Hey where you been

A funny thing happened on the way to my blog. . . I was kidnapped by Alien Space Bats? Drove my Delorean to fast? Accidentally discovered a rift in the time space continuum? Choose whichever you like best. A lot has happened it the last 7 months. First, we went on strike for a couple of days in September. Just long enough for me to spend 8 hours walking the picket line in a monsoon. Which are quite rare in Michigan by the way.

I also had the opportunity to read a number of great books. The few that especially stuck out as being superior are Life of Pi by Yann Martel, The Religion by Willocks, and Against the Day by Pynchon. It seems that Pynchon's work is getting more accessible, reading V. or The Crying of Lot 49 was hard work, though worth it. The more recent works like Mason and Dixon and Against the Day are less. . .I don't know exactly what word fits. . .cryptic? surreal?. . .well if you read them you know what I mean. But, Against the Day especially is more readable, followable, but still keeps that fantastic voice of Pynchon's earlier works. Truly great books.

I also started reading the "First Law" series by Joe Abercrombie. I enjoyed the first 2 books of the series, The Blade Itself, and Before they are Hanged. On a very sad note Robert Jordan passed since my last post. His books brought many people hours and hours of pleasure. There has been some Internet chat regarding someone else finishing the Wheel of Time, but I'm ambivalent on that.

If you look back at my post from August 18 of 2007 I hint at the Two Tier wage agreement and the death of democracy there in. . .well the new National Agreement grants that 2 tier system. Stay tuned for my rant on that.