The Year in Review

As is my custom, I find it helpful to reflect upon the good and the bad of 2021.  I start the year with goals; this post looks back at some of them and considers other factors we experienced this year.

Our year was defined by transition- we moved back to the USA from Germany in July (I did a series of 'long goodbye' posts around that time), and then bought a home in September (after which we did a lot of home maintenance and had some reflection on what makes a home). Such things can be hard- we lived out of suitcases for over three months- but we feel that we've transitioned back much faster than last time we moved back to the States (2014). That's been a great blessing. Okay, on to the goals.

Spiritual
My goals here:

- Be disciplined in prayer/scripture routines (and start tracking them to encourage it)
- Teach the family

I mostly met this goal- I tracked what chapter I read each day and made prayer more of a priority. I also had a goal to teach the family more- that happened at times. There's room for improvement in both areas, but some good things happened here.

Nutritional/Fitness

My goals here:

- Keep weight under 185 lbs (goal: 180)
- Get a six-pack
- Complete 240 workouts (run, bike, gym)
- Be able to do 60 push-ups in a set and 15 pull-ups

The first two did not happen- I'm 190 right now and need to drop weight. I did complete 240 workouts, which I'm happy with, especially given the transition and days in hotels/with family/without access to 'normal' fitness routines. I started playing soccer again this year- what a great workout that is. But I started developing tricep tendonitis early in the year, meaning pushups are difficult. I did max out at 17 pull-ups at one point this year.

Most workouts were runs, gym, bike rides, or soccer games:

2021: 63 runs for 134 miles, 115 gym workouts, 43 bike rides for 539 miles, 8 soccer games

My diet wasn't the best- it's the same old culprits of too many calories (overall) and too many sweets (in particular). Need to improve there.

Financial
My goals here:

- Get good budgeting system in place

Little progress on this front- we did meet with a counselor and got some good tips on budgeting approach. But it's critical now that we're homeowners again.

Reading
My goals here:

- Read 50 books
- Complete my German Reading List

No problem here; I read more than 50 books and finished my German Reading List. My post here caps this year's book recommendations. 

Travel
My goals here:

- Visit the Alps
- Take the kids to new countries (Belgium, Liechtenstein, Italy, etc.)

While the pandemic obviously continued to affect travel, we were able to do a quick day trip to Bastogne, Belgium and Luxembourg. We visited France (Verdun, Paris, Metz) and the Austrian Alps (mainly the Pitztal and Ötztal) on long weekends, too.

Fluency
My goals here:

- Obtain a certification in German

Done. I tested as a "2+/2" in reading/listening to German (I was hoping for a 3/2). I started working on Spanish.

Games
My goals here:

- Minimize game collection to what I play regularly

No progress on this front. It will be a goal for 2022.

Adjust
My goals here:

- finding a house, job, school, etc. will be priorities as we approach the summer.

Done! We were really blessed to find a private sale in a horrid market. We love the house and neighborhood and location. The kids have settled into school faster than we thought, especially in the pandemic. 

Conclusion
It was a good year. There is still much uncertainty in the pandemic, but we're blessed and thankful. We need to step it up for next year, though. There's work to do.

Thus Concludes 2021

Another reading year "in the books." This post recaps the year and presents what I consider the best of the bunch.

I read 55 books this year, totaling 15,919 pages- about 44 pages a day.  

Of the 55 books, 0 were audiobooks, 2 were eBooks, and 3 were borrowed from the library or friends. By genre, I read 9 fantasy books, 9 graphic novels, and 7 literature. I dabbled in arguments with four books, and nine works were related to life in Germany, as I completed my German Reading List.  

Here are my top ten reads from this year:

Walter Moers: The City of Dreaming Books

Benjamin Dreyer: Dreyer's English

Anthony Weston: A Rulebook for Arguments

Cornelia Funke: Inkheart

Klaus Mann: Mephisto

Thomas Mann: Buddenbrooks

Dane Ortlund: Gentle and Lowly

R.A. Salvatore: Homeland

Mary Shelley: Frankenstein (1818 Text)
Various Authors: Hush

On the whole, this was a decent year. May 2022 bring further works of excellence. Happy reading!

The Gathering Storm (Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson)

The Wheel of Time saga continues! Shortly after Knife of Dreams . . .

Perrin, finally reunited with Faile, ponders how to help the refugees from the recent battle, all while feeling the pull to be with Rand.

