Parable of the Sower -- Octavia Butler

 

I liked this book.  It was written in the 90s and takes place basically now in California. It was a very realistic and immediate representation of a possible end of civilization scenario.  Horrific descriptions of decay and violence were written in a matter of fact tone of someone who had grown up with it all her life.  

The curious part was the Sharing.  Lauren Olamina, the main character, has a congenital condition caused by her mother’s drug use while she was pregnant, that causes her to feel the exact physical pain of someone around her.  Not sure what the point of this is.  Does not seem to be driving the plot or anything like that.  I’m thinking it should have been a bigger part of the plot.  Still thinking on that.

Also it was great to view this world through the eyes of a black woman, who would likely be the most vulnerable of any able bodied adult person.  

I understand that this is part of a series, but it did end up just kind of abrupt.  I did not sign up for a series.  But, considering what I have written thus far, I plan to read the next and I think final book.  

2025 Book List

So here is the book list.  The worst book was Lies, inc.  Just slow and weird but not in a good way.  

One of the best was Ordinary Human Failings. 

I really enjoyed all the non fiction.  Kind of changed my whole paradigm.  

All I know is I’m starting 2026 and that is not a bad way to start the new year.  

1. Behave — Robert Sapolsky
2. The Dark Forest — Liu Cixin
3. The End of Race Politics — Coleman Hughes
4. I Am Legend — Richard Matheson
5. The Tao of Wu — RZA
6. Lies Inc. — Phillip K. Dick
7. The Glass Bead Game — Herman Hesse
8. Introduction to Internal Family Systems — Richard C. Schwartz
9. The Warren — Brian Evenson
10. Death’s End — Liu Cixin
11. Earthlings — Sayaka Murata
12. I’m Thinking of Ending Things — Iain Reid
13. Guide — Dennis Cooper
14. The Warriors — Sol Yurick
15. Determined — Robert Sapolsky 
16. The Girl Next Door — Jack Ketchum
17. Evolving Beyond Thought — Gary Weber
18. Artificial Light — James Greer
19. The Essence of Ribhu Gita — Ribhu Sage
20. Happiness Beyond Thought — Gary Weber
21. Germinal — Emile Zola
22. Polostan — Neal Stephenson
23. Conscious — Annka Harris
24. The Crystal World — JG Ballard
25. Ordinary Human Failings — Megan Nolan

The Bum and The Bike

 

So now Manhattan is a lawless hell hole, especially by Times Square and The Port Authority — skell and weird bum city.

One evening I was on 41^st street and 8^th Avenue by Schnippers returning a CitiBike.  They never seem to click in the first time when you try to jam them back into the return spot. So as I’m fucking with that, a weird, fucked up, crazy bum approaches me.  I’d seen him just minutes before, wandering in the middle of the street, in his socks.  

“Some guys’s trying to shoot me, can I get a ride?”  Okay.  There’s really no one there but me and the crazy bum.  

“Nope.”  I’m thinking to myself, does this fucking creep really think I am really going to give him, this bike and incur the $1,200 penalty for doing so? 

So I keep trying to jam this bike back into the rack.  I’m hoping this nut job doesn’t have some type of knife or improvised cutting or slashing weapon.

“You really can’t buy me a bike?”  He’s not in closing distance, but too close for comfort as I can’t afford to run and leave $1,200 on the table and I would always prefer not to fight a crazy person, who is likely covered in Cholera.  

“Nope.”  Click.  I check the app, while keeping my eye on Crazy.  The bike is safely returned! “Not really, bro.”

I speed walk to the port authority, checking my six all the while.  He didn’t pursue. 

I went on with my life.  

Outdoor Users

 

I’m a MAMIL, middle aged man in lycra — a person who rides a road bike and looks like he’s in the Tour de France.  One of our supposed traditions is towave to each other when we pass going opposite ways.

The next relevant fact is I hate joggers.  What I hate most is that somebody told them to run against traffic in the bike lane with a zombified look on their face.  Everybody else in the world can move with the flow of traffic.  People who are of such limited intelligence, that they are unable to comply with simple traffic rules, should not be let outside.  

On a recent ride, I spied a young man jogging toward me.  He saw me and moved out of the bike lane.  He locked eyes on me and waved.  

I reflexively waved back.

I thought “God damn . . . A jogger acting intelligently.”  

I had to respect this guy.  This guy humanized himself by waving and acknowledging other outdoor users. I had an overwhelming sense of rightness with the world.  

If we can all view each other as fellow users of the outdoors, we may have more peaceful rides and better lives. 

Employee Appreciation Week

 

All I’ll say is this.  I noticed that right around the time of Employee Appreciation Week, they stopped refilling the complimentary mouth wash stations in the bathrooms.

Toys

 

Thinking about toys.  All the ones I’ve had.  All the ones I want.  Over the years they change and the price only goes up.  They never stop calling you.  

When you’re a child you can’t get anything for yourself.  You have to rely on your parents for everything and if they aren’t down, forget it.  In the 70’s I bought one Star Wars action figure.  It came with a catalog of other Star Wars action figures.  I would just lay on my stomach and turn the pages, looking at figures of Obi Wan Kenobi and Tuscan Raiders.  I’m sure at that point we had at least Han Solo and Luke Skywalker.  

Eventually every figure was acquired.  

Then it was the GI Joe figures.

Now it’s music equipment.  Specifically the Fender Jazzmaster American Professional. 

It will never be enough.  But maybe it can end.  

Things I Will Never Do Again: LightRail Version

I was watching a TV commercial which was saying something about one day will be the last day you pick up your child and you’ll never know it.  I don’t have children, but there are things I will probably never do again and won’t realize it at the time.  Thought this idea might make semi interesting posts.  

The first example is the ticket stamper at the Light Rail (https://www.njtransit.com/light-rail-to) that runs through Hoboken and Jersey City and probably other places too. This is really worth mentioning.  This is one of the most satisfying experiences in my life.  The whole operation is automated, except maybe the drivers.  You buy a ticket from the machine.  Before you board the train, it must be stamped.  And that stamping machine . . . That peaceful clunk.  Indescribably satisfying. 

I attempted to describe this feeling to a co worker who also lived in Hoboken.  He looked at me confused, and said, “Wait,  you have to stamp the light rail ticket?”  So not only had he never felt this glorious feeling, he had been using the light rail illegally for over ten years.  They rarely check if you have stamped your ticket.  Without stamping it you could potentially use a ticket forever.

Recently I had to go to Jersey City to register for a bike ride.  The Light Rail was the best option.  When I went to stamp my ticket, the stamper was gone, replaced with a QR code scanner.

So as stated, stamping my ticket at the Light Rail is something I will never do again.  What’s even worse I don’t even remember the last time I did it.  I think I may have filmed it with my iPhone, but can’t remember the specific time or place.