Book Details:
Don't Kiss Them Goodbye
Pages: 193
Pages read: 193
Words on page 50: 319 (29 x 11)
Words in book: 61,567 (averaged)
ISBN: 978-1-41651-132-8
Author: Alison Dubois
Published: 2005 by Simon Schuster
You know what else, Alison has been studied by a University, and a Professor, who studies those with her gift. She calls herself a Medium and a Profiler, and she has been proven to have the gift. I am guessing that this would be great for her reputation, to have that in her back pocket.
With this second blog on Alison's book, I thought I might recount my own experiences, not that there have been many, but one sticks in mind. In my short 37 years, I think I have come close to dying on two occasions. The first time was, as a 15 year old, when I was 'encouraged' (code for peer pressured) to jump off a huge mountain (about 30 metres high) into a big pool of water. The problem was, half way down, the mountin jutted out with a massive rock formation. This meant that you had to jump right out, and make sure that you missed it. Very scary, and it could have been a tragedy, especially when I slipped on take off (after a run up). I really thought I was dead, and would have hit it. Apparently, I just missed it, and was very lucky.
Time 2, I feel asleep at the wheel in a ute driving in outback Northern Territory (from a Gas Plant to Alice Springs). I was about to go around a corner, and if I went straight ahead, I was heading off a cliff, again very scary. So, I woke up just in time and pulled the ute around. I really felt like I was on two wheels, not sure if I really was, but I was lucky not to roll the ute (which was a Hilux - famous for rolling - hence the nickname Rollux), which felt like it was about to topple over as I corrected and took the corner on. What a way to wake up.
Now, was someone looking after me on both occasions, or was I lucky, or what was it all about. You tell me.
I really do believe that there is a higher power keeping an eye on us. I am not sure that I ever heard a voice at the time, or the like, but I certainly did get lucky. I quite easily could have been killed on either occasion. I do feel lucky.
Apart from all that, I have never had any other experiences with the after life, or a great aunty that died at some stage, somewhere.
Anyway, on all that, let's finish with the key messages from Alison.
Key Messages
1. If you have the gift, use it, don't ignore it - even if you use it in private, not public
2. If your kids have the gift, don't ignore them, support them and tell them that it is all ok
Not really much more to tell you, other than that Alison has made a differnence to the world, she is inspirational and I really got to like her and her stories.
Until next time, keep reading.
Jimmy
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Book 8 - Blog 1 - Don't Kiss Them Goodbye
Book Details:
Don't Kiss Them Goodbye
Pages: 193
Pages read: 193
Words on page 50: 319 (29 x 11)
Words in book: 61,567 (averaged)
ISBN: 978-1-41651-132-8
Author: Alison Dubois
Published: 2005 by Simon Schuster
Yep, read the book before I started blogging again.
Would you believe it, after watching (very occassionally, really, as I am not a fan of TV) Medium (the show), I have read the book, and learnt more about Alison Dubois. Alison 'speaks to dead people' and predicts the furture. Quite amazing really, though if you are skeptical, I am not sure that this blog will convince you. I enjoyed the book, nevertheless, and there were some great examples of Alison 'gift', as she calls it.
Alison was first contacted by a dead person (her grandfather) at the age of 6. She said that she really was unaware of what it all meant at that age (understandably so, I reckon). She struggled with her parents ignoring her gift, and she said that made it hard for her to both accept her gift, and understand what it all meant. I think, based on that, that Alison was very keen in the book to provide parents with advice on how they should handle kids with similar powers to Alison. Probably good advice, if your kids speak to dead people also. I am not sure how I would manage it all, if my kids every came to me and said that they are talking to old aunty so and so who died a while ago. It must be strange.
Anyway, Alison is certainly able to substanitiate her gift, and it is amazing to read some of the stories to demonstrate her ability. The most powerful for me waas the one where a voice told her to move her bed, then during the night, a car ploughed through her wall and would have killed her, if she had not moved it. That is spooky. She also helps locate missing persons, and she has had some great results there, too.
What I found interesting was that, in the show Medium, Alison dreams a lot of the messages that she receives. In the book, she said that she rarely dreams stuff, she is just able to connect to the gift. Interesting. She consults to the show producers, to keep it authentic. In real life, she is married to an Engineer and has three girls.
Also interesting is her age - she is only 37, my age. Get that. She is a 72 baby. Any she is born on the 24th of January, me 24th of October. She appears to have done so much in her short tim on the planet. Good on her.
See you soon. Keep reading.
Jimmy
Don't Kiss Them Goodbye
Pages: 193
Pages read: 193
Words on page 50: 319 (29 x 11)
Words in book: 61,567 (averaged)
ISBN: 978-1-41651-132-8
Author: Alison Dubois
Published: 2005 by Simon Schuster
Yep, read the book before I started blogging again.
Would you believe it, after watching (very occassionally, really, as I am not a fan of TV) Medium (the show), I have read the book, and learnt more about Alison Dubois. Alison 'speaks to dead people' and predicts the furture. Quite amazing really, though if you are skeptical, I am not sure that this blog will convince you. I enjoyed the book, nevertheless, and there were some great examples of Alison 'gift', as she calls it.
Alison was first contacted by a dead person (her grandfather) at the age of 6. She said that she really was unaware of what it all meant at that age (understandably so, I reckon). She struggled with her parents ignoring her gift, and she said that made it hard for her to both accept her gift, and understand what it all meant. I think, based on that, that Alison was very keen in the book to provide parents with advice on how they should handle kids with similar powers to Alison. Probably good advice, if your kids speak to dead people also. I am not sure how I would manage it all, if my kids every came to me and said that they are talking to old aunty so and so who died a while ago. It must be strange.
Anyway, Alison is certainly able to substanitiate her gift, and it is amazing to read some of the stories to demonstrate her ability. The most powerful for me waas the one where a voice told her to move her bed, then during the night, a car ploughed through her wall and would have killed her, if she had not moved it. That is spooky. She also helps locate missing persons, and she has had some great results there, too.
