What now?

Duma Key (Thorndike Press Large Print Basic Series)

Stephen King

since I read a book that scared me so badly I couldn't sleep.

I stated Stephen King's Duma Key last night around 9 p.m.; about midway through I realized I had to try to sleep soon and started scanning through the second half of the book because I knew I wasn't going to sleep until the ghost had been laid to rest, so to speak.

Hmph.

I should know there's no skimming with books like that. By 3:30 I was almost finished, but at the most tense part, when ... flicker, flicker, off - the power went out.

Two problems. One, I was already scared almost out of my mind. Two, I had to finish that damn book. Stumbled around until I found a flashlight to read the last 10 or so pages, which, of course, involve a flashlight in a remarkably creepy way. Good, now that's done.

But I have no alarm clock and the juice on my cell phone is too far gone for me to rely on using it as an alarm in the morning. Opened the blinds thinking the morning sun would surely wake me up on time and tried to sleep, but no dice.

Finally the power came back on around 4:15. I had to reset my alarm but apparently did it wrong, because it failed to go off this morning and I was late for work.

Nice one, Stephen! Nice one! I don't think you've creeped me out like this since, oh, Pet Semetary? And how you managed to get the power to go out right at that moment ...

Eurpción del Chaitén y tormenta eléctrica

Originally uploaded by supermanzanas.

Incredible photo.

that if you are a single parent with sole guardianship of a child, you cannot join the military unless you permanently relinquish custody of said child?

no Vox, huh?

Actually busy at work, for a change. It's nice! And I play a lot on Facebook since I've managed to get a lot of friends to sign up there.

Look for me there, if you want to, actually. Jamie Christenbury, that's me!

Meanwhile, I still really enjoy the themes on Vox. I like to have a pretty page.

Right now, I'm observing as a new teacher leads a workshop on blogging. We're using Wordpress - apparently I already have an account there, so let's see me try to remember the password.

It makes for a lovely combination with the overly-loud overly-off-key rapper in the "music room" next door.

Also, we need to change the pre-requisites a bit. This is an advanced class!

• If you don't know how to uncheck something, don't take this class!
• You'll also need to know how to check your email!
  
• You don't have to know what a blog is.
• The meaning of the word "categorize".
• Patience. Don't ask what every single word on a page means - we'll get to "widgets," but right now we're talking about designs!
• Feel confident about making your own decisions - does your week start Sunday or Monday? You will have to decide. If you don't know what it is, leave it alone!
  

Other things we should cover in class:

• Google blog search
• Technorati (even if it is mostly dead now)
• Have you read a blog without realizing?
• Most popular blogs
• RSS feeds???????
• We probably need to emphasize the difference between blog as a noun and blog as a verb, and between a blog and a web page, and a blog and a MySpace page.
  
• Also, differentiate blog from blog post.
• What a blog is for.
• Blog spam.
• Bloggie awards
  

What's your favorite thing about being sick?

Naps!

Show us something you're allegic to.

Grass

[Sylvia Sweets Tea Room, corner of School and Main streets, Brockton, Mass.] (LOC)

Originally uploaded by The Library of Congress.

Sample posting for class

Show us the best email you received during the past couple of days.

Best email

Imagine

In 1968, shortly after assembling the track "Revolution 9" by layering tape loops (including a found test tape of an engineer repeating "number nine") over the fadeout of the album version of "Revolution," Lennon told long-time friend Pete Shotton:

This is the music of the future. You can forget all the rest of the shit we've done - this is it! Everybody will be making this stuff one day - you don't even have to know how to play a musical instrument to do it!

Of course, later that night Lennon also told Shotton that he (Lennon) was Jesus. When he told the rest of the Beatles the next morning, "they agreed they needed time to consider this proclamation." Yes, I imagine they did.

From Beatlesongs, by William J. Dowlding