Tuesday, December 30, 2008

My Reading Update: My Reactions to Ray's Book- Part I



Hello my dearest blogger readers,

I would like to share with you my Book-Reading Update. This is Part I To Some Thoughts on my reading of the book Everything and a Kite by Ray Romano.

Monday, Dec. 29th PM--- around 5 or 6-- early evening: I IMed the library reference desk (AIM: westmontrefdesk) to ask if they had this book that I heard about on Ray Romano's website, and after a few minutes (of I guess them searching the library "data base"), they found it, put it on hold for me, and then...

Same Day--- a little bit later: I drove to the library, with my sister (Stefanie) who needed to pick up a book that they had on hold for her, or at least she thought--ended up not getting the book that she had originally asked for (crazy, yeah I know!) I then got it, checked it out, and then after us searching around the movies and such that the library had (hey, its free renting!), we left the library and drove home (since I drove there to the library, Stef' drove back-- see how, two brother-and-sister-drivers share off the driving).

Same Day-even later--closer to 7 or 8 and/or even 9 or 10 PM: later that evening: I sat down in my comfy, circular chair (I forgot the name of it, but its round as a circular), that is in a brown leopard print, and I started reading: 1st the book flap (front and back flaps), then the dedication page, then I scanned the table of Contents page, then the Author's Note (pages ix-x), and then I started this book: with reading chapter 1 ("Nimble-Minded", and then after a quick break (of which I started listening to the Daily Breakfast with Fr. Roderick episode #590 "Christmas Presents"), I read chapter 2 ("Mom").

Below, are some of my thoughts in reaction to the first two chapters of this book.


-- of what I can recall from reading the first 2 chapters, this book seems to be based upon incidences from Ray's own life, which is also similarly what his stand-up routines are based on. You see I recently, as of a couple of years ago, brought (from the Borders in La Grange-- I remember it visually as it were yesterday) the first stand-up comedy CD from this star of Everybody Loves Raymond, which is called "Ray Romano: Live at Carnegie Hall". So, since I have (not recently as of now, but recently as of a couple of years ago), from both this stand-up comedy CD and watching a behind-the-scenes featurette that was on the last disc of season 1 that showed his Letterman Appearance stand-up routine, am able to recall some of his comedy-- so my reading of the first two chapters of this book, there were many similarities between his stand-up comedy and this book (well, at least the first two chapters).

--But, as Ray says in chapter 2, on page 9, "This book is by no means an autobiography. It's just observations on my life. ..."

--In the first chapter, about (or so) on page 4, he talks about the title of this first chapter"Nimble-Minded", and how he says on page 4, "... a magazine article I had recently read where a reporter described me as a 'nimble-minded comic Ray Romano.'" And how he goes on and says further on page 4, "OK, you ready for this? I had to look up the word 'nimble.' Are you catching the irony in that? He was calling me smart, and yet I was too dumb to understand it."

-- Well, after reading that line (or perhaps after reading the title of this first chapter), I, myself, had to look up that word "nimble." But, unlike, Ray, I had a dictionary in hand, well actually on my computer--as a widget on the dashboard.

--Further down on page 4, Ray says, "I couldn't find a dictionary, so I tried to remember where I'd heard 'nimble' before. The saddest part is the only thing I could think of was the nursery rhyme "Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick." So I did some deductive reasoning. 'Well, let's see. 'Nimble' must be related to 'quick.' It couldn't be 'Jack Be Slow, Jack Be Quick.' That wouldn't make sense, even I know that So when he calls me nimble-minded, he must be giving me a compliment." Ray goes on at the end of page 4 to say, "If any magazine writers are reading this and want to compliment me in the future, use words like 'good.'"

--So, from what I can recall from this first chapter, it seems as if I am similar to Ray Romano -- well at least in the sense of having to look up a word as "nimble."

Well, that's about it for now. But, be stay tune to my blog, 'cause I'll be trying to post frequent updates on my reactions and thoughts to this book... and the reason for that is because it keeps you reading, if you are telling other people (well in this sense, blogging to you all) about the book and my reactions. (and did I forget to mention---that I am reading this book for fun?--well, I am! and I think that it will be a FUNny read!

Happy New Year to all of you, and Happy Reading!

 ~Daniel


Wednesday, December 24, 2008

My Christmas Greetings To You All!

A Special Message with regards to photos at the beginning of this post:
Christmas Photos, taken by me--of course, will be coming soon to this blog... some christmas photos that you can look forward to include, but might not be limited to: our christmas tree with all the presents wrapped underneath, and beside, the tree.  So, seeing that its very late, or very early-- that is whichever way you look at it!, I am going to try to post some photos in another post, hopefully today, but if not tomorrow or the next--seeing that it'll still be the christmas season!  Meanwhile, be sure to check out my photo page of my pictures of the Lincoln Park Zoo Lights!

Merry Christmas To All My Dearest Readers, 

The first thing that I must say to you is that I am currently writing this very early in the morning on Thursday, December 25th, 2008-- Christmas Day, and why you may ask? Well, for no reason-- I just felt like it.  As I am writing this christmas greetings blog post to you all, I am listening to some christmas music from a playlist that I've put together in my iTunes called "Holiday-christmas Tunes." 

So, now I would like to tell you-- briefly-- what my day was like on Christmas Eve--Dec. 24th-- yesterday.  Amid brief segments of cleaning my "so much dreaded by me, and all" bathroom, and some "light cleaning/organizing of my desk-top area, as well as putting away some clean "darks"--two loads-- of clothes, I managed to catch up on some podcasting listening-- some great SQPN, Catholic contented podcasts!    