What I found interesting was that, in the show Medium, Alison dreams a lot of the messages that she receives. In the book, she said that she rarely dreams stuff, she is just able to connect to the gift. Interesting. She consults to the show producers, to keep it authentic. In real life, she is married to an Engineer and has three girls.
Also interesting is her age - she is only 37, my age. Get that. She is a 72 baby. Any she is born on the 24th of January, me 24th of October. She appears to have done so much in her short tim on the planet. Good on her.
See you soon. Keep reading.
Jimmy
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Book 7 - Blog 2 - Ian Thorpe, The Early Years
Book Details:
Ian Thorpe, The Early Years - unauthorised biography
Pages: 154
Pages read: 154
Words on page 50: 385 (35 x 11)
Words in book: 59, 290 (averaged)
ISBN: 1-877096-12-1
Author: Will Swanton
Published: 2002 by Legend Books, Melbourne
Price: $5
Onto blog 2 from Thorpey. Here are some details about the man:
* He obtained the name, the Thorpedo
* He didn't like it at first
* Then, he patented it
* He manages, and always has, 99% of his money and earnings
* He has size 17 feet
* His mum had to get his shoes through the Sydney Kings basketball team
* At home, he is just a normal son and brother
* He never puts a foot wrong, and that is why we love him
* He always has the right answers
* He had the same coach for many years (Doug Frost)
* He broke it off during the Sydney Olympics, and got a new coach (not good, he didn't do that well)
* He is very likeable
* He just loved swimming
* That is why he did it, and did it so well
Alright, I think that is it on Ian Thorpe. I really liked the book, and I really liked the subject. Well done Will Swanton.
Key Messages
1. Set goals, and work towards achieving them
2. Do what you love, and you will do it well
3. Keep focused and live the dream
4. Grow up, quickly, and say the right thing
5. Ever burn your bridges, and never piss people off
That is a good way to live. I try to do the same, actually.
Until next time, keep reading.
Jimmy
Ian Thorpe, The Early Years - unauthorised biography
Pages: 154
Pages read: 154
Words on page 50: 385 (35 x 11)
Words in book: 59, 290 (averaged)
ISBN: 1-877096-12-1
Author: Will Swanton
Published: 2002 by Legend Books, Melbourne
Price: $5
Onto blog 2 from Thorpey. Here are some details about the man:
* He obtained the name, the Thorpedo
* He didn't like it at first
* Then, he patented it
* He manages, and always has, 99% of his money and earnings
* He has size 17 feet
* His mum had to get his shoes through the Sydney Kings basketball team
* At home, he is just a normal son and brother
* He never puts a foot wrong, and that is why we love him
* He always has the right answers
* He had the same coach for many years (Doug Frost)
* He broke it off during the Sydney Olympics, and got a new coach (not good, he didn't do that well)
* He is very likeable
* He just loved swimming
* That is why he did it, and did it so well
Alright, I think that is it on Ian Thorpe. I really liked the book, and I really liked the subject. Well done Will Swanton.
Key Messages
1. Set goals, and work towards achieving them
2. Do what you love, and you will do it well
3. Keep focused and live the dream
4. Grow up, quickly, and say the right thing
5. Ever burn your bridges, and never piss people off
That is a good way to live. I try to do the same, actually.
Until next time, keep reading.
Jimmy
Book 7 - Blog 1 - Ian Thorpe, The Early Years
Book Details:
Ian Thorpe, The Early Years - unauthorised biography
Pages: 154
Pages read: 154
Words on page 50: 385 (35 x 11)
Words in book: 59, 290 (averaged)
ISBN: 1-877096-12-1
Author: Will Swanton
Published: 2002 by Legend Books, Melbourne
Price: $5
Yep, another book that was bought on sale. It was bought at a discount book shop in Murray Street, Perth. I bought about 4 books, while I was there, and you will hear about them over the coming weeks. See, not only is Jimmy a bargain hunter, but if Jimmy paid say $30 (average price for a new book from the Gold Plated Borders book store), it would be over $1,500 this year alone, just to read one book per week. This way, it will cost an average of say $5 per book, which will be about $250 for the year. Jimmy loves that, but understans that Borders will have to cut back on some of the diamond casings. Poor dears.
Now, onto Ian Thorpe. This book is one of those ones that not only have I read it before I start blogging, but it is one where you love the subject even more after you have read the book. Ian Thorpe really is the epitomy of all things mature (for a young successful guy), all things committed and all things focused and driven to achieve all of his life goals.
Will, like others (particularly) that have put together unauthorsied biographies, did an amazing job of researching this book. He really was thorough, and he covered every base during the life of Ian Thorpe, up to the time of writing, which was pretty much, just after the 2000 Olympics.
Look, Ian Thorpe is the man, we all love him, we all admire him, we all try to relate to him, and we all want him to keep representing Australia and living his dream (and ours).
Strangely enough, Ian Thorpe only started swimming because his sister was a swimmer, and he got sick of going to her training. He jumped in one day, and kept swimming. Go you good thing. It was evident from early on that he was going to be successful. He just had it, apparently. He had a great stroke. Even more importantly, he had big feet ... Apparently, they are like flippers. They push him through the water like an outboard motor, and he uses them to produce a turn of speed at will. His big feet got him into drama at one stage though. Get this - a German swim trainer, although never stating tha the was talking about Thorpe, said publicly one day that big feet are a sign of performance enhancing drug taking. What a load of crap, of course, but Ian Thorpe took it personally, and to prove his innocence decided to be the first tested for drugs at the Sydney Olympics. Go son, step up and prove them wrong.
By the way, he smashed them at the Olympics, his first and went home with golds and silvers. Go again, son.
In his personal life, he is very human, and donates oodles of cash to charities, particularly cancer research. This is due to him having a young mate that had to recover from cancer. His mate was (and probably still is) his best friend. He made every effort to help his buddy, and connected him with famous sports stars, and did everything to brighten his spirits. As you should, as a famous personality. Good on Thorpey, though.
Actally, I have got too much to write, so I might do anohter Blog about this book.
See you soon. Keep reading.
