at night, sailor's delight; red in the morning, sailor's warning." This idiom pretty much holds true. If you pay attention to the sky, it tells you all you need to know. It holds beauty, it holds wonder and it speaks loud and clear.

I recently read an article about a man who studied the ancient art of the Polynesians and learned how to navigate the seas through the stars, without GPS, without modern day tools, just using what is already available - the sky. How amazing and talk about living by an ancient practice. Yes, technology is great. Of course it is a useful tool but let us not forget the ancient roots. When a computer fails, when cell service doesn't work, we need to remember there are alternatives. It may not be a quick fix but it is certainly an opportunity to learn something new. Let's not forget how to navigate through our existence; when technology falters, or even when it doesn't, take a moment to look around and appreciate what your analog life has to offer.

What's more analog than books...

I have these topics and ideas for this blog, but being I still don't have the interwebs at home (I am breaking down and getting it) it is slow moving. I do a lot of reading and was thinking this morning, what is more analog than books? They're really the oldest medium there is outside of verbal storytelling. I read, a lot.

Awhile back I started a Google docs spreadsheet for 'Media' and every time I hear of a book, movie, etc that I want to check out I document it there. It then occurred to me that blogging is nothing if not self-indulgent so I might as well start reviewing these books I have taken the time to write down and borrow from the Library (I visit the downtown CLE branch and the Lakewood branch).

I don't stick to genres, much of what I consume has content in stark contrast from book to the next but what bonds each binding is that books are amazing! I learn something new from fiction or fact and love the feel and smell of all that ink forged on paper. Without further adieu, here are my thoughts on the last three books I read.

The Thieves of Manhattan - Adam Langer
This book is a whirlwind ride containing many things that make a story fun: guy gets girl, guy loses girl to crappy dude, guy loses self, guy gets caught up in various dangerous and foolish scenarios, book closes with the reader wanting more and more. The Thieves of Manhattan revolves around the main character, Ian Minot, and his struggles as an aspiring writer. As his fictitious tale, spun with the help of The Confident Man, becomes his own harsh reality, he finds himself going back to multiple iterations of the fiction turned memoir in hopes of figuring his way out of the situations at hand. This book keeps you spellbound from the beginning to the end, spinning a web so intricate you're unsure just where you got sucked in but not wanting to break free. Adam Langer has a way with literary references that make you realize it was his plan the entire time to suck you in and spit you out, leaving a wondrous story in its path.

Dave Barry's Guide to Guys - Dave Barry
For those familiar with Dave Barry, I was not, his straight forward delivery, take it or leave it humor is just that. This book doesn't promise anything, doesn't hope for literary awards, it is just a book about guys, plain and simple. On that expectation, it delivers. Dave Barry has a way of telling you to just stop already, enough with the expectations and demands, while still making you laugh. This book is an easy read as it meanders through the various dumb stuff dudes do, it is not a book about men, he explicitly tells us, but the regular guy. I enjoyed the book for what it offered, a general guide to guys. A good read for both men and women, it won't impart any scientific breakthroughs on the differences between men and women, but it does put a bit of life, in respect to guys, into perspective and who can't use a little of that every once and a while.

Mop Men: inside the world of Crime Scene Cleaners - Alan Emmins
This book I just happened upon while at the library. I just grabbed and borrowed and having no idea what to expect jumped right in. This book is magical. The content premise is not for the week of heart: it is all about Neal Smither and his business Crime Scene Cleaners, a multimillion dollar operation that capitalizes on "Specializing in homicide, suicide, accidental death, meth lab and distressed property cleaning and disposal." The author Alan Emmins takes a year or so to follow Neal on his various assignments. The content lays it all out there, a shotgun victim's bedside water glass looking like a strawberry daiquiri after the damage is done, or finding bone fragments far, far from the scene of the 'crime'. What makes these tales tolerable is that the book is funny. Neal is hilarious. He is a entrepreneur plain and simple. He wants to make money, loads of it, and does it off of death, he is successful, however, because he cares about the job he does and ensures every spot, stain and evidence of the horrors that unfolded are eradicated. His views of death and his colorful language make for an enjoyable read. Alan, who certainly couldn't handle all the gore he soaked up as the photo journalist shows us there are people perfectly suited for every job and if you want to know the best in this business Neal Smither is your man.

Those are my first synopses, check back for more, if you're so inclined, because I'll keep reading.