from the anchor

I'm trying to decide whether I want a Western omelette. I'm thinking I'll pass today, despite my hunger: it'd be far more enjoyable to eat while watching "The Office." The older men in the booth across from me are talking about selling their homes and buying boats and living off the river. It sounds romantic, but McCarthy's Suttree plucks the romanticism right out of it. 

I've really been getting into historical fiction, as long as it's well-written. A few weeks ago--maybe even months, my chronological frame of reference is a bit off-kilter--Andy and I stood out by our fire in the backyard talking about literature, as we sometimes do (though he is much more versed than I am), and we talked about historical fiction, the good historical fiction. There's a lot of awful fiction out there, but Jeff & Michael Shaara's historical fiction is exactly the kind I want: realistic, well-researched, free of all the needless modern accessories that tend to slip through the cracks. I have all the Shaara books, am steadily plodding through them. I'm close to being finished with the first Civil War trilogy (there's a second Civil War trilogy in the works, the first book--Blaze of Glory, all about the Battle of Shiloh--is already out. But I haven't bought it, since it's only in hardcover right now and I prefer paperbacks. These books cover nearly every American war, though he hasn't written anything past World War II. Maybe it's just too soon for Vietnam?

The Quest hasn't been forgotten. Posts are being formulated. I won't promise when they'll be up. Could be some time yet. I want to try my best to leave no stone unturned.

Things at work have been ok. Frustrating at times, angering a lot, but there are moments amongst the stress and chaos that I realize how blessed I am to be with a coffee shop that sells good coffee, to work with people I've loved. I've always been blessed to work with great people wherever I go, but here at Tazza Mia I'm working with people who are like family to me. I like that. There may be a lot of changes in the future with staffing, but I'm pretty sure I'll be here for a while yet. At this point, one might say, I'm just along for the ride, here to see what happens. It'll probably be something similar to Bull Run. I really need to stop these Civil War references. Don't worry: once I finish The Last Full Measure, all this will be behind us.

I'm going to post this. Gather my things. Pay. And then go home to get in a knife-fight with Amos.