Monday May 19, 2008 7:00 am Edmonton, Alberta

This page last updated on: Thursday, May 22, 2008 3:26 PM

It is +9 C with a high forecast of +22 C. Sunrise 5:27 Sunset 21:34 Hours of daylight: 16:05

A. Morning Musings

Today is a holiday. Tomorrow we return to Lethbridge.

I began, and finished, the short book "The Tao of Writing" last evening. I will write a few notes on it this morning and then select my next book.

Today should be one of relaxation. The various little chores have been completed, the sky is blue, and we have nothing scheduled. Heaven. The coffee (Tim Horton's) has just been poured from the plunger. It is time to begin doing very little.

Learning Category	Planned Activities for Today	Time
Literature	Begin morning with a Rumi reading
Literature	Begin reading "And God Created Manyberries" by Ron Wood	1 hr
Puzzles & Games	New York Times crossword puzzles	1 hr
Technology	Upgrade Firefox to version 3	1 hr

B. Actual Learning Activities

7:30 am

The Tao of Writing

Ralph L. Wahlstrom

I bought this book as a result of a quick skim which happened to fall on a page about journal writing. I thought I might get a few good ideas on how I might improve these web pages.

No such luck. I was very disappointed in the book. It does a very poor job of providing a Taoist perspective, even though it has numerous quotes from the Tao Te Ching. I am also not sure that it would help one learn to write. The book focuses heavily on the problem of writer's block for beginning writers and has little to offer beyond that.

The basic message is to go with the flow: to simply begin writing and then let it carry you along.

I would rate this as only 2 out of 5.

Tags: philosophy, writing, journals

I have picked "And God Created Manyberries" by Ron Wood for my next book. This is a collection of short stories with a humorous slant to Canadian politics and life. It promises to be a fun ride.