Mat is with his band in the mountains looking for a way to get to Caemlyn, also feeling the pull.

Egwene is still imprisoned in the Tower, where shocking and horrifying events unfold.

Rand tries to hunt the Forsaken, pacify the Seanchan, and unite the land. But to be victorious, it appears he must die . . .

Plans are made, plans are dashed. Hope remains, hope is gone. One thing is certain: time is short- the Last Battle is near.

Oh. My. Goodness. I've been largely frustrated with the last six books- the pacing was uneven and often sluggish. I got to the point where I just wanted it to end; then came this book. The pacing picks up a good deal, there's suspense, old storylines (seemingly abandoned volumes ago) come back, and things are driving towards a gripping conclusion. For the first time since book three, I couldn't put this down. And . . . I cared. When I picked it up, I wasn't thrilled that this book was 1,070 pages, but they flew by. I'm a fan again.

It bears mentioning that Robert Jordan passed away after the prior book, but made notes for the finale and hand-picked Brandon Sanderson to conclude it for him. It was to be one book, but Sanderson realized the remaining content couldn't be handled in one, so he ended up writing three. It seems a good decision so far- there was no padding in this volume at all- and I can't wait for the next two. Sanderson is a different writer than Jordan, but I felt he largely captured the characters well, and did an amazing job driving the story forward at an appropriate pace and bringing in threads long forgotten. I was pleasantly surprised.

Rating: A

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Shang-Chi has certainly led an interesting life. His father wields the ten rings, making him mighty and immortal (he's over one thousand years old). His mother was from the hidden city of Ta Lo, but has since passed away. Shang-Chi was raised as a warrior and expected to do his father's bidding, but fled on his first mission, leaving his beloved sister behind. Ten years later, his father comes knocking with shocking news- mother is calling to him from beyond death's gate, and he will free her. But is this real? And if not, can Shang-Chi stop his father before it's too late?

I'm not familiar with the comics, but this one really fell flat to me. The second Marvel disappointment in a row (I wasn't thrilled with Black Widow either), this one had amazing visuals and action sequences but fell flat everywhere else- the story was poorly executed, character development lacking, and several bizarre plot points made for an unsatisfying (and, at times, ridiculous) experience.

Rating: C+

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Season 1

Bucky (Winter Soldier) and Sam (Falcon) are making their way in the new world (post-Endgame)- one where Steve Rogers (the former Captain America) has aged and retired, Sam is helping his sister in Louisiana to make ends meet, and Bucky is in therapy for his years as the Winter Soldier. Sam is offered the shield but declines, so the government anoints John Walker as the new Cap. Meanwhile, Sam and Bucky must work together again to take on a new menace- the Flag Smashers, an extremist group that apparently has super soldiers, created by the same serum that made Steve and Bucky. As the heroes track down remaining vials and consider how to deal with the threat, the new Cap becomes unhinged and presents another problem. Will the heroes prevail? And how can Bucky atone for his past?

The fact that I started this eight months ago, and only just finished, gives some idea that I wasn't enthralled. I felt the first three episodes (there are six) were uneven and boring in places. The last three were much better. It's a decent story, but could have been told better. Still, there were some good themes here.

Rating: B

On Arguments

Still from Monty Python's Argument Clinic Sketch

Each year, I like to pick a focus area or two to hone my readings. This year, in addition to finishing my German Reading List, I wanted to learn more about arguments. I read four books on the topic. From best to worst, they are:

A Rulebook for Arguments

Being Logical

An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments

Oxford Guide to Effective Argument

Attacking Faulty Reasoning by Edward Damer is another recommended work I have not yet read.

Though my brief survey wasn't comprehensive enough to satisfy me, it was a good introduction to the topic and reminder of its importance. We don't like arguing in America, but I think it's (partly) because we argue so poorly and with wrong intent- and the books and articles out there with titles like "How to Win an Argument" highlight the problem. The goal or argument should not be to win- it should be to defend your stance on a topic and probe your opponents' positions. Doing so well and thoughtfully should improve both parties- it may not lead to agreement, but it can expose weaknesses that bear further investigation,  encourage reconsideration, and at the very least grant empathy and understanding with those who hold different views. "I don't agree with you, but I understand why you think the way you do" is not a bad statement. Yet arguments- at least in politics and on social media- often become mud-slinging contests where both parties often stoop to poor practices (like strawman arguments and cheap shots) for the sake of scoring points before retreating to their respective echo chambers. Combat that in yourself (it's in our nature to be this way) through study of arguments, self-analysis and self-critique, and thoughtful engagement in debates with others interested in true argument. And do it in person, where and when it's responsible to do to. Debate in the digital age is tough.

