Letters to Myself

Yes, there's the great mystique of SF predicting such technological wonders as satellites and the water bed. But what about social predictions?

Henry, who was some five years older than his sister, could remember, very dimly, back to the end of the era of feminine freedom, the time when women had been encouraged, nay, expected, to be intelligent. The girls had been in the saddle then -- they had ridden high, wide and handsome. But the rise of the government-sponsored cult of feminine modesty, chastity and brainlessness in the late 1980's had put an end to all that.

--Hathor's Pets by Margaret St. Clair
pub. 1949, Startling Stories

If by cult, you mean "The Religious Right," why, then Ms St. Clair is right on the money. Startling Stories indeed.

Posted by jon at 09:44 PM | Permalink

"Well, Ian, what do you think?"
"Dah doo ba bebe bbbbbb!" (Translation: "I don't know, Dad. Do you really think this pumpkin patch is sincere enough to deserve the attention of the Great Pumpkin?")

I love fall. To take advantage of the lovely weather, we took Ian up into the mountains to visit a pumpkin patch. In addition to browsing their gourd selection, Ian also got to ride a pony. Yeehaw! He got along nicely, he did.

We opted against the corn maze. Too risky.

Posted by jon at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So, anyway. I've been away, and I apologize to the eight of you who still read this thing for that. I was ill for a few days (A Mysterious & Unnamed Virus), and Ian as well (Strep Throat, according to the doc). And I've noticed that, when something like that happens, it become difficult to get back into certain activities, like blogging or work, mainly because it feels like you've missed so much that you'll never catch up on it. It's like reading a long running comic book series or watching soap operas and then stop for a few years. So much has changed that you'll never find it all out.

I know, I've been gone a few days and I'm getting all dramaticy. But that's what it feels like.

At any rate, I'm better, Ian's better, and while I'm still missing several issues of the Internet Chronicles, I think I know enough to fake it.

* * *

Sarah asked me if I'd seen this back before the Mysterious Virus laid me low. I share it with you, in case you missed it: LOLthulhu. Hee.

* * *

Important teaching tip: if you have Oreos for lunch, be sure to smile in front of a mirror before class starts, lest your dental hygiene appear British. Yes, I checked in time. Phew.

Reading: The Best of Margaret St. Clair.

Posted by jon at 04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Wearing my black "Treasure Island" t-shirt to commemorate the day. Altho' I did greet a few folks at the reference desk with "Ahoy" (no reaction, darn it). Shirt's from the Vegas casino. Got a skull & crossbones, with the skull having a single rhinestone for a tooth. Gloriously obnoxious.

I was in the grocery store with it on a while back, and passed by a mom shopping with her son, who looked about six or so. Mom was comparing prices on breakfast cereal and didn't see me, but the boy did. He stared at my shirt, slight frown on his face. Right after I passed them in the aisle I heard this:

"Mom, what's Treasure Island?"

"It's a book, honey."

That warmed my librarian heart, let me tell you.

Reading: The Tower of Fear, by Glen Cook.

Posted by jon at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Gorgeous morning. Sky blue, air crisp, bit of wind. Just beautiful. So much so that I got on the shuttle this morning, sat there for thirty seconds, then got up and said "On second thought, I think I'll walk." Everyone stared as I got off. It was the best.

* * *

I'd like to remind you all that International Talk Like A Pirate Day is tomorrow. Please plan accordingly.

* * *

Show of hands: how many of you remember the band Sha Na Na? Some of you, yes, some of you, no, and some of you are lying. Fine. I am amused to report that one of the founding members, Rob Leonard, is a Professor of Linguistics and Swahili at Hofstra University in New York. He's also the Director of the Forensic Linguistics Project and has trained investigators from the FBI, the NYPD, the Secret Service, and the ATF.

Kind of makes you wonder what you'll be doing in thirty years, doesn't it?

Reading: The Holmes-Dracula File, by Fred Saberhagen.

Posted by jon at 09:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

And now for the latest meme that's sweeping the Internation!

