Earlier today I mentioned that everyone has, or ought to have, a list of ten books they would rescue from their burning building. I have already named two: Ronald Gross’ The Independent Scholar’s Handbook and Richard N. Bolles’ What Color Is Your Parachute?. (See Hope for the Hopeless: Brave New World and Underdog University of… Continue reading All you need is cafuné
Hope for the hopeless: Brave new world
It has been suggested that when one writes a blog and hopes to attract attention to it, one should show how reading that blog will benefit the reader and not just the writer. I have, for one person without a fortune, a fairly large library, that has expanded from what I could carry on my… Continue reading Hope for the hopeless: Brave new world
Reunification and division
We’ve all seen the pictures. 1989: a remarkable year. Muslims burn Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses as the Ayatollah Khomeini orders his execution for blaspheming Islam. The last Soviet troops leave Afghan soil after a ten-year occupation. The Exxon Valdez tanker spill ravages Alaska’s coast. Bloody riots mark the 30th anniversary of Tibetan anti-Chinese uprising: dozens… Continue reading Reunification and division
American roulette
As one wanders the world one sees different games played by the locals. For example, the Swiss have the card game Jass (See The cards we’re dealt of this blog.), the Russians love a good game of chess and Americans have a version of gambling, a variation on Russian roulette, an addiction they can’t seem… Continue reading American roulette
Wrestling with the Republic
If one reads the Rough Guide to Switzerland one suspects that it is not the greatest fan of Geneva: “Geneva is an anomaly, the nearest thing the world has to a truly international city, and yet with nothing of the pizzazz such a description might suggest.” Yes, it is a special city, though certainly not… Continue reading Wrestling with the Republic
Questions of self-determination
It has been an interesting past 24 hours… Last night after completing my shift at Starbucks, I was spontaneously invited for a quick impromptu supper at my co-worker’s apartment. Augustin was a warm and welcoming host. I was fed well and drank well and the conversation was very interesting. We, of course, discussed issues of… Continue reading Questions of self-determination
How to convert this barbarian
Everybody’s talking at me I don’t hear a word they’re saying Only the echoes of my mind People stopping, staring I can’t see their faces Only the shadows of their eyes I’m going where the sun keeps shining Through the pouring rain Going where the weather suits my clothes Banking off of the northeast winds… Continue reading How to convert this barbarian
Pieces of flair
I was asked the other day by Roger, a Starbucks partner and shift manager, what was my favourite film, and I must confess the suddenness of the question had caught me off-guard, especially as it is so difficult to narrow down just one title from the many movies I have seen and enjoyed and in… Continue reading Pieces of flair
Questions of character
The human mind is a strange thing. This is a truism I have noticed since I first became aware of the world outside myself. This is a truism I still encounter on a daily basis whenever I find myself amongst other people. Two conflicting trains of thought converge and clamour for dominance in my mind… Continue reading Questions of character
Confessions of the Batman
A fortnight ago, before the breeze off Lake Constance turned brisk, Ute and I were visited by a denizen of the dark, a creature of the night. A bat had somehow found its way into our apartment. It was an hours-long struggle to get the helplessly lost and confused little fellow out. His visit (I… Continue reading Confessions of the Batman