Plus ça change.

Was reading about the Hayes/Tilden race in 1876 earlier today. Funny how history tends to repeat itself.

Nostalgia for the Sixties.



Rove to Bush: "Obama's going to be elected, Mr. President."

Ahh, France. Not quite our enemy, but not really our friend, either. It's really funny, but there appears to be just as much coverage of the US elections as back in the States, mainly in the form of pro Obama propaganda. A fair amount of paper/ink has been devoted to analyses of the American electorate with similar conclusions as what one sees in the US: namely that if Obama isn't voted in, it proves that we are all racist.

Today, wandering around the Porte d'Auteil, saw someone with an Obama sticker on their motorcycle. Showed it to the Frenchie and mentioned that not only did the guy probably contribute to the campaign (he was French; heard him say something), but he was probably registered to vote in Ohio or some other swing state.

It's amazing how lives can change, how people can be reborn or lost in a matter of seconds. My brain still hasn't caught up with the events of the past few days.

On Sunday, I got the word from my dad that me (ex) sister-in-law had killed herself and that my brother had disappeared. According to the police, a note she left stated that my brother and she had some sort of suicide pact. It didn't feel as though my little brother'd killed himself (believe me, you can feel these things) to anyone, so we held out hope.

Today, got the call from my mother that the police did indeed find my brother. However, a car chase ensued, my brother went over a guard rail, and apparently, (according to the police), he's currently in the hospital with head trauma. The severity and scope of his injuries are unknown to us, as the hospital won't divulge this information, even to next of kin.

At least my mother, perhaps my mother and father both will be heading out to Denver over the next couple days to see what's what.

I'm praying for a soul to finally be at peace, and for the best possible outcome in the other's situation. If you're up for that sort of thing, I'm sure that Kauri and Patrick could use your good thoughts as well.

Leaving for France today. I really need to get away, de changer mes idees un peu. It's been a horrible few days.

Life IS an eternal, infernal spinning wheel.

Why do we keep making the same mistakes over and over again? I'm trying, trying my damndest to stop letting the past dictate my present so. To break the cycle of bad decisions that I make based on habit and a perceived comfort zone. It's hard, but I will do it. In spite of all the obstacles the world and I may put up.

I think that my little brother is as strong as me in some ways. We're different in a lot of ways, but are still made from the same material. He's in a very bad way now, and I can only hope that his Stern will schein like mine did when I needed it.

Good Lord, he deserves better than what he's allowed himself. I hope that he'll come to understand this, that he'll not do something stupid, that he'll just call, send a message, something.

God, I hope he's alright.

My therapist tells me that I need a vacation.

Have been invited to France, but am feeling too stressed out to deal with details. This isn't good, as going there will only do me good.

Things Fall Apart.

Saturday night, ended up being doused in cat pee after a freak accident. As I don't have much in terms of a wardrobe right now and the wash machine is busted, this has posed somewhat of a difficulty.

Late Sunday night, remembered that I had a paper due for Monday that I hadn't started yet. For some reason, thought I needed it for Wednesday. Managed to throw something together, but wasn't too happy with it.

Monday, broke my coffee pot. Dropped it on the floor. As it was falling, just thought, oh geez. Something else I have to buy. (Was a French press).

Yesterday, The Curse came a week early, bringing with it a hazy brain and horrible stomach problems that woke me up several times last night.

Today, set off the house alarm by accident. Luckily the police didn't come. Decided to forego the second cup of coffee, though, as my nerves were (and are) so badly jangled.

Am fighting some serious writer's block for my American History class with a little (but not enough) success.

Guess I'm not feeling so great. Will try to get out the door early today to walk to school, as the sunshine and cool air will probably do me some good.

Yes, I did find my camera this morning. It was at the bottom of a box of sweaters.

Am very happy though a bit overwhelmed, as there's something like 500 images that need to be gone gone through/worked over.

Le Voyeur.





This is Trouble. He's a bit obsessed by Ampersand. He is always at the door and it really upsets her. Heck, it unnerves me, too. Am going to probably have to either put a curtain on the door or cover the bottom row (or two) of windows with paper.

A treat for me for after the next batch of writing I need to complete.

Would be interesting to see/hear what Wolfe has to say about these essays nearly forty years after having written them.

Joe Six Pack.

Funny that there's no mention of all members of the Nervous Nellie bloc who, every four years, are reduced to hysteria (not to mention self-caricature) over the notion that the Evil Republicans plan on taking over their wombs.

Guess I just find it ironic that an AP writer (professional pigeonholer in these cases) is taking Palin to task for doing what the Democrats/the left have done with women, minorities, lower economic classes forever.

A bumper sticker we saw tonight:

"Vote Counting Should Be A Hand Job."

Since we were in Porter for dinner tonight, decided to take a walk around North Cambridge before hitting Stah for some staples and packing it in for the night. Passed by a little boutique whose pretty paper lamps perched on graceful stems beckoned to us. (Will have to investigate further, as it appears they give lessons on this apparently traditional Korean art form.)

Last night after the debate, wanted to take a walk. On the way back home, heard a bit of a conversation between some pretty young Somerville things about McCain's VP pick:

"Like, I hate Sarah Palin anyway, but, like, tonight I hate her even more because, like, everybody was watching the stupid debate because of her and, like nobody came in and I lost something like $100 in tips."

Pablo was furious. "Yeah, Palin planned it that way to keep women down. Should've just scheduled Biden to pontificate for an hour and a half all by himself, because then nobody'd watch and she wouldn't have lost her #$%& tip money. Of course it couldn't be that she didn't make any money because she's bad at her job, now, could it?"

Started throwing out ideas on how to limit the electorate to 'worthwhile' people like the Founding Fathers did: suggested that only property owners vote. I mentioned that that would bar me from voting, for example. Decided that literacy/intelligence tests wouldn't work, as around here, there are plenty of people who can read and who are educated, but who are dumb as a post anyway.

Just told him to be happy that it was Palin who was the VP pick and the Valley Girl transplant who was the waitress and not the other way around.

It's weird not being in the old place anymore. Even if I was unhappy there (really unhappy), am feeling odd due to the change in environment. I know that Ampersand's having a harder time than I am, as she's a bit terrified of the other cats.

It seems as though everything is falling apart here, as well. Have spent more time this week dealing with repair technicians than I normally did in a year at the old place. Kind of frustrating.

Have to be very careful not to fall into another funk and thus ruin everything that I'm trying to accomplish right now. Can sort of feel the funk coming on, too.

"Prayer was my practice, sacrificing my law,
The day of worship of the gods the joy of my heart,
The day of devotion to the goddess more to me than riches;
What, however, seems good to oneself, to a god is displeasing,
What is spurned by oneself finds favor with a god;
Who is there that can grasp the will of the gods in heaven?
The plan of a god is full of mystery - who can understand it?
How can mortals learn the way of a god?"

An excerpt from a psalm that I need to make a few guesses about for my first Western Civilization class paper. (Where is the quote from?, What time period?, History of that culture, Most important contribution of said culture.)

All of this must be based on what we've read in class so far. No outside sources.

Interesting bit of forensic work, no? I'm really enjoying the class.

(By the way, you can google it if you want, but don't send any links back to me. I want to keep the magic of the mystery, work things out myself, enjoy the challenge.)