Watermark

Relenting to the urge to blog politics

If one spends time on the web, or watches television, it's easy to forget that many (perhaps even most) Americans did not watch the debate, and aren't particularly interested.  I'm not going to review it; I'll leave that to those with more credentials. 

But my take, for what it's worth:  Senator Kerry seemed surprisingly presidential (and thankfully not orange.) It looks to me like something is seriously wrong with President Bush.

The President often seemed not just inarticulate, but easily confused, easily distracted, and emotionally reactive. Then, he would "clear", and be focused, strong, and have a quick grasp of the facts.  Suddenly confused again, he seemed to reach for his 'talking points' like a man who is drowning.

Many years ago, toward the end of the Reagan presidency, there were lots of 'jokes' about Alzheimers.  None but the most paranoid among us took these seriously, though they were not baseless.  Watching President Bush tonight brought those years back to me.

I saw Ann Richards state that Bush had trounced her in a governor's debate.  The man I saw tonight could not escape a social encounter with Ann Richards unharmed. 

I am beginning to feel paranoid.

{Oh, and by-the-way, to you media types out there:  that split-screen trick of bringing the President's podium up a few inches so their heads would be at the same level was just plain silly.}

Blogoshphere Quirks

Cheering

What She Said is a fairly new blog that answers the question:  Where are all the female bloggers? WSS features extensive interviews with women bloggers, and a very long blogroll of Progressive Women who Blog Politics "at least part time."  The blog is beautifully designed, the interviews are thoughtful, and the blogroll is a delight. 

So why am I talking about this in a post on Blogoshphere Quirks? 

Because Watermark is on that blogroll. 

Perhaps it's a mistake.  I am a progressive woman who blogs, but very rarely about politics (I may not be able to continue resisting the urge to do so, though.)  I wanted to be on that blogroll; I wished I could be on that blogroll; and there I am!

Screwy

The Truth Laid Bear Ecosystem has been very confused lately about my evolutionary status.  For some time, I've been a Marauding Marsupial (and actually, I still am), but for awhile there it was telling me I had suddenly dropped from 85 inbound unique links to seven, and had devolved to Flappy Bird status. 

Now, for several days, TLB has been convinced that I am a Large Mammal, despite thinking I have only seven inbound links (Technorati thinks I have 214 Links from 104 Sources.)  Watermark's current ranking at TLB is #259, and for the first time, I am actually receiving hits from there. 


Surprisingly Painful

Now, this one is silly, and I know it -- but I was so taken by surprise, and wonder if others have had similar experiences and how you have dealt with them. 

I left a comment on someone's blog, thinking to be amusing.  The blogger responded with something like I'm tired of people making pointless comments; if you don't have something helpful to offer, don't say anything.  Now, the blogger certainly has the right to respond however s/he likes; the surprise to me was that it hurts! 

When I started blogging, I had a heart-to-heart talk with myself about not taking things personally; remembering that online is different from real life; etc. etc.  And thus far, I've had little reason to remind myself of these platitudes.

I do not intend to respond to this person -- I don't think this is their problem; it's mine -- but I am curious if others are as thin-skinned as I am (at least, I am today.)  Any words of wisdom?

Stealing from frizzyLogic

An interesting quiz, How Right Brained Are you? via frizzyLogic:

Your final Score is 32/50

Both sides of your brain seem to work equally well, this should help you with a wide range of business related challenges. You are likely to feel equally comfortable when faced with problems demanding a logical approach to find the best answers as well as those demanding more creative "blue sky" thinking. The lower your score within this range the more left brain dominant you are likely to prove. Take every opportunity to exercise your right brain in order to sustain and enhance your creativity and imagination.

Also at frizzyLogic, a link to an outrageously funny "children's television program."  And, of course, Maizy.

Poem Dancing II

Another collaborative poem dance seems to be in process -- go here to add yours!

"Tough Guy"

From Views of the Northeast
Click to go to larger image

Snapshot 29 September 02004

when the muse goes
what is left?
      -- only autumn

      

UPDATE:  Hmm, maybe I could make this a little love poem:

when you go
what is left?
      -- only autumn

      

What do you think?

Andrew suggests:

when he goes
what is left?
      -- only autumn

      

Patia offers:

when you go
what is left?
      -- only love

      

From Cindy:

when he goes
what is left?
      -- dirty dishes

      

From Roger:

when they go
what is left?
      -- tranquility

      

From Liz Kirby:

When Autum goes
what is left?
      -- Another season.

      

Cathy has done something a little different, using my poem as the first stanza of a new piece:

when the muse goes
what is left?
      -- only autumn

And from there-
you’ll let the worries
fall with the leaves.

      

Dave, following Cathy's lead, offers:

when the muse goes
what is left?
      -- only autumn
each morning the once-
free leaves of grass
made to rime
by frost.

      

From Patrick:

only autumn
as you go
comes winter

      

From Kalamity:

When the muse goes
with the crows
what is left?
-- only autumn
cool weather,
leaves and feathers

      

From mjones:

Look, the tree is red!
Look!
           My son is enraptured.
Autumn needs no muse.

      

Have we begun another collaborative poem dance?  Crows is my favorite post ever; let's do it again!  Use at least one line from a previous poem; leave your poem in the comments (or email me); and I will bring it up to add to the dance.

Banned Books Week

This is the American Library Association's Banned Books Week.  They have a list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books, and I have read, and loved, many of them.  I have listed some below the cut. 

Independent booksellers with Book Sense have created this list of ten banned books in support of Banned Books Week; read them!

1. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, by Harper Lee

2. KING & KING & FAMILY, by Linda deHaan and Stern Nijland

3. BRAVE NEW WORLD, by Aldous Huxley

4. I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS, by Maya Angelou

5.THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, by Mark Twain

6. PLACES I NEVER MEANT TO BE: Original Stories by Censored Writers, edited by Judy Blume

7. FAHRENHEIT 451, by Ray Bradbury

8. FOOLS CROW, by James Welch (a beloved, much-missed local writer)

9. KAFFIR BOY: The True Story of a Black Youth’s Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa, by Mark Mathabane

10. STONES FROM THE RIVER, by Ursula Hegi (a friend and teacher)

In the Park

In the park this morning:

I watch a dipper harvest the riverbank, until it sees me and skitters off.

A park worker cuts sod to enlarge the volleyball court.

Five geese seem to argue about which direction to go -- two want to go west; three want to go north. After a time, west wins.

Crows, magpies, ducks. Bees and grasshoppers. Crabapple trees catching fire.

Much pain and fatigue this past few days. It is hard to see the world around me.

Collisions

Originally from the Daily Irrelevant, reBlogged by bev on September 24, 2004

Click image for animated version -
slow download, but worth it

If you think Earth is a mess, consider the turmoil in the constellation Hydra, where astronomers have spotted two monster galactic clusters slamming together in one of the biggest collisions ever recorded . . . this particular violent merger . . . could help scientists learn more about how galaxies and everything in them developed in the early universe.

When one's life seems to be a series of collisions, it is helpful to have some perspective.

Kittie Photos

Kittens

Cat in a Basket and Cat Salad, from growabrain

Kitties, from jenett.radio

Flickr Kitten Slideshow


Check in on this week's Carnival of the Cats; next week it will be here.