Jimmy
Ian Thorpe, The Early Years - unauthorised biography
Pages: 154
Pages read: 154
Words on page 50: 385 (35 x 11)
Words in book: 59, 290 (averaged)
ISBN: 1-877096-12-1
Author: Will Swanton
Published: 2002 by Legend Books, Melbourne
Price: $5
Yep, another book that was bought on sale. It was bought at a discount book shop in Murray Street, Perth. I bought about 4 books, while I was there, and you will hear about them over the coming weeks. See, not only is Jimmy a bargain hunter, but if Jimmy paid say $30 (average price for a new book from the Gold Plated Borders book store), it would be over $1,500 this year alone, just to read one book per week. This way, it will cost an average of say $5 per book, which will be about $250 for the year. Jimmy loves that, but understans that Borders will have to cut back on some of the diamond casings. Poor dears.
Now, onto Ian Thorpe. This book is one of those ones that not only have I read it before I start blogging, but it is one where you love the subject even more after you have read the book. Ian Thorpe really is the epitomy of all things mature (for a young successful guy), all things committed and all things focused and driven to achieve all of his life goals.
Will, like others (particularly) that have put together unauthorsied biographies, did an amazing job of researching this book. He really was thorough, and he covered every base during the life of Ian Thorpe, up to the time of writing, which was pretty much, just after the 2000 Olympics.
Look, Ian Thorpe is the man, we all love him, we all admire him, we all try to relate to him, and we all want him to keep representing Australia and living his dream (and ours).
Strangely enough, Ian Thorpe only started swimming because his sister was a swimmer, and he got sick of going to her training. He jumped in one day, and kept swimming. Go you good thing. It was evident from early on that he was going to be successful. He just had it, apparently. He had a great stroke. Even more importantly, he had big feet ... Apparently, they are like flippers. They push him through the water like an outboard motor, and he uses them to produce a turn of speed at will. His big feet got him into drama at one stage though. Get this - a German swim trainer, although never stating tha the was talking about Thorpe, said publicly one day that big feet are a sign of performance enhancing drug taking. What a load of crap, of course, but Ian Thorpe took it personally, and to prove his innocence decided to be the first tested for drugs at the Sydney Olympics. Go son, step up and prove them wrong.
By the way, he smashed them at the Olympics, his first and went home with golds and silvers. Go again, son.
In his personal life, he is very human, and donates oodles of cash to charities, particularly cancer research. This is due to him having a young mate that had to recover from cancer. His mate was (and probably still is) his best friend. He made every effort to help his buddy, and connected him with famous sports stars, and did everything to brighten his spirits. As you should, as a famous personality. Good on Thorpey, though.
Actally, I have got too much to write, so I might do anohter Blog about this book.
See you soon. Keep reading.
Jimmy
Monday, February 15, 2010
Book 6 - Blog 2 - One Step at a Time
Book Details:
One Step at a Time
Pages: 51
Pages read: 51
Words on page 30 (there are only 51 pages, and page 50 has got hotos on it): 440 (40 x 11)
Words in book: 22,400 (averaged)
Published: 1984 by Marie Oram
ISBN: Not applicable - this book is the epitomy of self publishing, with no ISBN, nothing fancy, hand drawn pictures, and written with love and all the best intentions
Well, there was not a lot to go after page 38 (a lot of photos were included, which were great, and shows the effort that Marie went to, to publish the book), and I got through it quickly and easily.
In the final pages, Marie took us further into the life and times of Harold, and the township of Baralaba. She picked out all of the funny stories that Harold could recall, like the snake in the lantern, the bull head butting Harold or the emu that stole the cake, and each were told in a humourous way.
Harold Hansen really did seem like a great guy. He took over the family farm after the death of his parents, until he could cope no longer.
He never married, and I found this out from Marie's daughter in law (Helen Oram) that he never wanted to burden anyone with his injuries. What a person. Helen also sent me an email, when I mentioned that I had read the book. It is fitting to finish this blog with her words:
"I was fortunate enough to have actually met Harold and spent a good couple of hours one day (while I was supposed to be helping with the mustering and yard work) talking to him. He was an incredible man. I spoke about him for years, especially his heroism in his story and his indefatigable cheeriness and statesman-like bearing (which was also quite astounding given his physical deformities.) I also felt great joy when he died – as I saw it as a great release for a particularly beautiful and strong spirit."
Here here!!
Key Messages
I think the key messages from Blog 1 will cover it.
Never give up, keep trying, and always remember that it is not what happens to you, but how you deal with it, that matters.
Readability: 4.5 (out of 5)
Interesting Information: 4 (out of 5)
Overall book quality: 3.5 (out of 5)
Overall book rating: 7.5/10
Places visited: 1
People met: 0
Books given away: 1 (to Gemma, my wife)
Books purchased second hand or cheap: 2 (Book 1, 2, 3, 5, 6)
Until next time, keep reading.
Jimmy A
One Step at a Time
Pages: 51
Pages read: 51
Words on page 30 (there are only 51 pages, and page 50 has got hotos on it): 440 (40 x 11)
Words in book: 22,400 (averaged)
Published: 1984 by Marie Oram
ISBN: Not applicable - this book is the epitomy of self publishing, with no ISBN, nothing fancy, hand drawn pictures, and written with love and all the best intentions
Well, there was not a lot to go after page 38 (a lot of photos were included, which were great, and shows the effort that Marie went to, to publish the book), and I got through it quickly and easily.
In the final pages, Marie took us further into the life and times of Harold, and the township of Baralaba. She picked out all of the funny stories that Harold could recall, like the snake in the lantern, the bull head butting Harold or the emu that stole the cake, and each were told in a humourous way.
Harold Hansen really did seem like a great guy. He took over the family farm after the death of his parents, until he could cope no longer.
He never married, and I found this out from Marie's daughter in law (Helen Oram) that he never wanted to burden anyone with his injuries. What a person. Helen also sent me an email, when I mentioned that I had read the book. It is fitting to finish this blog with her words:
"I was fortunate enough to have actually met Harold and spent a good couple of hours one day (while I was supposed to be helping with the mustering and yard work) talking to him. He was an incredible man. I spoke about him for years, especially his heroism in his story and his indefatigable cheeriness and statesman-like bearing (which was also quite astounding given his physical deformities.) I also felt great joy when he died – as I saw it as a great release for a particularly beautiful and strong spirit."
