Paradiso Maldivianus Rex

It's time for a holiday, or at least it feels that way. I'd like to go to Italy this year, but rumour has it I might have to get a job, and then where will that leave me. After 3 years of College, the thought of working is fairly daunting. There is though the even worse prospect of having to deal with Job Centre staff and the usual 99 page application for dole! Then of course they have to make you suffer as much as possible for as long as possible before they give you a penny. I'm still waiting to hear if I've been accepted for teacher training at Aberdeen University, that'll be another year in education, so ideal really, as opposed to working or signing on. Anyway, I have loads of books to read and films to watch that I've foregone in order to complete numerous assessments which I could detail herein, but the subject content of which I hope will never cross my path again, so I won't mention it! I finished reading "The Island of the Day Before". Pretty good read really, must purchase some more of his books.

I think therefore I read !

Have you ever met someone who doesn't like reading? how ridiculous! My brother once worked with a guy who didn't like music (any music). I don't know if I would condemn such people or pity them. Did they choose ignorance? or are they still nursing some childhood trauma?

I think TV is to blame in many ways, people think they can get all they need from the TV, but they can't! Nothing stimulates the mind like a well written book, and I don't think the TV conveys allegory and symbolism very well either. So, if you're reading this and you haven't read a book for a while, just go and find a book you fancy from your local bookshop, there's bound to be something, rediscover the joys of reading, it's not a chore!

Clocks and Doves

The Island of the Day Before is in a large measure about clocks and doves. One chapter alone is entirely about Doves, but merely because the mysterious dove of the island, which is borne of fire, represents the lady he loves in some sort of unobtainable way. Roberto cannot reach the island, he cannot see the dove, he cannot be with his lady. So here I am writing test documentation for my PHP, Javascript, mysql etc. but I chose not to bore you with that, because it is boring and if I ever end up doing it for a living then fate will have played a cruel hand indeed for poor unfortunate me.

I'm terrified I'll end up living vicariously through my kids: my son now plays the guitar quite well and he's a lot younger than I was when I started playing. He also plays golf quite well too, and he's a lot younger than when I started playing. You see a theme evolving there? I'm only 35 for Christ's sake.

The Island of the Day Before

For those unfamiliar with the writings of Umberto Eco, the Italian philosopher and literary master, try not to start with his work "The Island of the Day Before", especially if you're in the last 2 weeks of your degree! I planned to read his books ever since I saw The Name of the Rose with Sean Connery and Christian Slater ie. some time ago, but it was only last Thursday that I finally managed to get around to doing so. I bought it from Borders at Inverness, a marvellous book-shop if I don't say so. Although I have 2 major assessments and a project to complete fro 2 weeks time, followed by 2 exams, I find myself caught up in this literary masterpiece, the story of Roberto della Griva.... wait, I'm not going to explain what the book is about, it's to profound, if you want to know you'll have to read it yourself, anyway I'm only halfway through it !