Amber itibaren Great Hockham, Thetford, Norfolk IP24, İngiltere itibaren Great Hockham, Thetford, Norfolk IP24, İngiltere

Hikaye kalp ısındı, ama yine de, zaman zaman biraz üstündeydi. Beysbol seven herhangi bir çocuk kitabın tadını çıkarmalı, ama bazen lingo'da biraz kayboldum.

Translating...

guillen ritim keyfini ... ben Karayip şiir alıp benim tez yazarken bunu okuyun .... mayombe sensemaya ....

A writing professor once told me that I write like Jack Kerouac, which I think is why I bought this and one other Jack Kerouac book at the university book store long, long ago. I had never read his work, and I was curious about it. Well, I finally got to read him today, and I don't know if I should be happy or not with the comparison my professor made. The rhythm of the writing is like mine used to be, when I wrote for the professor's class -- very fluid and lyrical, like a subconscious thought, unending and linked from end to end, sprinkled every now and then with rhyme and alliteration, almost like a poem or a song. I guess it's stereotypical of the beat generation writing, the sort of writing that is better heard than read and can almost make you dance. His writing is very descriptive, evocative, and it sort of puts you in the scene in a dreamlike state, but God almighty, he needed some serious editing. Kerouac is cavalier about spelling and punctuation. He sometimes sacrifices grammar for the sake of the aural quality of the words, which kind of annoys me. I think you can achieve the lyrical voice or style without giving editors reason to cry. It pissed me off. It made the writing so dated, so black beret and turtleneck pretentious. But it fits the story, which is about Kerouac's love affair with a beautiful Mexican junkie prostitute. He's high or drunk in much of the story, so the beatnik writing fits. Who would have thought it? Finished reading June 7, 2007.

I first read this after college when my father gave it to me as a graduation gift. I almost didn't read it, but was very glad I did as it was very impactful on me, and I think helped shape me into the person I am today. I recently decided to re-read it after a meditation teacher was talking about it - and was glad to discover that it's just as relevant to my life now as it was before. It's a book I can easily see myself re-reading every 5-10 years. The book is a story about how to be mindful and live a happy, aware life - coached in the story of young Berkeley gymnast who meets an old man - who he names Socrates - at a gas station. Socrates becomes his coach and mentor - and teaches him that his goals in life were all wrong. If there is a motto of the book it's this quote, which I've had on my wall since I first read this book: "There are no ordinary moments!" The way of the peaceful warrior is to appreciate every moment, regardless of how dull or ordinary it may seem. To live in the now. Once you become aware of this, it's kind of amazing how much of our time we don't spend in the current moment - instead worrying about the past or the future. Our minds are swimming with the thoughts and worries of our lives, and we lack the easy ability to just be present. As Socrates said: My mind is like a pond without ripples. Your mind is full of waves because you feel separated from, and often threatened by, an unplanned, unwelcome occurrence. Your mind is like a pond into which someone has just dropped a boulder!" The best way to live in the present moment is to learn to meditate. Meditation teaches you to become aware when the mind wanders, and that awareness is a muscle that like all muscles, needs constant exercise or it becomes diminished. What I liked about the book was it discusses where meditation can go - and how one can be meditating constantly. In fact, it's not really meditation, but the art of focusing the mind that feels so good and fulfilling to us. This is why sports are so great - you are forced to focus your mind 100% on what you are doing, and distracting thoughts fade to the background. That ability to focus is calming, and appealing. I like how the book explains that using gymnastics. "Silence is the warrior’s art — and meditation is his sword. With it, you’ll cut through your illusions. But understand this: the sword’s usefulness depends upon the swordsman. If you don’t know how to use the weapon properly, it can become a dangerous, deluding, or useless tool. Meditation can initially help you to relax. You may put your ‘sword’ on display, proudly show it to friends. The gleam of this sword distracts many meditators until they abandon it to seek other esoteric techniques." But I liked how the book goes much deeper than meditation. There were cool bits about breathing properly, monitoring your internal organs, massage, having the mindset of a child, and eating healthily. "The pleasure from eating, Dan, is more than the taste of the food and the feeling of a full belly. Learn to enjoy the entire process — the hunger beforehand, the careful preparation, setting an attractive table, chewing, breathing, smelling, tasting, swallowing, and the feeling of lightness and energy after the meal. You can even enjoy the full and easy elimination of the food after it’s digested. When you pay attention to all elements of the process, you'll begin to appreciate simple meals." Highly recommended.