I ask that you pause and celebrate some of the many fine humans who were born this day. Some of my personal favorites are Jean Shepherd, Hoyt Wilhelm, Mick Jagger, Helen Mirren, Dorothy Hamill, mrissa and, well, me.

On this day...

Americo-Liberian settlers declared independence of the Republic of Liberia.

In the United States of America, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 desegregating the military.

Texas Jack Omohundro, George Bernard Shaw, Jean Shepherd, and mrissa were born*

Fred Duesenberg, Sam Houston, and George Gallup died.


*Oh yeah, I was also born today. Although that's of very little interest to anyone else, especially compared with Liberian Independence.

After the requisite 3 trips to the hardware store, I have successfully replaced our garbage disposal. The old disposal came with the house and was, well, old and loud. The new one is neither of those things.

As I made it through the whole thing without needing the list of handy expletives, I will probably have terrible home repair karma on some other project in the not-so-distant future.

Merry Christmas, if such is your celebratory inclination. If not, I'll leave you this handy blank space so you can assume best wishes for whatever celebrations you might be having





Right, that's sorted, then. Back to the video games.

If I came with a warning label, what would it say?

At age 86, this is one WWII vet that's still kicking ass.



"We must have equal rights for everyone; it’s what this country was started for. It takes all kinds of people to make a world. It doesn’t make sense that some people who love each other can marry and others can’t, just because of who they are. This is what we fought for in World War II, that idea that we can be different and still be equal."

Oh hell yes.

September has come in with a bit of a bump. While the days are still warm and lovely, the nights and early mornings have that hint of crisp fall about them. The trees are starting to loose their leaves and the students have returned to Big Upper Mid-western U. Work got insanely busy right along side the first week of September and looks to stay that way until at least mid-October.

Somehow, amidst the turmoil, I managed to find time to buy a truck. A silver 1999 Nissan Frontier. With 4 wheel drive for when it snows.

Today, we hauled two inaugural loads of mulch from the city's free mulch pile. And now dinner is ready and I believe I'll have a beer.

Prodded by John and Krissy Scalzi's matching funds offer (details over here on John's blog), I have sent Strange Horizons some cash for their 2009 Fund Drive. Their content is online and free-as-in-beer. They publish people I know. They pay pro rates. They're a non-profit, so the bucks I give them now become a tax deduction in April.

Are you still here?


Go donate, already! Go on! Go!

Today's mail brought me:

Begging from the Democratic National Committee! Complete with "I Support President Obama" poster and stickers.

Classy birthday card from my in-laws featuring arty red wine bottles and glass still life on the front.

Fun birthday card from my sister and her partner featuring a very cute drawing of a pig on the front. It's made by Ikea.

Life is too busy for random personal content generation. Have a meme instead.

The problem with the internet: We all think we know a person pretty well, but really, there's a lot we don't know about each other. So I want you to ask me something you think you should know about me. Something that should be obvious, but you have no idea about. Ask away. Then post this in your journal and find out what people don't know about you!