Long Time Gone

Above is a famous sketch from Leonardo himself. book review of "The DaVinci Code" to follow. if you liked the book, don't get your hopes up. A fairly ridiculous book; standard mystery plot with reasonably interesting questions raised about the origins of Christianity, but no proof of responsible scholarship anywhere. I'm really not sure why it has received so much attention. It is funny to me that organized religion has raised such strong objections. Much of it is supposition, and makes for very interesting discussion. The point is that there is a whole lot we're never going to know about the Bible. I don't think there's much point in splitting hairs over what did or did not happen. For me, it's simply about taking what works for me from the book and leaving the rest, as with any other text. I don't know if any of it is factual; that's not the point. I'm amazed I was able to read the book at all, since I haven't really been able...

it can, and it will. I will never be the same. My darling, precious, special, one-of-a-kind dad has Alzheimer's disease. He was diagnosed in March but I did not learn about it until a few days ago.

I hereby renounce my obligation to be tolerant and compassionate of other people's struggles with their luggage. Let's see if we can stuff everything we've ever owned and purchased on our vacations into incredibly large suitcases, and then carry as many of them on as possible. Better yet, let's take forever walking down the jetway into the plane, and finding our seat. Let's then spend hours choosing just the right overhead compartment in which to stow our unnecessary junk, argue with family members over who gets which assigned seat, and then grumble while settling into the miniscule-sized seats with which they now inflict on us in coach. The good news is that the food has improved; there isn't any. I actually like the idea of purchasing whatever it is they're offering; I find it a little better than regular airline food. I prefer to bring my own meal, and not worry about wasting a pre-existing "rubber chicken," as my dad would say. Actually, b...

I purchased two delicious books at Border's tonight: "The Name of the Rose," by Umberto Eco, which I suspect will be like "The DaVinci Code" but actually good, and "Hawai'i," by James Michener, since I spend the afternoon reading about Hawaiian history and would like to learn more.

I feel terribly happy, sitting in one of two Starbuck's on the island of Kau'i. Spent the afternoon on the beach, watching and listening to surfers, boogie boarders, and assorted bodysurfers (would-be?) hoot and holler and screech with delight as they caught waves, or, more often, wiped out and ended up with sand in their swimsuits. Terribly happy to be here. Starbuck's closes soon, so I'll have to be quick. Thanks for reading! Had a divine dinner at Tidepools, at the uber-ritzy Grand Hyatt. People here are so friendly I have absolutely no idea what to do. Love it. The aloha spirit is everywhere. Mahalo Nui!

Westin, Hyatt, Marriott, Sheraton, blah blah blah.

The ever-humorous Ellen DeGeneres: "My grandmother started walking 5 miles a day when she was 60. She's 93 now, and we have no idea where the hell she is."