January 22, 2003
I'm feeling much more cheerful, and quite a bit less mature, not coincidentally, than I felt on Saturday. The angry mail I had waiting for me at work (related to day-job stuff, in case you're wondering) blew into a short, brush-fire style flame war, which in turn resulted in my vindication at the hands of a pair of VPs.In short, although I got all angry and allowed myself to be dragged into a shouting match, it turns out that I was every bit as right as I thought I was, and I'm got to say "I told you so."
The fact that this has me feeling giddy just goes to show how addicting corporate politics can be. If someone could turn THAT into a computer game they'd make millions off of immature adults like me who fancy themselves as rich and powerful, while at the same time promulgating petty, emotionally impoverished sorts of behaviors.
(I'm allowed to make sweeping generalizations like that as long as I include myself in the category. Just so you know.)
I finished a couple of books this weekend. Ender's Shadow, which has been recommended to me several times, turned out to be a much better, much more fulfilling work than I expected. If you've read Ender's Game, and whether or not you enjoyed the sequels, you should put this "companion work" (not really a sequel) on your "must read" list.
Saucer, which was the only remotely interesting thing I could find at the airport bookstore on the way home, turned out to be shallow action/wish-fulfillment, with some science holes in it you could pilot a whole FLEET of flying saucers through. The best part about the book (yes, I'm going to spoil it for you) is the bit at the end where the U.S.A.F. general who has been advocating military strikes to destroy the saucer in spite of the technological marvels it may hold, finally admits that he doesn't need ANOTHER one, and makes reference to Roswell. I actually chuckled out loud. Unfortunately, that one gag does not make the book worth your purchase, much less your time.
Why, then, is it all best-seller-ish on those airport concourses? Mostly because the average traveller is someone who will actually be challenged by the book. What I said is that it's not worth YOUR time -- you, someone with the taste enough to read not only Schlock Mercenary daily, but also the depth of character to peruse the mad ramblings of its creator.
Of course, by flattering YOU, all I'm really doing is boosting my own ego. How mature is that?