Chosen, The Lost Books-1 by Ted Dekker; 2007; Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN; 260 pages; 978-1-59554-359-2; 3/31-3/31

Ted Dekker has done it once again, I started this book this morning and had a hundred pages read before I got off the train.  I read as I walked, read on each break and at lunch, sat down and finished it when I got home.  Thomas Hunter from some of Dekkers previous books, is looking for leaders for his Forest Guard, to help fight the Horde.  Once the four are chosen for different reasons in a game of “football”, they set out on a mission to bring back a talisman.  While they are on this mission they are given another more important mission, they must use all their wits, strength and teamwork to accomplish their mission.  As they grow closer together, they vow to complete their mission.  This should take at least three more books since it is billed as a four book series.  These books tie most closely to Black, White and Red but also tie into Saint, Showdown and Skin.  It is amazing how he is able to tie so many of his books together when they are so many different genres involved.  Looking forward to reading more from Ted Dekker.  RRRR

Today is opening day for major league baseball and the San Diego Padres. Hopefully this will be the year that the Padres win the World Series. Root, root, root for your favorite team.

Hello, Dolly/Louis Armstrong/Louis Armstrong Gold. Recently I read a good book by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and was reminded how much I liked Jazz. So I added Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Cab Calloway and Ella Fitzgerald to my ipod. This is one of my favorite songs by Louis Armstrong because it showcases his singing and his horn playing.

Road Runner/Aerosmith/Honkin on Bobo. Aerosmith, Eric Clapton and the Stones are all blues based rockers. All three of them have had their tunes covered by blues musicians on Sweet Emotion, Blues Power and Paint it Blue, respectively. Honkin on Bobo is Aerosmith doing nothing but the blues in their own style. With great vocals by Steven Tyler and the band lead by Joe Perry this album is as good as any straight rock album the band has done. This album and this cut rock.

Blueberry Park/Herb Alpert & The Tijuna Brass/Whipped Cream & Other Delights. Growing up one of the delights to this album was the wonderful album cover. I have discovered in the last year that the young ladies name is Dolores Erickson, the only real whipped cream is on her head and finger, she was three months pregnant when the picture was taken and she lives in Southwest Washington. The album is a collection of songs with food titles, Whipped Cream being the most well known, because it was used as the Dating Game theme song. Blueberry Park is a nice range tempo featuring Herb Albert and his wonderful trumpet.

My Tribute (To God Be the Glory)/Andrae Crouch/Tribute-The Songs of Andrae Crouch. The album is songs written by Andrae Crouch performed by a bunch of Christian artist, who were well known when the album came out. This is the last song on the album and is Andrae fronting a choir of those artist. This is one of my all time favorite songs written by a Christian. It’s lyrics reflect how I would like to be living my life and giving all the glory to God for all that he has done.

Chris Ledoux/Amarillo by Morning/American Cowboy. The late Chris Ledoux was a country singer who could legitimately wear that cowboy hat. While he was starting out as a recording artist he was also an award winning bronc rider. Winning several national championships and selling records and cassettes from the trunk of his car. When he was namechecked by Garth Brooks in Too Young to Feel this Damm Old he became better known. Here he covers a classic George Strait tune, but in so doing makes it his own. He was a singer songwriter who died way to early when he was killed by liver cancer a couple of years ago.

Star Wars:Heir to The Empire by Timothy Zahn; 1991; 361 pages; Bantam Books, New York; 0-553-07327-3; 3/28-3/30

What happened to all of the cast of Star Wars after the celebration on the Planet Endor with the Ewoks? Five years after the destruction of the second Deathstar, the rebellion is still attempting to form a new government and some of the Imperial Forces are still trying to fight back and regain what they consider there rightful place in the galaxy. With lots of the same cast as the preceeding six chapters of movies, and some minor characters from the movies Zahn has crafted an exciting sequel to the movies. One of the exciting additions is Mara Jada, a aide to the main smuggler.  She is an former part of the Empire, she is cold and calculating and one of the best characters in the story.  I would like to see her come to life on the big screen.   I thought I would just read this one and be done with it, but it is such an exciting book that I will read the sequels to see what is in store. RRRR

On the day we moved from our apartment on SE 71st to our new home on NE 122nd we had lots of help. Andrew Rowlett helped us moved in his Jetta. Although at the end we didn’t have room for the love seat in any of the trucks or vans, so Dukkie and Drew fastened the love seat to the top of the Jetta and came over. It is a trip of a couple of miles but everything went smoothly and the love seat arrived without any problems. Right now Ruthann is setting on it eating her breakfast of tea and toast.

A Defiant Life; Thurgood Marshall and The Persistence of Racism in America by Howard Ball; Crown Publishers, Inc, New York, NY; 1998; 428 pages; 0-517-59931-7; 3/22-3/27

Now I have to do something about what I have learned.  Racism is a constant problem for many people in this country and I don’t see it because I am white and don’t experience it.

This biography and study of the life and career of Justice Thurgood Marshall really opened my eyes to the privileges of being white and the disadvantges of being a person of color in this country.  Thurgood was a defender of the poor and downtrodden in this country for his entire life, first as general counsel for the NAACP, then as solictor general of the United States and finally as an associate justice on the US Supreme Court.  It details his battles with the radically conservative members of the court, especially Justice Rehnquist.  Many of the members of the court had no idea what it was like to be on the other side of things, because many them came from rich, privleged families and had never even encountered those from a world different than their own.  Thurgood Marshall is a great role model for everyone, the world needs more advocates like him.  This is a book that I would and will strongly recommend for everyone.  RRRR