The End is Near

Just a little randomness...

I'm really glad it's raining because it's beautiful and I love rain! AND because I think it's keeping me from going insane while putting together my bibliography - the rain is soothing. I don't especially like writing sociology papers but I really hate doing the bib. And that goes for any paper. I think that's the worst part of the whole process.

And I just remembered I didn't put dinner in the crockpot yet. I guess it'll be plan b tonight.

Only one more book to read (oh, no, make that two), two more big papers to write, one paper to edit one last time and then finals. In only two weeks. Scream with me, you know you want to! I hear there's light at the end of the tunnel I just don't have time to look up and see for myself.

Ok, I think I'm better now. ;)

Holocaust Remembrance

It's Holocaust Remembrance week. This is something I've studied quite a bit and it's just such a heart-wrenching thing that I do hope we never forget.

One of the truly troubling aspects of the Holocaust is that it was a human problem, not a German problem. There is much discussion about what was wrong with the Germans that they could do this, however, the evidence clearly shows that people from all of the European states that were invaded by Germany quickly and easily joined in.

That is not to say that no one resisted or refused to participate but a startling number of people did participate and a much larger number simply looked the other way. Let me also clarify that Germany was clearly responsible for the Holocaust and Hitler and his minions devised and carried out this evil. They simply did not do it alone.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has a good video for remembrance week. It's about 9 minutes but worth a watch.

"The road to Auschwitz was built by hatred, but paved with indifference." -Ian Kershaw

Note in a Bottle

I got the best mail a couple weeks ago (I'm a little behind in my posting - what a shock!) - it was a note in a bottle! The kind you hope to see if you're stranded on an island.

Avery sent me a note and some stickers to share with Mia. That was the most exciting mail I've ever received. And I have to tell you too that I was really impressed with the Post Office because they didn't smash the bottle at all. So, if you're looking to wow someone, send them a note in a bottle.

Sparkly Kleenex?

Have you ever noticed that the really soft Kleenex is sparkly? What's that all about? I mean do you need to draw more attention to your Rudolph nose?

In case you missed my bright red nose, now it's bright red aaand sparkly!

Huh.

sneezing and...

There's a group of blind students who ride the same evening bus home from school that I do. Yesterday I was standing near the shelter waiting for the bus to arrive and there was a blind man in front of me talking to a couple of his friends. He turned around and sneezed and I was really grateful that he didn't turn around enough to sneeze on me! I mean he had no idea I was there so you know I'm fine with it. No problem. Well, I didn't really want to be sneezed on, I'm just saying I'm not placing blame - I mean he couldn't see me.

Well, a minute later he started doing that gross thing guys do - that sort of hacking-ish, coughing-ish deal to gather phlegm in their throat so they can spit a loogie... You know what I mean! Ish!! I very quickly moved a few feet away because I wasn't about to take a chance that the loogie might land on me. Oh sick. Just the thought makes me want to hurl. Of course, if he spit a loogie on me then I hurled on him I guess that would make us even... Right?

Still, the thought makes me shudder.

I was gonna blog today...

but then I decided, school starts next week, why get anyone's hopes up?

Roof Inspection

We had our roof replaced because of hail damage. After the work is done the county inspector has to come out and approve it. In order to do this the roofing company must put a ladder out for the inspector and secure it to the house. They must also post the permit in a public place.

The inspector came by today and left us a note as to why he could not inspect our roof - there were two problems.

1. The ladder was in the wrong place. (Side note here, if they are so dang picky about where the ladder has to be and the exact position it must be in and the way it is secured would it not make much more sense for them to bring their own??? Oh wait! This is a government agency so common sense does not apply. Nevermind.)

2. The permit must be posted. It is. Right in the front window. It's so obvious you can't miss it unless you're brain dead. But then if you aren't brain dead maybe you could also bring your own ladder... Right, got it.

I ask you, should people who can't put a ladder up be walking on the roof? Highly dangerous! Seems like a bad plan.

I read the inept inspector's note and the only thing I could think was AND PEOPLE WANT THE GOVERNMENT DO HANDLE OUR HEALTHCARE??