Dolphin Tale

Sawyer is a boy without direction. Summer is an injured dolphin washed ashore. Both lives will change forever when they meet each other on that beach. After Sawyer alerts animal rescue, he takes an active part in Summer's care. When her tail needs to be amputated, he enlists a local VA doctor to see if he can develop a prosthetic. It's never been done before . . . could it possibly work?

My son is reading the book upon which the movie was based, so we watched the film. It was heartwarming- formulaic, but a moving story nonetheless. At least part of it is factual. And the theme is good, summarized by a quote therein:

Just because you're hurt doesn't mean you're broken.

Rating: A-

A Very German Christmas (Various)

A Very German Christmas is a collection of Christmas-related poems, short stories, and excerpts from famous German authors. Here you'll find tales from the Brothers Grimm, Thomas Mann, Hermann Hesse, E.T.A. Hoffmann, and more.

This collection was okay. The included excerpts bothered me because they weren't complete stories- just chapters from famous works (like Buddenbrooks) related to the holiday. The other selections varied in theme and quality- some were morose or bizarre (not unusual in German literature, as I found when working through a German Reading List). But some were decent, and I found a new author I really enjoyed- Heinrich Böll, whose story had some wonderfully funny phrases. Overall, it's okay.

Rating: B-

Bristol 1350

Today's review is of the 2021 release, Bristol 1350. For 1-9 players, it takes 20-40 minutes.

Overview

The plague has struck; everyone, flee for your lives! Well, take a cart out of town for your lives. In Bristol, There are three carts racing to be the first out of town. Each cart holds up to three people. Be in the first cart to leave, and you all win- IF everyone on board is healthy. But if one has the plague (which means your two secret symptom cards add up to 6 or greater, at any point in the game), instead everyone in that cart loses and the game continues. 

game in progress; image from here

The game is played in rounds. Someone rolls six dice and a round begins, going in order from the first person in the leading cart to the last person in the trailing cart. The die have one rat and one apple of each cart's color. On your turn, you take one of three actions:

• re-roll two dice
• draw a remedy card, which has special abilities that help you exchange symptom cards, lock in die results, or prevent pushing (see next action)
• move your pawn through (pushing your way to the front of your cart), (if you're in the front of your cart, exchanging places with the last person in the cart ahead of you), (if you're in the front of your cart, pushing someone behind you off your cart, to the cart behind or off the cart entirely)

After you take your action, you can also play one or more remedy cards (even if your action was drawing that cart this turn). Once everyone has had their turn, the round ends. At the end of the round, each cart will progress along the track according to the total number of their colors present on the dice. But beware! Rats help your cart progress, but if your cart has two or more rats, you must 'mingle' at the end of the round with others in your cart. Mingling is drawing an additional symptom card to mix in (likely a high number), shuffling this and all of the respective players' symptom cards together, and re-distributing two cards to each, discarding the extra. If the cards you receive equal or exceed six, you have the plague. Once you have the plague, your win condition becomes not allowing anyone to leave the town healthy, so your goal is to spread the disease.

Review

This is a tidy little game- I liked it. The components are small but of good quality; the game is simple and fun. It accommodates up to nine people and doesn't take forever to play. There's some light strategy and luck. It does rely on player honesty (if their cards exceed six at one point but then later abilities drop that number, they still have the plague), and it's hard to think about who might have the plague, but it's good overall.

Rating: A-

Knife of Dreams (Robert Jordan)

The Wheel of Time saga continues! Shortly after Crossroads of Twilight . . .

Perrin continues looking for his wife (and finds her, finally). Mat is still fleeing Ebou Dar with Tuon (and marries her). Egwene has been captured and is held in Tar Valon, debating her next steps. Elayne captures the throne of Andor after a long struggle. Rand is debating his next move. And those in league with the Dark One plot their evil schemes . . .

Okay, stuff happens here. That's an improvement over the prior offering. Still has the uneven pacing that's plagued the last [x] books. This is the last one Jordan wrote on his own before his death; the final three are co-written by him and Brandon Sanderson. Looking forward to seeing what that will bring.

