I spent forty-one dollars at Barnes and Nobles Saturday, one out of the two books costing slightly over thirty. I cringed at the counter a little, knowing I could have found the same book for less at Amazon or Overstock.com and the other purchase, Stranger in a Strange Land, was no doubt available at any used bookstore for less than half the price. I bought them anyway. It's impossible for me to walk out of a bookstore empty handed. What can I say? It's as compulsory to me as breathing.

So, Stranger in a Strange Land. Wow. The book is so dynamic and absorbing, it consumed my entire Sunday. Before I knew it, noon became 5:00 pm which turned to 11 pm and at that point it seemed best to put the story aside and go to bed so I'd wake up well rested for work in the morning. At 12:30 am I stared glumly at my clock, thinking it would have been best to just read for another hour or two, since I couldn't sleep with my mind whirling the book's events and concepts and characters (most of whom I already love and always will) and being wistful for water brothers. My final thought before falling asleep was why the hell did it take me so long to discover Robert Heinlein? I have found a new philosopher.

Now I'm faced with a dilemma. Do I stay home tonight and finish the story? Or, not wishing to let down my new sci-fi buddy, see Serenity? I must grok on this some more.