November 2008

Intellectual Diversion

I sent out the box of winter clothes through the postoffice to my mother. The UPS place was closed

Lori called me last night for the discharge papers of my father's time in Korea, so Mom can receive assistance as the widow of a verteran. She's finally transferred the health insurance. Meanwhile, my comments on You Tube under Terry Fox's videos produced some responses. garycalgary especially brought a view from Canada. I sent him the addresses of my mainsite, the hero site, andthe review of "Terry". I still can't seem to get that movie out of my mind. I'm going to speak about it at Toastmasters on the Twentieth.

I should put together an agenda for tomorrow. Even though it's a presidential election, there should be gaps at the polls.

Tue 4 Nov What a difference from 1980! 15:21

A splash of reality led to my forgetting names. The next time I must remember that writing up each voter requires the carbon copy and the party affiliate.

The end of a long day draws near. It is raining lightly, but the turnout has been heavy, not only here, but also nationwide. I went home at 4 PM to check on Midnight and the internet.

Wed 5 Nov Guy Fawks' Day

I am mostly pleased with the results of yesterday's election. In stark contrast to my entry in 1980, I am hoping for the end of Reaganomics, which sneaked into my life without notice. Of course, I was too happy at the time, doing what I wanted, to notice.

I went home by 9 PM, and I stayed up until 11 PM. The results of the presidential election may have depressed the no vote on Proposition 8 in California.

Now the focus leaves the outer world and returns to the inner world. I have only two months left before Block begins again. Toastmasters will have its run as well, before 2008 ends.

Last night I went food shopping and bought little at PathMark. The next two Thursdays will go to Toastmasters. I signed up for a speech on the Twentieth. This will be my second speech this year, but I badly need the practice. After visiting "Terry" several times, I thought review would be most appropriate as a nonmanual speech. What is my purpose? I tired a rough talk and still managed to go sixteen minutes without finishing. I took advantage of the gap at that meeting and asked for 12-15 minutes. Then I added 2-5 minutes for questions.

SUNDAY 9 NOVEMBER 1980

The Reagan "landslide" just proved how dissatisfied the country has been with the economy, more than anything else. At least Anderson got the 5% for matching funds (7%), and I helped (by voting for him).

I spent too much time this weekend on the internet while trying to fix problems. I tried firefox and uncovered the problem on my mainpage. However, the javascript still didn't work and my email remains unrepliable.

Otherwise my speech on "Terry" is shaping into fifteen minutes. I'll need my visual aids and a handout sheet. I am putting the latter together.

Wed 12 Nov Harry Blackmun's 100th 14:43

I missed my first scheduled meeting at Block on Monday. I found my schedule last night, after I'd gone to the makeup session. So, I have another one tonight. I passed along the information about Tery Fox and my upcoming speech a week tomorrow at Toastmasters. I am going to use my two posters again for the speech. The last time I did so was Tuesday, 28 April 1998. Matthew Shepard was living in Denver at the time. A full decade has passed, and I am the only member still there!

I have finally, after nearly fifteen years, reached the end of my ninth sketchbook. It's been a long dry spell.

Tonight it's Toastmasters, finally back on track. I am still having problems with email since hotmail changed the format. I wish I were delivering my speech on "Terry" tonight. It looks as though fewer members will be there next week. My dry run needs work. I have a week to fix.

My latest dry run was too long again.

Thank You, Lord, for giving us Terry.

<div>Mon 17 Nov 8:23</div>
<div>That flushot must have taken a Sun nasty turn, for I waSun sfdsdfsfdfsddfsdssfdfsddffss ill on Saturday, and I slept much of the day. I started yesterday feeling better after a bout with diarrhea. Nonetheless, I accomplished little over the weekend. I sat through some MIT biology, and that's all. I made up a factsheet for the speech on Thursday. I also practiced it down to thirteen minutes plus conclusion and questions.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Tue 18 nov 14:48</div>
<div>I walked to work today, my only chance this week. The temperature lay below freezing, so my marigolds won't last much longer. </div>
<div>I began to help my coworkers in the office today, which I could and I was going to suggest anyway. i will have to be discreet about learning the information.</div>
<div>Last night at Block was frustrating because the computers were so slow. I went home and tried several times, even this morning, to get on, and the server is just too slow. That incident occurred after I could not send the box of clothes at the postoffice because I had used WD40 to strip the labels off. I will try again. On top of that, hotmail is malfunctioning. I cannot get into my email.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Wed 19 Nov 14:40</div>
<div>I had a devil of a time trying to upload a get picture of Terry Fox. i tried to put it through Tripod, and the system was down when I tried last night. </div>
<div>Block continues to frustrate me on the internet. I will have to get there early for my fourth session after I stop for ink cartidges. I still have a sheet for evaluation to print out today.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Mon 24 Nov/Tue 25 Nov</div>
<div>Last night I was at Block until 9:30, for we missed the case studies on Wednesday. I am still a bit behind, despite the time spent. Then I took a bath, and I could not sleep until 12:30! I am running on fumes today, although it wasn't that difficult getting up.</div>
<div>Despite my three-day weekend, I had another illness on Friday to shorten it. I still have scratchy throat and a dry throat.</div>
<div>My speech on "Terry" at Toastmasters went off as planned on Thursday night, although the general evaluator thought I should have concentrated on Terry Fox. However, I'd planned it as a review of the movie, with Terry's biography and the Marathon of Hope in the background.</div>
<div>I noticed that the promotional picture of "Terry" with Shawn Ashmore in the opening scene of Terry's obtaining water from the Atlantic Ocean at Saint John's, Newfoundland. Let's face it; there's no other side to Terry Fox. Who'd take the other side to argue for cancer?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Wed 26 Nov 14:43</div>
<div>I have some dread about bringing Tim home all weekend. It will be strenuous for me. I had eight hours' sleep, but I still am tired.</div>
<div>My appointment with the dermatologist was eventless. We came to no new name for the wen below Terry Fox's left cheek.</div>
<div> </div>
Sun 30 Nov 10:40 Clay Aiken is 30.
I survived the weekend, but little was done. My Terry Fox books did not arrive together. Leslie Scrivener's updated book came on Friday, but Douglas Coupland's will arrive tomorrow. UPS does not deliver on Saturday.
I cleaned out the stuffed gutters yesterday, but the rain today will delay any raking of leaves. So far, no leaking gasoline, which will go further to probe on Tuesday.

The November wind brings the blast,

Then the leaves are whirling fast.