Pilgrim Eye

10:58 AM - Measure twice, cut once, bend it, break it, cut again, find different parts, ouch, bandaids?

Nothing. Ever. Goes. Right. The first time. Sounds negative, right? A downer. A demotivator. But I find it's not. Because it says something about expertise, about experience. It says that when you try again, you'll succeed. After the shelves are successfully hung or the carburetor replaced or the topic paper written -- now you're good at it.

You may never want to do any more auto repair, but you could. Eventually you find the things you've worked hard enough at to be good at, AND enjoy. But I never stop being a little afraid of doing something new the first time, because I know I'll screw it up. I just have to keep reminding myself that it's the only way to keep going, to not stand still.

4:12 PM - Fantasy rules

We recently (re)watched Harry Potter I. In Book One, if you recall, we are introduced to a great many of the rules that govern Rowling's world. Potions, elixirs, spells, hexes, curses -- each has "easier" and "harder" varieties. There's a "good" side and a "dark" side to magic. Magic is recognized as distinct from non-magic -- and while magic is the norm for magic folk, still they acknowledge that it's "special," wondrous. It's not like breathing air -- you have to invoke it.

Magic folk can fly -- but usually, mostly, with the aid of a broom. Made sense, right? And then Harry is given the latest model, a coveted Nimbus 2000.

This, of course, is one of the kinds of things that made the Harry Potter series such a hit -- the adaptation of current school-kid sensibilities to this magic world. Cliques, romance, sports rivalry, class warfare, nerds v. slackers -- and broomsticks. Broomsticks are like down vests, Nike shoes, the latest bluejeans.

What is it that the Nimbus 2000 can provide, that mama's household broom can't? As far as I recall, we aren't told. Maybe it's faster, nimbler. But Harry's skill is apparently still paramount -- Nimbus brooms do not compensate for lack of talent. In this, they are perhaps most like gym shoes. The latest Nikes convey, mostly, status.

But what I love noticing is that it's still a broom. The Nimbus, despite its aerodynamic shaft and other attributes, could still nominally be used to sweep a floor.

This MUST be so. Some other movies/shows/games have had fun with mops, vacuum cleaners, etc. But no advance in magic broomstick tech or status can violate the essence of the thing itself.

Does this, in fact, define magic? In the real world, which we think of as non-magic, utilitarian objects can be transfigured. Phones are now cameras, handsets are earpieces, storage media are flash chips and thumb drives, books are Kindles or Nooks.

If the object persists while the function changes, it's magic. If the object evolves, while the function stays the same, it's technology.

If you can't tell the difference, you are a time-traveler.

12:12 PM - Walls

IMG00001-20091111-1116 Originally uploaded by verbalobe.
 
This is a chunk of the Berlin Wall, brought back for me by R. Norman Matheny, photographer at the Christian Science Monitor who covered events in Europe for us in 1989.

Walls and fences memorialize differences. Not all walls, or differences, are wrong or to be feared (see Robert Frost); but on this Veteran's Day (Armistice Day, in the old British tradition), I wish on all a more inclusive spirit, and the strength to forgive, and accept forgiveness.

And Happy Birthday to my mum.

2:20 PM - America is great

Don't get me wrong -- most other countries I know anything about are great, too. Probably every country is great, in the way I mean here. America isn't ubergreat.

But this goes out to the negatroids who like to sketch a picture of a country circling the drain, of people fed up, demoralized, furious at the government, despairing at losing their freedom; or otherwise (from the racist moonbat wing) lazy, no-good, dark-skinned, immigrant thieves (like our President).

If you spend much time in or around some of the birther or extremist right-wing forums, you might have been as (pleasantly) surprised as we were as we went through the otherwise horrendous, grief-stricken process of bringing our adored 6-year-old basenji for veterinary treatment of a sudden illness, only to have to say goodbye to her 5 days later after an operation and a transfusion, all for naught.

In those 5 days we met and dealt with more than a dozen animal care specialists, technicians, receptionists, doctors, interns, and trainees, at two separate facilities. Every one of them was 110% attentive, respectful, intelligent, hard-working, committed, caring, professional, and capable. It's actually hard for me to put this into words; the experience was like parachuting into a different America from the one we see through the eyes of the nutjobs, keyboard warriors, and Beck's 9/12 folks.

These men and women were working 12-hour shifts. They called with updates and test results exactly when promised (e.g., 2 a.m., 6 a.m.) -- without exception. They gave thorough information, and advice when asked. They thought laterally and solved problems. They were gentle and caring. They handled the most difficult of issues (elective euthanasia) with finesse. When we transferred our dear dog from one facility to the other, the packet of papers that was her file after just 30 hours of care ran to 13 pages, including the transcript of the ultrasound technician's running commentary.

