Friday, December 12, 2008

I don't know how people lived in Maine before electricity.

The company that became Central Maine Power began only 110 years ago, in 1899, and did not offer widespread service -- as the Central Maine Power Company -- until 1910. Even now, it's relatively easy to move "off the grid" in Maine -- that is, to move to a place where the power lines don't go.

I cannot imagine what that's like, and I don't want to.

The sun rose today at 6:33, and will set promptly at 4:00 p.m.; dusk will start a little after 3:00. I'm typing this with a 150-watt bulb blasting over my shoulder, and lights are on in three rooms of my five-room apartment.

We're having a real live ice storm; it started as snow yesterday, but is now a vile mix of sleet and freezing rain. It's pretty on the trees, but it won't be pretty if branches start falling and pulling down power lines.

Fortunately, I got a high-intensity headlamp -- the kind spelunkers use -- for my birthday. Thanks, Anna and Jen!

What I Read This Week

Steve Martin, BORN STANDING UP. I listened to this as an unabridged audiobook, read by the author; I wished it was longer. It's a frank, insightful memoir of Martin's career as a stand-up comedian that should be required reading for anyone who wants to make a living in a creative field.

Willy Vlautin, NORTHLINE. The topic of discussion at John Connolly's online book club this month; I'd have read it anyway, as it was a gift. The spare, powerful story of how 22-year-old Allison Johnson flees not only an abusive boyfriend but also her own destructive self, with the help of friends real and imaginary. The book comes with a CD of original music that serves as a soundtrack, and both are beautiful.

Richard Price, LUSH LIFE. A robbery-shooting on the Lower East Side of Manhattan may not be what it seems; as Detective Matty Clark investigates, he can't escape his own failings and he can't fight the flaws of the system. Not Price's strongest book, but even second-tier Price is better than almost everyone else.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW! You have a five room apartment?? I have room envy.

Richard B.

Ellen Clair Lamb said...

Two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. I don't know if the bathroom counts as a separate room, but it has a door.

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed Born Standing Up. I'm a huge fan of Steve Martin's films and I thought his book was much better than Chevy Chase's.

I'm planning on starting the Vlautin book as soon as I finish Deaths in the Grand Canyon-it's amazing how otherwise intelligent people will fail to listen to the advice of trail guides and experts when planning to hike in the Grand Canyon.

Ellen Clair Lamb said...

Chevy Chase wrote a book?

Anonymous said...

Well, someone wrote a book about Chevy Chase, but they just made a mess of it. They tried too hard to get every little detail of his life in it.