Rating: B-

The Adventures of Captain Underpants (Dav Pilkey)

George and Harold are best friends. And the school's pranksters. When they're not infuriating the cruel principal Mr. Krupp, they're writing stories and drawing cartoons about their personal creation: Captain Underpants. But one day, they get caught red-handed setting pranks and are blackmailed by Krupp. In response, they order a hypno-ring, put him under their spell, and make him think that he is Captain Underpants. Hilarity ensues until Dr. Diaper appears, intent on ending the world. Can the boys- and Captain Underpants- prevail? Also, will they figure out how to turn the principal back into his usual mean self?

This one wasn't on my reading list, but my son is infatuated with this series- as are many worldwide. The good captain has featured in twelve books, two movies, and a TV series. Know what your kids are into . . . so I gave this a gander. And was pleasantly surprised.

Of course this is silly, but it's amusing even to adults, and accurately captures the imagination and fears of children. The zany, tongue-in-cheek humor reminds me of the Muppets, in a way. The only thing that bothered me was the misspelled words on pages showing the comics the boys had written. I get that kids misspell words, but seeing it in print, without correction, can confuse young readers. And, you may have to remind your kids that pranking people isn't nice. Those aside, it's a fun time.

Rating: A-

Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot (Margot Theis Raven)

Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot is the true story of the Candy Bomber (Gail Halvorsen), as told through the eyes of seven-year-old Mercedes, a girl who grew up in West Berlin during the Berlin Airlift. The story starts with historical background on the airlift and related statistics (some incredible numbers) before covering Mercedes and her experiences there in 1948. She longed for the candy that Halvorsen dropped from the sky, but never got any. So she wrote to the pilot, and received a heartwarming response- and the candy she desired.

This is a great book. The illustrations are wonderful and the story uplifting. What I enjoyed most, though, was the nature of Gail's service. He saw the kids in need and wanted to do something small to give their lives more joy. He was already serving them through his work, making three runs per day to Berlin from Wiesbaden's airfield to drop much-needed supplies like flour. But he went even further, making candy 'bombs' by attaching little parachutes to chocolate bars and dropping them over crowds of children. When the public found out, they chipped in with supplies and assistance, enabling him to drop tons and tons of candy over the seven months he was there. His example is one we should all follow- make 'little' acts of service for others part of our daily routines. He made a difference in thousands of lives in so doing. A little chocolate goes a long way.

My family got to meet Gail Halvorsen in 2019, when he visited Wiesbaden at age 99 (he's still alive as of this writing, aged 101). 

Rating: A

Netflix by Bots

Bot movies. I freely admit this is a weird way to start December and Advent, but friends recently introduced me to Mr. Puzzles Wants You to be Less Alive, a 5-minute horror story written by a bot after it watched 400,000 hours of horror movies. Check that out here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZzbxNoMjGM

Similarly, A Love Tale of Taylors was written by a bot after watching 'every' romcom ever made:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p6wQnWUJJA

And there's a holiday flick, Carol's Christmas Carols for Carol, A Woman Named Carol:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVB25kDMN_Y

And a stoner movie: Cheese & Chonk Smoke a City Safe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3Dy0wJxFjE

And a comedy special:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH_bEtbfB9U

I find these hilarious; the humor is offbeat/zany (right up my alley), but I'm also intrigued by the themes the bot picks up on in each genre. (Assuming these really are bot creations and the whole thing isn't just faked.) We truly do tell the same stories over and over.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

With Thanksgiving behind us, it's time for Christmas!!

The Muppet Christmas Carol is the 1992 musical film adapting the famous Charles Dickens book to the big screen. Starring, of course, the Muppets. Gonzo stars as the narrator, breaking the fourth wall with Rizzo the Rat as they describe what's happening to Ebenezer Scrooge, the gruff old man who loves only money and treats others unjustly (and ungenerously). But one night, Scrooge will be visited by three spirits, each with a message on what really matters in life. Will Scrooge repent, or is it too late?

This is a good telling of an outstanding book, done in the signature muppets style of humor and wit appropriate for all ages. The songs are decent- some catchy, some just so-so- but the main message is there, and that's what matters.

Rating: A

Home Maintenance

image from here

I try to post 10 times per month- an arbitrary number for an unbidden task, but one I feel oddly beholden to keeping. My numbers have been down since August for one simple reason: we're homeowners again.

