I've been listening to Alan Alda's Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself (read by Alan Alda). A lot of amusing stories, mostly about talks he gave at graduation ceremonies, funerals, etc. On the way home, I was listening to a section from a speech he gave at Rockefeller University, about how many Americans believe in magic, how more Americans believe in the devil than believe in evolution, etc. And then he mentioned the website AfterlifeTelegrams.com. You can write a telegram to someone who has died, and for a fee, this company will have a terminally ill volunteer memorize your telegram so they can deliver it AFTER they have passed away. The website does note that they currently have only one volunteer - but that may have been years ago! Who knows if the volunteer has died, or if they have recruited more?
The site was created by cartoonist Paul Kinsella, and contains an FAQ section (e.g. they only accept telegrams in English, but if you specify that the recipient doesn't speak English, the messenger will try to find a translator on the other side), a series of newspaper articles about the service, and an online cemetary.
If you are thinking of trying this service, please note that they admit they cannot guarantee delivery, nor prove that a message has been delivered.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inauguration Day!
Yes, I watched the inauguration on streaming video - I had to work :-). Great speech - I want to listen to it again and/or read it. Could not believe the crowds! I even kept the video on until the parade was over, though I had to cover it up sometimes so I could actually get work done. I haven't watched very many inaugurations - Carter's, as he was the first president I voted for. A bit of Clinton's first one, I think. But most of the presidents elected since I became an adult were NOT those for whom I voted.
Which brings me to the one time I went to Washington on Inauguration Day. It was 1973, and I was NOT there to celebrate the president. I was there for the Counter-Inauguration. I went with Russ and some other people. My brother Scott was there, too, but I never did see him (he'd come from college in Ohio). We gathered at the Lincoln Memorial. Somehow, our group got included in the honor guard, and we ended up being part of the human square at the head of the parade, surrounding the major protesters such as Daniel Berrigan. I believe some of them were carrying coffins. We marched over to Constitution Avenue, then east on Constitution, ending up below the Washington Monument.
There, we sat for several hours and listened to speakers (of whom I remember Bella Abzug and Ted Kennedy). At one point, the mounted police rode towards some of the protesters, I think trying to push them down the hill, away from the Monument and towards Constitution. Other than that, it was pretty peaceful.
While writing this, I did some google searches trying to find reports of this protest. One says there were about 75,000 of us. Interestingly, the image search found several entries on Flickr, all of which were "currently unavailable". (Must be a conspiracy!) Wish I had some photos, but I don't think I do.
Anyway, that was the highlight of my political life.
Which brings me to the one time I went to Washington on Inauguration Day. It was 1973, and I was NOT there to celebrate the president. I was there for the Counter-Inauguration. I went with Russ and some other people. My brother Scott was there, too, but I never did see him (he'd come from college in Ohio). We gathered at the Lincoln Memorial. Somehow, our group got included in the honor guard, and we ended up being part of the human square at the head of the parade, surrounding the major protesters such as Daniel Berrigan. I believe some of them were carrying coffins. We marched over to Constitution Avenue, then east on Constitution, ending up below the Washington Monument.
There, we sat for several hours and listened to speakers (of whom I remember Bella Abzug and Ted Kennedy). At one point, the mounted police rode towards some of the protesters, I think trying to push them down the hill, away from the Monument and towards Constitution. Other than that, it was pretty peaceful.
While writing this, I did some google searches trying to find reports of this protest. One says there were about 75,000 of us. Interestingly, the image search found several entries on Flickr, all of which were "currently unavailable". (Must be a conspiracy!) Wish I had some photos, but I don't think I do.
Anyway, that was the highlight of my political life.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Ice stories
I don't think it got above zero today. It was -23 when I got up this morning. It was so cold that my car seemed to be complaining about starting.
Actually, I don't mean any of those statements as serious whining - it's really kind of boasting. I mean, us Minnesotans ain't no wimps! Look at what we deal with!
By the way, there was an interesting item in the paper last weekend. Just an ordinary robbery - they stole a flat screen TV. The twist is, they stole it from an ice house. Yep, one of those temporary structures that gets hauled out onto the frozen lakes so folks can be protected from the elements while they drill a hole in the ice in order to fish. By definition they cannot be completely secured, since the whole point is to get to the ice (so one assumes they don't have a full floor, and they have to be light enough to be movable).
