All Consuming : Josh Petersen

Consuming "Anathem"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:21:55 GMT

by Neal Stephenson

Many levels (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 21:31:30 GMT

by Michael Haneke

My immediate reaction after watching this film was “I want my two hours back”. There is very little payoff here if you are following the domestic narrative about which this film appears to be concerned. On top of that, many of the characters reactions and behaviors in this film seemed unbelievable. Who would watch a suicide before his eyes and offer no aid and not go for any sort of help? And who could be making these films? From those questions followed an hour and a half of good conversation about film, history, responsibility and the role of allegory. So touche, Cache, my time was not wasted after all.

A story about "The Polysyllabic Spree"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 22:25:31 GMT

The Polysyllabic Spree

by Nick Hornby

Nick Hornby is a joy to read. I read this book over the last few months while giving my daughters baths. On a good day, I might finish 2-3 pages at a sitting, but it was easily dropped and picked back up. Having Hornby in the room created enjoyable adult conversation, and I always felt like he’d understand having to set down his disputations on Dickens when the little one started throwing bath water at her sister.

Why it's taking me forever to finish consuming "Strangers to Ourselves: Discovering the Adaptive Unconscious"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 22:23:04 GMT

Strangers to Ourselves: Discovering the Adaptive Unconscious

by Timothy D. Wilson

I got bogged down starting this book (really, just because I had too many library books that kept jumping ahead in the queue) but now I’m digging in and really getting something out of this book. It brings up tons of interesting issues about whether we really can understand ourselves and our motivations. The details of confabulation are really interesting.

Why I recommend "1984 (Signet Classics)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 19:13:00 GMT

1984 (Signet Classics)

by George Orwell

Honestly, I never thought we’d live in as Orwellian a world as we now do. War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength. Want to test it out? Try talking about the war with someone – you descend into an Orwellian circle of “let’s not talk about it” or “We’ve always been at war with . . . ”. Even, or maybe especially, when I see the war protestors as I did this weekend on the 3rd anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, with their “No Iraq War” posters I think, do they mean to say they wish there was no Iraq war or are they just not willing to let the reality of that war into their world. Or how strange it gets when some hawks argue the mistake was staying after we busted it, and some doves argue the mistake is leaving now that its broken. And that palpable feeling that maybe it isn’t such a good idea to talk about this loudly in an open place or the disapproving looks you get from people bothered by the debate. “No Iraq War” is an easier slogan to swallow. War is Peace and Ignorance is Strength. Let’s go back to work. Freedom is Slavery.

Why it's taking me forever to finish consuming "Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 1)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 22:26:06 GMT

Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 1)

by Neal Stephenson

It’s not really taking me forever – but I was confused by the mass market paperback repackaging of this book. Confusingly, the mass market edition (think “pocket size” though that would be some pocket) is titled “Quicksilver, vol 1” just like the “trade paperback” edition – except the full sized trade paperback contains books 1-3 whereas the mass market edition contains only book 1 – and “vol 2” is being sold as “King of the Vagabonds”. Do yourself a favor and spring for the full sized “trade paperback” or better yet, buy a used hardback.

I’m halfway through “book 2 of vol 1” and I’m loving the story. Stephenson does a great job with the material he’s bitten off and his characters are portrayed in ways that are both colorful and generally accurate (I studied this period of English as a history grad student in England).

I’ve already bought “The Confusion” and I’m looking forward to losing a couple months to Stephenson’s story.

Why I gave up consuming "Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 19:52:20 GMT

Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment

by Martin Seligman

I made it about halfway through this book before I had to return it to the library. I loved Seligman’s overall tone and his focus on prevention. The resources on the authentic happiness website are great as well. Overall though, I think I just don’t buy into cognitive behavioral therapy. It just isn’t my experience that my thinking is so condition-able – and I’m actually a bit frightened about what might result from focusing exclusively on my thinking – as opposed to say, just altering my behavior to do things I enjoy more. Anyway, big picture, I think this is a fine book and interesting, but struck me as slightly anti-humanistic and reductive. Is that unfair? Sorry – because I did enjoy reading what I did, and could even see buying a copy to have on hand. I’m also interested in reading Seligman’s book on raising optimistic kids. Is that inhumane of me? I’m willing to practice cognitive behaviorism on my dependents but not on myself.

