On this day, Daniel M. Laenker spewed forth:

• 16:50 '10.5' is full of should-have-died and never-could-have-beens. And I'm not just talking about the acting! #
• 16:55 rybody. Entire states being evacuated and stuff. #
• 16:55 It's a series of shitty TV disaster movies about fault lines to the molten heart of the Earth just opening up in the middle of continent ... #
• 16:59 The fault conveniently cuts thru nuclear plants and major metro areas. Entire states being evacuated and stuff. #
• 20:17 Between Dave Matthews and horses and Maroon 5 and golf, I may as well be in Charlottesville. #
• 22:55 Oh, the whiteness. #
• 00:13 I thought I would hate 'Bleach' less when they started actually reaping souls again. Turns out I just hate 'Bleach'. #

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I want to thank winterbadger, and have been meaning to make this post for ages. My friends have all been giving me suggestions about books to read about D-Day (and I have read and liked all of them), but he gave me a huge list with information and also sent another friend of his to my journal to give me even more suggestions. I want to thank you. All of the books you have suggested are fantastic, and I have learned so much about WWII in such a short time through your suggestions. I am still going through the list (and now getting them from the library because my collection is getting bigger and I only have so much room!)

Thank you for the suggestions for helping me research this topic and go even beyond and prior to D-Day. In a while (when I exhaust this subject) I plan to move back to WWI.

Blitz (The Civilian War 1940-45)
by Jane Waller and Michael Vaughan-Rees
176 pages

This was a good, although short, book about the German Blitz on London and other cities in the UK. I didn't know that much about The Blitz in other parts of the UK. I knew about London and Coventry, but had no idea places like Glasgow were also bombed. This book used accounts of the people who were there as well as media reports and other sources. It was very good and I learned a lot about the defence of the UK during WWII and air raid shelters, living in the London Underground, the fire brigade, rationing, etc.

You know that spam has become a mainstream issue when you spend your church service time discussing it in detail with your Meetinghouse Sexton...

winterroseasfr and I went to the Crucible last night. It was the first time since meeting him, and the first time since I was informed they would no longer be requiring my volunteer services, something that was a huge slap to the face to me, as I love the Crucible as if it were my own. I feel so at home there.
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I have a lot more to write, but I'm feeling tired and don't feel like writing it right now. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of this post, where I learn things about my friends I never knew before and put someone into a hypnotic trance using the Dave Elman induction, among other things!

http://www.wildhunt.org/2008/05/iceland-perfect-pagan-country.html

John Carlin of The Guardian looks at why Iceland is the happiest place on Earth.

"Iceland ... tops the latest table of the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Human Development Index rankings, meaning that as a society and as an economy - in terms of wealth, health and education - they are champions of the world. To which one might respond: Yes, but - what with the dark winters and the far from tropical summers - are Icelanders happy? Actually, in so far as one can reliably measure such things, they are. According to a seemingly serious academic study reported in the Guardian in 2006, Icelanders are the happiest people on earth. (The study was lent some credibility by the finding that the Russians were the most unhappy.)"

The secret to their happiness? According to Carlin, a big part of it is their lack of connection to Christian ideas of morality, and a deep connection to their Viking and pagan ancestors.

"As a grandmother I met on my first visit to Iceland, two years ago, explained it: 'The Vikings went abroad and the women ran the show, and they had children with their slaves, and when the Vikings returned they accepted it, in the spirit of the more the merrier' ... It is a largely pagan country, as the natives like to see it, unburdened by the taboos that generate so much distress elsewhere. That means they are practical people."

Indeed, from reading Carlin's take, Iceland sounds like a paradise for the Pagan spirit. A land that incorporates a deep respect for women, industriousness, a focus on family and community, a robust social safety net, a healthy capitalistic economy, and a sense of social justice that bypasses the backwards-looking morality that often marginalizes outsider groups and derails progress. For instance, while the culture warriors in America are sharpening their knives after California approved gay marriage, homosexual couples in Iceland have enjoyed the same benefits as married heterosexual couples since 1996, which was expanded in 2006 to include protections for adoption and artificial insemination.

As for full-blown religious Paganism, Iceland has that too. It was the first Scandinavian country to give legal recognition to Asatru (1973), and is home to famous Heathens like Hilmar Orn Hilmarsson, a musician and producer who has worked with artists like Bjork and Sigur Ros, and serves as Chief Godi of the Icelandic Asatru Association.

So when we muse about what a "post-Christian" future will look like, perhaps we should turn to the Scandinavian countries like Iceland, where such a reality exists and thrives. It could be that the best of what a "pagan" future holds has been here for generations, waiting for the rest of us to notice.

I spent today sleeping and cleaning, and managed to not waste too much time on the computer. More sleeping than usual which makes me think I am avoiding getting sick. I feel okay now, if tired.

About 1:30(am) I decided I was tired and wanted to relax a little before bed. I just didn't feel like beer, so I didn't have one. Instead I had some Cherry Heering, chocolate cookies, and read Calvin and Hobbes. Now to sleep.

http://feeds.gothamistllc.com/click.phdo?i=36e530ba20aec840493f12de5a7f0ecc

http://dcist.com/2008/05/18/classical_music_33.php

Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano (photo by Christian Steiner)

With the Memorial Day holiday coming up, there is not much happening in classical music. It makes this week's agenda short and sweet, but a few events deserve your attention.

HEADLINES:
>> The bonus performances from Washington National Opera this week are devoted to a popular verismo opera, Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana. Concert performances are scheduled for next Sunday (May 25, 2 p.m.) and the following Friday (May 30, 7:30 p.m.), in the Kennedy Center Opera House. The two leads will be sung by big-name stars, mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick and tenor Salvatore Licitra, and Gordon Hawkins will sing the role of Alfio. Preceded by crowd-pleasing overtures and orchestral pieces from other 19th-century Italian operas, this saccharine program is a shameless appeal to the most traditionally minded audience. Tickets, ranging from $24 to $250, are surprisingly still available.

