It's Friday afternoon

What I said earlier this week stands. (About what's going on in the news).

Also, it occurs to me: the world's a broken place, and horrible things happen, horrible acts of evil. And no human being can repair that brokenness. But we can - and I would argue, we have a responsibility - to do what we can to keep that brokenness from spreading. Even if it's just as simple as, as I said, "Don't be a jerk to other people."

There's not too much else I can say that won't get really pointy. It's just, it amazes me (in a very bad way) what some people are apparently capable of.

Edited to add: someone posted this on the CPAAG "Pointy" board (the place we go to discuss bigger issues that are too thoughtprovoking or sad for regular CPAAG):

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.” - Fred Rogers

Perhaps that helps, to look for the "helpers" - the police and paramedics and counselors and religious leaders and just caring laypeople who are trying to repair what damage has been done. A friend of mine who is a police chaplain noted that when people would ask her things like, "Where was God when the Towers (the WTC) fell?" she can say, "I don't know; but I do know He was with the people who were comforting those who lost loved ones, or who were donating blood, or who were giving water to the firefighters and police."
 


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In my own small personal bubble, though, things are pretty good:

1. My grades are all in and my syllabi for next semester are written. Graduation is tomorrow but it's in the afternoon, meaning I am free to watch PONIES tomorrow morning. (Heh. Last spring, I overheard the Dean of Students walking in to the graduation and she remarked, "This is seriously cutting in to my cartoon time." Considering that she wasn't directing the remark to anyone, I am sure she was serious about it. And I find it charming and wonderful that the Dean of Students watches cartoons - and perhaps, just perhaps, she also watches the Ponies.) 

2. I had a good dental checkup again. I got a new hygienist (not the one I had last time who rubbed me the wrong way). I told her all about my blood pressure fu and she took it with the little wrist cuff, and noted it was "quite high" and I told her what it was when I took it at home last night. Then she said, "Wait a minute..." and went and got one of the old-fashioned type of cuffs and took it that way. It was considerably lower; still higher than what is considered normal, but she said, "If you weren't having it treated and if you didn't suspect you have white coat hypertension, I'd call that pre-hypertensive. But I'll just call it normal given what else you've told me." She also sympathized with me for not liking the sonicator and suggested that for next time, I bring a iPod or something (oh, if only I had one) to listen to, that that might take the edge off the sound. (It's the sound of the thing that gets to me - a very high pitched whine). And I'm done now until June. No fillings needing replacement, no new fillings needed, nothing.

3. I did get down to Sherman, found the newest issues of The Knitter (the UK version of it) and Knit Now (Knit Now always comes with a small free gift - this time it was three small balls of Christmas-colored yarn and doubtless there's a pattern in the issue for using them). They're expensive as magazines go but they are such a treat - so much fun to look at and I've got a bunch of patterns from recent issues flagged as ones I want to knit. And it's culturally interesting - the knitting scene in the UK is slightly different from here, so it's neat to see. Almost like a mini-vacation.

4. We got rain. Quite heavy rain, at least, while I was in Sherman. I drove back through rain. We needed rain badly; it feels like it's been months since we got rain. I hope this signals a change in the general weather pattern and a going-away of the high pressure "dome" that has prevented us from getting rain. It feels more like winter now.

5. More funny/good developmental news about my niece - my brother has a game he plays with her, where he will say "Oh, that's SO SAD" (or something similar) in a sad voice, and she will start to pout up and look like she's going to cry, and then he'll say, "Oh, no, let's be HAPPY!" in a happy voice and she will grin at him. She's about 2 1/2 months old and responds to moods. That seems to me to be a good thing. She's also babbling; my sister in law says it sounds like she's trying to form words but just can't yet. (My mother notes that she thinks babies that are awake during the day a lot seem to talk earlier - and she is. I was also like that. Of course the fact that my brother and sister in law talk to Sarah-Jane a lot is surely helping her development).

It'll be fun once she starts to talk. I'm guessing her first word will be something like "daddy" as my brother is her main caretaker these days, but still, it will be fun to see what it is.

6. I went ahead and bought a few more Pony figs - they had the "Spa" set (with one of the Spa Sister ponies, and Pinkie Pie, and Zecora, which was the figure there that I really wanted) and one that had Applejack and Apple Bloom and (ugh) Diamond Tiara. So now I have the complete Apple family.  The checkout person commented: "You saw that there was a third set?" (the one with Rainbow Dash and Gilda).  And I said, "Yeah, she already has that one" but didn't elaborate that the "she" was the not-so-young woman standing there preparing to slide her Target card through the card reader.

(The store seemed to be sold out of the Royal Wedding set with Cadance and Shining Armor)

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At some point I want to photograph the Pegasus Feather socks. I'm quite happy with how they are turning out. I am almost up to starting the heel flap on the first sock. Maybe that will come tomorrow.