Andare, Partire, Tornare ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At least in DC, there are lots of police around me... I can't say I'm personally freaked out by the sniper, but the idea of going out to do normal chores is a little hair-raising right now. And worse, the nutjob is shooting at kids - the police announced that the incident with the 13 yr. old shot today outside his school matched all the parameters of the other attacks. Some wack job is angry, armed, and methodically picking people off at random. And he's not entirely limiting himself to one geographic area, which means it'll be difficult for the police to pin him down. This is pretty damn evil, and I want the police to bust his ass and then let the families of the people he shot take turns with him. Just them, him, and a pair of needle-nose pliers should do the trick nicely. Unfortunately, it illustrates how helpless people are against somebody who doesn't panic, who forms a plan and sticks to it. Then you have to hope he slips up, and meanwhile he may decide to pick off more people... Enough of that. I can't do anything about it, so I'm not going to linger on the topic. Finished Swanick's _The Iron Dragon's Daughter_ yesterday. It's an intersting book...brutal, fascinating, nihilistic, picaresque (yes, I was an English major, yes, I know that's not spelled right, no, I'm not going to fix it right now because I don't have time to look it up) and compelling. The ending is a bit of a muddle, but for sheer worldbuilding, it's worth a read. But images linger in your mind, and some of those images are distinctly nasty. Brrrr. I'm glad I read it, but it may be one of those books I can't read again, at least not for a while. Roommate leaves tomorrow for a training trip until Thursday, and then I head off Friday with mom and Boop to do spa and beach and general resort-type things. I hope the newly gushy runny nose doesn't turn into anything serious, because I am not giving up this trip. But bah, my throat's sore from all the drainage, and that's usually a harbinger of something worse to come. I don't know *why* it's happening, either. Tomorrow, I get to help lead a discussion group from George Washington U's museum studies program. They analyze several aspects of our period rooms. I'll have to dress semi-decently for once, although we'll probably be moving furniture at some point as well, so how the heck do I compromise? Maybe a skirt and a casual top that I can get grubby without any consequences. Only a little over a week until the opening exhibition - woo. And then, other stuff piles up. This is going to be a very busy autumn. Off to check my messages - apparently Petsmart called - and then to bed. 10:38 p.m. - 2002-10-07 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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