Heaven’s River
of stars
in my soup
the old woman’s mouth
painted on
crooked
breaking though ice
crack!
in the outhouse
by dagosan:
madly flipping
pages —
today’s haiku!
potluck
“tinyredcheck” In an editorial today that summarizes the proposal, the NYT has it right: “The
Democratic Senate bill, introduced last week by Senators Hillary Clinton, Barbara Boxer,
John Kerry and Frank Lautenberg, is now the gold standard for election reform.” Rick Hasen
A lot of people are getting worried about the dangers of too-much personal information
available on the web. Steve Minor points to the somewhat obnoxious — but telling –tactics
of one woman in Virginia, Betty “BJ” Ostergren), who is trying to prevent the publication
online of all circuit court records. It’s a thought-provoking tale.
Many Baby Boomers seem to consider audiobooks to be tacky, or a less significant way to enjoy
fiction or non-fiction. So, I was happy to see Prof. Althouse admitting that she listens to books (even
though it’s in the context of helping her fall to sleep). Humans sure do get into ruts. When my friends
are reluctant to try an audiobook, I’ve been known to say something like: You know, when the first story
was written down, and later when the printing press came along, some old-fogey surely complained, “Phooey,
stories were meant to be spoken and heard!”
I discovered audiobooks at a time when eye problems and overall fatigue made it almost
impossible for me to read more than a few pages a day. Books on tape are now a very
important part of my daily life, and I certainly “read” [consume, enjoy, become acquainted
with] at least fives times more books by listening than I ever could by eyeballing them.
A tip: Get the unabridged version, whenever possible. The abridged versions are often less
than 20% of the original text.
Speaking of Prof. Althouse: Her excellent photo of a snow man reminded
me to look at my Snow Buddha collection for Dec. 31st. Always makes me smile.
naughty child–
instead of his chores
a snow Buddha
Kobayashi Issa – translated by David G. Lanoue
just enough snow
for a Buddha —
too much snow
[dagosan, Dec. 31, 2004]
I heard a few years ago that the two main characters were identical twin brothers, but I picked up
the cassette case at the Library and I discovered that the fictional brothers were born three weeks
after my twin brother and I (in the week we were expected to arrive), and that their mother’s name is
Concettina — ours was christened “Concetta”). One of the novel’s brothers is paranoid schizophrenic.
When my brother Arthur visited me for a day this weekend, we were wondering which of the twins
was our own counterpart. Neither of the novel twins is a lawyer. Guess they lucked out.
Did you say Visiting Twin?: My mid-50ish friends find it somewhat amusing
that we sound like old-timers comparing maladies whenever we run into eachother. Well,
it’s ten times worse when your former wombmate shows up and you discover that you’re each experiencing the same bodily breakdowns and annoyances a few hundred
miles apart. (I shall spare you the details) Proof of our aging is here.
update: Old guys breaking down, is a good lead into today’s NYT article “Companies
Fight to Ensure Coverage of Erectile Drugs” (Feb. 22, 2005).” As we suggested a week
ago, deciding whether (or when) to cover “lifestyle” drugs is sure to cause big headaches.
E.g., One challenge: trying to decide when a reduction in the ability to perform a bodily
function well is merely a sign of old-age, that we should just learn to live with, and when
it is a medical problem worthy of insurance coverage. Both the Grabbiest Generation and
their Boomer children seem to want every malady covered. Who shall pay? This would be
a wonderful challenge for a mediator. Too bad my health has left me retired.
Which Member of Congress will be deciding how many ED pills a
month is reasonable? DeLay? Kennedy? Clinton? Hatch?
Isn’t sexual intimacy often very important to the Family Value of
keeping a couple together?
comparing aches
before the show —
senior organ recital
dagosan
If the study cited by south(west)paw is correct about household dust leading to learning disabilities, those dust dinosaurs that have been under my beds, ever since
leaving Mama G.’s place four decades ago, may explain a whole lot about my foggy brain.