Home ownership is a blessing, but I didn't miss it during our latest stint overseas. Though renting is not a successful financial strategy in the long term, there's something satisfying about saying 'not my problem' when [x] breaks (assuming you and yours weren't responsible for the breaking, and you have good landlords willing to address the problem). Well, we're homeowners again, so now it is indeed my problem. And it seems never-ending.

We closed on our home in September, and have been doing projects ever since. We've accomplished a lot, either ourselves or with the help of friends and contractors, and we're nearing the 'end of the beginning' (those initial tasks we identified as important to accomplish up-front). Here are just some of the things we've done:

• Cleaned HVAC/dryer ducts (and put a cage over the exhaust vents to keep out critters)
• Replaced all power outlets and switches; fixed wiring problems 
• Installed three new fans and three new lights
• Replaced carpet in the bedrooms
• Painted everything but the basement inside, and the shutters outside
• Restored the garage (it had been converted into a room)
• Sealed cracks in the foundation
• Fixed broken dishwasher, cabinets, freezer shelves, and front door window
• Installed bathroom vanity
• Replaced most door knobs & all locks
• Fixed loose tub spout
• Hung two new exterior doors and one closet door
• Hung curtains & pictures

You can see where I've been spending my time. And the home we bought was in good shape!

On the one hand, I find home improvement projects annoying. They take time away from my preferred activities- reading, exercise, games, blogging, and so on. But as I reflect on this, it also aligns with our original mandate: to rule, subdue, and cultivate.

In Genesis (the first book of the Bible), the Lord creates man in chapter 1:

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Verse 28 is called the 'cultural mandate'- the charge to subdue and have dominion over the earth, which requires humans developing common institutions and working together- in other words, culture.

In chapter 2, the Lord gives man a more specific charge:

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

So having dominion means, in part, to work & keep things. 

In chapter 3, man sins, severing the relationship with God. Man's charge doesn't change, but there's an element added in verses 17b-19:

cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,

So now man's efforts will be marked with curses and pain. Ugh.

The Genesis account goes beyond Adam and the garden of Eden. God's charge (and curse) applies to each of us in our daily lives and tasks. We are stewards of what He gives us (see Matthew 21:33-46); our possessions are not ours to do with as we please. As Keith Martel says in Storied Leadership, we are to be 'loving lords':

The loving lord is the one who protects the limits and draws out the possibilities. She is able to consider the potential of her subject and nurture it toward maturity. The loving lord leads the created order into the way it is meant to be . . . loving lordship seeks to bring out the fullness of something for the common good and for the benefit of the thing itself.

This includes caring for our homes.

Our homes are given to us not just for personal satisfaction, but also as a means to serve each other. To be a haven (a safe refuge) for our neighbors, friends, and family. A place to nourish and encourage each other. The physical structure itself doesn't make a home- relationships do that- but we are charged to keep the physical structure in a condition that lends itself to relationships. Some things- like personal safety (addressing structural concerns, sanitary conditions or safety hazards)- are obvious, but other things matter, too. We replaced our bathroom vanity, for example, because the bowl was too high for children to use, and the vanity itself was too large and encroaching on the toilet. We put down hypo-allergenic carpets for the benefit of ourselves and others. We fixed broken items so we can actually use the things we have, for ourselves and others. And so on.

Of course, home maintenance is plagued with the curse, like everything else. Seemingly little jobs can cascade into huge efforts (a home is a system, after all). Supposedly easy jobs can be much harder than expected. And it sometimes feels like 'whack-a-mole,' where you fix one problem and two more pop up. It never ends. 

A caution: because we're fallen people, we can make the home into an idol, and pour unnecessary amounts of time and money into it for selfish reasons. Our homes will never be perfect, and we have to balance what we need to do with what we want to do- and know the difference. Part of serving others is inviting them into your 'mess'- your spiritual reality (both your gifts and weaknesses), and your physical reality, which can mean hosting in a messy home. I'm not suggesting in this post that you can only serve others once your home/heart is in a good place (because that will never happen); instead, I believe we are called to serve others in the midst of our mess, and strive to bring out the potential around you (in homes & humans) together.

This post is now longer than I intended. My overall point: home maintenance is part of God's charge to us, to be good stewards of what we've been given, so we can bring out its potential to glorify Him and serve others. 

UPDATE: the very day I posted this, I discovered a brown spot on the ceiling in the bathroom. The list goes ever on and on.

