2019.03.14 13:00 - New Books and Squeaky Voices

The Guardian for this meeting was Agatha Macbeth. The comments are by Agatha Macbeth.

Bleu Oleander's current display-name is "Bleu".
Bleu Oleander: hey Riddle :)
Riddle Sideways: hey
Riddle Sideways: likey the new ice rink
Riddle Sideways: looks like a good party place
Bleu Oleander: hi Aggers :)
Agatha Macbeth: Hello Bleu & Rid
Bleu Oleander: thanks!
Riddle Sideways: Hey Ag
Agatha Macbeth: Someone has been building I see :)
Bleu Oleander: yeo :)
Bleu Oleander: yep
Almadi Masala: 's current display-name is "Alma di Masala".
Bleu Oleander: thought we might need a party place :)
Riddle Sideways: Hey Alma
Agatha Macbeth: Thought I was in the wrong place when I landed :p
Bleu Oleander: hi Alma
Agatha Macbeth: Hello Alma welcome
Riddle Sideways: often think that
Almadi Masala: hi Riddle, Bleu, Agatha
Bleu Oleander: its always the right place when you land!
Riddle Sideways: wherever you are
Agatha Macbeth: Ha
Riddle Sideways: there you are
Bleu Oleander: !!
Agatha Macbeth: Hi Tu
Riddle Sideways: Hey Tura
Bleu Oleander: hi Tura :)
Tura Brezoianu: hi all
--BELL--1.00
Agatha Macbeth: Wonder if anyone else is coming
Riddle Sideways: hmmm, gobbled up lunch to quick
Riddle Sideways: all gone

And so to books...

