Reading List

Mafia to Mormon

By Mario Fagione

February 20, 2012

First the story of why I chose this book. It belongs to my Bishop. Someone else who had borrowed it brought it back to the bishop and left it in the clerk's office. I picked it up and my mind went, "Hey, you have a trip coming – and this is a small book – and it might be fun to read. So I asked the bishop if I could borrow it – and I read it one the single flight from Denver to Calgary. By the way, that means that it was interesting enough to not put me to sleep on the plane.

It is just what the title says. A man in the mafia. Missionaries who follow the spirit. And a conversion. What makes it a worthwhile story is that the Mafia doesn't just let you quit. He had to figure out how to quit and still stay alive. And just so you know, the church does not have a witness protection program.

I liked it. It was easy reading, but it was sincere. There are no innuendos or bloody shoot outs. He manages to keep your interest through the reality of the story and the dilemma. I did end up wondering what prompted him to write the book, seeing as how he said things that could have made the Mafia mad – but I guess it was long enough ago that they just don't care anymore.

If you get a chance and have a little time, read it. I would say it is probably not a great choice for a ladies book club, but who knows.

Travels with Lar

Tempe, Arizona

January 29 – February 3, 2012

This was a work trip to teach our custom class at Intel. I was going to have such a good week. I planned on going to see Ed (which I did). I planned on going to the temple (which I did). I planned on getting into a good exercise routine (because it was warm). I didn't do that. Instead, I got sick – I mean really sick. After work on Thursday, I went and got a very light dinner because I really didn't feel like eating at all, and then I went to bed. Thursday was the bad day, but the rest of the days weren't that great.

But I did go to see Ed and Sandy. We went to dinner at P F Changs with Jonathan and Michelle. That was a totally enjoyable evening.

I did get to go to the temple. That was also a totally enjoyable evening.

The trip home was potentially stressful. On Friday there was a raging storm in Denver. And it was a big storm. At our home we got 14 inches of snow. I was sure – absolutely sure that travel that evening would be hindered or stopped. I checked flight status all day long. Each time it said the flight was on time. Just before I left work I checked again and again it sid on time. I got to the airport and they personally told me it was on time. So I checked my luggage and waited for the worst to happen. But it was – on time. We left at the exact time (and I got a first class seat) – and arrived in Denver 10 minutes early. I was impressed with United Airlines. I was really impressed with Denver International Airport. I was thankful that they worked hard and got me back to Colorado in the face of a storm that would have closed most airports in America.
Now the drive home was a little bit tense – but I made it.

Reading List

January 31, 2012

The Spiral Staircase

Mary Roberts Rinehart

This was an interesting little mystery about a well to do little old spinster aunt who had become the “governoress” of two young adult children – ages 19 to 21 or there about.  She rented a country house while her house in the city was redone, and while there was nearly driven crazy by a mystery involving a string of breakins, a string of mysterious strangers, a string of secret chambers and passageways and , not the least, a string of deaths and murders – and all of them seemed to hinge upon her darlings and their intendeds.  She is a feisty champion of the right, and refuses to be swayed from her resolution to find the culprit or culprits, despite fire, fight and general mayhem, including herself almost meeting her demise.

So – was it great?  By no means.  But it was fun.  Read it but expect anything life changing or philosophical.  It could be a fun read for a book club.  If you recommend it, accompany it with The Red House Mystery.  They would be fun books to compare, and it would be easy to read them both in one month.

Movie Review

Ocean’s 11
January 23, 2012

Ocean’s 12

January 25, 2012

Ocean’s 13

January 27, 2012

We inherited a boxed set of the three Ocean’s movies.  I had never seen any of them.  And so, on my recent trip to Dallas, I took them all and watched them.

I have to be careful of this report – because there are people who think they were great.  I thought them to be average.  Okay entertainment.  But . . .

I have a hard time when the process banters around values like 12 million, 8 million, 96 million, 36 million.  Those numbers are just not realistic than someone can just throw around.

In Ocean’s 13, they install a GIANT drill in the underground “sewer pipes” beneath Las Vegas.  Did I say GIANT.  I mean it was like an eight foot bit.  And it had tons of controls and electronics.  Evidently it was installed overnight and there was no explanation of how such an apparatus was to be installed without ANYONE knowing about it.  And then it broke, so they bought another one – from France – for 36 million – and again installed it – overnight.  Let me tell you, I will bet someone from FedEx knew about that overnight delivery.

Things always went pretty much according to plan.  Even when to the audience things seemed to go awry, in the end you found out that was the way it was supposed to work.  It happened in all three movies.

That is just a few  of my complaints.

And the biggest complaint is about one of the last lines in the last movies.  “Ocean, I’m going to get you for this.”  “Oh, come on, the people who you will hire to get me like me better than they like you.”  And he walks away very nonchalant and the whole group go to the Bellagio to watch the fountains.  Let me tell you there is ALWAYS someone who a rich gangster can hire to “get you” and standing in public or even hiding in your locked bathroom is dangerous.

Sorry all of you Ocean lovers.  I enjoyed it, but there was just oo much that didn’t add up – and I must say this:

The first one was better than the second one.

And the second one was worse than the third one.

And I won’t tell you if the first one was better than the third one – until all is said and done – and then I will let you know.  Because that is the way these movies work.

PS – I liked the Mormon brother con artists from Utah the best.

Valentines

February 14, 2012

This is the poem Mar gave Lar for Valentines:

Reading List

20000 Leagues Under the Sea

 Jules Verne

January 20, 2012

This is a book from the 501 Must Read list. It is a classic. It is the story of three men who are on an expedition to catch a sea monster, but to their dismay they find that it is not a sea monster at all, but a submarine. They end up as guests/prisoners on the submarine "the Nautilus" with the enigmatic Captain Nemo. There are adventures and in the end . . .

Commentary? Well, it would be hard to recommend this to a modern "young" reader. They are used to having things move much faster. Much of the book is descriptions of the flora and fauna they see in their voyage. It is only occasionally interspersed with real action. Also, in the day that it was written, the possibility of what Jules Verne was writing about was new and even unbelievable. Now, it is commonplace and even old stuff. And some of the "scientific" knowledge he proposes are totally wrong.

Still, for an old codger like me, it was an enjoyable read. I can put myself in the mindset of Jules Verne's audience, so I can see how this would be a great adventure for them. I did realize on this reading (I had read it once before) that 20,000 leagues is not how deep they went – it is how far they went.

And for those who have seen the movie. Somewhat the same – but not. Jules Verne's book doesn't have one female in it. Now that just wouldn't work for Hollywood. And in the movie they only fight one giant squid – in the book it is a whole flock – or gaggle – or heard – what do you call a big group of giant squids.

Recommendations – you can read it if you want – but read it as a 12 year old at the turn of the century – that is turning into the 1900s.

Travels With Lar

Dallas, Texas

 January 22 – 2, 2012

This was a work trip. I was teaching people from Raytheon in the Dallas, Texas office. After a week in Ottawa, the promise of warmth was inviting. However, it rained for three of the days I was there. No one in Dallas is complaining about rain. They had a horrible draught over the summer, so all of the moisture is welcome.

The class went well. I went out to dinner one evening with one of my long time friends from work.

I got to go to the Dallas Temple on Tuesday night.

And all of the flights were uneventful.

It was an okay trip.