So it goes...

I'm sure everyone has seen that Kurt Vonnegut died today. I figured I should be mentioned him because this wouldn't be much of a blog if I didn't acknowledge the passing of one of the great writers and thinkers of the last fifty years.

One of the best experiences of my life was sitting in the audience at Spirit Square for about an hour listening to Kurt Vonnegut speak. This happened back in the early 90's before some of you were even born. I remember telling my friends afterwards that I felt I had sat in the presence of a truly wise person for the first time in my life. A remark that probably would have given him fits of laughter since to him man was anything but a wise animal.

I was thrilled by his appearance on The Daily Show last year. I almost cheered when he said that George Bush was not the stupidest person in the White House and that the honor when to the Secretary of Defense, Rumsfeld. He was witty and funny. Definitely showing his age but he was all there.

I would recommend his collection of essays Fates Worse than Death to anyone that may have trouble getting into his novels. It's the same philosophy, just packaged in a manner that is easier to digest.