Here here!!
Key Messages
I think the key messages from Blog 1 will cover it.
Never give up, keep trying, and always remember that it is not what happens to you, but how you deal with it, that matters.
Readability: 4.5 (out of 5)
Interesting Information: 4 (out of 5)
Overall book quality: 3.5 (out of 5)
Overall book rating: 7.5/10
Places visited: 1
People met: 0
Books given away: 1 (to Gemma, my wife)
Books purchased second hand or cheap: 2 (Book 1, 2, 3, 5, 6)
Until next time, keep reading.
Jimmy A
Book 6 - Blog 1 - One Step at a Time
Book Details:
One Step at a Time
Pages: 51
Pages read: 38
Words on page 30 (there are only 51 pages, and page 50 has got hotos on it): 440 (40 x 11)
Words in book: 22,400 (averaged)
ISBN: Not applicable - this book is the epitomy of self publishing, with no ISBN, nothing fancy, hand drawn pictures, and written with love and all the best intentions
Author: 1984 by Marie Oram
Price: Borrowed (it is one of the last copies in existence, so I was under instruction to look after it and to guard it with my life)
What a great book. It was written by one of my best mate's (Joe Oram) mother in Baralaba, Queensland. The book is a biography of a local guy, Harold Hansen.
The book is predominatly a recount of both the life and times of Harold, but it is also a look at the (albiet abbreviated) history of Baralaba, including some of the major events, such as flooding, that have shaped the history of the town.
As far as Harold was concerned, he had a very tough start to his life. At the age of four, he fell down the stairs of the family home, severely injuring his hip joint. Of course, being 1919, the diagnosis of a hip joint injury was slow in coming. The protracted diagnosis was of course followed by a delay in treatment, and by the time Harold was treated (in Brisbane - which was a long train ride from Rockhampton back then - and he was in intense pain for the whole trip), his joint had deteriorated, and he spent the next three years in hospital being operated on and generally being cared for.
Now, there was a story in teh book that nearly made me cry. Little Harold, all of about 6 years old at the time, got sick from the anethetic during the operations. Eventually, he asked the doctors to operate without pain killers. Holy crap. The way Harold (through Marie, the author) told the story, was that it was excrutiatingly painful. Pain beyond belief. Harold promised the doctor that he would not move during the operation, and he was true to his word. Harold went on to say that, even at that age, he understood that if you want something badly enough, you will go after it, and make it happen. What a guy. My sort of man.
The three years that Harold spent in hospital were spent on his own, he said he spoke very little, and was only visited by his father rarely, when he could get away from the farm, that he was trying to build up and use to support the growning family.
The book, which is really well written, and well researched (Marie was obviously very proud of her association with Harold, and both hers and Harolds willingness to share a great story come through in the book) and it goes on to document Harold's schoold days, some of which were spent in a one class school. That school vanished in teh 1920's, when Baralaba was flooded.
Harold's parents were amazing people, and the daily chores of running a dairy farm must have been enormous. From tending to pigs, cows and milking, to making cream, butter and curing meat to sell to the locals must have been taxing. On his return, Harold was not able to greatly assist in many of these tasks, until he taught himself to walk and to function again (hence the book title). This was an agonizing affair, and I can only think that if the same thing happened in 2010, he would have been given the best care, the best surgeon and the best physiotherapist. Apparently, right up until his death, Harold suffered from leg deformity, but it did not stop him from taking over the farm, on the death of his parents. Both of his parents died within a three week period. That must have been heartbreaking for him, as he, and Marie, speak with enormous admiration of both his mum and dad. Dad did the traditional farming, which mum managed the house and the kids. It was a great partnership, apparently.
Key Messages
I must say that I resonated with Harold, his never say die attitude, and his ability to overcome adversity. Here is a summary of his attitude:
1. No matter what it is, you can achieve it, if you want it badly enough
2. Keep trying, never give up and you will climb every mountain that you set foot on
3. Life deals you hard blows, but it is not the blows, but your reaction to them that matters
Love your work, Harold, and Marie. Again, a great little read. It was only a small book, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Keep reading.
Jimmy
One Step at a Time
Pages: 51
Pages read: 38
Words on page 30 (there are only 51 pages, and page 50 has got hotos on it): 440 (40 x 11)
Words in book: 22,400 (averaged)
ISBN: Not applicable - this book is the epitomy of self publishing, with no ISBN, nothing fancy, hand drawn pictures, and written with love and all the best intentions
Author: 1984 by Marie Oram
Price: Borrowed (it is one of the last copies in existence, so I was under instruction to look after it and to guard it with my life)
What a great book. It was written by one of my best mate's (Joe Oram) mother in Baralaba, Queensland. The book is a biography of a local guy, Harold Hansen.
The book is predominatly a recount of both the life and times of Harold, but it is also a look at the (albiet abbreviated) history of Baralaba, including some of the major events, such as flooding, that have shaped the history of the town.
As far as Harold was concerned, he had a very tough start to his life. At the age of four, he fell down the stairs of the family home, severely injuring his hip joint. Of course, being 1919, the diagnosis of a hip joint injury was slow in coming. The protracted diagnosis was of course followed by a delay in treatment, and by the time Harold was treated (in Brisbane - which was a long train ride from Rockhampton back then - and he was in intense pain for the whole trip), his joint had deteriorated, and he spent the next three years in hospital being operated on and generally being cared for.
Now, there was a story in teh book that nearly made me cry. Little Harold, all of about 6 years old at the time, got sick from the anethetic during the operations. Eventually, he asked the doctors to operate without pain killers. Holy crap. The way Harold (through Marie, the author) told the story, was that it was excrutiatingly painful. Pain beyond belief. Harold promised the doctor that he would not move during the operation, and he was true to his word. Harold went on to say that, even at that age, he understood that if you want something badly enough, you will go after it, and make it happen. What a guy. My sort of man.
The three years that Harold spent in hospital were spent on his own, he said he spoke very little, and was only visited by his father rarely, when he could get away from the farm, that he was trying to build up and use to support the growning family.
