My blog today is about Michael M. Taylor, a man I don't know. His name was provided to me by Project 2996.

Founded two years ago, Project 2996 pays tribute to the victims of 9/11 by asking bloggers to blog about a victim and then post the written tribute on September 11.  A blogger can choose a specific person or, as in my case, write about a person that the website selects.

Michael ("Mouse") Taylor was 42 years old when the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center, his workplace.   He grew up in Pennsylvania, was a graduate of Duke University and UCLA, and was working as a bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald when his life was tragically cut short.

At the time of his death, he was survived by his parents, a brother, two sisters, and a fiancee. 

There is one story about him that I particularly like.  In the 90's, he bought a Porsche Carrera.  The car was a stickshift, but he didn't drive stick.   So, he got his buddy, a professional NASCAR driver, to teach him how to drive stick in exchange for golf lessons.    Why do I like that story?  First, it shows that Mr. Taylor had great taste in cars.  (The Porsche Carrera just happens to be my dream car.)  Second, he had the good sense to know that the only way to drive a Porsche is by stickshift. 

I wish that I had more time to write this tribute.  As it happens, I only found out about Project 2996 at around 5:30 p.m. on September 10 and am writing this at 11:10 p.m. so that I can post it on September 11.

The bits and pieces I've related to you about Mr. Taylor were gleaned from other sources.  In addition to the nytimes.com article linked to above, here are the other sources I found:

Duke Magazine 

Elsie's Yoga Class  (Seriously -- Elsie blogged about Mr. Taylor as part of the 2006 Project 2996)

There is a poem by Pearl Cleage called We Speak Your Names.  It was recited as part of Oprah's Legends Ball.  Although the poem was recited in order to pay tribute to African-American women pioneers, the power of the poem was in their names -- after every verse, the names of several women were pronounced slowly and solemnly.   In a single name, there was weight, substance -- reverence.

So today, on September 11, 2008 -- MICHAEL M. TAYLOR -- I speak your name.

*****

To see a list of the 2008 bloggers and the people they have chosen to honor and to learn more about Project 2996, click here.

H/T to Cindy Kilkenny at Fairly Conservative for the info on Project 2996.

By now, you may have read that John Edwards, after vehemently denying tabloid reports of an affair, has admitted that it is true and that it occurred during the time that his wife has been battling cancer.  What a ***. 

I reacted strongly to the admission because I read Elizabeth Edwards autobiography, Saving Graces, last fall, and I found it to be one of the most touching and powerful books that I have read in recent memory.  The original book was published in 2006, when it appeared that her breast cancer had fallen into remission.  A postscript chapter, published in 2007, revealed that the cancer had returned, had spread to her bones, and was now classified as incurable.

I don't know her, but she seems like a remarkable lady based on what she's been through:  the death of her first son in 1996, birth of twins after infertility treatment while in her 40s, breast cancer diagnosis with two young children, and then incurable bone cancer.

Despite all that, she managed to write an extraordinary, even uplifting, book.  Her text resonates with grace, strength, and dignity.

Elizabeth Edwards: a class act.    John Edwards: Not so much.
 

I have to thank Karen Waldkirch from WauwatosaNow for turning me on to the book Not Quite What I was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure.  The idea for this compilation is based on a legend.  Supposedly, someone challenged Ernest Hemmingway to write a story in six words.  This is what he came up with:

"For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

I know.  Blows you away, doesn't it?  So, based on this legend, SMITH Magazine invited its readers to submit their own six-word memoirs, and the result is this fascinating book.  Here are some of my favorites.

"Revenge is living well, without you." -- Joyce Carol Oates

"Veni, vedi, but haven't vici yet." -- Meenakshi Nandini

"I still make coffee for two." -- Zak Nelson

"Girlfriend is pregnant, my husband said." -- Shonna MacDonald

"I live the perfect imperfect life." -- Paul Lore

The book is a quick read, and I was amazed at what people were able to come up with.  Side-splittingly funny, heart-breakingly poignant, jaw-droppingly shocking -- it's all there.

What would mine be?  Well, I've been mulling that one over since finishing the book.  Although I'm not sure it quite hits the nail on the head, here's what I've come up with so far:

 
"Still trying to find my purpose."

 
It's still a work in progress.  (Hey, that's six words too.  Maybe I should use that?)
 

SMITH is still accepting submissions if you want to give it a try.  (Or if anybody wants to share theirs here, feel free to comment.)

"It comes at you quickly; it requires alertness and skill; the outcome is unpredictable; the weak can sometimes overcome the strong; it involves elimination and has both winners and losers." (Rule 10)

The above quote is an excerpt from the book, 50 Rules Kids Won't Learn in School (Real World Antidotes to Feel-Good Education), by Charles J. Sykes.  On Monday, September 17, 2007, Mr. Sykes will be appearing at the Harry W. Schwartz Bookstore in Brookfield to promote and speak about his book.  The event begins at 7:00 p.m.

I don't listen to his radio show, and I am not familiar with his other work.  However, after reading a short newspaper review of this latest book by Mr. Sykes, I was compelled to buy it because the quoted "rules" were bitingly funny and at the same time had a serious edge.  Coming from the perspective that real-world perspectives and basic common sense are being lost in a world of touchy-feely parenting, Mr. Sykes has expanded what were originally 14 Rules into 50 Rules, some that I agree with and some that I don't.

Each rule is given its own chapter.  Although you may not want to use it as your main parenting tome, the topics covered, the counsel given, and the anecdotes described do make you think. 

Here are a few of the other rules:

Rule 7:  If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss.  He won't have tenure, so he'll tend to be a bit edgier.  When you screw up, he's not going to ask how you FEEL about it.

Rule 18: Life is not divided into semesters. And you don't get summers off. 

Rule 33: Be nice to nerds.  You may end up working for them.  We all could.

Rule 48: Tell yourself the story of your life.  Have a point.