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When I was a kid, I used to love marble sculpture. We would go and look at works by Rodin down at the Detroit Institute of arts. They only had a few of them, but they were absolutely exquisite. To this day, I have never seen a marble sculptor like Rodin, but there are many good ones. The Greeks, for example, had some extremely beautiful marble sculptures. Although some of them have been damaged or destroyed by the years, the features that remain intact are still quite gorgeous.

Thinking about the beauty of stone sculpture, I wonder why it is not done more commonly nowadays. When I look in a modern art gallery, I see very few sculpture marble examples. Most modern Art is abstract forms made out of contemporary materials. Perhaps they will use wood, perhaps plastics, but never stone. It is almost as if artists don’t have the patience to make marble sculptures anymore. If you talk to the artist, they may tell you that they make forms in the media that appeal to them most, but I think this is a load of hooey. The great thing about marble sculpture is that the artist has to put so much time and so much thought into it. Anyone can cobble together an abstract form out of plastics or cloth, but making a life size sculpture of marble really require some skill and some dedication.
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Perhaps the biggest problem with social groups is when they are limiting to people as they grow. Some see the issue of these groups as a world wide problem, with larger groups of people being the problem. That is very true, and many of the problems we face on a global level have everything to do with these groups. If you think of it in your own life though, the definition of these are a bit different, but they can have the same affect on your life if that is what you allow to happen.

The time when local social groups are going to mean the most is in high school. Teenagers are learning about who they are and where they fit it in within the world around them. This can lead to problems. Social groups within schools can be very exclusive and very rough. Image is everything at this age because teens don’t know enough about themselves to distinguish themselves in any other way. That doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with them, that is just how it is at that age. Some excel in these social climates and others have a horrible time.
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Ever since I got a high speed Internet connection, I have been pretty much addicted to downloadable audio books. You see, I work at home as a telephone translator. Basically, much of my time is spent waiting around for clients to call. This gives me plenty of free time, which at first was a good thing. I love being able to relax and work in my pajamas. After awhile, however, I started to go stir crazy. I couldn’t very well take a walk and get my nervous energy out because I might miss a client. That is when something unexpected jumped in and saved me – Terry Pratchett audio books.

In the past I have never been a big fan of listening to books on tape. Most of the companies put out Stephen King books and other similar trashy fare. None of that could really hold my attention. On the other hand, I didn’t really want to listen to Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice on tape either. Audio books make it difficult to go back and reread a word that you missed, and I am not a very good auditory learner. The Terry Pratchett audio books, however, struck just the right balance between highbrow and lowbrow. A terry pratchett audio book is very easy to understand, but some of the ideas are surprisingly interesting and sophisticated.

Most of the Terry Pratchett books, with a couple exceptions, take place in an imaginary location known as Diskworld. It is basically the world as people have often imagined it – it is shaped like a disk and balanced on top of a giant turtle who is swimming through space. The humor is lighthearted satire, making allusions to various people and events throughout human history. Listening to Terry Pratchett audio books simultaneously relaxes you and makes you feel intelligent. That is one thing that is great about Terry Pratchett audio books. I love easy reading that still doesn’t insult your intelligence.

Just because something is light and fluffy doesn’t mean it has to be completely moronic. Terry Pratchett seems to know this as well as anyone else. He is a true master of his craft. Terry Pratchett audio books are very difficult to put down, but also very easy to pick up again. There is always enough going on to capture your interest, but not so much that you need to be deeply involved. In short, they are the perfect listening for my situation.