Before I started listening to a couple of SQPN podcasts, I should probably mention to you that I finished listening to the last two parts of the Young Adult Ministry-Archdiocese of Chicago--'s Advent Reflections: Be Watchful! -- which I highly recommend, but now that its Christmas, its a little bit too late for advent reflections--- what we need now is Christmas reflections or celebrations!!!   I started with listening to the latest episode of Catholic in a Small Town, which was episode: CST #111: Mad Mac , which was very interesting, entertaining, and funny--at times, per always!  I highly recommend this catholic podcast, as I do most all SQPN catholic podcasts that I've listened to.  

Soon after finishing to CST podcast (catholic in a smalltown podcast, not to get confused with my, or anyone's, Computer Science and Telecommunications class(es)!), I began my Daily Breakfast with Fr. Roderick marathon-- since I was in "drastic" need to catch up on about 4-5 episodes of the Daily Breakfast catholic, "SQPN- talk show" podcast!  The following is the run down of the episodes that I listened to today (in list form): --- I finished up listening to Fr. Roderick's travel tales from his (I believe it was a...) 5 day trip to Rome and the Vatican! ... 

I recommend that you check out this page, that SQPN wishes everyone a merry christmas! 

It's getting late, and I need my sleep for a morning-- later morning than this as I am writing this blog post,--- for unwrapping presents, and of course taking pictures of my sisters and dad opening their presents!  But, first I must tell you all about, briefly--or as brief as I can be, about my christmas present to my sisters... it was a photo college of the both of them-- here let me explain if you are all curious... For my sister, Stefanie, I made a photo collage of pictures of her-- just her, or mostly her. And, similar, yet uniquely different in its own way, a photo collage for my sister, Caroline.  This is a home made gift for my sisters from me, their big, older, and very "mature" brother!  I got the idea from a front page article on the Torch (RU's student newspaper) that was in the last issue of this fall 08 semester (issue 12).   The article had mentioned some different gift ideas that you could "home-make."  And the article mentioned for those who always have a camera in hand (I'm paraphrasing here) to use their many photos has a gift... so after many hours of tirelessly working with photos of my two sisters, I created them each both individually uniquely different a photo college for the both of them.

Before I leave you, I would like to give you, yet another, link, but this time its of my Video Blog #4-- that I made on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008, of which I have a special guest on-- who is my best friend, Kyle Erickson. I very much and highly recommend that you watch it and then post a comment or email me your feedback on what you think!!!   In the video, we basically just ramble on for about half an hour (about 28 minutes) on many different topics.  I would like to say now that Kyle is truly a very special friend of whom I enjoy spending time and just hanging out with him!!!-- and I think that this video blog #4 shows just how "whacky at times" and how true friends the both of us all-- even after graduating from Westmont High School!  So, check it out by clicking the link above for the video blog #4 and then add a comment to this post or email me your feedback to this video blog #4-- and this post as as whole! 

Well, now its getting late, but I hope to be back soon with perhaps some christmas photos, and perhaps some commentary, and maybe even a short "special" christmas greeting video blog (#5)!-- who knows!..you're just have to wait and see!  But, now I need my sleep-- however short/petite it may be, ... well that's just how it is for me, or most any college/or student on winter break!!! (or for that matter any time during the academic year!!!)

So, on behalf of myself and everyone in my family, I would like to wish you all a very blessed, holy, and merry christmas!   

May you all have a peaceful, blessed, and merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas,
  ~ Daniel


Tuesday, December 2, 2008

ERROR IN PREVIOUS POST CORRECTED, PLUS BOOK-READING NEWS!

To learn more about the book, or rather, to buy the book, then go to the Halo Store on Busted Halo, and then click on the "Books" category near the left hand margin, and then from their click on the "Young Adult Spirituality" category, and from there scroll down the list of product names(titles) until you come upon the title for this pictured (above) book called Googling God: Religious Landscape of People in Their 20s and 30s. The book costs $16.95. 
While you are here at the Busted Halo website, then I heartily recommend that you check out this site--mainly for young adult Catholic's in their 20s and 30s.  

Hello my blogger readers,

  The first item on the agenda for today's "daily" blog post is that of a correction that I would like to make.  I was, or had planned to, upload my video blog post #3 to the previous post (the one right before this one) and for some unforeseen, by me, reason I could not get it to upload to this blog, so don't worry folks, 'cause I am providing you all with a link that you can see my video blog #3... please click on the following link to be directed to my Video Blog #3

  In book-reading news, I don't worry have that much to report, as of now, but perhaps at a later date.  I am just going to leave you all with the title of the book that I just currently started reading ("for fun").  Here it is:
GOOGLING GOD:
The Religious Landscape of People in their 20s and 30s
by Mike Hayes

   Perhaps once I get a little bit more reading done(as previously stated, I am only at the very beginning--I've read the following beginning sections: acknowledgments, Foreword; and am currently reading the introduction.  ONCE I GET A LITTLE BIT MORE READ, I am going to blog/journal to you some of my "reader response" thoughts on this book, as I am reading, so you all will get a "live", as I am reading this book, insights, reactions, thoughts, and comments about this book that I have. -- SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT you can all look forward to! 

 So, until the next time that I blog to you, I hope that you all had a happy thanksgiving last week--that you all were stuffed with food, are going to have a nice spiritual advent preparation for Christmas!  So, on behalf of myself, I would like to wish you all a very spiritual and joyous advent, as well as a chilly, yet hopefully still very much warm winter! 

Take Care,
 Daniel