The book, which is really well written, and well researched (Marie was obviously very proud of her association with Harold, and both hers and Harolds willingness to share a great story come through in the book) and it goes on to document Harold's schoold days, some of which were spent in a one class school. That school vanished in teh 1920's, when Baralaba was flooded.
Harold's parents were amazing people, and the daily chores of running a dairy farm must have been enormous. From tending to pigs, cows and milking, to making cream, butter and curing meat to sell to the locals must have been taxing. On his return, Harold was not able to greatly assist in many of these tasks, until he taught himself to walk and to function again (hence the book title). This was an agonizing affair, and I can only think that if the same thing happened in 2010, he would have been given the best care, the best surgeon and the best physiotherapist. Apparently, right up until his death, Harold suffered from leg deformity, but it did not stop him from taking over the farm, on the death of his parents. Both of his parents died within a three week period. That must have been heartbreaking for him, as he, and Marie, speak with enormous admiration of both his mum and dad. Dad did the traditional farming, which mum managed the house and the kids. It was a great partnership, apparently.
Key Messages
I must say that I resonated with Harold, his never say die attitude, and his ability to overcome adversity. Here is a summary of his attitude:
1. No matter what it is, you can achieve it, if you want it badly enough
2. Keep trying, never give up and you will climb every mountain that you set foot on
3. Life deals you hard blows, but it is not the blows, but your reaction to them that matters
Love your work, Harold, and Marie. Again, a great little read. It was only a small book, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Keep reading.
Jimmy
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Book 5 - Blog 2 - Diana
Book Details:
Diana - Her True Story
Pages: 174
Pages read: 174
Words on page 50: 429 (39 x 11)
Words in book: 74,646 (averaged)
ISBN 1-85479-128-1
Author: Andrew Morton
Published: 1992 by Michael O'Mara Books Limited, London
Price: $5.00 (saw it on ebay one day, and I just couldn't resist)
So, given that I have read the bok, and done a blog on it already, this blog is just to make a few additional comments.
The first comment relates to a question raised by Andrew Morton, the Author, where he asks "what is the future of the royal family in England". What a great question. As an Aussie, and given that we are still part of the monarchy, apparently, I would have no idea what the royal family actually does. Charles, at least in the book, has got a great life, playing polo, shooting and spending time with Camilla. Yee Hah. I am sure he does more than that, but hey, who pays them, and what work do they actually do to earn their keep. Then, why is Australia still part of England. Really, actually, I don't mind it. I am not a staunch believer in Australia becoming its own entity. I just would not know what they actually really do, and I wonder how they get paid etc. The song from John Fogarty, Fortunate Son, comes to mind here. Silver spoons also sound a relevant analogy.
Anyway, that is enough about that. Good on the royal family.
I don't feel strongly enough to elaborate further, just to say that I love being Australian. We are the lucky country. Bring it on ... Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi!!
Key Messages:
I think there are a few things that we can learn from Diana. These include:
1. Follow your head, sometimes and not your heart. Diana was smitten with Prince Charles, though she was never going to be comfortable with his relationship with Camilla. Although she would never have been able to make a different decision, due to her love for Charles, the message is to know what you are doing, and think though your decisions always. Think about the consequences and think about how you will live with the future after you have acted in a particular way. If you can live with it, go ahead, if not, rethink the decision.
2. You have the power to change your life. When things are not going your way, it is up to you to change it. Diana suffered for a long time, and in silence. She was strong. But, guess what, she could have changed it. Maybe that is something that we can learn from. Make decisions that change your life for the better. Fix your situation, if you need to!
Readability: 4 (out of 5)
Interesting Information: 4 (out of 5)
Overall book quality: 4.5 (out of 5)
Overall book rating: 8/10
Places visited: 1
People met: 0
Books given away: 1 (to Gemma, my wife)
Books purchased second hand or cheap: 2 (Book 1, 2, 3, 5)
Until next time, keep reading.
Jimmy A
PS, if you look up Princes Diana on Wiki, here is what you find:
A public figure from the announcement of her engagement to Prince Charles, Diana remained the focus of near-constant media scrutiny in the United Kingdom and around the world before, during and after her marriage, even in the years following her sudden death in a car crash, which was followed by a spontaneous and prolonged show of public mourning. Contemporary responses to Diana's life and legacy were mixed but a popular fascination with the Princess endures. The long-awaited Coroner's Inquest reported its conclusion on 7 April 2008 that Diana and her companion Dodi Fayed were unlawfully killed by the negligent driving of the following vehicles and also the driver Henri Paul of the vehicle in which she was travelling.
Diana - Her True Story
Pages: 174
Pages read: 174
Words on page 50: 429 (39 x 11)
Words in book: 74,646 (averaged)
ISBN 1-85479-128-1
Author: Andrew Morton
Published: 1992 by Michael O'Mara Books Limited, London
Price: $5.00 (saw it on ebay one day, and I just couldn't resist)
So, given that I have read the bok, and done a blog on it already, this blog is just to make a few additional comments.
The first comment relates to a question raised by Andrew Morton, the Author, where he asks "what is the future of the royal family in England". What a great question. As an Aussie, and given that we are still part of the monarchy, apparently, I would have no idea what the royal family actually does. Charles, at least in the book, has got a great life, playing polo, shooting and spending time with Camilla. Yee Hah. I am sure he does more than that, but hey, who pays them, and what work do they actually do to earn their keep. Then, why is Australia still part of England. Really, actually, I don't mind it. I am not a staunch believer in Australia becoming its own entity. I just would not know what they actually really do, and I wonder how they get paid etc. The song from John Fogarty, Fortunate Son, comes to mind here. Silver spoons also sound a relevant analogy.
Anyway, that is enough about that. Good on the royal family.
I don't feel strongly enough to elaborate further, just to say that I love being Australian. We are the lucky country. Bring it on ... Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi!!
Key Messages:
I think there are a few things that we can learn from Diana. These include:
1. Follow your head, sometimes and not your heart. Diana was smitten with Prince Charles, though she was never going to be comfortable with his relationship with Camilla. Although she would never have been able to make a different decision, due to her love for Charles, the message is to know what you are doing, and think though your decisions always. Think about the consequences and think about how you will live with the future after you have acted in a particular way. If you can live with it, go ahead, if not, rethink the decision.
