Thanksgiving

For some reason, I think this year's Thanksgiving comes fast and furious.  The anticipation, the stress, the shopping, the turkey are just palpable.  What am I going to cook for this Thanksgiving?

Gillette Mach 3 vs Dovo Best Quality 6/8

I haven't used the Gillette Mach 3 for ages.  Out of the blue, I just decided to give it a try and see how it feels again.  I have been straight ... razor shaving for some time with three razors in rotation, the Dovo being my favorite.  The process is kind of elaborate and if you are in a rush like every morning every day, it's just not going to work; I actually shave in the evenings or weekends once a week or so, to enjoy and unwind.  The stropping, the lathering and the full concentration can be somewhat taxing, that's when it's not enjoyable.  The Gillette Mach 3 provides a good alternative, it's almost effortless.  I lather up and shave.  Of course that is if you have a short beard or stubble, if you have grown your beard longer than say quarter of an inch then the Mach 3 won't work that well, all the cut hairs would get stuck among the three blades and you constantly have to rinse the razor cartridge.  On the other hand, the straight razor would cut through any length of beard without getting stuck.  Unless you are an idiot, the chance of cutting yourself with a Mach 3 is extremely low and you can just shave your way rather absentmindedly without losing a nose or an ear.  And Mach 3 actually gives a very clean or even cleaner shave than my straight razors.

Life of Pi

Piscine Molitor Patel doesn't like his name so he changes it to Pi.  Pi doesn't like what really happened in the 227 days he spent stranded in the Pacific, so he changes it too.  It's about story telling and story telling at its best.

I first heard of the title from a friend from way back when blog was the thing and Ang Lee hasn't directed yet another tiger movie.  I haven't forgotten the book. I once borrowed the e-book from the library.  Reading from a tiny screen isn't really my thing and I wasn't able to finish it before the god damned DRM kicked in on the expiration date. One day I shopped at BJ (not having one), like any domesticated male does, and picked up a copy there for $9.99.  I remember the e-book from the library doesn't even have different fonts denoting different voices like in the book does.  Even the book I bought is a low grade trade paperback (remember BJ), but still I found it infinitely much readable than the screen.  I doubt a bigger screen would make any difference.  This copy has the picture still from Ang Lee's movie adaptation as cover.  I am OKAY with that.  I haven't seen the film except the trailer or teaser out there.

The author or Yann Martel says "the story will make you believe in god."  It's a tall order and personally I don't think the book has much to do with religions or even preachy.  It makes some interesting points and say them in an interesting way, to wit: how he compares Christianity's God sending his Son to die for the sinners to the young protagonist's father sending him to the lions.  For the most part I read it like a young adult's adventure book and I guess to a large extent it is.  But like what infomercials say, "Wait, there's more!"  The story definitely takes on a progressively darker tone when it reaches the end.  Is Pi a reliable storyteller?  Does Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger even exist? And for that matter, the zebra, the orangutan and the hyena?  Or does it even matter?  I think the story is decidedly ambiguous ... or not, in a good way (not the sucky kind like Lost).  It actually makes me think and question what I just read.  Overall a pleasant good read.

Endnote:  a word for young readers:  it has some gruesome scenes about cannibalism.

Gas

I never thought I needed to wait in line to get gas. But here I was standing in line holding a gallon and a quarter gas can waiting for my turn, like some idiot. I was trying to buy another canister and the shop Icarus across the street tried to sell me one for $20.  At what point is pricing what the market can bear becomes pure evil price gouging?  I am not sure, but no thanks.  I will live with my gallon and a quarter just fine. Why is the line moving ever so slowly?  People just don't know how to pump or people don't have credit cards.  People are just taking their sweet time at the pump. Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android