Taking a break from my break from blogging

The sky somewhere on the way to Florida

Well, it happened sooner than expected but I suppose it was inevitable – a precipitous decline in blogging as the realities of the summer come smashing against computer time. I’ve still been working plus I spent four days in Florida, four days in Vermont, and 24 hours in New York since my last post. When there are swimming pools and watering holes and very important parties to attend, hanging out on WordPress isn’t a top priority. Oh, did I mention that we’re moving again in just over a week? Yeah, exactly. Other priorities.

That said, I’m here typing since Dan is working on his boat. I try to give him space on the weekends we’re in town since he is incredibly close to being done. In fact, tomorrow may be Walrus 3‘s maiden voyage….

In addition to traveling and working, I managed to read two very interesting books – Imperial Reckoning: The Untold Story of Britain’s Gulag in Kenya by Caroline Elkins and In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz: Living on the Brink of Disaster in Mobutu’s Congo by Michela Wrong (who also wrote It’s Our Turn to Eat). You know, leisure reading. As I’m still recovering from my trip to New York, the sole purpose of which was to attend a party, I don’t feel like I have the mental capacity to discuss either book in detail but I will say that I found Imperial Reckoning shocking. In the decade after World War II, the British colonial government in Kenya – with help from local settlers and loyalists – systematically displaced, imprisoned, tortured, and killed members of the Kikuyu tribe. Up to 300,000 Kikuyu were killed and approximately 1.5 million interned, all overseen by a country that went to war against the Nazis and railed against the Soviet gulag. This gross hypocrisy plus the unbridled sadism in full display throughout the prisons and camps was distressing and disgusting, and it proved yet another sad example of the devastation wrought by colonialism.

As you might imagine, In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz wasn’t any more uplifting, although Wrong is a fantastic writer and I was happy to follow her to the Congo in this book since I don’t see myself heading there in person any time soon. One thing that I’ve really enjoyed about the two books I’ve read by Wrong is her ability to tell a story and draw you into the people and places she writes about. I feel like I’ve gotten to know Kenya and the Congo a little better thanks to her, and this has helped lay the groundwork for exploring other books about the region.

Well, that’s about all I’ve got for now. Dan’s almost ready for our date but I’ll leave you with a few random pics. Cheers!

Since I took this picture a few days ago, Dan has finished skinning his boat, coating it in polyurethane, and adding additional molding

Speaking of boats, there were plenty in Tarpon Springs, Florida

Dan and his grandfather

Ah, Brooklyn. So fun to hang out in your coffee shops and listen to good music while working.

Tags: Africa, Blogging, Boat, Books, Britain, Brooklyn, Coffee, Colonialism, Congo, Florida, Kenya, Moving, New York, Pictures, Travel, Vermont, WordPress, Work