March | 2012 | The Curious Autodidact

March 21, 2012

Cabin Dreams

Filed under: book related,cool internet stuff,media related — Honilima @ 11:38 pm

If you’ve had cabin dreams since reading Thoreau’s “Walden” surf a wave over to the site “Cabin Porn” for inspiration and then by Lou Ureneck’s book Cabin: Two Brothers, a Dream, and Five Acres in Maine . The website details photos of great little spots around the world, many that are masterfully built. Ureneck’s book details his life coming unraveled in midlife and buying some property, in Maine, to build a cabin, with his brother and his nephews. It is a great read for anyone who has dreamed of building a cabin and if you are familiar with that part of the country that much more meaningful. It is well written and a quick read.

Or you can just re-read Henry David Thoreau’s classic.

Walden Pond and replica of Thoreau’s Cabin

March 10, 2012

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Filed under: helpful hints,Word Related — Honilima @ 6:39 pm

Donovan Creek, in Washington State

For sleep, riches and health to be truly enjoyed, they must be interrupted.
–Jean Paul Richter, writer (1763-1825)

March 5, 2012

9-11: a book, a video, and an audio file

Filed under: book related,cool internet stuff,media related,social justice — Honilima @ 11:37 pm

Amy Waldman’s novel Submission was lauded when it first came out as her fiction debut. It is a brilliantly told story of the committee tasked to choose what the memorial would be for 9-11 in New York City. It is a highly charged read about race relations in our country and what emotions different characters on and off the committee experience as they near a decision about the appropriate memorial for this national tragedy. Here is a small excerpt of her book. It is one of the best novels I read all last year.

After you’ve read this you might want to watch this YouTube piece called “Boatlift” that details how all watercraft was employed to evacuate NYC on September 11th 2001. This is an incredible piece revealing another lesser known part of heroism demonstrated that day.

It was just before the tenth anniversary last fall that the 9/11 tapes audio recordings from the Federal Aviation Administration (F.A.A.), North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) and American Airlines from the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 were released. It is an incredible piece of history to listen to and listening to the operator and flight attendant who were incredible while under intense pressure.