They constantly dealt with other incoming emergencies, while making us feel like our case was the most important and our dog the best dog in the history of dogdom (she was).

I know, intuitively, the same qualities exist everywhere, from hospitals to bricklayers to software engineers to schools. It was just so heartening to experience it under such stressful conditions.

Here's to American heroes, and heroes everywhere, who live their lives fully, honestly, and make a positive difference in the world every friggin day.

8:56 AM - Even if it were explainable, we couldn't explain it to her

curiesagan2 Originally uploaded by verbalobe.
 
Sagan has been spending a lot of her time -- much more than usual -- sitting at one or the other of the two windows with a view of the front walk, gazing out.

7:35 AM - There's gonna be some shameless reminiscing, introversion, celebration, and tears

Curie hangs with the boyz Originally uploaded by verbalobe.
Sitting on a hard, antiseptic floor, one hand gently against her warm chest, one wished for a miracle. One imagined her hopping up and dashing for the door -- "never mind! Let's leave this place!"

Let's leave this place together.

One threw thousands of dollars at the problem, the best in modern care, amazing, remarkable, committed professionals (more on them later) -- and yet one wondered which god had you not prayed to, in the right way?

One hadn't asked the Virgin's intercession, one hadn't wailed at the Wall, one hadn't tied a ribbon or lit incense at the shrine, one hadn't put on paint and smoked grass and danced howling in the firelight.

One hadn't snatched one's friend back from the brink.

We had been talking the other day about how Curie trusted us. We talked often about the evolution of dogs, the domestication of these scavengers. Dawkins has a lovely section on this in his latest book "The Greatest Show on Earth." About the dance of compromise as the wolfish originals learned tameness for survival, hitching their lives to that of their people.

Curie lay swaddled in Marsh's lap, my hand at her fluttering heart.

We were surrounded by love. The technician Karrie, Doctors Moore, Taylor, and Hickey, Tracy and Brian at reception, Emly in our thoughts and hearts at every step, Christina on IM, Gloria who produced this perfect girl and who had talked us and walked us through many other decisions and issues. Aaron. Greg.

On the phone, this time, Glo's advice had been, "Go to her. Ask her. Let her tell you what to do."

So one imagines a miracle, and prays in one's way, and asks.

9:01 PM - Triptych

Triptych Originally uploaded by verbalobe.
Northern Virginia has been especially colorful this fall.

6:15 PM - Now that's a birthday present!

Table Originally uploaded by verbalobe.
A plant-stand table, with built-in drainage and lighting for the lower shelf... an outing for the garden shop's last bedraggled herbs*, at half-off and just begging to be rescued... lovingly repotted and now enjoying the best natural light in the house...

It goes with where we are in this life of ours. An oasis of clarity, succor, good earth and flavorful food. Growth, and life, and knowing that every day is a step along a road, rather than an endpoint to be harshly scored as incomplete.

Thank you.

*Stevia, Marjoram, Greek Oregano, Lemon Verbena, Chives, Rosemary, Winter Savory -- and from seed: Chamomile and Borage.

11:04 AM - Let's play word association?

From my previous entry, I had this ad served to me by Google:

titanic memorial cruise

I'm just not sure how good an idea that is.

2:54 PM - To the lifeboats!

barack_sinking Originally uploaded by verbalobe.
With AP photo editors on the job, who needs enemies?

Or did President Obama really hold a health care reform presser on board the Titanic?

10:54 PM - Graphic fail

IMG00043-20091012-1452 Originally uploaded by verbalobe.
Sign inside a tour coach. Something to do with the emergency exit mechanism. Darned if I know what it means!

11:47 AM - Nobel Laureate

From over at politijab:

"Meanwhile... Dave Weigel said this:

daveweigel @EdMorrissey The Nobel isn't a lifetime achievement. It's occasionally given to people just starting a peace process, ie Arafat.

daveweigel @EdMorrissey And yes, it's occasionally given in error. But it's not a "you've achieved so much" award, it's a "please do more" award."

I completely agree. Keep up the good work, Mr. President.

4:16 PM - Turkeys

turkeys Originally uploaded by verbalobe.
They really seem to have earned their reputation for, um, un-brightness.

Are we all turkeys, loping away alarmed from each imagined or real threat, never seeming to anticipate, unable to distinguish friend from foe?

10:54 AM - Amateurs!