2. You have the power to change your life. When things are not going your way, it is up to you to change it. Diana suffered for a long time, and in silence. She was strong. But, guess what, she could have changed it. Maybe that is something that we can learn from. Make decisions that change your life for the better. Fix your situation, if you need to!
Readability: 4 (out of 5)
Interesting Information: 4 (out of 5)
Overall book quality: 4.5 (out of 5)
Overall book rating: 8/10
Places visited: 1
People met: 0
Books given away: 1 (to Gemma, my wife)
Books purchased second hand or cheap: 2 (Book 1, 2, 3, 5)
Until next time, keep reading.
Jimmy A
PS, if you look up Princes Diana on Wiki, here is what you find:
A public figure from the announcement of her engagement to Prince Charles, Diana remained the focus of near-constant media scrutiny in the United Kingdom and around the world before, during and after her marriage, even in the years following her sudden death in a car crash, which was followed by a spontaneous and prolonged show of public mourning. Contemporary responses to Diana's life and legacy were mixed but a popular fascination with the Princess endures. The long-awaited Coroner's Inquest reported its conclusion on 7 April 2008 that Diana and her companion Dodi Fayed were unlawfully killed by the negligent driving of the following vehicles and also the driver Henri Paul of the vehicle in which she was travelling.
Book 5 - Blog 1 - Diana
Book Details:
Diana - Her True Story
Pages: 174
Pages read: 174
Words on page 50: 429 (39 x 11)
Words in book: 74,646 (averaged)
ISBN 1-85479-128-1
Author: Andrew Morton
Published: 1992 by Michael O'Mara Books Limited, London
Price: $5.00 (saw it on ebay one day, and I just couldn't resist)
Well, I have finished reading this book already, which is unusual for this blog, as I have not done the first blog installment. In all honesty, the reason for that is twofold. Firstly, I read the book in one day. I was travelling to WA, from Queensland, for work on Monday, and I got through the whole book. Therefore, I did not have a chance to do a blog at some point during the book. Secondly, I am not sure that I am really qualified to write about Princess Diana. It is actually quite difficult to put pen to paper (so to speak) and write something about a person who did so much for the world, and for the underprivileged. She was obviously an amazing woman, and I have got my head around doing a blog entry about someone so famous. So, here goes.
Andrew Morton mentions several times throughout the book that he has been given all of the correct information, and that the interviewers were true and correct. We can, though, presume that the book is authorised.
Now, following reading this book, you will be left very clearly with only a few thoughts and feelings about Diana. These thoughts and feelings are simply - the poor girl, what a tough existence she lived whilst part of the royal family, Princes Charles sux - he was a horrible husband (and father) and crippled her self confidence, and what a loss she was to the world - we lost a very special person when Diana passed on. This book was written before she passed on August 31, 1997, and I can still remember exactly where I was when I found out the day she died. I was standing on a sporting oval, and was working as part of a working bee, putting up light poles so that we could play cricket and rugby league at night time. I was in a small mining town in WA called Pannawonica, and it was mid afternoon when I heard, and when word passed around our group. We were all quite upset about it. It was a big shock, even in outback Australia.
So, Diana Spencer was born in 1961, into a life that was challenged from an early stage. Her parents separated when she was young. She was one of four children, two sisters and a brother. Her sisters were quite a few years older than her, so she struggled with her sibling relationships for many years. Her brother, Earl, and her, were quite close.
She was sent to boarding school, and with one older sister a very high achiever, and one a bit of a rat bag, her teachers wondered which sister she would emulate. She certainly struggled academincally, though was both an outstanding sports person, as well as a dancer. She was gifted in many ways, and she was loved by many people, particularly her close friends and the house mates that she moved in with after her school days. She was given a house (not a bad pressie, hey) for her 21st (I think it was that birthday - might have been earlier). She really had resigned herself to being low paid for her working life. Shit, how that changed. Her jobs included cleaning, teachers aide and dancing teaching.
During her years in her own home, with her house mates, the story goes that they were practical jokers, and threw eggs on people's cars, amongst other naughty stuff. She really was quite normal. Until, that is, when she met and married Prince Charles. Her older sister was actually going out with Charles, before he showed an inerest in Diana.
They married, and then the fun started. I could blog about this for days, but here is the shortened version. She was treated very poorly by both her husband and his family. Andrew Morton realy does paint a bad picture of how she was accepted. They really never accepted her into their lives. This resulted in her self confidence plummeting, and she became suicidal. She attempted (somewhat veinly) to take her own life. It really was difficult reading, going through how Charles continually bagged her, and told her she was not good enough. ALl the while, mind you, he maintained a relationship with Camilla. Now, I don't know about you, but I think she is a terribly bad looking woman - that is just me, though. Charles obviously saw something in her, and it did drive Diana mad. Charles and Camilla had pet names, spoke regularly, swapped presents, and even lived close (and holidayed together) all while he was married to Diana. Charlie, what is going on there, brother. Mate, no excuses for that.
Anyway, Diana became Bulemic. She struggled with that disease for many years, until finally her and Charles decided to separate. Then, of course, that, plus most of ther other big decisions made by her and Charles, had to be ratified by the Queen. Holy Dooley. Talk about control.
Anyway, finally, she got herself together, got her illness under control, and moved on. It must be said, though, that she did not really cope well with all the attention that she got when she became a public figure. That did not help her illness or her self confidence.
She found solace in her charity work, and even befriended Mother Teresa. She became a friend to the underpriveleged, and as we have all seen, she made a huge difference to the world. And, get this, Charles hated the fact that she was more popular than him. Hee Hee. Anyway, I could go on, but that is about the crux of the book.
Feelings
You finish reading and love Diana more, and dislike the royal family, Prince Charles particulary more.
The book is a good story, and it is one that just keeps you reading. It is not the best book that I have ever read, but it is certainly interesting reading about someone so famous. It really is weird writing about someone so famous.
Anyway, keep reading.
