I recently read the new book, Desire & Ice: Searching for Perspective Atop Denali, written by local (to me) author David Brill. The book is the story of Brill - a self-described ordinary, forty-something Dad - and his quest to climb to the summit of North America's highest mountain. In 2001, he did just that as part of a guided expedition.

I never "got" mountain climbing fever before reading this book. Brill's account of his month on Denali (Mt. McKinley) is riveting and inspiring. He never makes it sound easy, or even particularly fun, but you are left with a sense of what is gained when a "regular" person pushes himself past the limits of his own endurance. Reaching the summit is both literal and symbolic for the author, as he gains a renewed focus on what matters to him in life.

( I re-read this review and realized that it sounds sort of trite and doesn't do the book justice. It's an awesome tale. Read it for yourself.)

Here is a review of my book from Hinduism Today that I had never seen before.

Did you get the memo about the TPS reports?

Today a friend alerted me to the fact that there is actually a cult of 'Office Space'.

If you haven't seen the movie, you should.

In this terrific interview with Salon, Camille Paglia articulates my own frustration with the current anti-war movement in the U.S. She says:

"I turned on C-SPAN with great excitement to watch the big march in Washington last month. But talk about shooting yourself in the foot! Several speakers were good, but most of them tried to drag all sorts of extraneous issues into it -- calling Bush a "moron," accusing America of imperialistic ambitions, "No blood for oil" -- all these clichés. When fringe, paleo-leftist voices take over the platform, it drives away the moderate, mainstream people in this country who have nagging doubts about this war. I just don't believe the polls claiming overwhelming public support for the war. I'm skeptical about the way the pollsters are asking the questions. I don't know anyone who's wholeheartedly for this war."

She also touches on many other important and troubling aspects of the Bush administration's march to Iraq that I haven't heard anyone else pull together in quite such an erudite way.

DISCLAIMER: I don't actually believe anyone deserves to be run over by a heavy German car on purpose, but....

I feel very sorry for Clara Harris, the Texas woman accused of killing her husband by hitting him with her car after she found him at a hotel with his mistress. The guy sounds like the cruelest jerk imaginable.

I also agree with iFeminist writer Wendy McElroy who says that, at the very least, adultery should be considered a breach of contract in divorce proceedings and held against the cheating spouse in settlement negotiations. And I'd love to see Alienation of Affection cases become more common.

If you have ever seen a family torn to shreds by infidelity - and unfortunately I have, up close and personal - you will no longer doubt that an adult who knowingly contributes to this most painful of marital breakdowns is, in fact, engaging in tortious conduct. After all, we already recognize the marital relationship as having value (loss of consortium) under common law.

Some equity feminists have this one all wrong when they assume that adultery is only a matter of sex between two consenting adults. In fact, each marriage constitutes a unique collection of social, practical parental, financial, and yes, emotional ties. If the marriage breaks down, children suffer, money is lost, and divorcing spouses experience extreme upheaval as they are forced to re-orient virtually every detail of their lives. In other words, marriage is a contract with enormous fallout if it is breached. Just as with other torts of interference, alienation of affection recognizes the cost of divorce and holds the meddling third party accountable.

Today I had a reader (of my book and this blog) email me and actually ask if this is a photo
of me. Well, no it's not ;-)

Suffice it to say that the similarities between Ms. Anjali Granju (of the above referenced photo and apparently, Hawaian Tropic fame) and myself consist of the fact that A.) we share the same, unusual last name B.) we are both female and C.) we are both 5' 3".

It was interesting to see someone else with the last name Granju. I've never met anyone named Granju who isn't close kin with my children's French grandparents.

Ariel Gore, a writer-mama friend and inspiration of mine, has a new book coming out. It's a memoir of her rather remarkable journey from knocked up teenage drifter to Hip Mama. I can't wait to read it.

Ya know, this is the sort of thing that makes it difficult for us peaceniks when we talk about trying to continue negotiations and weapons inspections with/in Iraq rather than attacking them militarily.