The Pale Horse (Agatha Christie)

A woman dies after a mysterious deathbed confession- and the hearing priest soon after . . . a list of names is found on the body . . . three women who claim to know dark arts and how to kill with the power of the mind . . . and an eccentric invalid with wealth of unknown origin. Something is amiss . . . can the police figure it out before more die?

Another Agatha Christie mystery book, with the quality and twists typical of her. Recommended.

Rating: A

Mysterium

Today's review is of the 2015 release, Mysterium. For 2-7 players, it takes 42 minutes (that's impressively precise and from the game box- it took us over an hour).

Overview

Murder most foul! A spirit [one player] is communicating beyond the grave to a team of friends looking to solve whodunnit. Each other player has a set of person, location, and weapon known only to the ghost. The ghost can't speak- he gives images [cards] to each player to help them determine their specific set of who, where, and with what. Play is done over 'hours,' and players have only six hours to determine their specific set. On the seventh hour, the ghost selects one of those sets as the culprit, and lets players see one, two, or three cards [based on that player's clairvoyance points, earned through guessing if other players are right or wrong throughout the game] and use those clues to guess the murderer. If the majority of players have selected the correct set, everyone wins! If not, everyone loses.

game components and setup; image from here

Review

This game is good, not great. It is fast to learn, easy to play, and accommodates up to seven- all pros. The main challenge is the art cards that the ghost gives out are so abstract, it is very difficult for the players to understand why a card was chosen. Every now and then, an obvious one popped up, but by and large, it was hard to discern if a card was chosen for color, shapes, objects, and so on. It led to some fun conversations, but seemed a touch too hard. But some, I imagine, would love the challenge.

Rating: B

Hallowe'en Party (Agatha Christie)

 

A young girl boasts of seeing a murder some years prior; hours later, she's found dead at a Halloween party. When Hercule Poirot is called in to investigate, he finds there is more than meets the eye in the sleepy town of Woodleigh Common . . . and more murders may come. Can he solve the case in time?

Agatha Christie is the master of mystery. The book is good- full of suspense and twists, as you'd suspect. This is my fifth Christie book, and while any offering is solid, it's not quite as good as her more famous ones. Still worth your while, though, if you're a mystery fan.

Rating: A-

The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel (Gareth Hinds)

The Odyssey, Homer's ancient epic, is adapted here as a graphic novel by Gareth Hinds. Odysseus, fresh off victory in the Trojan war, longs for home and his beloved wife. But his journey there is hampered by many trials- monsters, mutinous men, dangerous natives, and the gods themselves. Meanwhile, his wife at home is besieged by suitors presuming that Odysseus is dead. Will he ever make it home?

This was a great adaptation- the watercolors are superb and summarization sound. Recommended.

Rating: A

Batman: Damned (Various)

The Joker is dead . . . and Batman can't figure out how. Or if he's sane. Or if he's alive. His only help is John Constantine, an outspoken unreliable narrator. What is going on?

Meh. I love Lee Bermejo's art (see Joker or Noel), and that buoys an otherwise unimpressive tale. This is from DC's Black Label, which is a darker take on the DC universe. And it is dark, but I didn't understand the story or the point, other than Batman is tormented. I guess I'm not into the whole 'unreliable narrator combined with insane ravings' approach.

Rating: B- 

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

 

Today's review is of the 1949 movie, Ichabod. It's often packaged/presented with Mr. Toad, based on The Wind in the Willows, but that's a bizarre pairing, and it's Halloween, so I'll focus on Mr. Crane.

Ichabod Crane is a schoolteacher newly arrived at Sleepy Hollow, a small New England town. Though awkward, he gets along quite well with the ladies of the town, and his healthy appetite for food is sated by numerous visits to pupils' homes. When a single woman, Katrina von Tassel, catches his eye, Ichabod is smitten. But village tough guy Brom Bones doesn't take kindly to the situation; at a party, he tells a story of the Headless Horseman, a person said to haunt those parts. On his way home that night, Ichabod encounters the very same, and is never seen again in Sleepy Hollow. Rumor has it that he's thriving in a distant village, but nobody knows for sure.

I enjoyed this cartoon as a child, though it is quite short (35-40 minutes). Viewing it as an adult, it's definitely a product of its time (not inherently a bad thing). It was okay. The short story upon which is was based is also okay, so I'll rate it accordingly.

Rating: B

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Continuing our countdown to Halloween, yesterday we watched the 1993 film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. 

Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King- the head of Halloween Town. But he grows tired of the same old routine, so when he stumbles on doors to other holiday lands, he decides to explore Christmas Town. Enamored with all he sees, he vows to kidnap Santa and take his role for that holiday, and he enlists the others in Halloween Town to assist by making toys. But things go horribly awry when the monstrous toys aren't well-received in Christmas Town (not surprising, as they attack the residents), and Jack vows to make it right by freeing Santa. But is it too late?

This film enjoys a huge cult following and is highly regarded. It gets especially high marks for its stop-motion claymation animation style, and I agree that is excellent. A musical, some of the tunes are catchy, but overall just so-so. The story itself is . . . alright. I wondered what the point/moral was, and turned to the Internet for help. The basic message is 'do what you're here to do and don't take over other people's roles,' I guess. And that's decent. But something just felt flat on this one for me; I'm not as enamored with it as the average viewer.

Rating: B

The Old English Baron (Clara Reeve)

Young Edmund is a poor boy whose mature and wise demeanor grants him favor and residence with the local Baron Fitz-Owen. Raised in the castle, Edmund is the delight of all, until his disposition raises the ire of those who view him as a competitor. Mistreated, he eventually flees, but finds a protector and much more besides- for his birth is not as he suspects, and he is in fact the child of a murdered lord and former occupant of the castle. Will providence shine on him and restore what is his, or will human evil overcome?

I was unaware of this work until recently, but as several claim it was important in the development of Gothic fiction, I gave it a go. It's solid. Reeve says right up front that her goal is to re-tell The Castle of Otranto but make it less fantastic/supernatural, and grounded purely on the explicable. She succeeds in the latter [I don't recall enough of Otranto to judge the former], and her diction is excellent, but the tale is told without an element of suspense it could otherwise contain. 

Rating: B

Bride of Boogedy

The Davis family thinks they're safe after the events of Mr. Boogedy, and plan to finally open their gag store, having bought a nice space downtown. But in Lucifer Falls, anything can happen . . . as the town prepares for its annual carnival, Carlton is named honorary mayor, and is excited for that opportunity. But not all the townsfolk are pleased . . . Mr. Lynch is bitter and swears to make the Davis family wish they had never come to town. Worse, Mr. Boogedy is trying to come back, needing only his magic cloak to do so. Though he lacks the power he once had, he can control people's minds, and is bent on marrying the widow Marian . . . could the town survive such a return?

Ahh, this is the film I remember. This 1987 Disney film is double the length of the first and has more memorable scenes. It's still a bad movie- full of cheese, and a strange mix of horror/comedy- but it is marginally better than its predecessor.

Rating: C-

Mr. Boogedy

The Davis family is looking forward to a fresh start, where they can set up their Gag City store without any competition. They move to Lucifer Falls, an old New England town. Their excitement turns to consternation soon after they arrive at their home (which they bought sight unseen)- for strange happenings occur within. Research into the town's history confirms that all is not well- the house is indeed haunted by the ghosts of pilgrims, one of whom is known as . . . Mr. Boogedy.

This 45-minute Disney film from 1986 is a cheesy cult classic. In keeping with the season, I watched it with the children yesterday for the first time in ~30 years. I didn't remember it being quite so cheesy, and in fact didn't recall most of the movie (I may have mixed it in my head with its sequel, The Bride of Boogedy). This isn't great; its cheesy horror mixed with cheesy comedy. Mr. Boogedy looks an awful lot like Emperor Palpatine, and in fact shoots what appears to be force lightning from his fingers (though here, it's magic). Return of the Jedi was released three years prior . . . the influence is obvious. I was most curious how my kids would react. My oldest two were fine and/or bored; the youngest (and most sensitive) was scared during anticipatory scenes, but once the actual 'horror' was revealed, he was like 'oh' and absolutely fine. Ultimately, I'd recommend this only for people who grew watching it, as a trip down memory lane, or as a very tame introduction to the spooky movie genre.

Rating: D

Frankenstein (Mary Shelley)

Victor Frankenstein is an aspiring scientist, intrigued by the promises of reanimation. He pursues this end with steadfast enthusiasm, but is soon revolted by his success- a misshapen beast that he immediately spurns. The monster, through much time and unique circumstances, learns to read and write, but is unable to find acceptance in any human society. Alone and enraged, he tracks Frankenstein and pleads with him to create a suitable companion. When Victor refuses, the monster embarks on a path of vengeance designed to destroy Frankenstein's happiness. Frankenstein responds in turn, seeking to avenge the monster's evils. But for either, is revenge the answer?