Jimmy A
Diana - Her True Story
Pages: 174
Pages read: 174
Words on page 50: 429 (39 x 11)
Words in book: 74,646 (averaged)
ISBN 1-85479-128-1
Author: Andrew Morton
Published: 1992 by Michael O'Mara Books Limited, London
Price: $5.00 (saw it on ebay one day, and I just couldn't resist)
Well, I have finished reading this book already, which is unusual for this blog, as I have not done the first blog installment. In all honesty, the reason for that is twofold. Firstly, I read the book in one day. I was travelling to WA, from Queensland, for work on Monday, and I got through the whole book. Therefore, I did not have a chance to do a blog at some point during the book. Secondly, I am not sure that I am really qualified to write about Princess Diana. It is actually quite difficult to put pen to paper (so to speak) and write something about a person who did so much for the world, and for the underprivileged. She was obviously an amazing woman, and I have got my head around doing a blog entry about someone so famous. So, here goes.
Andrew Morton mentions several times throughout the book that he has been given all of the correct information, and that the interviewers were true and correct. We can, though, presume that the book is authorised.
Now, following reading this book, you will be left very clearly with only a few thoughts and feelings about Diana. These thoughts and feelings are simply - the poor girl, what a tough existence she lived whilst part of the royal family, Princes Charles sux - he was a horrible husband (and father) and crippled her self confidence, and what a loss she was to the world - we lost a very special person when Diana passed on. This book was written before she passed on August 31, 1997, and I can still remember exactly where I was when I found out the day she died. I was standing on a sporting oval, and was working as part of a working bee, putting up light poles so that we could play cricket and rugby league at night time. I was in a small mining town in WA called Pannawonica, and it was mid afternoon when I heard, and when word passed around our group. We were all quite upset about it. It was a big shock, even in outback Australia.
So, Diana Spencer was born in 1961, into a life that was challenged from an early stage. Her parents separated when she was young. She was one of four children, two sisters and a brother. Her sisters were quite a few years older than her, so she struggled with her sibling relationships for many years. Her brother, Earl, and her, were quite close.
She was sent to boarding school, and with one older sister a very high achiever, and one a bit of a rat bag, her teachers wondered which sister she would emulate. She certainly struggled academincally, though was both an outstanding sports person, as well as a dancer. She was gifted in many ways, and she was loved by many people, particularly her close friends and the house mates that she moved in with after her school days. She was given a house (not a bad pressie, hey) for her 21st (I think it was that birthday - might have been earlier). She really had resigned herself to being low paid for her working life. Shit, how that changed. Her jobs included cleaning, teachers aide and dancing teaching.
During her years in her own home, with her house mates, the story goes that they were practical jokers, and threw eggs on people's cars, amongst other naughty stuff. She really was quite normal. Until, that is, when she met and married Prince Charles. Her older sister was actually going out with Charles, before he showed an inerest in Diana.
They married, and then the fun started. I could blog about this for days, but here is the shortened version. She was treated very poorly by both her husband and his family. Andrew Morton realy does paint a bad picture of how she was accepted. They really never accepted her into their lives. This resulted in her self confidence plummeting, and she became suicidal. She attempted (somewhat veinly) to take her own life. It really was difficult reading, going through how Charles continually bagged her, and told her she was not good enough. ALl the while, mind you, he maintained a relationship with Camilla. Now, I don't know about you, but I think she is a terribly bad looking woman - that is just me, though. Charles obviously saw something in her, and it did drive Diana mad. Charles and Camilla had pet names, spoke regularly, swapped presents, and even lived close (and holidayed together) all while he was married to Diana. Charlie, what is going on there, brother. Mate, no excuses for that.
Anyway, Diana became Bulemic. She struggled with that disease for many years, until finally her and Charles decided to separate. Then, of course, that, plus most of ther other big decisions made by her and Charles, had to be ratified by the Queen. Holy Dooley. Talk about control.
Anyway, finally, she got herself together, got her illness under control, and moved on. It must be said, though, that she did not really cope well with all the attention that she got when she became a public figure. That did not help her illness or her self confidence.
She found solace in her charity work, and even befriended Mother Teresa. She became a friend to the underpriveleged, and as we have all seen, she made a huge difference to the world. And, get this, Charles hated the fact that she was more popular than him. Hee Hee. Anyway, I could go on, but that is about the crux of the book.
Feelings
You finish reading and love Diana more, and dislike the royal family, Prince Charles particulary more.
The book is a good story, and it is one that just keeps you reading. It is not the best book that I have ever read, but it is certainly interesting reading about someone so famous. It really is weird writing about someone so famous.
Anyway, keep reading.
Jimmy A
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Book 4 - Blog 2 - Close To Flying
Book Details:
Close to Flying
Pages: 304
Pages read: All
Words on page 50: 312 (26 x 12)
Words in book: 94,848 (averaged)
ISBN 9781740666671
Author: Cadel Evans (and Rob Arnold)
Published: 2010 by Hardy Grant Books
Price: $39.99
Well, the fourth book is done (though I am nearly a week behind). I think I will have to go on some sort of reading frenzy, soon. Knock one or two over in quick succession. Actually, the next one will be interesting, it is about Princess Diana. That will be great to read, I never knew much about her.
Anyway, on to Cadel Evans.
This book really was a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Cadel is a world champion, the photo on the back of the book tells the story, with him in his (five striped) world championship jersey. By the sounds of it, he deserved it, as he has been a consistent competitor for many years now. I really didn't know much about Cadel, and I certainly didn't know how much he has achieved. Particularly, how much he has achieved to make cycling popular. What a guy. Apparently, he is the reason (or one of them) that we all watch the Tour De France on TV now. Even though his predecessors (and there were some good riders, like Robbie McEwen) were great riders, our nation appears to be 'Cadel struck'.
His performances seem to say that he deserves every accolade. His effort over many years have been huge, mate, he rides up to 40,000 ks per year. Holy crap. I thought I was doing well with about 2,000 in the saddle. What a machine. He has twice gotten a second in the Tour, and although he has won other races and gets high rankings in yet more, it is the Tour that everyone remembers. His goal to win one is as yet, unfulfilled, needless to say that I am sure in 2010, he will be on the job. Go son, I will certainly be barracking for Cadel. I am going to start a scrap book, and collect all that I can about the tour, particularly Cadel's performances at this year's tour.
