Started reading Nikos Kazantzakis’ Last Temptation of Christ. I’m only up to chapter ten. I didn’t care for the movie too much; I don’t know that I care for the book. Kazantzakis knows little to nothing about first century Palestinian history, and it shows. Jesus comes across as a confused kid who doesn’t know how to deal with his divinity, so his solution is to resist it. He sounds much more like Jeremiah than Jesus.
The book is supposed to be an exploration of how the human and divine come together in Jesus, but as it usually happens in books of this sort, it’s an exploration of the author’s superstitions and limited frame of mind. But at least Kazantzakis isn’t annoying like Salman Rushdie.
Also started reading Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. Good advice about staying positive and avoiding conflict. Too bad conflicts can sometimes be so fun.
Speaking of which, lately the hall has been smelling too much like an unholy combination of Tag™ and ass. There is a rumor going around that the women in one of the nearby halls are going to invade and prank us, so some of the lads have decided to post themselves as sentries in the hall. With their mattresses.
Now, a sleeping sentry isn’t much of a sentry… and ladies, if any of you decide to invade the hall one such night with water balloons, I will be just as amused as you are.
Kool-Aid balloons are even more funny.