He who reads opens himself to the Universe; he who does not is blind to it. (Author Unknown)

We are all made up of many substances—not just the chemistry of our bodies, but the stuff that is inside that thing we call the brain. We are a mixture of things taught to us by our parents, teachers, clergy, friends, relatives, neighbors, and all those with whom we have come in contact. We also have had impressed into our brains the sum total of what we have read all of our lives. We think we are original thinkers, but the people and words that we have encountered throughout our lives have affected the way we think and the way we behave.

In the arts, Cubism is an illustration of the components we are made of, the bits and pieces of information or philosophy that has sunk into our brains never to be removed. Your first teacher, your first boss may have said things to you that you didn’t want to hear, didn’t want to know, and didn’t want to remember. Yet those opinions are part of you, hidden far within, perhaps, but coming to the surface unexpectedly.

Reading is a way of learning. The more we read, the more we know, the more we are receptive to the great wealth of knowledge that exists in the world. We should not be learning simply from the environment that surrounds us. While we can’t escape our environment, we need to be flexible enough to expand it.. We are born knowing nothing; we learn as we go. Each one of us is a do-it-yourself project.

The world of books is fascinating, because like it or not, even the most pristine or objective writer puts parts of his/her own personal thoughts, ideas, philosophies, and experiences into his/her books. Thus if we read, we live many lives, have many adventures, and many experiences. Some books are so beloved that we go back to them again and again, as if the people in them are old friends. That’s why favorite books end up on shelves, never to leave until the owner must move or die. 

Blessed is he or she who reads. A reader will never be alone; a reader will never be lonely; a reader will never want to see the end of life, because to him or her, life is a constant adventure. 

Some of us—and I am one of them—who are bookaholics must have a book to read every day. It is not just enjoyment, it is enlightenment. When we walk into a book, we walk into a doorway that is someone's life. And that person becomes a friend.

It was once my job as a bookseller to skim about 500 books a year; but it was not just a job, it was also my education. Those who don’t particularly like to read do not understand this. But we readers do not care. Our friends are legion.

Where Do You Find Good Conversation?

Blogs are created by people who have something to get off their chests, but no forum in which to do it.

Do people actually talk to each other these days?

I live in an area in which the residents are really nice people--friendly, considerate, helpful, kind, and always pleasant. No one passes without saying hello or "good morning." Doors are held, elevators are held up, someone will always reach for your parcels if you are carrying too many. But conversations? Seldom, if ever. Conversations consist of comments about the weather--too hot, too cold, too rainy. But real conversations, about issues that matter? Where can you find those? Not in my building.

The only conversation I have with my contemporaries these days is so superficial that it bores me to listen to them, and bores me more to listen to myself. There is never anything of any consequence that they say to me, and I'd feel like an idiot if I tried to say something of importance to them.

What do you think of Don't Ask Don't Tell? Huh? This is legislation that is life-changing to millions of people in America, and maybe in the world, and if I mention it to anyone, what I get is a blank stare.

What I can't say in conversation I propose to say here. I think President Obama was right to negotiate an across-the-board tax cut. If we don't appease the zillionaires, we cripple the entire nation. After all, what's really true about our so-called democratic society is that it is not really democratic, nor has it ever been. The elite are the royals and the rest of us are the peons. We exist to serve them. If we don't, we pay. Mr. Obama knows this. I admire him more than I've ever admired anyone in my life. He's educated, smart, intuitive, decent, honest, sincere, and a damn good Joe. He is also a superb politician. He controls his emotions, keeps his motives to himself, and acts to benefit all of us. It bothers me that there are so many people who are willing to criticize him, and so many people who have personal political motives, that it doesn't matter to them that their remarks are traitorous.

I am thrilled that the bill was passed for the First Responders. These were the firefighters who entered the buildings on 9/11. They risked their lives to pull out of the rubble anyone who was still alive, and many who were dead. Would you or I do it? Could we? These heroes deserve honor and rewards. They've been too long in coming.

The START Treaty is possibly the most important factor in our lives today. We've been living on the brink of extinction for the past fifty years, and most of us don't know it. This is a treaty that President Obama signed with Russia to limit the number of strategic arms we both maintain. If I had my way, no nation would stockpile any arms at all; but we know this won't happen. I'm proud of our President for doing this.

As far as I am concerned, those who enter this or any country illegally are in a state of desperation. All they want is a decent, safe place to live and a way to feed their kids. Why would we want to punish their kids when they were brought here before they knew anything about anything? I'm definitely for the DREAM Act.

I'm also for any privileges and rights that gays can manage to garner for themselves. None of us has any control over the place, condition, and way we were born. We are what we are. There is no question of right or wrong. I believe in equal rights for everyone, no matter who they are, where they live, whatever life style they choose, or whatever color their skin might be. I would never short change any human being. We are all controlled by the forces of Nature. That's quite enough control. Let us not tell other people how to live. 

All of these topics are of the utmost importance to all of us, whether we are aware of them or not, but the people I run into every day wouldn't know it. Nor would they care. They live in cocoons of their own making. Newspapers? Magazines? The Internet? MSNBC? Nah. Being indifferent to what is happening does not make it go away. Ignoring important issues won't make them disappear. Putting our heads in the sand means only that when the worst happens, we're in for one hell of a surprise and we have no one to blame but ourselves if we don't get involved. Who runs this blinking country, anyway? Don't we, when we vote?

I'm so starved for a decent, intelligent conversation that sometimes I think I will burst. Don't suggest clubs, volunteerism, organizations. Been there, done that. Nada.

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