Agatha Macbeth: So about our new book then
Agatha Macbeth: First up what's it going to be?
Tura Brezoianu: I have the Puett and the Slingerland books, and I'm more inclined towards Slingerland.
Agatha Macbeth: Which is that one?
Almadi Masala: is that the one on trying not to try?
Bleu Oleander: either is ok with me
Tura Brezoianu: He's certainly more watchable on video, I can't stand Puett's squeaky voice.
Agatha Macbeth: :p
Bleu Oleander: its probably better to choose based on content, not voice :P
Agatha Macbeth: I would agree :)
Bleu Oleander: both seem very professorial to me
Tura Brezoianu: Are there other books to consider?
Agatha Macbeth: No voice from a book
Agatha Macbeth: I think we narrowed it down to what Bleu and Stormy suggested
Bleu Oleander: Slingerland was added too
Bleu Oleander: and both seem good to discuss
Agatha Macbeth: Oh so three?
Bleu Oleander: I (and Storm) had suggested the Puett book
Agatha Macbeth: Ah
Bleu Oleander: so only 2 books to consider atm
Agatha Macbeth: So 3 people, 2 books :p
Bleu Oleander: yep :P
Bleu Oleander: I could through in many more, but then we'd have too many ha ha!
Agatha Macbeth: And Tura prefers the Slingerland one
Agatha Macbeth: Anyone else have any prefs?
Almadi Masala: I like that one too
Bleu Oleander: either ok for me
Almadi Masala: both look interesting
Agatha Macbeth: I'm good with both too (since I don't know either)
Bleu Oleander: a comparison of the books is interesting for me since I've already read Puett
Agatha Macbeth wonders about Riddle
Almadi Masala: I like the paradox of trying not to try :)
Agatha Macbeth: Ha
Bleu Oleander: Wester is here, who suggested Slingerland
Riddle Sideways: Riddle is off looking at the books in Google
Agatha Macbeth: Good plan
Riddle Sideways: Slingerland is a Drum kit company
Agatha Macbeth: 0.0
Almadi Masala: badaboom!
Agatha Macbeth: Rimshot!
Agatha Macbeth: Hi Wester!
Bleu Oleander: waves hi to Wester :)
Agatha Macbeth: Good to see you again
Wester Kiranov: hi
Riddle Sideways: Hi Wester
Agatha Macbeth: We were just deciding between the Puett and Slingerland books
Agatha Macbeth: Do you have a preference Wester?
Wester Kiranov: thats what i came for
Agatha Macbeth nods
Bleu Oleander: :D
Wester Kiranov: i admit i don't know much about puett but i do love slingerland
Agatha Macbeth: I admit I don't know much about either
Bleu Oleander: what do you love about it?
Agatha Macbeth: Slingerland makes me think of slumberland
Wester Kiranov: one thing that i like about slingerland is he handles the text by the metaphors
Bleu Oleander: I'm interested in it, although I don't know much about it
Wester Kiranov: so he goes deep into confucius using the metaphor of carving, and the lao zi replies by going back to the unhewn wood
Agatha Macbeth: That sounds interesting
Wester Kiranov: it's a way of dealing with the subject matter that i like and i think fits this group of thinkers here
Agatha Macbeth nods
Bleu Oleander: I'm game for that one, if others are
Wester Kiranov: he also links it to current psychology
--BELL--1.15
Agatha Macbeth: Tura doesn't like Puett's voice anyway...
Wester Kiranov: he's got a nicer voice too ;-)
Bleu Oleander: we are going to read it, right?
Agatha Macbeth: :P
Bleu Oleander: :P
Wester Kiranov: you mean as opposed to listen?
Bleu Oleander: yes :)
Wester Kiranov: :)
Agatha Macbeth: I *think* that's the plan
Bleu Oleander: kk
Bleu Oleander: is there an audio book?
Wester Kiranov: dont know
Riddle Sideways: Bleu
Agatha Macbeth looks sideways
Riddle Sideways: sorry. not wrong window, wrong computer keyboard
Tura Brezoianu: There's an audio version on Amazon
Agatha Macbeth: It's amazin' what Amazon can do
Bleu Oleander: yes, just found it thanks
Tura Brezoianu: A bit pricey unless you subscribe to Audible though
Bleu Oleander: kindle book is $11
Bleu Oleander: to add audible is $7.49
Riddle Sideways: even if have Audible credits?
Bleu Oleander: credits even better :)
Bleu Oleander: that's just if you aren't an audible member
Riddle Sideways: ok, been Audible member since 1901
Agatha Macbeth: 0.0
Bleu Oleander: often when you buy the kindle version, they offer you the audible at a reduced rate
Riddle Sideways: yes, like the combination
Bleu Oleander: yes
Bleu Oleander: nice to listen and follow along in book
Riddle Sideways: whoops, just read the Bad reviews section
Bleu Oleander: shouldn't do that!
Agatha Macbeth: Judgemental!
Riddle Sideways: yep, shouldn't read that
Agatha Macbeth: 'Opinions are not facts' ;p
Bleu Oleander: judge for yourself!
Tura Brezoianu: I saw a pretty scathing review of Puett in the Guardian.
Bleu Oleander: I saw some good ones too though
Agatha Macbeth: About his voice?
Bleu Oleander: I like it
Bleu Oleander: not his voice ha ha!
Bleu Oleander: I find I don't often agree with many book reviews ... they have agendas too :)
Agatha Macbeth: True dat
Agatha Macbeth: We seem to be inclining towards Slingerland then?
Bleu Oleander: ok for me
Almadi Masala: ok with me too
Wester Kiranov: http://www.librarything.com/work/145...iews/105660279
Agatha Macbeth: Seems to be the consensus...
Agatha Macbeth: Thanks Wes
Agatha Macbeth: Ah yes the wu wei one
Agatha Macbeth: Now i remember
--BELL--1.30
Bleu Oleander: I would like to understand wu wei and de better
Riddle Sideways: yea
Agatha Macbeth: 'Backing up these ancient teachings using examples from modern science'...shades of Fritjof Capra
Wester Kiranov: capra uses bad physics, slingerland proper cognitive science
Wester Kiranov: :P
Agatha Macbeth: Hm
Bleu Oleander: Kahneman's book, thinking fast and slow, is an interesting contrast and adds some science to the older ideas
Wester Kiranov: kahneman is excellent too
Bleu Oleander: yes, great book
Wester Kiranov: it's actyally mentioned in trying not to try, i'm pretty sure
Agatha Macbeth nods
Bleu Oleander: there's a wonderful recent podcast with Kahneman and Harris ...https://samharris.org/podcasts/150-m...understanding/
Wester Kiranov: so, how are we going to do this practically?
Bleu Oleander: yes I think so Wester
Riddle Sideways: thanks
Bleu Oleander: maybe Wester, you could suggest how best to divide it up?
Tura Brezoianu: A chapter a week would be 8 weeks
Bleu Oleander: since you've read it?
Riddle Sideways: twice
Bleu Oleander: :)
Bleu Oleander: 8 weeks seems doable
Tura Brezoianu: Plus the introduction, 9 weeks
Wester Kiranov: but not discussed it with anyone yet
Agatha Macbeth: Yes
Agatha Macbeth: About the same as Hikari
Agatha Macbeth: Harari*

