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September 25, 2008

Playing cards

I'm terminally behind in my reading of Newsweek to which my mother's friend Debbie so thoughtfully subscribed me. So if you read that mag, you might recognize this quote from the Last Word essay of the Aug 18/25 issue:

If people make assumptions about you simply on the basis of your appearance all your life, assumptions ranging from criminality to sloth to unearned opportunity, it can make you bitter and hard and cynical. That none of those things is part of the Obama character means that he has turned his particular version of the race card into an ace and is using it to play with the full deck. That is not a deficit. It is an advantage.

(source: Anna Quindlen's "The Caucasian Card")

It just resonated with me. Earlier in the article she talks about how Obama's race is indivisible from his campaign. He *is* black, he can't help mentioning his experiences from that circumstance. But he isn't a stereotype, thank goodness.

I don't like getting too political in public. I think it's probably obvious that I'm a liberal. Honestly, if someone feels differently and can articulate it, then more power to them. But please, please think first before you make a decision.

listening to  Perfect Time of Day, Howie Day
reading  Ysabel, Guy Gavriel Kay
file under: muses , politics

September 22, 2008

Happy Fall

Let's hear it for the beginning of the season of pretty trees.

Also, huzzah to the Drumsticks, who capped off their week 22 of 12 with a winning the post-season tournament! Three games, played a week after they were scheduled, thanks to Hurricane Ike's leftovers, one beaned ankle (mine, because I *still* can't field freakish direct-to-the-second-baseman ground balls), and one fake-marble trophy later, you get this.

2008champions.jpg

And happy birthday, Mike. Hope you enjoyed your cake. It is not a lie!

listening to  Inara's Suite, Firefly sdtk
reading  Hell and Earth, Elizabeth Bear
file under: celebration , getmoving

September 11, 2008

Patriot Day

As much as I hate the name, today is a day to remember those lost seven years ago. Seven years. How could it be that long ago?

***

Today is also the day in which a large white sheet is covering the in-progress building across the alley at work. We think they're fireproofing things, and the sheet is to keep our building from getting inadvertently sprayed. But it looks like it's snowing out there. Looking out the window just gives a blank view, and it's very disconcerting.

Today is also the day of our last regular season make-up of a rainout of a rainout softball game. As my coach put it, nothing short of biblical will stop us from playing, so I forsee a soggy evening on a muddy or grassy field. Maybe my cleats are dried out from last week...


reading  Whiskey and Water, Elizabeth Bear
file under: getmoving , reallife , serious

September 1, 2008

a birthday present

08birthday-2.jpg

Thank you, Michael. You're sweet.

08birthday-1.jpg

listening to  Saving Josh, Trevor Morris, from Moonlight
reading  King Arthur's Britain: A Photographic Odyssey
file under: celebration , reallife