I really enjoyed reading about Cadel (have I mentioned that), though I was surprised that Rob Arnold (in my opinion anyway) went to great pains not to paint Cadel out to be a really likable guy. He said he does not like the publicity, has head butted journos, etc. According to Rob, Cadel is not a really nice guy (look, I might have got that wrong, but hey, whose blog is this). Don't get me wrong, Rob did an outstanding job of the book, and he is very accomplished himself in the sports writing arena, especially writing about cycling. Kudos to him, definitely.
It was great to read that Cadel is happily married to Chiara, and Italian. What a lovely name. She appears to be there for him at every turn, every high and low and every adventure. They still travel home to Aussie to spend some time here each year. Good stuff, mate, you can take the boy out of the bush, but not the bush out of the boy, as they say. He remembers his roots.
The information about drug taking in cycling was amazing to read. No results are really final at the time of racing, as a drug test could mean that people climb the rankings down the track (so to speak) at some stage. Very wierd. And yep, Cadel has always been clean. To the point of being one of the fittest athletes to go through the AIS (in all its years). Good on him. He was just a country kid who loved riding a mountain bike. His training involved just riding for fun. He ended up a world champion mountain biker, and ended up at the AIS where he met some great coaches. He transitioned to road cycling and has changed the world. What a story. There should be more Cadel Evans out there.
Key Messages
Look, there are only 2 points that you need to take from this book:
1. Do what you love and it will not feel like work - cycling has never been hard work for Cadel. He has always loved it, and his love of the bike has kept him riding and kept him improving (oh, and so has his incessant drive to win).
2. Work hard and reap the rewards - Cadel is an example of what is possible, if you spend enough time in the saddle (again so to speak) riding the wave of life. Work hard at what you do, do everything to the best of yoru ability and you will become the best at it. Go son.
Readability: 4.5 (out of 5)
Interesting Information: 4 (out of 5)
Overall book quality: 4.5 (out of 5)
Overall book rating: 8/10
Places visited: 1
People met: 0
Books given away: 1 (to Gemma, my wife)
Books purchased second hand or cheap: 2 (Book 1 and 2 and 3)
Until next time, keep reading.
Jimmy A
Close to Flying
Pages: 304
Pages read: All
Words on page 50: 312 (26 x 12)
Words in book: 94,848 (averaged)
ISBN 9781740666671
Author: Cadel Evans (and Rob Arnold)
Published: 2010 by Hardy Grant Books
Price: $39.99
Well, the fourth book is done (though I am nearly a week behind). I think I will have to go on some sort of reading frenzy, soon. Knock one or two over in quick succession. Actually, the next one will be interesting, it is about Princess Diana. That will be great to read, I never knew much about her.
Anyway, on to Cadel Evans.
This book really was a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Cadel is a world champion, the photo on the back of the book tells the story, with him in his (five striped) world championship jersey. By the sounds of it, he deserved it, as he has been a consistent competitor for many years now. I really didn't know much about Cadel, and I certainly didn't know how much he has achieved. Particularly, how much he has achieved to make cycling popular. What a guy. Apparently, he is the reason (or one of them) that we all watch the Tour De France on TV now. Even though his predecessors (and there were some good riders, like Robbie McEwen) were great riders, our nation appears to be 'Cadel struck'.
His performances seem to say that he deserves every accolade. His effort over many years have been huge, mate, he rides up to 40,000 ks per year. Holy crap. I thought I was doing well with about 2,000 in the saddle. What a machine. He has twice gotten a second in the Tour, and although he has won other races and gets high rankings in yet more, it is the Tour that everyone remembers. His goal to win one is as yet, unfulfilled, needless to say that I am sure in 2010, he will be on the job. Go son, I will certainly be barracking for Cadel. I am going to start a scrap book, and collect all that I can about the tour, particularly Cadel's performances at this year's tour.
I really enjoyed reading about Cadel (have I mentioned that), though I was surprised that Rob Arnold (in my opinion anyway) went to great pains not to paint Cadel out to be a really likable guy. He said he does not like the publicity, has head butted journos, etc. According to Rob, Cadel is not a really nice guy (look, I might have got that wrong, but hey, whose blog is this). Don't get me wrong, Rob did an outstanding job of the book, and he is very accomplished himself in the sports writing arena, especially writing about cycling. Kudos to him, definitely.
It was great to read that Cadel is happily married to Chiara, and Italian. What a lovely name. She appears to be there for him at every turn, every high and low and every adventure. They still travel home to Aussie to spend some time here each year. Good stuff, mate, you can take the boy out of the bush, but not the bush out of the boy, as they say. He remembers his roots.
The information about drug taking in cycling was amazing to read. No results are really final at the time of racing, as a drug test could mean that people climb the rankings down the track (so to speak) at some stage. Very wierd. And yep, Cadel has always been clean. To the point of being one of the fittest athletes to go through the AIS (in all its years). Good on him. He was just a country kid who loved riding a mountain bike. His training involved just riding for fun. He ended up a world champion mountain biker, and ended up at the AIS where he met some great coaches. He transitioned to road cycling and has changed the world. What a story. There should be more Cadel Evans out there.
Key Messages
Look, there are only 2 points that you need to take from this book:
1. Do what you love and it will not feel like work - cycling has never been hard work for Cadel. He has always loved it, and his love of the bike has kept him riding and kept him improving (oh, and so has his incessant drive to win).
2. Work hard and reap the rewards - Cadel is an example of what is possible, if you spend enough time in the saddle (again so to speak) riding the wave of life. Work hard at what you do, do everything to the best of yoru ability and you will become the best at it. Go son.
Readability: 4.5 (out of 5)
Interesting Information: 4 (out of 5)
Overall book quality: 4.5 (out of 5)
Overall book rating: 8/10
Places visited: 1
People met: 0
Books given away: 1 (to Gemma, my wife)
Books purchased second hand or cheap: 2 (Book 1 and 2 and 3)
Until next time, keep reading.
Jimmy A
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