Saturday, August 15, 2009

'Social Studies' by Fran Lebowitz

Fran Lebowitz was an accidental find during a recent stay at Venice Beach, L.A. Among the countless books adorning the book shelf in the living room - most of them have only the decorative value - I found a book titled 'Social Studies'. The book was small enough to finish over a couple of days and looked lighthearted. Sure it was. It is a hilarious depiction of high society living, the perils of being wealthy and the insurmountable problems that besiege the 'successful'. It is also a sarcastic look at modern day parenting and a whole lot of awkwardness that we have created around us in our day to day lives. A fine read, it will give you a good laugh for sure.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Newbie in Big Rock Desert

For the first time, I will be attending burning man this year. Regardless of what you read about other people's experiences, I am told that the overall experience of this counter culture festival can only be experienced in person. And so we will see. As the first thing in preparation, we are building a shade structure, thanks to the instructions from here. We have concerns about its ability to withstand 70 mph winds - we have a backup plan to introduce further stability if the situation arises. In any case, there is much work to be done, more stuff to be bought. But an RV, shade structure and a whole lot of excitement are in place.