Finished Another Book!

How to Talk to a Widower, by Jonathan Tropper - A fantastic work of fiction. This book is completely not the genre I enjoy, but he tells a story so well. The book is entirely engrossing. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes something written really really well.

The Great Point-to-point Run

Yesterday I ran from where I live to a town 13.5 miles away by car (and 9.5 on foot), and met up with my wife for breakfast. It was the funnest, most adventurous, most exploreresque run of my life.

Armed with Google Maps walking directions, my usual supplies and four different forms of ID, I ran through various towns and stopped 8 miles into my run (only because of a blister - I *need* new sneakers!). 'Twas 1.5 miles further to the bagel shop, so I started walking, and my wife picked me up with about .3 to go.

Fun fun fun!

Finished Another Book!

How to Read the Bible, by James L. Kugel - This book forced reroutes of the synapses of my brain like none ever before. It is an 800 page cinder block that I was happy to carry around with me for precisely that reason. For 34 years I looked at the Bible one way, and from now until my last day, I'll be looking at it another way. NOT recommended for staunch believers in the 8th ikkar. You have been warned.

I Published a Book!

After three odd decades of dreaming about it and one and half years of doing it, I finally did it. I wrote a book. But not only that, I published it - big difference.

Behold the fruits of my labor:

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/bush-ii-book-i/6254252

Please click "preview" beneath the picture of the book and have a look at the first ten pages to get a feel for the material. Please enjoy and let me know what you think. If you'd like to actually buy the book, wow, that'd be gravy.

As an incentive, if you buy the book and if you live within 24,859.82[*] miles of me, then I will travel to where you live and sign the book for you.[**]

As an added incentive, if you buy the book, and you know from which movie the dedication is drawn from (viewable in the preview) and if you know from which children's book the last line in the "About the author" section is from (not viewable in the preview),[***] then when I sign the book for you, I'll also bring along a 10% discount.

Gratefully yours,

Martin (Mordechi) Bodek

[*] The circumference of the earth.

[**] Kidding! (but I will make a decent effort)

[***] WithOUT Googling!

New Year's Resolutions

Get my abs back, run NYC Marathon in 4:20, get two IT certifications, keep pace with daf yomi, pick up the pace with nach yomi, publish a book, put out surname column monthly, launch at least 4 Knish issues, read 40 books, run 300 miles, get a permanent job, go on vacation where it's sunny.