Tuesday, March 08, 2011

A Fine Balance

I know what you're thinking, Dear Reader Friends -- but no.
<-- This is not going to be a blog about the book by Rohinton Mistry.
First, my apologies for not blogging much, as of late. I blame a sudden onset of laziness. Actually -- not so sudden. I've been lazy for a long time now. At the end of the work day I usually only have time for coffee, a bit of reading, and late-night hamburger ingestion.
Also, I've been involved in a new hobby -- leatherwork. Basically, I spend some time each evening punching extra holes in my belts to contend with my burgeoning waistline -- or, as I like to refer to the situation in more geographical terms, Equatorial Expansion©.
I've read some terrific books and failed to discuss them here.
Things like Stephen Greenblatt's new one, Shakespeare's Freedom.
As I read it I realized that I think I have read more books about Shakespeare than books by Shakespeare. If you have not read Greenblatt's biography of the Bard, I strongly encourage you to --> CHECK IT OUT!
Currently I am reading an incredibly good novel [hilarious] -- Mordecai Richler's Barney's Version. Have any of you seen the new movie based on this book?
And before this I read Alissa York's newest book, Fauna. A worthwhile novel about animals, and their effect on people.
I love animals. There's no need to convince Bookpuddlers -- you know I love animals [some of them, between slices of bread, or slathered in gravy…] but no, seriously, I love animals -- even when they are, at times, exploited by humans.
Like this goat-thing in the following video clip. Plus, there's a monkey in there, too.
It's worth watching to the end. Extra points to anyone that can interpret the running commentary of the cameraman. Please… enlighten me.
This -- this, my friends, is a fine balance….


2 comments:

BBB said...

Just imagine the many torturous days of training (and whipping) that poor goat had to endure. Makes you ask who are the animals ... (I know, I know we all are).

Cipriano said...

You are quite right BBB.
I imagine there was some goat-abuse along the way.
Training the poor thing not only through the positive reinforcement of reward, but also the negative repercussions of punishment.
Gotta admit though, in the end --it sure do balance good!