I think this is simply brilliant:

Largest-Ever Hoard of Anglo-Saxon Treasures Found on UK Farmland

10:49 AM - Dreamscape Franchise

I had a WoW dream. In it, I was visiting a real-life theme park based on WoW. There were activities and attractions vaguely based on WoW themes. The park was still under construction. One long line of park-goers snaked around two buildings, waiting for the Sandworm Joust ride. As far as I know, WoW has neither sandworms (I am currently rereading the Dune series) nor jousting. (I guess a sandworm would be somewhere between a Crustbuster and a Jormungar. The ones in the park were more like giant holographic snakes.) As I walked by, there was a big ooh-aah and someone remarked that so-and-so's lance had split. "So-and-so" might have been my sister Lisken, or my daughter Alexis. Neither of whom play WoW; but I've been in touch with both of them recently.

I was impressed with how the park designers were sculpting and pruning real groves of trees to resemble the out-of-scale, cartoony trees in the game. Then I was flying, floating -- on a parachute? -- and as I landed, the dream ended. But not before remembering that I had dreamed of WoW theme parks for three consecutive nights, each dream a different park, and each one more advanced than the last. How cool! I thought. My brain concocted this whole thing, but developed the idea incrementally. Then I woke up, and couldn't decide whether I really had dreamed three incrementally more advanced theme parks on three consecutive nights -- or whether I had just dreamed that I had.

10:27 PM - Oh yay!

"See how living in recycled shipping crates is not as shabby as you might think."

-CNN.com

1:45 PM - Today

- Organize financial papers
- Pay bills
- Stop by step-kids' family for Labor Day cheer (i.e., burgers and Doritos) ... mmm, everything was really good
- Play 1 game of Scrabble withagainst my favorite opponent
- Make chicken salad for lunch
- Look at Dus Shingitai badge art, that I have been procrastinating on
- Prep for work
- Shower & shave
- Read the text of Obama's speech to school students*
- Put away groceries, empty dishwasher
- Review draft of pre-trial memorandum
- Read chapter of Dune Messiah
- Klystron's fishing and cooking dailies on WoW
- Walk 2-31-2 more miles
- Make to-do list
- It's trash night!

---

*Of course the knee-jerk reaction to this by the minority opposition was ridiculous -- and they knew it. But what I found most bizarre was that when pressed -- when reminded that (a) many presidents have addressed the nation's classrooms, including both Bush's, (b) historically these speeches have included policy/propaganda (including that of GWB), and (c) there was no evidence that Obama's speech would be propagandistic -- spokesmen like Jim Greer fell back on the release by the Department of Education of a lesson plan that included questions like "what can I do to help the President?"

I found it bizarre that this kind of lesson plan could become a target of such venom, and even more bizarre that interviewers like Chris Matthews so quickly conceded the point, agreeing the lesson plans might have been better done, or something. And now the White House has said the lesson plans will be or have been revised.

I'm not going to argue that "what can I do to help the President?" can at least from the perspective of innocent youth be read as "what can I do to help the country?" That line is obviously a non-starter with the less-than-innocent minority opposition, who have decided that they must do everything in their power to diminish and destroy this Presidency -- and in a (fruitless) effort to attach a shred of rationality to this effort, while still calling themselves patriots, have decided that this President is not even of this country.

No. What I will point out, simply, is that it is perfectly possible to answer the question "what can I do to help the President?" from the standpoint of someone who disagrees with his policies. Not only possible, but perhaps essential. How about these lesson-plan answers:

- "I can tell him what he's doing wrong."
- "I can tell him about the particular needs/issues of my community."
- "I can ask him to keep his promises."
- "I can tell him what I'm worried about for the future of the USA."
- "I can pray that he see the right way to guide the country."

Or how about this one:

- "I can stay in school. Even on the days when we're going to hear some speech by some uppity black guy. 'Cause, y'know, I might learn something."

2:39 PM - Halaa

Some people -- Type A personalities, white supremacists, Republicans, the Alliance -- are just not happy unless they are "in charge." Even if they have no intention of doing anything with all that power.

So the people who really want to make a difference -- who see the need for progress, who notice and care about things like tilted playing fields -- have to scramble for a bit of that power from time to time.

And they would gladly keep the power, if they were allowed; but the others -- the ones for whom being in power is the end in itself -- will always have the last laugh. And progressives and liberals will always surrender, because power is NOT an important enough end in itself.

1:24 PM - Are you a Health Care Reformista?

11:41 PM - From the garden

From the garden Originally uploaded by verbalobe.
Enjoy.