I really otter go to bed, having just made the drive back from Maryland and being thoroughly exhausted.  My side hurts like crazy because I aggravated some pleurisy from last week by running out to my truck from a restaurant where the kiddos were waiting for me inside.  I really ran, and wasn't up to it, and hurt myself.  Coughing hurts, sneezing is fucking awful, and bending is impossible.  The resaurant, by the way, is 94th Aero Squadron in College Park, MD.  If you live nearby, go check it out, or its sister in Delaware, Air Transport Command.
    Found out at the UU church in Bowie, Maryland, this morning that !!!srini (I've been incorrectly putting exclamation points after the text as well, my apologies) is a prophet after all.  Here, lemme dig out my notes from the sermon and you'll see what I mean.
    The job of a prophet is to "confront the powers and structures of evil."  To "challenge the people."  To "comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable."  A prophet's "resources and influence may seem small, yet the prophet confronts injustice locally, even in its smallest form."
    There were a lot more points made about prophets, and at the end where people speak their minds about the issue, lots of names came up.  It was really very interesting.  One point though was that a prophet exemplifies great compassion.  I don't know !!!srini well enough to know how capable he is of compassion, but I suspect it ought to be there.  How many other people take it up as a crusade to wake folks up about ideas and life.  How many people want to see as many others as possible gainfully employed in jobs that fulfill them and challenge them?  How many people are fighting to help people recognize that they are capable of ideas, that they are worthy of having ideas, and that their ideas should not be squashed and shoveled but allowed to flourish?
   (Enough already, my imaginary reader says.  God, can't she talk about anything but srini???)  I know it sounds like I'm sticking him on a pedestal, but I'm not, really.  There are many things I still disagree with.  In many ways he still comes off as just a fucked-up kid who loves the f-word as much as I do.  But he's got a whole lotta INSIGHT for someone who hasn't gathered that much wisdom yet.  That's what drew me to facter.  I recognize that instantly, and can't discount it.  In fact, srini's theory explains probably all of the whole thing.  People of ideas recognize each other on sight, he says.  Well, in some cases I disagree, for people can keep things hidden when they want to, and seem very plain and dull, when it suits them.  But sometimes you meet someone who meshes so well, it's like you are the only two of your species in the world.
    
    My kiddos are growing.  Moomie's reading, writing, and drawing skills are really sharpening up.  Not to mention his math.  Very nice, I'm impressed.
    
    I was sorry to hear about the death of King Hussein of Jordan.  I am glad that he is freed of pain now, and my heart is with his family and nation.  It is such a great loss.
    King Hussein's name first registered with me when I was stationed in Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield/Storm.  I noticed all the stuff he was doing to further peace, and was really amazed and grateful.  So much could have turned out so badly.
    I heard what Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel said about the King, and actually began to cry.  Wish I could remember it verbatim, or find it on the net.  It was truly moving, about how the King had lofty ideas and dreams and yet was so practical and compassionate.
    
    I was on the radio yesterday.  I was listening to WPHT AM 1210 in Philadelphia, as they have a really strong signal and some good programs, on my way to Maryland, and was really enjoying Art and Rick, the home improvement/construction guys.  I decided to ask them about my bathroom light fixtures, so I pulled into the Chesapeake House rest stop on I-95 and called em up, and lo and behold, I actually got on!  I gave up talk radio years ago after hours of busy signals and failed screenings.  But this time I did it and got to ask my question.  I have these hanging light fixtures in my bathroom, and the right one is fine, but the left one always blows a bulb the instant I put a new one in and switch it on.  I figured there was too much juice coming in somehow.  The guys said that the polarity on the fixture is reversed, causing a power surge, and instead of repairing it, they suggested I buy a 140 volt (Volt??? I thought, but didn't ask.  I'd only ever heard bulbs measured in wattage and lumens.) light bulb, the commercial kind, which are designed to take surges well.  They were amazed that I was calling from where I was and wondered whether the President could hear the program from DC.  They suggested that I call in from Chesapeake House every time I go to DC, make it a regular feature.  I think they were joking.
 

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