Still Pumped From Using the Mouse

We all have that one book that no matter how much we enjoyed it, it takes forever to finish. Not because we hated the book (I had already mentioned we enjoyed it.) Nor because we wanted to savor it, because we don't want it to end because we love it so much. Instead I'm talking about the book that for one reason or another, we misplaced it. 

It could have been because we had to stop reading after getting sick and just not felt like reading. Or we packed it to take with us on a trip and when we got home, we forgot to unpack our bag of reading materials. Or it could be because you had to move the bed and accidentally put the book in your pile of books to sell back at one of your favorite used bookstores. In my case, when it comes to this collection of Dilbert comic strips, I actually did all 3!

I started this book almost 2 years ago. I got a really bad flu and my head and eyes hurt so much that I replaced reading (and pretty much everything else) with sleeping. Then I took this with me to read during a trip to DC for our 25th anniversary and somehow put a whole bag of books in the closet, forgetting that it existed for almost 6 months! Then around after the holidays, I made the mistake of putting this collection in a pile of books I was going to take for exchange for some valuable trade credit. Good thing I looked through the pile before I took it in or I would have sold it without completing.

I know that Dilbert creator Scott Adams has come under fire for some very controversial political statements in recent years. That's not why it took me forever to finish it. I just kept losing this book. Heck, I'm still not even sure how I wound up with this book in the first place.

Still Pumped From Using the Mouse is the 4th collection of Dilbert comic strips. Published all the way back in 1996, the cartoons were from 1994-95. Despite being 30 years old plus, I felt like the subjects were even more topical today. Work-life balance, corporate jargon and buzzwords, efficiency and the dangers of dating in the workplace (though way more humorous here) are covered here and I reality I couldn't tell if Dilbert's office was operating in the 90s or the 2020s. There's a week's worth of strips where a little girl blames the previous generation about failure to save the earth for her peers that could have been about Greta Thunberg if published today. And don't get me started on Dilbert's pet Dogbert. His attempts to enslave the populace via technology just screams how pervasive the Internet has become in our lives, especially through social media and influencers. 

Well, I finally finished this book. NOW I can add it to my stack of books to sell for another round of trade credit. It was funny and very relevant, despite being decades old. It just proves how brilliant the comedic mind of Scott Adams is, no matter how much you might disagree with his most recently troubling comments and views.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Been Slammed...

Folks, It's happened again! I've been slammed at work and when I get home I crash. Yesterday was the place where I am contracted out's Thanksgiving celebration. Over the past several days, I have had to prep 16 turkeys, make over 100lbs of stuffing, cook up 20 gallons of gravy, and whip  up countless gallons of stock from scratch. That's on top of all of my other duties at work like running the breakfast line and grill and inventory. 

So, that ate into my down time because as soon as I got home, I would crash on the bed.

Well, things have slowed down again so I should be able to start reading and reviewing again in the next day or two.

Sorry for the delay...

Sincerely, One Overworked Madman

I'm Still Here...

 

   Folks, I've not blogged in forever this week, but it's not because I've stopped Madman With a Book. In my secret identity, I'm an ill-tempered sous chef in corporate catering. (There are no mild-mannered chefs- it's a myth.) Taking this into account, work has been killer. 

   My head chef's been out this week, so I am the chef on duty. We've had double caterings all week and about 30-extra at lunch. Being a man down, this wipes you out. 

   Then last night, I worked double shifts, doing security at the John Cleese/ Eric Idle show. Being a Madman isn't cheap you know. While getting greeted by them was great and it was lots of fun, you just can't blog while on the job folks. 

   Plus, added to all this extra work, I got a call on Monday for a job interview teaching culinary- my dream job. But you just don't walk into a job interview for culinary empty handed. I had to build up my portfolio again. That meant finding my letters of recommendation, printing photos of food, organizing menus, recipes, etc. It's a lot of extra work. Work that's worth it, but it keeps you from doing other things like writing reviews, reading books, or other things you do to pass the time. 

    But things should quiet down a bit. That means I'll be back writing, reviewing, and READING in no time. I should be able to get my last Halloween Family Comic Friday out tomorrow. But I will not have another spooky kids book to review in time for trick-or-treating. Sorry. But stay tuned, I've got a couple of books in my cubby reading to get read and that can only add to your reading list for next year.

   Thanks for understanding and Happy Reading...