soapbox

It may seem half a shame to get rid of a church tradition, however cruel and antiquated, if it can inspire poetry like “The Inferno” or spooky lines like these from Seamus Heaney: “Fishermen at Ballyshannon/Netted an infant last night/Along with the salmon.”

As discussed a week ago, the theological hypothesis that is limbo seems to have been tossed to the bin. “Unlike purgatory, a sort of waiting room to heaven for those with some venial faults, the theory of limbo consigned children outside of heaven on account of original sin alone.” This Times article is better I think, though you have to login.

Anyway, while the concept seems silly, it’s actually a pretty relevant and interesting discussion item. To a history/so-an nerd, anyway.

i’ve noticed a bit of an increase in spam mail in the past week or so. today alone, from midnight to midnight (ok, so actually it’s yesterday. i mean the 27th.) i had at least 35 spam msgs. i have the spam mail sent to my junk box, so i can keep a count of new msgs. usually i get, at most, 10 a day. i’ve noticed a lot lately are also going to “hashe” or “gshe” and various other letter combinations vaguely resembling my name. then there are the ones that go to other people on campus but for some reason come to me as well (a BCC? CC?). some are even addressed to students i’ve had in lab. could this be a result of stupid (windows-type) people who don’t know what viruses look like, or just a coincidence? it’s the one fault i find in dartmouth’s blitz system. you can send something to some random letter combination, and it’s nearly guaranteed to end up in SOMEONE’S box.

Kirsten and I were sitting at the breakfast table this morning when she claimed that she saw a big flash of light. I didn’t believe her until this huge wave of thunder hit the house.

At first I thought it was a plane crashing, or a propane tank exploding, or an earthquake. The thunder was really long too, long enough for us to have a conversation trying to figure out what in the hell was actually going on.

The second burst convinced me that it was just lightning… but I’m not used to that in the middle of December at 40 degrees.

Yeah, I’m joining the bandwagon as well: Merry Christmas, y’all!

Also, all the best to those in the audience who ain’t of the usual Christmas persuasion.

Now, y’all folks will have to excuse me while I go sleep off the remainder of the massive feast we had today at my grandparent’s house.

Ahhhh, tryptophan?

I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas.

(Even if I am the second one doing it on the blog.)

peace and goodwill towards all.

I hope y’all are safe and warm and “home”, wherever that is.

(here’s an alternative message, for Nathaniel. Happy Birthday, buddy!)

Just in case you want to know where Santa is right NOW!

NORAD Tracks Santa 2005