RELIEF

Relief is an astounding sensation. It is like settling back into your own skin, after being stretched too taut. And I am much relieved this week.

I made my presentation to the eduWeb conference. It went well, and it is now OVER. I didn't embarass myself, my institution or my planet. When I do give a talk, this is what I hope for.

I finished Harry Potter, and am satisfied with the ending. I won't do details here, because I don't want to wreck it for anyone. But I am RELIEVED that Rowling didn't botch the ending to this beloved series. I was almost afraid to read the book. I so didn't want to change my perception of the Harry Potter universe, and didn't want to be disappointed.

Otakon went well. There were no disasters or disappointments. My son is happy, happy, happy, and even has cash left over. This is a load off as well. I always worry when my child blows up a single event, magnifying it until it is birthday, Christmas, and everything rolled into one. What if he is disappointed? I know life is full of things that don't turn out, and that those things are always the best lessons. But I enjoy his happiness so much, and suffer with him when he suffers, so WHEW!!! he had fun.

Even the weather has provided some psychic ease. Temperatures have dropped. The evenings have been pleasant. It's beautiful, with fireflies dancing and a gentle breeze....

sweet sweet relief!

in Communicado

I love to hang out in Communicado (and yes I know it's incommunicado, but it doesn't sound that way!). This weekend is a big one. I turn 45 on Sunday. We go to Otakon, the hugemongous anime/manga convention in Baltimore (22,000 plus attendees expected), and make my child the happiest child on the planet. And Harry Potter comes out!!!

I am significanly more excited about the Harry Potter book than I am about the other events. Not that I am not psyched up for the Con, it's just the LAST HARRY POTTER BOOK. EVER. AND I FINALLY get to see how it ENDS. I am going to read it all on Saturday night, even if I have to stay up all night to do it.

And you know what? When they open that Harry Potter themepark, I'm gonna go. I don't care if it is cheesy and commercial and and and. I am gonna ride the Hogwart's Express, and eat dinner in the main hall. I am, I am, I am.

Talk to you when I get back to reality, gang.

13!!!!

Thirteen years ago, I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy. Thirteen years ago, my life changed forever. I had no idea on that day how much richer and fuller my life would be because of one tiny little baby.

Today, our son is thirteen. He is half adult, half kid. He is smart, funny, charming. He is sullen and pouty and obnoxious. This is how it should be. No one is the person he is going to be at thirteen. But he is starting to take shape, and I see glimmers of the man he will become. Each day he takes another step toward that future, and is one step less the little boy I know so well.

I love him, I'm proud of him, and I am forever grateful that he came into our lives.

Happy Birthday little one.

the weather still rules

It's interesting to me. We have advanced so far, we send rockets into outer space, we have conquered diseases, extended our life spans, but we still are totally at the whim of the weather.

In the western part of the country, people are suffering from extremes of heat. Baker, CA is going to hit 125 degrees today. 125!!! Parts of Texas saw 18 inches of rain in 1 day. We have drought, floods, catastrophic storms.

We really aren't in charge. We don't rule the planet, the planet rules us. If we muck it up too badly, it can bite back. The things we take for granted -- our safety, adequate water, abundant food supplies -- can all disappear, and disappear quickly. Do you know how to find water? to hunt? grown your own food? make a meal from a handful of rice and beans?

Most folks know more about their cell phones than they do about how to survive. We are spoiled, out of shape, and totally unprepared for a harsher existence.

Makes you kinda wanna take care of the earth, don't it. Like maybe RIGHT NOW. Before it's too late....

All Hail King Shrub

All Hail King Shrub! The Bushlet has once again shown he feels himself above the system, above law, above ALL. He has commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby, with a royal wave of his hand.

What does it take to stop this man?? How can we as a people hold our government accountable, how can we have democracy, when the presidential powers have run amok?

Libby should serve the sentence the court meted out. And Bush should be turned out of office, and perhaps serve a term in prison as well.