September Audiobook: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

 In September, I completed the autobiography of Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

This autobiography is masterful storytelling of Angelou's youth from her first memories until the birth of her child as a teenager. The narrative is rich with colorful words and descriptions, no doubt learned from a lifetime dedicated to reading, writing, and learning. I enjoyed so much about this book:  the rich storytelling bringing to life the sights, sounds, and emotions of the time, the expert use of language by a literary master, and the oration of a poet in her own voice for a full length novel, complete with the articulation and tone used for emphasis in each scene, just as it was.

Because the autobiography, originally written in 1969, is already widely known, I'll skip a recap. Instead, I'll explain what I got out of the book. I've always enjoyed Angelou's vibrant use of the English language. She is able to masterfully use words and phraseology from the humble to the intellectual and all of those in between. I feel like I've become a better writer, even if insignificantly, through absorbing her work. 

This book is different than those I have listened to recently. So many recently have been about an inward journey, looking inside to learn about myself, thus understanding more about perception and how the outside world appears because I see it a certain way. This book has helped me look outward at others and see them. Not differently, but help me to understand someone else. While I know that I don't truly understand them, I understand them better. It has taught me more. Not just about another individual and her perspective, but about the perspective from a collective group of people.  

Staining the Deck

 After a year our new wooden deck quickly faded from an amber yellow to the light gray of weathered drift wood. Because we were always so busy, we never properly weatherproofed it and let the original treatment suffice. 

The deck was gray except some black spots from stains where the grease trap in the grill spilled onto the deck and natural brown where we had patio furniture standing which protected the boards from the Sun and rain.  

Finally, I had put it off long enough. The teenage neighbor was asking if he could help with chores around the house in an effort to save up for a cell phone. After coming up with a few ideas, I finally purchased the supplies to stain the deck. Of course scheduling a paint or stain job this time of year is tricky since it is officially hurricane season and it rains practically on a daily basis. Fortunately, our neighbor was on summer vacation and had a flexible schedule. This would end up being his first time doing this kind of work. There were lessons learned but nothing we couldn't overcome. 

We used several gallons of Cabot oil based stain in Honey Teak. Looking back, we should have thinned the oil as it was being put down in order to make it last longer and cover the whole deck with what I purchased for the job. It was something I should have discussed with the neighbor. I ended up having to buy extra to finish the job. Lesson learned.

I decided on rolling it out instead of hand brushing. This led to a bit of uneven distribution of stain but the main purpose was to protect the wood, which it did. Next time, we'll dilute the stain like I mentioned before and that will help. The roller was very thick, which was on purpose for the coarse wood. The thick mat of the roller soaked up a lot of stain which would have come in handy at the end. 

The deck was done in sections. The gap between the boards was hand painted to get inside the space between. Because it was soooo hot, the oil was drying fast and if the space between was done first and then the rest was done with the roller, the part that was exposed and drying for a time would have become tacky when the fresh stain was rolled on. This could have caused problems with the texture. Because of that, the deck was stained in sections.

At the end, we only needed an extra quart to finish the sides, the ramp, and a patch that was laid on too thin when we tried to make the final drops last. 

The stain had a full day to dry without rain which is a miracle a typical Florida August. The next rain puddled up on top of the deck which meant the stain was doing its job. Hours later, it remained puddled while the untreated ramp had soaked up all of the water. Of course, this is why I should have done this sooner. I'm just glad that I'm finally able to get around to keeping up with the house again after taking time off since Ethan has kept us so busy. 

August Audiobook: The Seat of the Soul

 In August, I completed The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav.

As Zukav was able to explain scientific principles without the use of mathematics in an earlier, award-winning piece, he is able to explain the evolution of the collective human spirit without the use of religious dogma. 

While I took much of the philosophical statements to be the author's own, it was conveyed in an authentic manner rather than a sermon from the pulpit or that of an intellectual who has spent a lifetime curating works of others and digesting those words into a condensed version for the masses. Rather, I felt the author searched himself and sought knowledge from the lessons of his own experience. I was further engaged by his soft and pleasant voice, one of the unique benefits of audiobooks over the written page. Through this, his words came across as authentic and compelling as he illustrated the difference between external and internal power or the differences between physical and spiritual perception. 

July Audiobook: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life

My audiobook selection for July was another by Dr. Wayne Dyer. This time the book was Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life:  Living the Wisdom of the Tao.

This book focuses the entirety of its contents reviewing and digesting the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching, a text authored by Lao-tzu in ancient China 500 B.C. These principles were the foundation of Taoism and significant influence upon much of eastern philosophy and religion, specifically eastern Buddhism. Like many, many people before him, Dr. Dyer was inspired to live a peaceful, meaningful life through the teachings in the Tao Te Ching and to hold reverence for God, the Tao.

Dr. Dyer studied ten of translations of the Tao Te Ching attempting to understand its truest meaning. After contemplating each verse, he then wrote an essay on each as his interpretation of its meaning in today's world. This was followed by suggestions on how to live the teachings in modern life. 

Many of us have heard several verses of the Tao Te Ching but never knew it, and more importantly, never understood the meaning. Taoist teaching is reference over and over and over again in eastern philosophy and religion. While I was not able to feel each word or understand each verse, I was able to understand the underlying concepts of peace, love of the natural world, surrender, and flow that is spoken of so often. I'm sure I will continue to hear these concepts over and over again as I continue through life on my journey to infinity.