I’m still not enough of a Palahniuk fan to be able to spell it without looking. In fact, I wouldn’t say I’m a fan at all. I don’t buy into supernatural plot elements easily. Beyond that, his style is too conspicuous.

Minimalism is a very risky form. Every syllable bears a load, and any distraction can crash the structure. The author can’t hide behind words. Any idiot can use a thesaurus and invent obscure symbols. Use plain language, and you’ve got no excuses, you’re naked on the stage.

What next, what next? A look at my Amazon wish list doesn’t help. It’s all non-fiction. One item is An African in Greenland. This would fall under pulp non-fiction. And at some point, I’ve got to stop reading and get some work done…

Coming on 2230, and I’m not the least bit tired. I’m just now waking up. And I’ll soon sock my best hours in the gut with an Ambien because I have an 0730 class to teach.

Yesterday I paid a visit to Books-A-Million (BAM), looking to continue a flurry of fiction reading. Something to accompany my subversive mood. And minimalist. I checked the Palahniuk section, among others. I’m not enough of a fan to be able to spell Palahniuk without looking. But, after looking, Microsoft Word recognized it as spelled correctly. That’s success.

The only books they had in paperback were Fight Club (the version with the movie based cover) and Lullaby. I thumbed through the latter. The first copy I picked up looked used- the spine was mint but the cover bore impressions of rough handling. After reading the promotional text and a few excerpts, it fell open to a page where a photo was inserted.

The photo was of five smiling girls. I checked the back- regular photo paper, 4×6, glossy. I found this bizarre enough I checked one other copy to see if it had one too. Perhaps it was returned merchandise, with a makeshift bookmark forgotten & lost. Five girls, posing outside a university office. None particularly attractive, nor especially ugly, though two were significantly overweight. The one front-left was wearing a T-shirt making a fairly obscure literary reference I understood, but I can’t now remember what it was. White tank top, Red t-shirt with light blue knit scarf and sunglasses, grey sweatshirt, and white sweatshirt, clockwise. I considered taking it as a bizarre souvenir, but preferred to pass it on.

I bought one of the mint copies. It’s reasonably entertaining, but not so entertaining I’ll be able to spell his name without looking. I like his style, but his stories just don’t suck me in.

I’ve just noticed NG is now over two years old.

     Won’t you fight for your country?” Colonel Korn demanded, emulating Colonel Cathcart’s harsh, self-righteous tone. “Won’t you give up your life for Colonel Cathcart and me?”
      Yossarian tensed with alert astonishment when he heard Colonel Korn’s concluding words. “What’s that?” he exclaimed. “What have you and Colonel Cathcart got to do with my country? You’re not the same.”
      “How can you separate us?” Colonel Korn inquired with ironical tranquility.
      That’s right,” Colonel Cathcart cried emphatically. “You’re either for us or against us. There’s no two ways about it.”
      I’m afraid he’s got you,” added Colonel Korn. “You’re either for us or against your country. It’s as simple as that.”

Where have I heard this logic before? The finale was a little dissapointing, but alltogether a fine read.

I’ve been reading Catch-22 since last weekend. The first half was a little repetitious–basically the same absurdist wordplay strung out for hundreds of pages. Though, even then, it grows on you like an insidious sitcom (was this is an inspiration for MASH?), with familiar characters providing soothingly predictable gags. However, my impression has changed in the third act; the payoff is proportional to its reputation.

Almost through two weeks of 7:30 am classes. Given my insomniacal character, this is punishment.

Graduate students at private universities do not have the right to form labor unions, the National Labor Relations Board ruled last week, striking down its own landmark 2000 ruling that had led to a wave of organizing.

…Lori Doyle, a spokeswoman for Penn, said administrators there were “delighted” by the ruling. “We are pleased that the NLRB has recognized what we’ve been saying all along: that graduate students are students, not employees,” she said.

To all grad students: apparently you’re students, not employees, so there’s no need to show up to work.

Furuya: Letting go of the idea of “sword” and the idea of “action” is the meaning behind “willow in the gentle breeze.” When the slight summer breeze blows, does the willow follow the “nature of the willow,” or does it follow the “nature of the breeze?” Please think about this - in this lies the essence of sword technique.

NHL releases 2004-2005 schedule, a mid-east peace plan, and a proof of the Reimann hypothesis. Details at 11.

No more need be said: “The Saudis are the Taliban, in luxury.” -Carmen Bin Laden, ex-wife of the clan. Or should be way, the Taliban, underwritten by America.

I was sleeping well until that second trip to Colorado. Insomnia has taken me over again.

Finished Quantum Generations yesterday. It wrapped up nicely, covering all the bases. I want to comment on the “end of physics” idea sometime. But now my eyes are squealing.

Mail-order copy of On Food and Cooking arrived a few days ago. Maybe yesterday. Excellent, excellent book. Just what I was looking for.

The end is in sight on the CPR- past the middle of the middle, into the beginning of the end, as the crafty would say. But it’s damn hard to read Kant when you’re sleep deprived.