Gonzo

Posterity might assume that one name followed another, and our nickname for Isaac was inspired by something like the following. But no. Many of you readers may know otherwise. What was the precise inspiration for that delightfully wonderful name? It came to me one night when I was watching a pianist perform a marathon feat of the longest concert ever. His name was something like Gonzago, which made me think of Gonzaga, and then, voila, it came. I looked it up in the dictionary and liked it even better.

Little Gonzo Becker. Isaac Manuel "Gonzo" Becker. You probably have to take it for a test drive for a while, unless you're like me, and you can tell a perfectly approrpiate name from the get go.

Oh, and let me not omit the main motivation for a nickname, which is that Isaac, although a great name, is just too popular these days. And even one of our first thought of nicknames, Izzy, is also too popular as a result. Gonzo, though. Now there's a name for you.

'Ancient Gonzo Wisdom'

• Excerpt: 'Ancient Gonzo Wisdom'

Ancient Gonzo Wisdom: Interviews with Hunter S. Thompson, edited by Anita Thompson, paperback, 432 pages, Da Capo Press, list price: $18

Like Norman Mailer and Allen Ginsberg, Hunter S. Thompson practiced the interview as an art form. This amusing collection pulls from 30 years of conversations and reveals the gonzo journalist to be much more of a craftsman than he is often given credit for being. It would, in fact, make a great gift to any budding journalist.

"The truth is never told across a desk," he tells one interlocutor, "or during nine-to-five hours ... I call people at night." On citations: "I use quotes like little jewels." He dishes on presidents and criminals.

He is also terribly prescient. In 2003, he cautions a young reporter on changes to come. "Man, I don't envy you where you're at. See, you're part of the first generation that's going to do worse than your parents did." (Coming July 6.)

so that not one month passes since the last weblog entry

Yikes, I've been deliquent on the current news.

We're having another baby, godwilling, in January 2010 or so.

I have been unable to secure an actuary entry level job as of yet, or even an interview or modicum of interest. Anything can change.

In practicing with spreadsheets and Microsoft Access, I have created a task list of 13 things.

Orry, now three, is quite reasonable for a youngster.

Little Gonzo is starting to put together signs. "Food" "more" He is also a little climber. He loves to climb onto the arm of the couch and look out the window.

Out the window there are beautiful skies. Summer is here, and it reminds me how relative heat is. It's so hot, for example. But not hot enough, apparently, to warrant air conditioning, although I'd love a swamp cooler or other cooling machine. The sun is really hot when it's shining on yuo, but it gets comfortably chilly at night.

Our rooftop garden has produced one strawberry, and is producing a few tomatoes, a zucchini, and some peppers.

Lately I have been reading some uplifting eco-news. It gives me the sort of hope that at once feels good to read about fellow earthy types, and also stimulates me more regarding activism, options, and choices.

Bonnie and I also had a heyday looking at http://www.totallylookslike.com.

We have been hiking a fair amount, including a hike to the top of a local mountain a few weeks ago. That was good fun.

This is my first thecurrenttroydanielbecker blog that diverges from my myspace blogs.

Peace out, reader.