A Word of Explanation

Submitted by scott on Mon, 04/22/2013 - 14:32
I saw he meant business
PREFACE

The ungentle laws and customs touched upon in this tale are historical, and the episodes which are used to illustrate them are also historical. It is not pretended that these laws and customs existed in England in the sixth century; no, it is only pretended that inasmuch as they existed in the English and other civilizations of far later times, it is safe to consider that it is no libel upon the sixth century to suppose them to have been in practice in that day also.

The Death of Jean

Submitted by scott on Thu, 04/18/2013 - 12:07

This was recorded on November 29, 2011. It was more difficult to read than I had anticipated but I think it does represent to essence of the essay

The death of Jean Clemens occurred early in the morning of December 24, 1909. Mr. Clemens was in great stress of mind when I first saw him, but a few hours later I found him writing steadily.

Tom Sawyer: Chapter 6

Submitted by scott on Tue, 04/16/2013 - 20:20
Sid

It's Monday and Tom must return to school.  Contemplating a number of ploys to get out from going end up costing him a loose tooth.  We are introduced to Huckleberry Finn.    

Tom Sawyer: Chapter 5

Submitted by scott on Sun, 04/14/2013 - 13:17
The Preacher

Tom goes to church and can barely tolerate it.  He does find some relief in a small treasure he carries, a pinch bug.    

Tom Sawyer: Chapter 4

Submitted by scott on Sat, 04/13/2013 - 13:48
Up a tree

Tom has managed to collect enough Sunday School tickets to win a bible despite the fact that he can barely recall a single verse.  This chapter ends with a tantalizing cliff hanger on just how deal with Tom's apparent achievement of stowing away thousands of such verses.    

Tom Sawyer: Chapter 3

Submitted by scott on Fri, 04/12/2013 - 10:50
Becky Thatcher

Tom falls in love with the new girl in town, Becky Thatcher.  He is wrongly accused of breaking the sugar bowl and goes off in a morose mood to contemplate drowning "all at once and unconciously, without undergoing the uncomfortable routine devised by nature".    

Tom Sawyer: Chapter 2

Submitted by scott on Thu, 04/11/2013 - 10:15
Jim

This chapter contains the famous fence white-washing scene.  This leads to the great philosophical discovery that work is what one is obliged to do and play is what one is not obliged to do. 

Garbage collection in the San Fernando Valley

Submitted by scott on Sun, 01/27/2013 - 14:20

When I was a kid, growing up in Reseda, garbage collection was much more freeform than it is today. We had several oil drums that we used as garbage cans. My father managed a Standard Oil station and later had his own Chevron service station. For yard clippings, our front yard was basically ivy, we just stuffed it into one of the cans. 

Ambitions, Goals and Gilded Cages

Submitted by scott on Fri, 01/04/2013 - 10:41

I have previously written about my lack of adequate career orientation in high school and subsequent lack of preparation for college. Well, I went to college anyway. The closest community college to home, Los Angeles Pierce College. I thought it was a good school but one thing I noticed in retrospect was that I learned nothing about doing research. After two and one half years and some time at West Valley Occupational Training, learning about refrigerators and air conditioning, I enrolled at San Fernando Valley State College.

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