Department of Letters Not Sent

Here’s a quite lovely Letter to My Dead Dog by Scheherazade over at Stay of Execution.

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What a thing

I signed up at LibraryThing on June 15.

As of last night I’ve catalogued a total of 1,005 books there. That’s about it unless I find a stray volume or two in the car or under the bed.

Now I’ll export my catalogue to an Excel file, which will be my return on that investment of time (and a bit of money).

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Turn out the lights, the party’s over

Rice lost last night in Omaha to Oregon State, 2 to 0, in Game 13 (inauspicious number) of the College World Series. Which eliminated them from the series.

As the school’s website says: “Congratulations to the Rice Owls baseball team (57-13) on an outstanding season, including the Conference USA Championship and an appearance in the final four at the College World Series!”

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Another fashion statement

So sue me. Confined as I am to wearing hiking shoes everywhere until the right 5th metatarsal bone is all healed up from its fracture – more here – I have acquired a second pair of the things. The Merrell Passage Ventilator model, pictured here, sports summery blue and gray colors with accents of spring green, some might say chartreuse.

It’s probably a girl thing. If I didn’t have this broken foot thing I’d have two or three main pairs of shoes to wear throughout the average work week. Why lower my standards on account of a little broken bone?

Anyway, it’s sposed to be good to switch between your everyday shoes; give ‘em a chance to dry out etc. for a day between wearings. Especially, I think, in summer.

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College World Series, Game 12

Miami 5, Rice 0. Uh-oh. That means Rice plays Game 13 tonight against Oregon State. I haven’t followed it that closely but I think tonight’s game is a must-win or the Owls are eliminated.

There’s so much information over at Rosenblog that I could probably find out for sure – if I felt like it. I have awakened with a headache from Hades and looking at this monitor isn’t making me feel better. Yick.

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College World Series, Game 8

Rice squeaked to a win last evening in Game 8 at the CWS in Omaha: Rice 3, Miami 2. I was home in time to see a little of the 7th and 8th innings on ESPN2, but I had to leave again before the end of the game.

Next game is Wednesday, 8 p.m. Central time, against either Miami or Oregon State.

There are some good entries about the CWS and about Rice’s baseball coach over at Houston’s Clear Thinkers – here and here.

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Fetching summer footwear

Hiking shoes.

I’m wearing hiking shoes.

Everywhere.

Until further notice, you’ll see me in a pair of the Merrell Mesa Ventilator II, pictured. Yes, it’s summer, and no, I don’t work outdoors.

But my broken 5th metatarsal is still healing and this is what I am told I should wear while the bone continues to mend. The rigid sole protects my foot from getting bent out of shape and tugging the bone in ways that would be detrimental.

The good news is that Merrell makes a super-comfy shoe; the footbed said “welcome” when I tried them on – after chasing all over town and trying on more hiking shoes than I can remember.

Hey, I’m glad to be done wearing that black boot-cast contraption. The hiking shoes are not as much fun as a nice pair of sandals on a summer weekend, but way cooler than the boot!

I have another checkup at the ortho clinic in two weeks. I hope to learn then how much longer I’ll be flashing the Merrell hiking shoes beneath the tailored trousers of the outfits I wear to work.

The big plus: you don’t have to wear pantyhose with hiking shoes. Heh, heh.

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Baseball news

Game 3, June 17, 1:00 PM Central Time.Final score: Rice 6, Georgia 4.

Next: game 8, Monday, June 19 at 6:00 PM Central Time.

Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.

Go Owls!!

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Grace

Bill Clinton came to town yesterday.

More specifically, Former President William Jefferson Clinton came to Denver to speak at the groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial to the victims of the 1999 Columbine High School attack.

But, really, Bill came back to town. Bill, who believes his number one job was always “father” and number two was whatever else he was doing – including being President (ah, Bill, would that you coulda remembered that in some of your more eventually famous weak moments in, er, personal situations).

Bill, the sitting President who came with his wife to meet with the Columbine community shortly after the tragedy. Bill, who promised to help them raise the funds for the memorial.

Bill, who has kept his promises to the families of Columbine High School.

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Catalog status

Joined LibraryThing: June 15.

Number of books catalogued as of 6:00 a.m., June 16: 107.

I’m loving this. Especially with my handy bar-code scanner. Click on the ISBN bar code, the book info appears almost instantly onscreen, click to add it to the catalog, add some tags, then go on to add another book.

I’ve had to add only a couple of books manually so far. I’ve had to type in a dozen or so ISBN numbers from books without bar codes. And I’ve scanned in a few book jackets for which no image was located by LT’s efficient search capability.

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For the fifth time in ten years

Rice University’s baseball team is going to the College World Series. This weekend in Omaha. I’ll have to find ESPN in my cable TV lineup again. Game tomorrow at noon MST, Rice v. Georgia.

Go, Owls!!!

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LibraryThing

I just found this website.

Why wasn’t I told of this before?

I’ll be over there a lot, getting this room full of books catalogued at last.

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“Defending” heterosexual marriage – and other lunatic ideas

Over at This Modern World, in a post delightfully titled “The gay sex should start arriving at the door sometime later today,” Bob Harris writes:

I’ve been straight my whole life, but the Senate was unable to muster enough votes to “defend” heterosexual marriage.

Obviously, if heterosexual marriage needs to be defended, and now the effort has failed, heterosexual relationships are now profoundly endangered. We straights are helpless — helpless! — to preserve our own relationships and orientation.

So, I will be expecting the gay sex to arrive at the door sometime later today, and for all of my family and personal relationships to begin changing.

You should do the same.

I just wish I knew what to wear.

Maybe FEMA will start handing out some kind of kit.

More commentary on the subject from George in Denver.

One night recently, before the Senate vote, Jay Leno mentioned that W had used his radio speech to push the stupid amendment as very important to the nation. With his wonderful quizzical look, Leno deftly ridiculed the idea that this is a top-priority issue: “What? They’ve caught Osama bin Laden? Did I miss something?”

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Intermittent explosive disorder

Oh, it’s a mental health problem.

Er, was I the only one who thought it referred to an, um, digestive tract phenomenon?

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Downtown recently

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Angels always welcome

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Eighty years

“Hollywood is a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul.”

—-Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was born on June 1, 1926. Eighty years ago. My goodness.

Rest in peace, Norma Jean.

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