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The Liar’s Club – Mary Karr 320pgs

This was one of those books that I saw on the pallet at Costco for about a year and never picked up even, though I was thinking, look at the size of that pallet that must be a great book. This summer I spotted it in a used book store. It’s a memoir of a girl growing up with a mom that’s more than a little off her rocker. Writing is strong particularly the word choice used in describing aspects or her family. The section where she describes her grandmother’s room smelling of water moccasin is powerful. If you can’t guess, water moccasin is not a pleasant smell and grammie ain’t pleasant either. I won’t soon forget the description of her mother in a psychotic episode burning all the families possessions including the author’s dresses when she was about six.

The book seemed destined to do nothing other than get me to ask for a fistful of anti- depressants or a fifth of whiskey. Howeve,r the last two chapters describing what happened after everyone has grown up was surprisingly uplifting and forces me to change my review from “run away” to “approach cautiously.” Ultimately it’s testimony to the power of a young mind to survive untold abuse and still turn out a functioning adult. Avoid it if your needing to be cheered up.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0140179836/qid=1129206898/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-8692782-3336902?v=glance&s=books

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Father Elijah: An Apocalypse Michael D. O’Brien 597pgs

A coworker gave me this book, after first asking me “if I had a problem with the Catholic Church.” Quickly reviewing the last 24 hours in my mind and finding nothing of note I replied, “not so far today.” The book is about Father Elijah a Catholic priest (formerly Jewish holocaust survivor) who is sent to the man the Church believes could be the next Anti-Christ in order to convert him. Think “Left Behind” from a Catholic perspective, only with decent writing.

Woven into the book are a number of conversations that Elijah has with other characters concerning the existence of evil in the world, God’s character, and salvation that are powerful and uplifting. These sections of the book are good enough to forgive some of the more typical plot devices. This is the best “Christian fiction” book I’ve read.

Link to Book - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0898706904/qid=1129206652/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-8692782-3336902?v=glance&s=books

Burger King

The excitement that accompanies the discovery of a new fast food resturant when you live overseas borders on the scary. By scary, I mean the scary when you meet a guy that likes his computer a little toooooo much, or a facepainter (seinfeld reference), or a commuter that won't stop looking at yea. So it was with great excitment (which rightly would concern anyone thats never lived overseas) that we have discovered a Burger King in our midst. It's well hidden (in a hospital's food court) but only about 15 minutes away. Now I know that some of you are thinking, "No, Nomad. I've seen you at Burger King here in the ol usa and your excitement is always excessive." So to further defend myself I will relay the conversation that was had between three other expats as we were on our quest for BK.

It started with a description of all the places each of us had been. Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea etc. Did we discuss the beautiful vistas, the culture, the museums, the history of the places we visited? Of course not. We discussed what fast food you could get where, Thailand has Dairy Queen, Korea has Popeye's Chicken, Hong Kong Burger King. Ahhhhh what I'd give for a little Dairy Queen soft serve.

Really any store from home creates these intense flashbacks to the lives we had before we were here. Thats how Starbucks gets us to continue to pay four bucks for coffee. It's also how they get all of you to spend four bucks for coffee. We do it to walk inside the store and remind ourselves of where we come from and what we are. It's actually part of Starbucks marketing plan to create a sense of home and place so that people will attach themselves to the brand. It's what McDonalds does to little kids. Starbucks just does it to yuppies. I'm perfectly fine allowing Starbucks to manipulate my emotions for a buck. But when I feel the same emotional sense of home from a Biggie Fry and Biggie Diet Coke, I get a little worried.

Get the keys and kids Dear, it's whopper time!


Blogger question, How do I make a title for my post? No spot comes up to fill in when I create a post?

Scoreboard-

Puerto Rico
Karen 1
Jim 1
Nomad 1


Steelers 24 Chargers 22 YEAAAA! (sorry dad)

NewkirkKnuckles lose to Hillbilly (Fantasy Football)

OK........maybe I have a problem.

On our way home from being professionally developed yesterday, a few of us thought it would be a good idea to play the game Puerto Rico. Finding ourselves without the actual board game we thought no problem will just keep track of it all in our heads...............yikes! Needless to say we lasted about four rounds before realzing that this was way to much to keep track of in your heads. It did however waste a good amount of time and seemed to move the trip along.

Puerto Rico has become the game of choice here on the Third Floor this year and we are looking forward to breaking out the expansion pack as I and all my coworkers have this week off. A goodly number of us won't be traveling and plan to do some reading, gaming, and movie watching. I'll keep you posted if I come across anything worthwile.

Welcome to the Third Floor.

The name comes from the floor on which I live in a small renegade province that was once occupied by the Land of the Rising Sun and now is occupied by the Land of Haze and Smog.

This is my third year living on the Third Floor and I thought it would be a good idea to start with where I am. The Nomad portion of the name comes from constant state of movement. Nomad means "a people who have no fixed home and move according to the seasons." That certainly describes our current state. Although the weather doesn't determine our seasons, for that we rely on the school year calendar, they are seasons none the less.

I am hopeful that this blog will be a place for people to come share a laugh, a book, a movie, a cultural experiance, a travel tip, or just a bit of themselves.

Hi