Go to http://www.careercruising.com/. For Username: nycareers. For password: landmark. Take their “Career Matchmaker” questions, post their results:

1. Website Designer
2. Water Treatment Plant Operator
3. Desktop Publisher
4. Computer Programmer
5. Multimedia Developer
6. Cartoonist / Comic Illustrator
7. Computer Support Person
8. Fruit and Vegetable Grower
9. Writer
10. Video Game Developer
11. Artist
12. GIS Specialist
13. Business Systems Analyst
14. Activist
15. Disc Jockey
16. Political Aide
17. Communications Specialist
18. Database Developer
19. Critic
20. Public Policy Analyst
21. Professional Athlete
22. Web Developer
23. Translator
24. Print Journalist
25. Market Research Analyst
26. Medical Illustrator
27. Archivist
28. Industrial Designer
29. Technical Writer
30. Potter
31. Public Relations Specialist
32. Nursery / Greenhouse Grower
33. Animator
34. Cartographer
35. Horticulturist
36. Zookeeper
37. Exhibit Designer
38. Webmaster
39. Cardiovascular Tech
40. Anthropologist

Interesting how my actual profession, which I enjoy quite a bit, isn't on there. Ha! Guess them fancy mind-readin' machines don't know everthing! For some comparison, here's how my answers stacked up if I was a blue-collar Joe Six Pack:

1. Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner
2. Production Woodworker
3. Vending Machine Servicer
4. Mover
5. Automobile Assembler
6. Automotive Painter
7. Water Treatment Plant Operator
8. Power Plant Operator
9. Tailor / Dressmaker
10. Hospital Service Worker
11. Auto Detailer
12. Dry Cleaner
13. Security Systems Technician
14. Housekeeper
15. Sign Maker
16. Locksmith
17. Gunsmith
18. Printing Press Operator
19. Autobody Repairer
20. Stock Clerk
21. Cartoonist / Comic Illustrator
22. Miner (Underground)
23. Glazier
24. Dental Lab Tech
25. Desktop Publisher
26. Pet Groomer
27. Heavy Equipment Operator
28. Airport Ground Crew
29. Ship's Crew
30. Appliance Repairer
31. Cable Installer and Repairer
32. Computer Support Person
33. Optical / Ophthalmic Lab Technician
34. Fruit and Vegetable Grower
35. Heating, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration Tech
36. Train Operator
37. Bicycle Mechanic
38. Upholsterer
39. Taxi Driver
40. Picture Framer

There's a reason to go to college, kids. Without that degree, you might be fated to a life of cleaning other people's carpets.

Posted by jon at 09:48 AM | Permalink

There's nothing that pleases me less than having to go upstairs and tell a "study" group to shut up already. But on the bright side, they were watching Family Guy videos on a laptop, and anything I can do to stomp on that fanbase is a good thing.

At least they weren't watching Mind of Mencia.

Shudder.

Posted by jon at 08:11 PM | Permalink

I mean, c'mon. What else could they use? Never was a big fan of Iron Man in my regular comic reading youth, but this looks cool.

Posted by jon at 01:33 PM | Permalink

Ah, a delightful family outing this weekend: took Ian to the zoo. I think it's fair to say he thought it was the best thing since his discovery of macaroni & cheese. He points to animals now, and waves as well. The animals did not wave back, but undaunted, he kept it up. Every animal is "Dah," to him, "Dah" being shorthand for dog. This amused us at times:
"Look, Ian! An elephant!"
"Dah!"
"Look! A rhinoceros!"
"Dah!"
"Look! A Thomson's Gazelle!"
"Dah!"

I'm sure he won't bring this back up when he's older. Note to self: remember to scrub the website.

Sadly, no pictures, as we forgot the camera. D'oh. We may recreate his favorite pose later, him riding on my shoulders and compressing my spine in the process. He thinks that's swell. Maybe he'll become a chiropractor.

Reading: Tower of Zanid, by L. Sprague de Camp.

Posted by jon at 09:01 PM | Permalink

Hmm. It seems that, if you go on hiatus, you're required by law to provide a cat pic upon your return. Clearly the I Can Has Cheezburger lobby is quite powerful. Wonder what presidential candidate they're backing?

Ah well. I is no lawbreaker:

Posted by jon at 10:17 AM | Permalink

Back from my impromptu vacation. Went to Memphis for a family thing of Lisa's, and then, altho' we were home, busied ourselves with rearranging the furniture. Moved bookcases and their books upstairs, moved a piano (but not upstairs, thank Jebus), set up a playroom, and then opened up a pan-dimensional space to make our house bigger on the inside than the outside, because, that's what you find yourself needing after you've owned a place for a while. More space.

I spent practically no time online, so I'd like to offer a blanket "huzzah!" to anyone who deserves one, a blank "for shame!" for anyone who deserves one, and a blanket "yo" to everyone else. Hope to start posting again regularly, once I finish this steaming cup of aspirin.

Posted by jon at 01:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)