Hikari!! :P

Agatha Macbeth: Duh
Bleu Oleander: no 'de'
Bleu Oleander: :P
Agatha Macbeth: Shí :p
Wester Kiranov: it's pronounced the same
Bleu Oleander: yes
Agatha Macbeth: De de de!
Almadi Masala: the tao of duh?
Wester Kiranov: a chapter a week seems good
Bleu Oleander: so the intro for next week?
Agatha Macbeth: Agreed
Agatha Macbeth: Sounds good
Wester Kiranov: fine with me
Almadi Masala: do you always meet at this day & time?
Bleu Oleander: ok thanks for the suggestion Wester!
Agatha Macbeth: Usually Al
Agatha Macbeth: Yes thanks
Almadi Masala: I'll come when I can. ... might not be able to be here every time
Agatha Macbeth: Tho it's an hour early for me ATM
Almadi Masala: but I'll try to keep up with the reading
Agatha Macbeth: We'd love to have you :)
Almadi Masala: thank you :)
Agatha Macbeth: Shame we lost Liz to RL
Bleu Oleander: probably will be checking once and a while ... we hope :)
Agatha Macbeth: We hope :)   (Waves to Eliza)
Agatha Macbeth: Wish Bruce would come too
Bleu Oleander: RL does demand things of us tho
Agatha Macbeth: Doesn't it just
Wester Kiranov: i hope i can kick my son off the computer every week :)
Riddle Sideways: ha
Agatha Macbeth: Get him an Xbox or something :p
Wester Kiranov: that will make some quiet time :0
Agatha Macbeth: Hehe
--BELL--1.45
Bleu Oleander: I must get going ... happy we made a choice today! thanks all and see you soon :)
Wester Kiranov: bye bleu
Riddle Sideways: by Bleu
Agatha Macbeth: Yay
Bleu Oleander: by y'all
Agatha Macbeth: Thanks Bleuji
Tura Brezoianu: bye Bleu
Agatha Macbeth: Love to doggie
Agatha Macbeth: As a group we seem to be good at making decisions
Riddle Sideways: usually is harder to come to conscientious
Wester Kiranov: well, none of you protested
Agatha Macbeth wonders if Rid is using a dragon
Riddle Sideways: hundreds of emails, weeks of "well what do you want"
Tura Brezoianu: and "oh, I don't know, what do *you* want"
Riddle Sideways: yep
Wester Kiranov: i do hope you like the book too
Agatha Macbeth: I'm sure we will
Riddle Sideways: whatz not to like about We Wei
Agatha Macbeth: The spelling?
Almadi Masala: I should be going now
Riddle Sideways: oh yeah dat
Agatha Macbeth: Bye Al, thanks for input
Wester Kiranov: bye alma
Almadi Masala: bye everyone ... happy reading
Agatha Macbeth: Indeed
Tura Brezoianu: goodnight all
Riddle Sideways: thanks
Agatha Macbeth: Thanks to all
Agatha Macbeth: Byee for now
Wester Kiranov: bye all, thanks