life

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Oh, man, let me tell you about my morning.

(This will be much more exciting if you imagine a rocking soundtrack, a couple of high-speed car chases, and perhaps Jessica Alba in a bikini tossed in. Or McDreamy, if you haven’t seen enough of Enchanted already, and you go that way.)

Anyway.

This morning, I opted to sleep instead of run, as I’m still a bit nervous pushing my legs / feet any more than I need to. That turned out to be a mistake, but whatever. Didn’t run.

Kids up and breakfasted and dressed about as well as can be expected, and off to school.

Check my work email from home because I’m going to the — (drum roll, car crash) — dentist! Don’t you wish you were me?

Off to the dentist, who says things are ok, but “we really ought to put a crown on that one. We’ll print you an estimate.” Oh, yay! Last crown was $700 or so (their estimates can’t be trusted). Um, no, I won’t make an appointment for that yet, I need to go sell a kidney or something first.

Then, home with the car. The car? She’s not running on all cylinders. Seriously, not. So I left it at home and walked… to the bus stop.

(cue gratuitous sex scene between McDreamy and Alba to keep the audience from running out for popcorn and forgetting to come back to this thriller)

I walked to the bus stop, and it’s nice out, and not even a mile away. I stood around for ten minutes or so, having apparently just missed the bus. Then, we’re on! An exciting ride (turns on two wheels, all that) and suddenly we’re at the drop-off. Where I walk a ways and catch — another bus!

About ten minutes later we’re off again, and actually caught some air over the railroad tracks (Steve McQueen’s ghost must have been driving) and ten minutes later I make it to work.

Total travel time, door to door - 1 hour. But I saved some gas, and my car may not have done so well anyway, what with the cylinder thing.

(cue rock music for closing credits)

Downs and ups

I’m on a bit of a roller coaster, it seems. I don’t think it’s
S.A.D., but that could be part of it.

I’m working hard - not a lot of overtime, but pretty much nose to the
grindstone from 8 to 5. I’ve cut way back on participating on various
blogs and forums. I still try and catch up some in the evenings and
on weekends, but you know how that goes.

Last week I flew with my mother-in-law to her new home. Huge
emotional turmoil with that. On the one hand, she’s with her
daughter, who is more than capable of taking care of her. On the
other hand I feel like I’ve failed her, at least some, for not doing
more. And no, I don’t know what “more” is, just MORE, dammit.

We tried a new adhd medicine for my son. His anxiety shot through the
roof, although it seemed to help a bit with his sleeping and appetite.
Was he more anxious, or did it just show more because he isn’t
zombied out? Dunno. We’re back to the old meds.

I ran this morning, and that helped my mood about a hundred-fold. Had
I written this entry last night, well, it wouldn’t have been pretty.
Speaking of last night, I watched Catch and Release. A fairly good
chick flick. By the end I was reminded how I really want someone to
say nice things at my funeral. Fat chance of that.

We were at Chili’s the other day and I heard a song by the Doors.
Forty years ago Jim Morrison is getting arrested for obscenity
charges, now he’s background music for casual dining. Whoda thunk it.

Got a minute?

Human History, in 60 seconds.

(no, it’s not mine, it’s his)

Human History

Alan Charles Kors

George H. Walker Endowed Term Professor of History

  • First, tribes: tough life.
  • The defaults beyond the intimate tribe were violence, aversion to difference, and slavery. Superstition: everywhere.
  • Culture overcomes them partially.
  • Rainfall agriculture, which allows loners.
  • Irrigation agriculture, which favors community.
  • Division of labor plus exchange in trade bring mutual cooperation, even outside the tribe.
  • The impulse is always there, though: “Kill or enslave the outsider.”
  • Gradual science from Athens’ compact with reason.
  • Division of labor, trade, the mastery of knowledge, plus time brought surplus, sometimes a peaceful extended order and, rules diversely evolved and, the cooperation of strangers - always warring against the fierce defaults of tribalism, violence, and ignorance.
  • No one who teaches you knows what will happen

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