Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Eerie.

While taking my pulses this morning, my Chinese doctor (hereinafter referred to as JPG, which are his initials, not a file extension) asked me if I had a cold. "Mmmaybe," said I. "Not a cold, I don't think. Just the sniffles."
During my lunchtime walk I was meditating cheerfully on the pleasingness of the expression "the sniffles". All onomatopoeiac and quaint, like "the ague." Plus it's fun to say. Sniffles.
Now I'm pretty sure I do have a cold. All kinds of sneezing and nose-blowing and itchy throat. Booooo. But good on JPG for being able to tell me I had a cold eight hours in advance of me becoming aware of it.

Humor!

I'm not generally a big humor-forwarder on the tubes, but Darth Vixen sent me this "Font Conference" and I thought I'd pass it on.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Disappearing Ducks!

They're gone.
All the ducks in Lafayette Park are gone.
The grounds-crew there is in the process of cleaning out the eastern pond, presumably as part of Inauguration Day preparations (which are messing with my lunchtime walk bigtime).
The pond is empty.
I want to know where the ducks went.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Optimism as a revolutionary act

I'm not talking about Obama.
I was thinking about Lloyd Dobler (because Ehren confessed during our "favorite movies" staff meeting that Lloyd Dobler is his role model).

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Ducklings, hope, and gambling

There are ducks in Lafayette Park. I am looking cheerfully forward to the spring, when I imagine there will be ducklings.

My favorite thing about the election results is that I feel they are a triumph for hope over fear, for optimism over doomsaying, and for dreams over nightmares.

My least favorite thing about the election results is that Maryland voters approved the slot machine referendum. I've been getting gradually more disapproving about gambling, including lotteries and slot machines. I feel like they are an amusement for the rich and a tax for the poor. Since much of the slot machine revenues are supposed to go into school coffers, I hope the schools teach kids enough math that they grow up to never risk their grocery money on slots.