I read this years ago, and recalled only that it was amazing. It did not disappoint this time, either. Shelley's prose is outstanding; I would highlight or re-read sentences for the beauty of their construction alone. The theme is worthy of reflection as well- the tying of atrocities to misery and self-loathing, and the reality that revenge cannot satisfy. I read the 1818 text (the standard edition was produced in 1831, I think); I don't recall the nature of differences between the versions, but both are outstanding.

Rating: A

Rediscovering Jonah (Timothy Keller)

 

In Rediscovering Jonah, pastor Tim Keller looks at the famous Biblical account of Jonah, the prophet who ran from God's command to preach to Nineveh (the capital city of Israel's archenemy), only to be swallowed by a fish and coughed up on land. Jonah then preaches to the city under fierce protest, and is angry when they are remorseful for their sin. He's not your typical prophet . . . or is he?

Keller's point is that the Jonah account is ultimately "to get us to understand grace." "God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh, but he ran in the very opposite direction. Why did he do it? . . . [T]he root of Jonah's disobedience was his mistrust in the goodness of God. He did not believe God has his best interests at heart." Jonah was angry because he feared that God's mercy would come to his enemies. He put nationalistic pride above God. But he failed to realize that God's own people were in fact once God's enemies, reconciled only by grace [unmerited favor] that would be shown in the acts of God through Christ. And "a God who substitutes himself for us and suffers so that we may go free is a God you can trust." To wish condemnation on others is to not grasp that you, too, are under condemnation, and can only be saved from that by God. When, however, we understand this, we see the reason behind Jesus' teaching to 'love thy neighbor,' where neighbor = everyone. 

I enjoyed and was convicted by this work. We are no different than Jonah. I need to remember that God has my interests at heart whenever I'm tempted to disobey His commands, which are for my good and not (as I tend to think at times) to make me miserable. His love is ample evidence of His goodness and trustworthiness. There are other good concepts explored here, too- the reason for 'storms' in our lives, loving people different from us, striving for the common good, and God's sovereignty (one of the more amusing parts: even in running from God, Jonah ended up pointing foreigners to Him, the very thing he was trying to avoid). Another winner from Keller.

Rating: A

The Golem (Gustav Meyrink)

The Golem is the story of Athanasius Pernath, a Jewish gem cutter living in Prague's ghetto in the late 1800s. The people say he's mad, and with no memory of his past, it's hard to be sure. The story follows him as he grapples with difficult personalities and situations, and the golem- that mysterious faceless man that appears every 33 years and often foretells disaster. Will that prove true here?

Though I liked parts of it, and enjoyed seeing one interpretation of the Golem of Jewish lore, this one was weird. Really weird. Critics mention the story had similarities to Kafka and the admiration of Lovecraft, so you get the idea. You come away not knowing which parts (if any) actually happened in the story, and which were imagined. The ending in particular left a bad taste in my mouth, wondering what was the point of this. Was it a vehicle for Meyrink to explore different philosophies? A tale questioning reality itself? Or just . . . weird fiction?

Rating: C

Rockburn & Patapsco

Now that we're back in America, we hope to maintain that 'exploration'-type mindset that came easily in Europe. Over the last few days, I've taken rides through Rockburn and Patapsco parks, to get an idea of what biking is like here. I took Stepper for real trail riding, and Shadowfax for the paved or gravel routes.

Rockburn is the smaller park, easy to navigate on mountain or gravel bike. I think it has ~7 miles of trails, and I've already run or ridden on all of them. It's a great place for mountain bike novices like me, and my daughter handled it fine, too. The biggest obstacle is tree roots.

Patapsco is much larger and offers more rugged trails. I would not take children on them (on a mountain bike), and I had to dismount at times, being far too unsure of my own abilities to attempt steep & rocky descents, narrow & winding gullies, and other hazards. That said, I hope to explore more of this park by bike and do a good deal of hiking there. And there appear to be trails (like the grist mill trail that I rode today) that are paved and relatively flat, suitable for all.

Though America will never feature the Medeival ruins I miss so dearly, I have been surprised at the quantity of nineteenth & twentieth-century ruins I've enountered here. Houses in the middle of the woods, old mills, and other abandoned structures can be found all over Patapsco. I look forward to learning more about them.