>> Likely to be more musically nourishing is a recital by mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke on Wednesday (May 21, 7:30 p.m.) at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (1250 New York Ave. NW). Pei-Yao Wang will accompany a program combining sets of songs by Manuel de Falla and Robert Schumann, as well as the world premiere of Lullaby, a new piece by Andrew Norman (b. 1979), the Young Concert Artists Composer-in-Residence. Even better, this concert is free: all you need to do is make a reservation (call 202-783-7370 or e-mail reservations@nmwa.org).

ALSO FREE:
>> The Friday Morning Music Club hosts the final round of the Washington International Competition for Piano on Sunday (May 25, 2 p.m.). This free event takes place in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater.

>> Although there is no regular concert at the National Gallery of Art this Sunday, there will be a free recital by pianist Alessio Bax (May 25, 4 p.m.) at the Phillips Collection. You still have to pay to enter the museum, as always.

PLUS:
>> On Tuesday (May 20, 7:30 p.m.), Washington Musica Viva gives a concert in honor of the 175th birthday of Johannes Brahms at the Dennis and Phillip Ratner Museum in Bethesda.

>> On Saturday (May 24, 7:30 p.m.), the local a cappella group known as The Countertop Quartet gives a concert of French music at Saint Paul’s K Street.

>> The National Memorial Day Choral Festival is scheduled for Sunday (May 25, 2 p.m.) in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Church and high school choir singers (gulp!) from around the country will join together to sing Randall Thompson's Testament of Freedom.

I've just watched The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I still am amazed how much of a wonderful job they did with this film. I still remember being blown away by the trailer as I wondered what would take up the mantle of Lord of the Rings and declaring, "You will believe a beaver can talk!"

Will Prince Caspian measure up?

I have to admit, the last time I read Prince Caspian was over 20 years - half a lifetime - ago when, one early weekend during my First Semester, College, I took the weekend off and sat in my top bunk and read the whole Chronicles.

I'd considered reading Prince Caspian today, but thought better of it. We'll see what the film does first.

[Tony] "Did you know you were vulnerable last time?" .... [Paul] "Yes. Of course. That's what falling in love is all about."

—Boy meets boy / David Levithan. 1st ed. New York : Alfred A. Knopf, c2003.

In 12 hours, hopefully I’ll be done with my swim and be out on the bike course.

Popped up to Columbia this afternoon for packet pick-up, bike check and back racking in transition. I have a hospital bracelet plastic wrist band on, so I can get into transition in the morning, I’ve laid out my gear and gone over transition in my head. Tried on the wet suit again (it still fits, thankfully), got out the bags to haul stuff out there. The car is full of gas, so I should be all ready to go.

The goal is to finish in less than 4 hours. Doesn’t look like I posted a race report for the Mooseman two years ago, the last Olympic race I did, but I seem to recall I was just under 4 hours there. Or maybe it was 5 hours, I don’t remember, past that I was sloooooow. In any case, I feel better prepared this time around, especially for the swim. And having biked and run the course two weeks ago, it’s not an unknown quantity this time, which should help a ton.

In any case, it’s about time to crash here. I’ll try to remember to post a race report soon.

View this post at the Glen.

http://disorganization.blogspot.com/2008/05/whew.html

Whew. The rummage sale is tiring! I was there all day today.

Here is what I ended up with:

--a pair of Thunderbird Minnetonka moccasins in my size, even. $1
--two wool blankets, one gray and one brown. These are for fabric, more than likely. $3/each
--two small Fire King bowls, and a small Pyrex bowl, $.25/each
--a brass mortar & pestle! Ha! $15
--A set of sheets for curtains $1.50 (these are really cute, and might end up as kitchen curtains.)
--three bags of clothes for fabric and to wear (mostly for fabric; I bought all the 100% cotton men's dress shirts, for example, and some sleep/loungewear--pants and shorts.) $3-$4/each
--a back brace for the next time I have to lift something heavy $.50 :)
--a bread machine that I want to try out, because it has a rapid bake feature $1.50 (yes, that means I have three bread machines now. I'm not going to keep all of them, honest.)
--and I'm sure there was something else, but I can't remember what it was.

I'm very happy about the mortar & pestle, obviously!

Church made over $1600 so far (they leave it up for the parishioners after church) and that's more than normal, so that's great!

Everyone's back home. All is good. We're heading out for sushi.

On this day, Daniel M. Laenker spewed forth:

• 02:12 'Hard Rain' is so bad it overclocks to good and goes straight beyond to bad again. #
• 12:48 '10.5': Someone sent up the manhole! #

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Now, its possible that its the type of program I'm watching in the background as I'm doing other work - UFO Files, "The Russian Roswell" - but the History Channel really needs to do some fact checking on what its broadcasting.

Vladimir Semenov (KGB Official, Ret.): "We are the first, and all next steps in space for - I would say for nearly ten years - Soviet was ahead of United States. First man into space. First woman into space. First walk into space. First rondezvous in space. First docking in space, and so on and so forth. Until 1981 when Shuttle was launched."

Hmmm, Vladimir. The first docking in space was 15 December, 1965 by Gemini 6. The Soviet Union didn't manage this until 14 January 1969 during Soyuz 4.

"Until 1981 when Shuttle was launched?" They really kept you close at the KGB, didn't they. Let me introduce you to the Apollo program.

A lot of work was done on the conservatory today. I took photos. I will warn you. There's a lot of junk that has been piled up outside the conservatory until we put in the patio and BBQ area and the interior of the conservatory is totally unfinished.
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