Author: Esta

My favorite thing on the planet (today): sammiches made with leftover Christmas ham. So good, your tongue’ll beat your brains out. And yes, the technical term is “sammiches”.

Just letting everyone know that at least one of the Jarretts is back at the helm. Some of us have to work, instead of being glued to (admittedly really cool) geek toys while eating truckloads of yummy food. ‘K, so I’m a little grumpy at being back at the office. It was nice to be away from computers and TV and radio for 5 days. Really nice. See Tim’s entry for a record of most of what we did. I’ll fill in around the edges when work lets me up for air. And for the record, homecomings suck if you live on a farm where the pipes freeze in the winter. Hopefully they’ll be thawed enough so I can shower when I get home tonight. Grumpy grumpy…

New story today about getting ready for Christmas. And cookies. And making kids cry. If I don’t blog again while in NC, have a Merry Christmas, everyone. I mean it.

This is huge. Mumia Abu-Jamal, possibly the most famous inmate in America’s criminal justice system, was released from his death sentence today. The state has 180 days to re-sentence him. If you haven’t heard of Mumia, crawl out from under the rock you’ve been living under, or come to Richmond and see the graffiti dedicated to him that covers the city’s walls. He’s a legend — revered and defiled — larger than life. I’m not an expert on the case, so I won’t post my opinion on him here, but I definitely have one.
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No scripting news, petit, just music. I’m listening to Concrete Blonde this afternoon. “And I’ve been running all this time and I’m running out of places to go…and I am just so sick and tired of every face that I know…every thing I do, everything I say, every thing in my head, every night, every day, I been east, I been west, I been north, I been south, I feel your arms, I hear your voice, I see your eyes, I kiss your MOUTH and I am walking in London…” Awesome song. No one did lovelorn angst in the early 90’s like Johnette Napolitano.
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Like Tim, I haven’t blogged much lately. Unlike Tim, I don’t have as good a reason. Everything’s okay, just not particularly newsworthy. At least not for public consumption. 🙂 I’ve been feeling quiet about the upcoming holiday season…not a particularly jolly aspect. But I’ve finally decided that it’s okay to have a blue, blue Christmas. I’ll be with my family; that’s what counts, and that’s what I’m looking forward to. That, and my Mom’s fruitcake. Don’t scoff: this fruitcake is the king of the breed that will turn naysayers into ardent fans.

Can’t even say I’m listening to any good music to redeem this blog. Yes, folks, I broke out the Mr. Mister today. I’m truly amazed that they have a fansite. Good for them!
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A first: today a Virginian was cleared of charges due to DNA evidence. He’s a local boy, from Hanover County. After 15 years in jail, it turns out he didn’t do it after all. There were charges of racism in the case: the judge, jury, and victim were all white, and he’s black. Was his only crime being black, and having a white girlfriend at the time? What’s wrong with my state that that’s enough to make him look guilty of such an awful crime?
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Fun stuff at work today. I went up to my manager and asked to be trained for a new project. His answer? “Sure thing!” Much goodness. Nothing like making yourself indispensible at the office to make you sleep better at night. I guess my manager’s not mad at me anymore for showing him up in front of his boss.

Other fun: having lunch with a fellow UVa alum, 3 years my junior. Despite our differences (she was in a sorority, while I, um, was not) we had a great time chatting about the old days, and bemoaning how far our tolerances have deteriorated since graduation. Ah, college. “The good ol’ song of Wa-hoo-wa…”
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My results from the Art Test thingy:

“You are Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
You are extremely popular and widely known. Although unassuming and unpretentious, your enigmatic smile has charmed millions. You are a mystery, able to be appreciated from afar, but ultimately unknowable and thus intriguing.”

Sure thing, hoss. And I gots some real estate in my back pocket for ya.

Changing the subject: has anyone else had trouble recently with Mail Boxes Etc.? They assured me that Tim’s birthday present would be delivered last Friday, but it’s still in limbo somewhere in South Boston. Irate…

Sorry for the repetitiveness, folks. Tim and I were messing with how-to details and I didn’t think the Pogo blurb had been posted yet, so I did it again. My bad. 🙂

Re-reading a favorite Pogo book yesterday, I came across
this snip of verse, and thought I’d share it:

Now where we’ve gone
Through wood and field
The Sun has shone,
The Sun has shone;
The Rain did yield,
The ploughed Land sown,
Grain Blossom grown.
Can Storm attend,

Can Day be drear,
Can This be End,
Can there come End,
Because we’re Here?
Because we’re Here?

— O. V. Bristol, “Cornerstones and Corbiesteps”, 1801
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…and then there’s this one, by Walt Kelly. Love it:

“Lines to Celebrate the Loss of a Galosh”

Whither the Starling?
And whither the Crow?
And whither the Weather
When wither the Snow?

The weaver’s wet Daughter
Has dampened the clothes
With wavelets of water
Left over from Snothes!

Left over from Snothes!
Left over from Snothes!

Right over and under,
And yonder She gothes.
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Re-reading a favorite Pogo book yesterday, I came across this snip of verse, and thought I’d share it:

Now where we’ve gone
Through wood and field
The Sun has shone,
The Sun has shone;
The Rain did yield,
The ploughed Land sown,
Grain Blossom grown.
Can Storm attend,

Can Day be drear,
Can This be End,
Can there come End,
Because we’re Here?
Because we’re Here?

— O. V. Bristol, “Cornerstones and Corbiesteps”, 1801
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I’ve found a good tribute site about George Harrison’s passing to add to Tim’s links. Plus, I’ve written a eulogy of sorts.

Great quotation, courtesy of Friday’s A Word A Day: “As an adolescent I aspired to lasting fame, I craved factual certainty, and I thirsted for a meaningful vision of human life – so I became a scientist. This is like becoming an archbishop so you can meet girls.” -Matt Cartmill, anthropology professor and author (1943- )

Thought y’all’d appreciate that. 🙂 Not much else today, hence the news vs. a story. Busy busy work day. Have a good one!

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