esprit de l'escalier

Goodbye, No. 10

It's without shock that I heard that David Tennant's days as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who are numbered. He had been playing too coy about the whole deal. The next new season won't air until 2010, but we can enjoy No. 10 in a couple of specials to air next year.

I loved his time as the Doctor, but think it's time to pass the mantle on. It will be interesting to see who is next and how they will interpret the last of the Time Lords, especially because the show itself will be under new management, so to speak. Stephen Moffat will be taking over for series re-creator Russell Davies. Moffat has written some of the best (and personal favorites) episodes in the series, and I'm sure he will take it to new and interesting places.

Sepia tones and blur

It's the fall Polaroid Week, and it totally took me by surprise. Actually, 'Roid Weeks always seem to take me by surprise. (I apparently don't pay as close enough attention to things as I should.)

I'm way too busy this week, as I procrastinated more than was necessary or prudent on a paper due tomorrow.  I'm behind in blogging and scanning and uploading photos.  Part of this I blame on poor internet connection due to a bum router (which we allowed to go on longer than my sanity really allowed), but now we're back to our normal speedy selves.  I have a PFR waiting in the wings.  Hopefully it will get posted before I leave on a trip on Thursday.

For now, enjoy the slightly blurry, sepia tones of some freshly snapped polaroids.

Desperately needing to fall back

I have been having a hell of a time getting up in the mornings lately. I do not do well with the change from summer to fall, especially in October before the time changes. Usually as I hit the snooze button I am some what aware of the time and how much longer I can sleep. Today I didn't get up til 7, a half an hour before I should leave (if I expect to be at work on time). I was late. It was still dark at 7. I know that there was good reason to shift the time change last year, but it's going to be hard to wait until the beginning of November.

Two political thoughts

I was, of course, excited about the Colin Powell endorsement, especially by the eloquence (and length) he gave to his explanation. The part that I keep thinking about, though, is the part where he discusses how "Muslim" (or "Arab") has become a bad word in the political sphere, and how no one seems to have a problem with that. He told a story about a photo of a young soldier's grave, with his mother crying, and how that American citizen was of the Muslim faith and how nasty this political cycle has become.

The only other person I had heard give pause about this discriminatory practice was Ben Affleck this past Friday on Bill Maher's show. 

When I first heard that clip where the woman who asked McCain about Obama being an Arab (as joked about here) I was concerned by the non-response of McCain.  And I thought of Seinfeld episode where a reporter thinks that Jerry and George are gay.  Where was the, "But not that there's anything wrong with it!"  Instead the opposite of "Arab" was a "good family man."  There isn't anything wrong with being an Arab or of the Muslim faith. 

As Powell said it:

"Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, 'What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?' The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some 7-year-old Muslim American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion, 'He's a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists.' This is not the way we should be doing it in America."

My other thought has to do with the recent list of newspaper endorsements Obama and McCain have gotten (almost a 3 to 1 margin for Obama).  Besides the number of conservative papers that have endorsed Obama, I found it curious that McCain has not (yet at least) gotten endorsements from either Arizona or Alaska.  Obama has five from Illinois (including the Trib), and none from Delaware, but is carrying an Idaho paper.  (Palin went to school, partially at least, in Idaho.)  It's possibly that this could be proved wrong as more endorsements come in, but we're two weeks away from November 4th and no papers in McCain's home state have given any endorsements.

Delight

My friend Mary and I took a mini road trip on Saturday to Yellow Springs, Ohio. We had figured that gas prices had dropped and the fall colors were around their peak, so a road trip was in order. Plus Yellow Springs is a delightfully cute town, and this weekend several artists had open houses to their studios.

We drove through Antioch College's grounds, which are sadly empty at the moment. (The above polaroid is from the school's fire station.) I hope that the school can come back, or at least something new and positive can take over the campus. It seemed wrong to see a campus in fall with no students lolling about.


We enjoyed wandering around the town and visiting with different artists and shops. All in all, our trip was a success.

Happy birthday Frank-o!

Monday was Frank's second birthday. He's currently curled at my side, sacked out from an intense back and head rub. I'm sure that he would prefer to be sitting like this, if only he weren't so big. It's hard to remember what a little fluffball he was, like below, or when Natasha accidentally punted him across the apartment.



Thanks to him I have found my inner, obnoxious pet owner. He really is a most excellent cat. And I love how much he loves my parents' house in Ohio. My mom and I get such a kick of him enjoying the yard (and himself). I love to see him use trees as his scratching posts, or hiding in the catnip, or climbing up trees. He's in cat heaven. Anyhow, here's to many more years with dear Frank! (And thank you for all of your well wishes and thoughts in the previous post.)

Loss

Last Tuesday my grandmother died after a long and painful bout with cancer.  She was 78.  The last month and a half she has been in the hospital and it was a long and exhausting time for all of the family.  Many family members, including my sister and brother, were able to come in and visit with her before she passed, which she and my grandfather enjoyed and appreciated.  Really this final illness brought my grandfather, father and his siblings closer than maybe they have ever been.

I feel lucky that I have been home for the last year and have been able to visit my grandparents often and that I have been able to use this time of family togetherness to get closer with some aunts, uncles and little cousins I would normally not be able to see.  Still those feelings are mixed with the bittersweet as we all try and figure out how the next chapter in our family's story with be configured.

Brief break

I have some family stuff going on, so I'll probably be absent for the rest of this week and part of the next.