Monday, June 06, 2005
Day 3
Up at 6 AM (ugh!). Luckily, Mary lent a hand and Walker played with his toys for little while so I didn't actually have to get up until 6:30.
Song of the Day: Look-Ka Py Py by The Meters. There's this vocal intro where they sing "Bow-chi-bow-bow"- very catchy. I couldn't remember exactly which song it was though. Thought it might be Hey Pocky A-Way or Fire On The Bayou, both excellent songs in their own right, but lacking the catchy intro. Interesting note here, the intro to "Hey Pocky A-Way" is used as the hook in one of the sections of the Beastie Boys' "B-Boy Bouillabaisse" off of Paul's Boutique... "He thrusts his fists against the post. He still insists he sees a ghost".
What's a sabbatical without some reading, right? I usually work on two books at a time, one for the commute and one on the bedstand, but lately things have a gotten a little out of hand and there are at least four. But I already managed to finish off two:
Pattern Recognition by William Gibson - Got very good reviews but, to me, it wasn't that strong. Very readable, but there wasn't much of a payoff. The only thing I'll remember in a month is that Buzz Rickson's makes the best vintage flight jackets.
What They Don't Teach You At Harvard Business School : Notes From A Street-Smart Executive by Mark H. McCormack - This isn't the type of book I'd normally read, but something about it was very captivating. This guy founded the top sports management company, and started it before there even was such a thing. The thing that sucked me in was his complete confidence that his way is the only way. It's also full of anecdotes that illustrate a personality you'd normally only encounter in a movie (from the 50's). You also have to have a soft spot for someone who made it big without the Ivy League M.B.A., right? Here's the first seven words of the preface: "When I was at Yale Law School..." How can you resist such accidental irony?
The two books on the nightstand now are both more spiritual. I'll let you know hwo they are when I'm finished.
Song of the Day: Look-Ka Py Py by The Meters. There's this vocal intro where they sing "Bow-chi-bow-bow"- very catchy. I couldn't remember exactly which song it was though. Thought it might be Hey Pocky A-Way or Fire On The Bayou, both excellent songs in their own right, but lacking the catchy intro. Interesting note here, the intro to "Hey Pocky A-Way" is used as the hook in one of the sections of the Beastie Boys' "B-Boy Bouillabaisse" off of Paul's Boutique... "He thrusts his fists against the post. He still insists he sees a ghost".
What's a sabbatical without some reading, right? I usually work on two books at a time, one for the commute and one on the bedstand, but lately things have a gotten a little out of hand and there are at least four. But I already managed to finish off two:
Pattern Recognition by William Gibson - Got very good reviews but, to me, it wasn't that strong. Very readable, but there wasn't much of a payoff. The only thing I'll remember in a month is that Buzz Rickson's makes the best vintage flight jackets.
What They Don't Teach You At Harvard Business School : Notes From A Street-Smart Executive by Mark H. McCormack - This isn't the type of book I'd normally read, but something about it was very captivating. This guy founded the top sports management company, and started it before there even was such a thing. The thing that sucked me in was his complete confidence that his way is the only way. It's also full of anecdotes that illustrate a personality you'd normally only encounter in a movie (from the 50's). You also have to have a soft spot for someone who made it big without the Ivy League M.B.A., right? Here's the first seven words of the preface: "When I was at Yale Law School..." How can you resist such accidental irony?
The two books on the nightstand now are both more spiritual. I'll let you know hwo they are when I'm finished.
# posted by Steve @ 7:16 AM 