A story about "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 18:01:06 GMT

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

by Arctic Monkeys

Wow. I’m like a teenage gerard way fan going crazy for these kids from Sheffield. I’m serious thinking of paying $65 to see them play at the Crocodile Cafe next month. While the album has a few weak tracks, it is generally smoking.

Basically, this sucked (rated 2 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 17:53:59 GMT

The Plot Against America

by Philip Roth

Philip Roth seems to have thought of two different ways to tell this story. The first has to do with an interesting espionage plot that gets hatched and changes history, involves luminaries of mid century history, and basically is a pretty interesting idea. Roth spins this part of the story out in newsreels and an omniscient narrators voice – and while it makes for the overall thrust of the novel – it is given short shrift. Instead, Roth labors over his other idea which involves the Roth family in Newark and telling the story of President Lindbergh’s defeat of FDR and tilt toward fascism through the eyes of a nine year old boy trying to make sense of his feelings, family, and nation at a time of trial. While this idea of telling the story through young Philip’s eyes has its moments, it also gets incredibly tedious, especially when Roth starts to describe some particularly active part of the story, only to spin back and go on a 5 page diversion before rejoining the action. Did I mention that I thought the storytelling was a mess? I have a hard time that any young novelist would get such a book published, let alone get the sort of praise Roth has reaped. While I was glad I read it, I was even more glad when it was done.

Why I recommend "Arctic Monkeys Live on Morning Becomes Eclectic"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 18:42:54 GMT

Arctic Monkeys Live on Morning Becomes Eclectic

by Arctic Monkeys & KCRW

Here’s a link: http://www.kcrw.com/cgi-bin/db/kcrw.pl?show_code=mb&air_date=11/18/05&tmplt_type=show

The record comes out stateside on Tuesday.

Why it's taking me forever to finish consuming "The Plot Against America"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 18:41:11 GMT

The Plot Against America

by Philip Roth

I’m slogging through. I’m around page 220 and I do find it pretty tedious. It is disturbing that Roth’s style is actually making me sympathetic toward Sandy and his aunt, and tired of the shrillness of his parents. I’m sure this feeling will cleverly turn against me once the pogrom kicks in.

A question I have about "Iraq: The Borrowed Kettle"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 18:26:48 GMT

Iraq: The Borrowed Kettle

by Slavoj Zizek

Has anybody read this? I’m interested in figuring out if this is worth the time and would love to hear your opinion.

A question I have about "The Plot Against America"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 18:24:18 GMT

The Plot Against America

by Philip Roth

Does it get better?

I’m 30 pages in and not loving it. This is the first Philip Roth I’ve read, the plot (as I understand it) is right up my alley, but I’m falling asleep every 5-6 pages. I was hoping for a contemporary version of Jack London’s “Iron Heel”. So far, the book makes me feel like a West Coast lumberjack 30 something, interloping on a New Jersey Jewish boomer dystopia.

Why it's taking me forever to finish consuming "A Random Walk Down Wall Street: Completely Revised and Updated Edition"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 19:01:08 GMT

A Random Walk Down Wall Street: Completely Revised and Updated Edition

by Burton G. Malkiel

I know this book is very highly recommended. It is also 85% boring and 30% obvious. I picked this book as the first of a 3 part self tutoring exercise to revamp my financial plan. Bad strategy. It’s not that the book isn’t full of reasonable information. The problem is that reading it is like gargling with molasses. Perhaps it has just been revised too many times. It no longer seems to hold any sort of narrative shape – each chapter seems like a too long ramble about another errant avenue of investing. When does the knowledge kick in? I think I’m stalled out on chapter 5.