The whole concept of ice fishing is absurd to me. Seems to me that if you fit it up with a TV and I assume a generator, maybe a stereo? Wii? computer? - you are really making clear the true purpose of the building - it's a "man cave". At least you won't need a refrigerator for the beer.
Actually, I don't mean any of those statements as serious whining - it's really kind of boasting. I mean, us Minnesotans ain't no wimps! Look at what we deal with!
By the way, there was an interesting item in the paper last weekend. Just an ordinary robbery - they stole a flat screen TV. The twist is, they stole it from an ice house. Yep, one of those temporary structures that gets hauled out onto the frozen lakes so folks can be protected from the elements while they drill a hole in the ice in order to fish. By definition they cannot be completely secured, since the whole point is to get to the ice (so one assumes they don't have a full floor, and they have to be light enough to be movable).
The whole concept of ice fishing is absurd to me. Seems to me that if you fit it up with a TV and I assume a generator, maybe a stereo? Wii? computer? - you are really making clear the true purpose of the building - it's a "man cave". At least you won't need a refrigerator for the beer.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
End of year book review
In 2008, I started keeping an online record of the books I read. Well, 2 online records actually. I use LibraryThing for books I own, and Goodreads for those I borrow and ones I want to read. The counts show that in 2008 I read 55 borrowed books and 56 books that I own. 40 of those were books I had read before. And I already have 1 counted as read in 2009 - I started it in 2008.
I know, it's kind of silly to keep two separate lists. I really like different things about both sites, and couldn't make a decision (which shouldn't surprise those of you who know me). Of course, now that I've joined Facebook, I find there ways of keeping track of books there, too. But I'm resisting. Two sites is plenty.
Actually, when I look at the numbers, I feel they are low. Only 111? I thought I read more than that. Though I guess it is more than 2 books a week...
Why so many re-reads? Well, I decided to read some of the Judy Bolton series again - originally read when I was a kid. And then I read a biography of Georgette Heyer, and that made me want to read her books again. Plus I counted the audiobooks I listened to - mostly on the trips to and from Beloit - and many of them I had read before.
Favorites over the year?
- The Elemental Master series by Mercedes Lackey (thanks for mentioning these, Gaea! - I hadn't read her books before).
- The Sebastien St. Cyr mystery series set in Regency England - I was at Uncle Hugo's, and just wandered into the Uncle Edgar's side and noticed one of them. Once I borrowed one from the library, I started reading the whole series.
- Best of Friends by Sara James and Ginger Mauney - which I bought because Sara spoke at my UVA reunion
- New Robin McKinley books, and ones I had missed (Dragonhaven, Sunshine, Deerskin, Chalice) - because I found her blog
- The Family Tree by Sheri Tepper - thanks, Jason!
And obviously, my old favorites - Georgette Heyer's romances.
On to 2009. I'll see if I can read more books than I acquire. Maybe not a good start today - I finished one book and bought 3...
I know, it's kind of silly to keep two separate lists. I really like different things about both sites, and couldn't make a decision (which shouldn't surprise those of you who know me). Of course, now that I've joined Facebook, I find there ways of keeping track of books there, too. But I'm resisting. Two sites is plenty.
Actually, when I look at the numbers, I feel they are low. Only 111? I thought I read more than that. Though I guess it is more than 2 books a week...
Why so many re-reads? Well, I decided to read some of the Judy Bolton series again - originally read when I was a kid. And then I read a biography of Georgette Heyer, and that made me want to read her books again. Plus I counted the audiobooks I listened to - mostly on the trips to and from Beloit - and many of them I had read before.
Favorites over the year?
- The Elemental Master series by Mercedes Lackey (thanks for mentioning these, Gaea! - I hadn't read her books before).
- The Sebastien St. Cyr mystery series set in Regency England - I was at Uncle Hugo's, and just wandered into the Uncle Edgar's side and noticed one of them. Once I borrowed one from the library, I started reading the whole series.
- Best of Friends by Sara James and Ginger Mauney - which I bought because Sara spoke at my UVA reunion
- New Robin McKinley books, and ones I had missed (Dragonhaven, Sunshine, Deerskin, Chalice) - because I found her blog
- The Family Tree by Sheri Tepper - thanks, Jason!
And obviously, my old favorites - Georgette Heyer's romances.
On to 2009. I'll see if I can read more books than I acquire. Maybe not a good start today - I finished one book and bought 3...
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