The 2010 Tour de France is Coming

Alas, this 2010 edition of the Tour de France marks Lance Armstrong's last. Armstrong announced his intentions on Twitter, writing, "And yes, this will be [my] final Tour de France. It's been a great ride. Looking forward to 3 great weeks."

Whatever happens with Armstrong and the race as a whole, it will be interesting.

Thoughts on "Theodore Boone"

I am halfway through reading Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer. With simple, clear prose, John Grisham has pieced together a coherent, multifaceted story about a thirteen-year-old boy on the periphery of a sensational murder trial. As the story progresses, the thirteen-year-old, Theodore Boone naturally, is drawn into the case and finds himself in position to affect the verdict.

This story is a really good read. I imagine it may challenge the intended younger demographic. For the average adult, the story seems like a light, enjoyable diversion from more intense literary works. I recommend Theodore Boone to adults even though Grisham aims for kids.

Stephenie Meyer Novella

Stephenie Meyer's The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is in stores now. Presented as a novella, this story gives an account of the vampire war waged against the Cullen coven from the viewpoint of Bree Tanner, a newborn vampire. Bree appeared briefly near the end of Eclipse, Meyer's third installment in her Twilight series.

I for one haven't even started on Breaking Dawn. I bought the Bree Tanner story anyway so I could say I bought it the day it came out, but I will wait to read it when I finish Breaking Dawn.

I didn't catch on to the Twilight phenomenon until Breaking Dawn hit stores. I noticed a hoopla and couldn't figure out what it was all about. Now I know. Meyer writes really good vampire romances if you're into that sort of thing. Going into Twilight I wouldn't have thought I would be, but a female coworker talked me into trying it out. Twilight turned out to be a delightful read. I would recommend it to any reader that wants to take on something new and unusual.

Apple Announces iPhone 4

Apple unveiled a new cellular phone, the iPhone 4, at the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

I have an iPhone and wouldn't mind having a new one. This sounds exciting. The casing is more angular than on previous models, making the phone stand out against other iPhones. Yep. This looks like fun.

Because They Facilitate Productivity

These days every writer should have a laptop computer. One opinion.

Michael Jordan x NBA 2K11

Michael Jordan will grace the cover for NBA 2K11.

For those of you that aren't aware, 2K11 is a basketball video game made by 2K Sports. I do not play video games anymore. I prefer to read. But for some reason, this development with Jordan sounds exciting to me. The cover of a video game is an honor for any athlete. However, the usual big-name athlete's presence does not make video game covers prominent in pop culture. There is no sizzle for a casual bystander like me. When Jordan is featured though, that ratchets up the cachet of video game covers. It does not work the other way around.

This marketing decision, or editorial decision perhaps, sends a positive message about 2K Sports. The company's decision to go to the trouble to feature Jordan tells the public that they are trying to do something that transcends gaming. The company wants to do something memorable. It is not just about the game anymore.

This particular game cover business might wind up as one of those noteworthy times: the time when Michael Jordan made the cover of 2K11. We will know for sure if the public remembers this down the road years later. It might turn out similar to the time when Jordan made four consecutive Sports Illustrated covers during a playoff run. NBA 2K11 is not the equivalent of an SI cover, but it is still significant. For one, Jordan's involvement is unexpected. This was a complete surprise to me when I heard about it. To this point, gaming companies were not using deactivated athletes to sell product. Now they are.

Jordan's presence on 2K11 lends useable credibility to video game covers and the sports video game industry as a whole. Yes. Jordan's involvement is that pervasive. If 2K11 depicted a lesser player, anyone else basically, there wouldn't be the same buzz for the game. The rest of the sports gaming industry will benefit, too. It just received a jolt of heightened credibility.

Travels to Foreign Lands

I have my own copy of Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, but I leave it at home when I hit up my local Barnes & Noble for tea. Since the staff has removed the book from its prominent display near the front doors, I have to hunt for a copy to look at. I hoped to find one with the rest of John Grisham's dramas, but since the target demographic for Theodore Boone is eight to 12, I had to divert to the store's kids' section.

The mere fact that the kids' section's predominant color is color and lots of it tells me, "You don't belong here." The cute animal decor is another non-verbal cue to stay out. They're like those X-shaped markers in Planet of the Apes signifying the Forbidden Zone. Those are to be heeded and comprehended, not ignored or discarded.

I went in anyway, because I like defiance.

There on a rack lied several copies of Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer. Moving quickly, I snatched one and walked all the way over to the store's other side to read and sip my tea. Retrieving a book from a bookstore's children's section is awkward when the sole purpose is to read it without paying for it. And walking all the way across the store only enhances the vibe. It makes it better that a purchased copy is at home, but people in the store don't know that. Putting it back is just as weird. I need to hurry through reading this story so I don't have to repeat that trip too much.

When I start reading Stephenie Meyers' Breaking Dawn, similar trips will be made to the section with all of the teen books.

The View From June

My favorite month has come and gone. Bye, May. See you again in '11.