Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Thirty Days of Blogging: Day 11

I enjoyed the Joseph O'Neill story in the recent New Yorker.  Less so the one by Thomas McGuane.  I think I'll dig up one of O'Neill's books.  I'd never heard of him before.

Should I read something by Elizabeth Gaskell?  I never have.  Her name came up recently in a William Trevor story.  Also, Jude the Obscure.  Another novel I've never read.  But I liked Return of the Native.  Also, The Muppet Movie (little-known fact: that was based on one of Hardy's short stories).

In Vegas I made a bet that the Eagles would win the Super Bowl.  Not because I think it's likely, but because, at 20-1, I thought the bet offered good odds.  I bet 100$.  The wife bet 10$ that the Falcons would win the Super Bowl.  I wanted her to bet 20$, but she didn't want to get crazy.  That was funny.

The guy I've been taking tennis lessons from cancelled today, the morning of the lesson.  He said it was too hot.  It's 90 degrees!  Weak sauce.  I went out and hit by myself, but clearly I need a new guy.  Next week it's going to be in the 100s.  I might have to curb things a bit, then.  I've been spending two hours a day on the courts.

3 comments:

Dezmond said...

Your tennis guy is a pussy. It's been around 100 here in SA for well over a week now. The earth is getting hotter. Get used to it.

What do you mean that none of your friends responded with intelligence? I thought my poker advice was extremely intelligent, and witty. Perhaps it was intelligent and witty, but I don't fall within the "friend" part of your sentence. That must be it. Because it was quite intelligent. And witty.

ANCIANT said...

Dez-
Well, to be fair he is 60+ years old. But then, if he didn't want to work in the heat, why agree to be hired?

Perhaps we have different definitions of 'witty?'

Also--family blog, Dez! Watch the language! Don't make me start to edit your posts for language as well as content.

JMW said...

I tend not to respond to poker posts because your poker posts remind me that I'm seeing about 3% of what I should be every time I sit down to play, and I like playing, so this depresses me.

I haven't read Jude the Obscure, but would like to. If we lived near each other I would suggest we start it together and meet occasionally to discuss over tea.

I did see the movie. Beautiful and massively, massively, cripplingly depressing.

I just saw O'Neill read the other day. I've heard he's a good writer, but I sense something about his stuff would leave me cold so I haven't explored further. Would be curious to hear your opinion if you do read him.

I have a lot to say about Breaking Bad, but maybe too much for a comment.