Dune... What the Hell?

I decided to read Frank Herbert's science fiction classic: Dune. It didn't take long but I eventually crossed the critical 100 page threshold which commits me unequivocally. I was able to overcome the fact that Herbert didn't write his story in chapters. Did you know Dune is written as 400+ page running stream of consciousness with the occasional page break marked by bizarre mystical quotes from a character you don't see until the last ten pages of the book? I didn't. But I did something with Dune that I have never done before with any other book.

I skimmed paragraphs!

You may think this to be no big deal, but you have to understand how monumental this is. I've never skimmed anything. Not even text books in school. I just can't absorb books that way. I never have. If I'm going to get from beginning to end and understand the full story, I read every word. Word for Word... the entire thing. Otherwise I find myself skipping over critical bits of plot, or subtle nuances of character development.

But with Dune I finally realized (about 200 pages in) that Frank Herbert is one messed up dude. The man did (without question) a shit-load of pot. And occasionally this would manifest in bizarre meandering paragraphs where characters examine their navel's for undetermined periods of time. After the tenth time a character started babbling about some random cosmic connection to the universe I figured out that ultimately it didn't propel the story forward. I just needed to know that they were trippin'... nothing more.

Perhaps I'm not getting my point across. Here's an excerpt from the story.

"Whirling silence settled around Jessica. Every fiber of her body accepted the fact that something profound had happened to it. She felt that she was a conscious mote, smaller than any subatomic particle, yet capable of motion and of sensing her surroundings. Like an abrupt revelation - the curtains whipped away - she realized she had become aware of a psychokinesthetic extension of herself. She was the mote yet not the mote."

What the hell is that? That's the kind of shit I'm talking about. Other than these bizarre acid trips I enjoyed Dune. It is a fantastically creative story with compelling character drama wrapped up in a gritty science fiction shell with shades of religious underpinnings. If you enjoy epic science fiction and you are interested in a story that has spawned thousands of other writers, read Dune.

But you have been warned.

The Passing of a Legend

Critics have said he was clumsy with narrative and lazy with dialogue but no one can deny the power of Michael Crichton's ideas. From The Andromeda Strain to Jurassic Park Crichton's work has astounded and amazed, selling record numbers of copies and spawning one blockbuster movie after another. It seams nothing was out of reach for this creative spirit as he even touched gold on television with the current longest running nighttime drama in ER.

Sadly - like his award winning TV show (now in it's final season), all good things must come to an end. With America gripped by its most powerful election, Michael Crichton's death was a footnote on November 4th, 2008. He was 66 when a private battle of cancer took his life.

As one of the most successful science fiction writers of his time, Michael Crichton sold more than 150 million copies of his books. His page-turning stories attracted a broad spectrum or readers and was a major contributor in making science fiction a mainstream genre of entertainment. His stories often centered around technology catapulting man's greed and power into a high-stakes adventure with the fate of mankind in the balance.

I know I enjoyed reading his books, watching the movie adaptations, and being inspired by his ideas.

Peace be with you, Dr. Crichton.

We hold these truths to be self evident...

God Bless America. I usually don't let my emotions get the better of me, but last night I found myself saying God Bless America without even realizing it. I was overcome really... overcome with excitement, overcome with emotion, overcome with pride in our great country. Pride in my country has been in short supply lately, but I am so proud of what we as a people can do when we all work towards a common goal.

To know that our future looks a little bit brighter and that I did my part in helping to ensure that future, fills me with indescribable pride. As I look back on my life, I know that I will remember the night that the United States of America elected its first African American president. I know that it will stand up with only a handful of other history changing moments like the fall of the Berlin Wall. Only this time I can say that I had a hand in realizing this moment.

It is times such as these when you look back at the vision of our founding fathers and you realize that even they could not predict the greatness this country is capable of achieving. This truly is the greatest country in the world and it's time we put back the intelligence, respect, and empowerment that the office of President demands.

Last night all men were created equal at the highest level. God Bless America.