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"It was near the end of October..."
Congress could have declared October 2013 'Apocalyptic Fiction In Media Month', and saved themselves a lot of explaining. They've shut down our government, then claimed to forsee disaster in the Affordable Care Act website rollout (over minor, eminently fixable software issues). All that in one month. AND they've justified themselves with some of ( Read more... ) -
...Adrift...
Without the focus of the bookstore, and daily work, my new focus is on an urgent job-search. The store closed before our expected target date, and with animosity on our landlord's part (concerning matters which couldn't be helped---and, the basement storage space flooded before we could clear it out. It flooded twice,in fact.) My former employer is ( Read more... ) -
The Good News: ROMMEL SIGHTED! The Bad News........
We've finally located an early edition of 'INFANTRY ATTACKS!', the first published work by then Oberstleutnant Erwin Rommel. I'm eager to assess its condition ( Read more... ) -
Revive The Conch Republic! Grant Asylum To Rational Floridians!
In the wake of the Trayvon Martin murder trial verdict, I'm hardly surprised at the 'Cut Florida Adrift' animation showing up on YouTube and elsewhere. I know full well that a good percentage of Florida residents are appalled by the trial's outcome. With the perceived vindication of the 'Stand Your Ground' law, I'm leery of these good folks being ( Read more... ) -
Blink*Blink*Blink....
Most of the time, my prosthetic contact lenses serve their function quietly and without fuss. After several years of descent into blindness, two cataract surgeries restored my sight. The only complication was that my eyes wouldn't tolerate the kind of lens-implant surgery prevalent in the 1980s (when my surgeries were performed). Rigid gas- ( Read more... ) -
A Chase Across The Sky...
When my timing is really, really good, the results knock me out. And it happened just last night. I chanced on a sighting of the International Space Station, being tailed closely by a re-supply vehicle as it slowly gains on ISS and matches its orbit. A lovely sight, these two glowing beads of light sailing Eastward in velvet blackness, surrounded ( Read more... ) -
In Hot Pursuit Of Rommel...Not Kidding
Not long ago, my employer & I had a chance to scavenge the book collection of a former Luftwaffe pilot who'd emigrated here in the early 60s. He'd had an immense library, much of it in German; we hauled out literally tons of books with no chance to translate most of the titles into English. By pure chance I looked at one smallish volume as I ( Read more... ) -
Back In Harness!
It's been delightful to have work again after a loooong stretch without. At this point I'm working in a used bookstore owned by friends, and managed by a GREAT gal and her friend/partner Candy. (Candy's gay, the manager-lady isn't...they're PARTNER-type partners, as opposed to, well...but it's fun to watch people assume ( Read more... ) -
Opportunity Knocks (?)
I may actually have a job again. Which would be nice, if the circumstances weren't full of foreboding. I'll be working in a friend's bookstore, part-time to start with, stocking shelves and helping the owner's partner get conversant with shelving & organization (the partner's a highly capable gal, but new to bookstores and book-selling). This ( Read more... ) -
Flight To The Stars
I'd simply had more than I could take. News of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings quickly became overwhelming in its horror; despite an urge to see how competently broadcast media was handling the story, I couldn't cope any more. Outside was a cold,clear evening, with an impending pass by the International Space Station.( Read more... )