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Stumpage Reports
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Sunday, May 23, 2004 :::
Lazy Weekend
Last weekend was the first weekend in awhile I did not have something to do or a deadline hanging over my head. I enjoyed it by not doing a hell of a lot. I made it to the grocery store, but did buy any magic grapes. I only bought the essentials, buying a new radiator for my car last month kinda put a big dent in my checking account.
I slept a lot, and probably could have gotten some practical, household things done, but the hell with it. Saturday night was just about perfect. The Real, Live, Actual Girl came over and we went out to dinner at Two Guys, went for a walk around campus, met some weird friends for coffee, and then spent a cozy evening on the couch watching Sabrina (the original, of course).
I was also able to finish The Grapes of Wrath. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was a little sad when I was done. I'm not too sure about the ending. I guess I can figure out the meaning of it. The most selfish character in the book ends up helping a complete stranger (in a very personal way) and this underscores Steinbeck's constant theme of collectivism and people pulling together to help other. But the novel just seemed to kind of end in mid-stride, with the family shattered and not knowing what to do next. I don't need everything wrapped up nice and neatly in a modern hollywood way, but a little more structured ending would have been nice. I can't believe I'm sitting here bitching about what is easily in the top ten, and possibly the top five, best American 20th-century novels.
I like what Roger Ebert had to say about the aftermath of that novel: "Of course Tom [Joad] didn't know the end of the story, about how the Okies would go to work in war industries and their children would prosper more in California than they would have in Oklahoma, and their grandchildren would star in Beach Boys songs."
Person From England Who is Middle-aged, bored and ready to break out Blog of the Day:
Head Dump
::: posted by tom at 10:36 PM
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