My all consuming summary of January, 2006

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 23:52:28 GMT

My consumptions for January, 2006 was basically all over the place. If there were any big themes they were happiness and mental illness. I think what kicked it all off might have been the The Sunset Tree by the Mountain Goats. I bought the album for the song “This Year” which is good, but somewhat annoying. I then spent a weeks worth of mornings singing “I’m going to make it through this year, if it kills me”. It seems like that rolled around in my head for a while and influenced some of my media explorations this month.

I liked The Aviator more than I expected to. I didn’t expect to like it much, because I basically can’t take Leonardo DeCaprio seriously. I’m sorry – I don’t think it is because he is a particularly bad actor – it’s just that he seems like a fluffy kitten. But he does a good job in this account of Howard Hughes (who I realized halfway through the movie, after there were no printing presses, I was confusing with William Randolph Hearst). The one thing I had heard about the movie was that Jeff Bezos loved it – which freaked me out because Howard Hughes is a nutter – but I can see the admirable determination and zeal. So with a fine portrayal of paranoia and OCD, I found myself learning more about obsessive compulsive disorders in the “special features” section of the DVD.

I’m still only halfway through Nick Hornby’s Polysyllabic Spree which is entertaining and a model for the sort of monthly review of consumption you are now reading. I’m looking forward to learning more about Hornby’s habits and was moved by even the small mention of the mental disorders that impact his life. One was a quick mention of being glad to be a writer living in a time when the antidepressants are better and the drinking not so big a part of the craft. Interesting how these afflictions do touch those who write more than, say, tennis pros. Were that I were so droll or knew myself as well as Hornby. He’s a treat to read.

Perhaps it was that desire to know myself better expressed that caused my friend Chris to recommend Timothy D. Wilson’s Strangers to Ourselves. It too sits half finished on my nightstand along with 8 other books. “Strangers” is a bit of a precursor to “Blink” and once I started it, I realized I’d read about Wilson in Gladwell’s popular tome. It is a tale of the adaptive unconscious and it’s role in how we know ourselves. Self knowledge is an excellent topic and Wilson seems an able guide. I looking forward to getting the story down and particularly interested in the practical chapters at the end that outline some concrete ways to improve your knowledge of your self. I think it was when I started researching that book that I ran into Martin Seligman’s Authentic Happiness which I got from the library and have read the first 100 pages. It’s a sound if somewhat too cheerful book – though I’m trying to cure myself of bigotry toward optimists. The website that complements the book at http://authentichappiness.com is good – and I do hope to finish this book.

I’m not sure I can say the same for Andrew Soloman’s The Noonday Demon. It is a well written tour of depression – but man – I can’t take it! It’s just too depressing. I got turned on to it by Martin’s thoughtful review. I figured if Martin could be thoughtful about this surely I could too. I have already learned a lot in the first 200 pages. But picking it up again is harder than getting out of bed on these grey days. It’s due back at the library next week and I have a hard time thinking I’m going to buy it or finish it by then. Though I probably would do well to do so. Another library request I got around the same time is Peter Kramer’s Against Depression. For my constitution, this is a book similar to Solomon’s in some ways (informative, comprehensive) without the annoying melodrama (well Kramer has a sort of professional mini-crisis or too but that hardly compares to Solomon’s attempts to kill himself by contracting AIDS). I just got to the scientific half of Kramer’s book and I wish I’d started there. I think I’ll try for a renewal or request it again.

I’d probably be doing a lot better with my reading if I wasn’t watching LOST at night. Holy time suck. We have no TV in the new house, which is great, but I’m watching TV on my computer – which is foolish and expensive.

