The Dead Fathers Club
Posted: May 24, 2011 Filed under: Book of Sand Leave a commentby Matt Haig
{ 2007 | Viking Adult | 336 pgs }
Several years ago I read a brief description of The Dead Fathers Club that went something like this: “Eleven-year-old Philip Noble receives a visit from the ghost of his father, who died in a car accident. But the ghost says it wasn’t an accident – it was murder. He introduces Philip to the Dead Fathers Club.” It also said something about Hamlet, and somehow I got it in my head that the ghost of Old Hamlet (you know, Hamlet’s murdered father) would be involved.
Actually, the book is a retelling of Hamlet itself, set in modern-day England. And it’s narrated by Philip, written with all the insight and grammatical prowess of an eleven-year-old. It wasn’t what I expected, and I’m not sure whether I liked it or not. Yes, it had a suitably vague ending, and Philip’s hesitation to exact the revenge demanded by his father is believable (maybe even more so than Hamlet’s). But…but. I can’t quite put my finger on it – I wasn’t awed by the book. Maybe it was the narration. I don’t like kids, so reading from a kid’s perspective (particularly when said kid did not use punctuation at all) got old.
That being said, I have been motivated to re-read both Hamlet and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. In an interview with Penguin, the author of The Dead Fathers Club said he doesn’t think you need to be familiar with Shakespeare’s Hamlet or to have recently read it. I disagree, based on this review by someone who I’m guessing has never read Hamlet…
Anyway, I think it’s worth a go if you like Hamlet. And if you don’t mind odd narration. Then again, if you haven’t read Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, I definitely recommend that before The Dead Fathers Club. Just my preference.
Buy The Dead Fathers Club on Amazon
Catastrophe
Posted: May 23, 2011 Filed under: Dangerous Book for Boys 2 CommentsBecause the Bwun is so fond of the big green blanket, I took it with us when we spent the night at my in-laws’ house last Thursday. We ended up staying an extra night, and leaving in a bit of a rush on Saturday. Guess what I forgot to bring back to our house?
Yeah.
The Bwun fell asleep on the drive home, which meant I was able to tuck him into bed with a different one of my favorite blankets. (I’m a martyr – what can I say?) Everything was fine until jr woke up in the middle of the night. Her crying woke the Bwun up just enough for him to realize that he was under a new blanket.
Much drama ensued.
In fact, only after the Romgi climbed into the Bwun’s bed did the Bwun finally stop sobbing, “I want my big green blanket!” According to the Romgi, several times during the night, the Bwun whimpered about the blanket. That kid is really attached, eh?
So I decided the kids and I had better go retrieve the blanket today. We managed to get it back without incident (thankfully, because Grandpa – the Bwun’s favorite, favorite person – left to run errands, sans Bwun, which would usually be An Incident) and then went to visit Krista. We even got to go out for ice cream! I thought that sounded like a good idea, but apparently the Bwun was under the impression that we were going outside to play on the swings – not go to the ice cream shop.
Much drama ensued.
Correction: the worst tantrum the Bwun has ever thrown ensued.
I’ve seen kids throw tantrums before. The Bwun doesn’t usually get too riled up; when he is upset, we can calm him down most of the time. But this! It was amazing. It was my first wrestling match. I don’t know if you know this, but the Bwun is strong. When I took him to the ER last month, it took me, the doctor, and two nurses to hold him down just to look in his throat. So trying to get him into the carseat during this tantrum when he wasn’t slowed down by sickness – what an experience!
He was still going strong as we headed to the ice cream shop. I’m a thinker, though – I offered him The Blanket. He settled down as soon as I gave it to him. When I looked back he was rubbing it on his lips (I told you he’s obsessed), little trails of tears still on his face.
I guess it’s good to have the blanket back.
Victory is Mine!
Posted: May 23, 2011 Filed under: Importance of Being Earnest 5 CommentsDo you really hate getting unsolicited advertisements over text? I do. So after a local company texted me twice in three days, I decided to do something about it. Here is the email that I sent to the customer care email address for each of the three companies. Background information: the Pass of All Passes, is a season pass that allows you go to to the local water park (Seven Peaks) and mini-golf/arcade center (Trafalga). I had never heard of Fizook before May 21.
Seven Peaks, Trafalga and Fizook Deals,
When I signed up for the “pass of all passes” I was required to give my personal information. I was not told, or made aware in any way shape or form, that I would be receiving text messages to my personal cell phone. I do not have unlimited texting and I am charged $0.20 for each text you send to my phone. http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/messaging-internet/messaging/faq.jsp
The first text was sent at 11:11 AM on Saturday, May 21 and had the message:
Trafalga Pass of All Pass Holders- Special VIP Offer, $10 Bucks Gets You An Appetizer, Combo Meal & A $10 Playcard. Learn More/Buy It Now @ www.fizookdeals.com
The second message was send at 4:29 Monday, May 23 and contained the following:
Trafalga Customers Last Chance For- Special VIP Offer $10 Bucks Gets You An Appetizer, Combo Meal & A $10 Playcard. Learn More/Buy It Now @ www.fizookdeals.com
I will be as clear as possible. I do not want your texts. Do not send me your unsolicited and unwanted text messages. Remove all of my contact information from your systems. I do not wish to receive text messages from either of your companies ever again. If the world is burning down and you are the only people in the world with access to text messaging, do not text me. If your very life depends on being able to text me, do not text me. I do not care one bit about your deals, sales, or promotions. In fact, this whole ordeal has ensured that I will never purchase anything from either of your two companies.
I consider this a gross abuse of my personal information. What makes it worse is that this was done without my consent. While writing this I ran across an interesting case. Are you aware that Payless Shoes recently had a class action lawsuit filed against it for a similar practice? http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/10/30/Spam.pdf The different between text advertising and other forms of advertisement is that I am directly forced to pay for your advertisement.
Here is a simple list of what I want. I have tried to make this as absolutely simple as possible:
1) I want my name (Romgi the Enigma) and phone number (XXX-XXX-XXXX) removed from any and all advertising databases at Seven Peaks, Trafalga, and Fizook Deals
2) I do not want to ever receive a text message from either Seven Peaks, Trafalga or Fizook Deals in the future
3) I do not want to ever get a text message from any of the subsidiaries or affiliates of Seven Peaks, Trafalga, or Fizook Deals
If your reply to this email does not address and promise those three things, I will send an itemized bill for each of the text message I have received. If I have not received a response to this email within 10 business days (Monday, June 6, 2011), I will consider this a refusal to respond and I will send an itemized bill for each of the text messages I have received. If you refuse the pay the bill within 30 days, I will begin the process of filing a lawsuit to recover damages under 47 U.S.C. 227 titled “Restrictions on Use of Telephone Equipment” http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/47/5/II/I/227 . Please note that this federal law prohibits unsolicited advertisements being sent to a person’s telephone. Yes, I am talking about a total of $0.40 of damages, but I am tired of companies such as you costing me money. I have had enough.
Best regards,
The Romgi
I sent that email today around 5:34 and I received a reply at 7:44. I was a bit surprised to get such a quick response. I was sure they would dilly-dally for days before getting back to me.
Romgi,
You have been removed from the Trafalga/Seven Peaks/Fizook Deals Databases.
Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
If for any reason you receive a text/email from fizook deals ever again in the future please contact me directly as this should not happen.
[Redacted]
Senior VP of Sales & Marketing
Apparently, the email went from “customer care” up the ranks to the VP quite quickly! I will forever cherish this small victory.
Jarom
Mika
hilleries 