Book Report #2

Yes, it really does take me this long to finish a book, especially when you throw in the holidays. Yet another reason that I've never activated my library card. Too much pressure.


I've probably mentioned that my friend James has two blogs, the normal family one, and then the cool green-techie blog, Insource/Outsource. One post on that blog inspired me to read "The World Without Us" by Alan Weisman.

Let's set a couple of things straight at the beginning. I do not consider myself to be a very "green" person. I don't recycle, I use plastic bags at the grocery store, and I pretty much avoid anything organic. There are lots of reasons for all of these things, but I just bring it up so you know this isn't a preachy "save the world" kind of post. And "The World Without Us" isn't a preachy kind of book, either. Here's the premise for the entire book: Tomorrow, all humans are gone. It doesn't matter why, whether it's global warming, the second coming of Jesus Christ, or an alien invasion. We're just gone. What happens then?

Weisman's approach to answering this question is very scientific and journalistic, which is one of the reasons that I liked the book. He considers everything from our transportation network, to our architecture, to the oceans, to our art, down to the way we're buried. He interviews experts in these areas, and then paints excellent pictures of exactly what the world would be like without us.

So what's the prognosis? To sum it up, we do a lot of things that have changed the earth forever. Many of our plastics will never break down, and our nuclear waste buried around the world will be one of our longest lasting legacies. But you know what? Our ancestors left legacies that have lasted just as long, like hunting "super-mammals" to extinction and migrating around the earth. I'm not saying these actions are equal, but I think it's important to remember that we're not the first generation to have an impact on the earth. Has anything on Earth ever stayed the same for very long, geologically speaking? No. Change is inevitable, and we all adapt.

The thing that struck me most after reading this book is just how insignificant we are. Mother Nature doesn't really care about us that much. If we go away, she'll keep on trucking. Plants and animals will adapt to survive to whatever we've left behind. Some animals, like birds, will probably be better off. There are some striking examples, such as nature's reclamation of the dead zone around Chernobyl, that left me in awe of the power of different species to evolve. Will every species survive? No. But that's evolution and the way nature works. Should we do what we can to make life easier for the planet? Yes. Is that always practical and easy? No.

If you're thinking of reading this book, be ready for some sections of heavy scientific text. It's not your traditional page-turner, but a great book if you're looking for something to stimulate your brain and really make you think about your surroundings and your actions. Weisman also has a cool website with some great graphics and animations to complement the book.

Next on deck: not sure yet. I'm still reading "The Ultimate Question," but that's more of a work book so I'm not going to bore you with the details of that one. I've ordered a couple books based on recommendations from Artie Isaac, the head of an ad agency I did business with at Nationwide. We'll see how those go...

Reason #47 why James' blog is better than mine.

You must check out this post.

Bring on the steak.

Lauren's menu is about to get a lot more variety. Over the past 5 days or so, her first molars have broken through.



Along with the molars came a fever of 102.6 on Saturday, but that was short-lived. I knew something wasn't quite right when she just wanted to sit on my lap and cuddle. Lauren's not a cuddler. It came and went though, and now she's back to her normal self. Of course it feels like the second molars are on their way, too, as well as her canines. At this rate, she'll have a full mouth of teeth by the end of February.

UPDATE: We actually did have steak for dinner. On the grill. In January. It's funny how 45 degrees feels like 75 in the winter. Anyways, Lauren still wasn't having it. Although she LOVED raw onions.

UPDATE #2: Lauren just had to have some of my leftover steak and mashed potatoes last night. No onions, though.

Leaving on a jet plane.

I'm on the road once again. I've gone to at least one different state a month for the last 3 months. This time it's off to Raleigh, NC. I've never been there, and I'm hoping for some warmer weather since it is south of Columbus. The Weather Channel tells me it should be in the upper 40's, which is a definite improvement on the upper 20's we're experiencing here.

In other news, the Bileks are now officially out of credit card debt. I thought the day would never come. I can't explain how great it feels to have the weight of all our past purchases lifted from my shoulders.

Finally, Lauren is still Lauren: goofy, silly and generally happy. She has two more teeth on the top, and it looks like Mt. Everest and Mt. Ranier are going to erupt from her bottom gums. She goes for her 16-month well child visit next week, so we'll see if she's still on track to be a 6 foot tall kindergartener.

No, we didn't eat the stew.

Ack. James pointed out that it's now been over a month since I've posted anything. I go from trying to post every day for a month to not posting at all. The latter was much easier, I must say. The holidays have been crazy, and we've been traveling, so this just slipped to the bottom of the list. I promise to give more updates, but for now, just know that we're alive, well, and settling back into our normal routine. More to come (including Christmas pictures) later...