And we won't shop at Sagor's no more...

Last weekend, I attended a memorial service of sorts.

It was held to commemorate the legacy of Sagors' Book Store, a local independent shop that has just closed its doors after ~40 years of operation.

Someone wrote a couple songs about the demise of this cherished business. One song was sung to the tune of 'So long, it's been good to know you', it is still running through my head. The picture above shows the 'folkie' roots of many of the attendees, singing/mourning in unison.

The mood in the room was pretty sad. I was hoping for a celebration of the store but instead it was a decidedly sombre event. A sign of the times, Sagors' is likely a casualty of the transition from physical to digital media.

I am glad I got a chance to say good bye.

So long, Sagors'. It's been great to know you.

Books that changed my life

(Jan. 5, '08) Greetings Cool Tools readers! I owe Kevin Kelly for all the traffic this post and link on Cool Tools has garnered over the months.

While here, please check out my pictures of:
brake burns (aka burnouts, brodies, brake stands, etc.)
truck tractors
surfing
and, my church supper/fireman's breakfast/luncheon and tea reviews

Here's the original post, enjoy!:

Inspired by Kevin Kelly's recent blog post about books that changed his life, here is my list:

• Total Loss Farm (and eventually everything by Raymond Mungo)--helped me get in touch with my folks' Back to the Land roots
• Living the Good Life--see above, can't remember which one I read first...inspired me to keep living in the sticks!
• Earth by David Brin--amazing. how come all the sci fi i read is coming true?
• Mother of Storms by John Barnes--see above, it's coming true....made me feel like i knew what was coming...
• Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson--pretty much everything by him as well. it's like he's the voice of my times....made me feel 'at home' in this modern world.
• Forest Primeval by Chris Maser--gave me a new understanding for forest ecology
• Clay's Ark by Octavia E. Butler--what can i say, she is a genius, also expanded my mind when it came to gender
• The Marketplace by Laura Antoniou--shocked me at times, and...you know.
• The Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson--made me realize i was not the only weirdo out there
• T.A.Z. and Immediatism by Hakim Bey--One of the first books I read as an adult that really resonated with me politically and socially
• Soft Tech by Co-Evolution Quarterly--because it just made sense!