That’s most of my ALL OVER THE PLACE wrap-up for the month. I also watched that Peter Pan movie (that guy is a bit nutty too, but sweet), gave up on reading that Never Eat Alone book, finished reading Sophie a silly book about a Rabbit named Rafferty who saves his hometown from a gang led by a dasterdly Mink, finally watched Super Size Me, which was surprisingly good, and oh, I read a whole book about cunilingus. What? You think I’m trying to sneak that last one in? Well I’ll tell you the best idea in that book is expressed in the title.

Hopefully I’ll have a few more books finished and a few fewer started in February – and I think I see “happiness” as the emerging theme – a nice counterpoint to so much reading about mental anguish (tempered by frivolous viewing and the odd lascivious tome).

A question I have about "Lost - The Complete First Season"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:28:45 GMT

Lost - The Complete First Season

What’s up with the political philosophy angle to the names? We have a once crippled John Locke and a crazy French lady named Rousseau cast away on a tropical island. It is no coincidence. Is this just some nod toward social contract theory or is there anything more to it?

A story about "The Unprejudiced Palate: Classic Thoughts on Food and the Good Life (Modern Library Food)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 19:41:19 GMT

The Unprejudiced Palate: Classic Thoughts on Food and the Good Life (Modern Library Food)

by Angelo M. Pellegrini

The chapter on wine is a kick – and had me ready to turn my basement into a vinter’s operation. Todd offered to loan me some of his equipment and told me I can buy grape juice, and thus avoid mashing with my feet or needing to order 2.5 tons of grapes. I learned my Mother (who gave me the book) also had met Angelo Pellegrini back in the day.

Why I recommend "Drunken Chicken Sandwich"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 19:17:34 GMT

Drunken Chicken Sandwich

by Baguette Box

With Paseo closed for the Winter, the Drunken Chicken sandwich is sounding so good right now. Is the bread chewy? Yeah, it is called a baguette, and it is delicious. Is the chicken crunchy? Yeah, it’s been deep fried until it is delicious and then coated in spicy gooey goodness. This is not a sandwich to try and look cool eating – you need to wedge it together and go for it. And try the truffle fries and the beets.

How "Cinema Paradiso" changed my life

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 00:58:18 GMT

Cinema Paradiso

by Giuseppe Tornatore

Just over 15 years ago, during x-mas break from my first year in college, a bunch of friends headed off to see a movie in the snow. We caught a buss from Capitol Hill to the U district and headed to the Metro Cinemas. My pal Greg was super excited to see Goodfellas, as was his girlfriend Jill and our friend Mary. Anne wasn’t so excited, but I was excited to be hanging out with Anne. At the theater there Cinema Paradiso was also showing and Anne asked if anyone wanted to see it. Thank God for inventing the multi-plex.

I sat next to Anne through the movie and I even watched a little. I think I was too shy to even try and hold a hand – so I just stared at her. I’m sure this was annoying but just maybe slightly endearing. Looking back, I should have just tried to hold her hand or even give her a kiss. But that came about a month later – and 15 years later – I’m glad to be married to the raven haired beauty with whom I first watched Cinema Paradiso.

Why I want to consume "The Unprejudiced Palate: Classic Thoughts on Food and the Good Life (Modern Library Food)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 04:20:15 GMT

The Unprejudiced Palate: Classic Thoughts on Food and the Good Life (Modern Library Food)

by Angelo M. Pellegrini

I got this off my wish list for x-mas and I am loving it. It is laugh out loud funny – I’ve been snorting my way through the first 40 pages – and I really think it is going to change my life. I’m serious. It was written by an Italian emigrant who moved to Seattle and became an English professor (I think I went to high school with some of his grandchildren, actually) and it basically explains why you should have a garden in your yard, cook simple good meals, drink wine, and take naps.

It rules.

Why I recommend "Tarte l'Alsace"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Josh Petersen) — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 01:03:10 GMT

Tarte l'Alsace

by maitre pierre

This is perhaps the tastiest pizza like frozen confection I’ve ever tasted.