tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54465502011-04-21T17:04:49.503-04:00What I see, when I feel like telling you about it. Observations from a sometimes writer and usual lefter.nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1100874329717503622004-11-19T09:15:00.000-05:002004-11-19T09:25:29.716-05:00

Writer Robin Givhan, of the Washington Post, actually made me laugh out loud today. I had to tell my coworkers what I was laughing at. I was laughing at this.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1099947260275422842004-11-08T15:39:00.000-05:002004-11-08T15:54:20.276-05:00

Two weeks after the Marine Corps Marathon and the evidence is still evident all over town.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1099946323886126612004-11-08T15:32:00.000-05:002004-11-08T15:38:43.886-05:00

A fellow-blogger gives sound advice for the those whose "love it or leave it" urges have appeared post election. Lily also has some first-rate perspectives on redefining morality in a way we can all deal with and correcting the left's bruised image.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1099943131650938322004-11-08T14:15:00.000-05:002004-11-08T14:45:31.650-05:00

While the internet is full of conspiracy theories and theorists, I am going to go ahead and admit that my perspective is limited. I live in an area that went "blue," as expected. My friends, mostly geeks and freaks, tend either to lean left or to lean everywhich way- left (D), far-left (Green), and whatever direction Liberatarians lean. Despite what people think, (my brother-in-law included)

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1099421492730847582004-11-02T13:10:00.000-05:002004-11-02T14:01:30.440-05:00

I voted today. It went well. The new voting machines are very simple, although mine was full of unnecessary directions. Things like [Paraphrased]Please use caution when using scroll buttons, so you do not accidentally register an incorrect vote.Now, to begin with, there were no scroll buttons to be found anywhere on my screen. I realize this feature is probably included so that if you have

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1099069593893104912004-10-29T13:46:00.000-04:002004-10-29T13:43:15.490-04:00

No, seriously. Jesus Christ. I saw Him yesterday- walking down Constitution Avenue. He looked nothing at all like any of the conventional images of Jesus. No white robe, no beard, no sandals. But he was dragging a very large cross. Jesus was wearing a long-sleeved button-up shirt in tight royal-blue plaid with hints of yellow and green. It sounds awful, but it's not a bad shirt. He's

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1098989567253716712004-10-28T14:45:00.000-04:002004-10-28T15:01:43.193-04:00

... access to Bush's events has been unusually tightly controlled and people who do not support Bush's reelection have been removed. Policing Is Aggressive at Bush Events To Some, Protesters' Arrests Recall Vietnam War Era By Dan Eggen Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, October 28, 2004; Page A07 Lindsey Coy and members of the Cuba City High School band wait anxiously for Bush to arrive on

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1098975259609814232004-10-28T09:42:00.000-04:002004-10-28T11:04:55.466-04:00

"In the last Presidential election, 15 million women between 18 and 34 did not vote." In 2000, 43.8% of U.S. Women did not vote. In 1998, 57.6% of U.S. Women did not vote. U.S. Census Voting and Registration I was watching Iron Jawed Angels on HBO the other day, and it occurred to me... someone worked really hard to make sure I could vote. I don't just have the right, I have an obligation.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1098462791650367082004-10-22T13:19:00.000-04:002004-10-22T12:37:52.050-04:00

In the past, I have gone into my polling place with no idea who or what was on the ballot. It's a terrible way to vote. This year my local ballot has: National- President of the United States Passenger Pachyderms endorses John Kerry for President, in this- a not-even-vaguely swing-state. State- Senator I believe I am voting for Barbara Mikulksi, because I am unimpressed with

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1098460110542229362004-10-22T11:30:00.000-04:002004-10-22T11:52:18.300-04:00

In college I broke the covers off of the heating units in my friends dorm rooms. They asked me too. Our rooms didn't have individual thermostat controls, so it was anybody's guess how much heat you were going to get in your room. Except if you broke the cover off of your unit, there was a control inside, in the form of a bolt that could be tightened or loosened to adjust the heat. So I broke

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1097587984217309712004-10-12T09:31:00.000-04:002004-10-12T09:33:04.216-04:00

I am... married. I feel the same, but with more jewelry and new towels.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1091730105046038892004-08-05T14:20:00.000-04:002004-08-05T14:22:21.966-04:00

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we," Bush said. "They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." President George W. Bush

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1090948947258033632004-07-27T13:22:00.000-04:002004-07-27T13:23:49.836-04:00

Statler woke up in the middle of the night and paced across the bedroom. He was hot. It was muggy. He flopped down on top of the air vent. Cool air conditioned bliss blew out. He rolled on his back and stretched. Things began to go wrong. His neck was pinned to the floor. He pushed himself up on all four feet. His rabies tag still attached to the vent, he ripped the vent cover out of the

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1089990012533635212004-07-16T10:19:00.000-04:002004-07-16T11:14:53.066-04:00

Jon, of Blog One Another writes this post about an article called We Know More Than Our Pastors: Why Bloggers Are the Vanguard of the Participatory Church The post made me think about the best sermon I ever heard. There aren't many sermons I remember with the clarity that I remember this one. I remember the Sodom and Gomorra Christmas sermon, but only that it was a Sodom and Gomorra Christmas

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1089985485455677952004-07-16T09:42:00.000-04:002004-07-16T11:09:37.816-04:00

The blouse is a sheer floral fabric. It raps tight around her middle, but is flows at the top and drapes on her arms. It is lined with a cream-color camisole, and the sleeves are translucent, showing her arms nicely. She's wearing very light tan capris that are a bit too long to qualify as capris. They look soft, like brushed cotton, and the fit her well. They aren't too tight, but are

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1089913316844020762004-07-15T13:34:00.000-04:002004-07-15T13:55:11.336-04:00

You'll forgive me but... Holy Crap! Maria Teresa Thierstein Simoes-Ferreira Heinz Kerry met her current husband at a sustainable environment event to which the first Bush sent her. Daddy is indirectly responsible for introducing Junior's competition to his wife. That's just beautiful, and somehow disturbing. Information is from Guardian (The Kerry's are kind of the Brady-Bunch, aren't

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1089728432198962292004-07-13T10:20:00.000-04:002004-07-13T10:20:32.200-04:00

The crowds that formed to file past the Reagan casket, lying in State in the Capital Rotunda, were amazing. People standing in the heat, and then in the rain, for hours on end, waiting… I'd love to say they were waiting to pay their last respects, but some people were there to gawk. I know it was hot. I know. But it was a funeral. If someone showed up a funeral for a member of my family in

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1089649080472736022004-07-12T00:02:00.000-04:002004-07-12T12:39:36.546-04:00

I moved up in the TLB ranking as soon as I stopped posting. What do you suppose that means? Well, instead of dutifully writing my blog, I have for the last few weeks, been reading. I'm working, at last, on a long list of must reads that in all probability will take me four years to get through. So far this summer I have read: Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury- because I thought it timely The

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1087414126081467612004-06-16T15:27:00.000-04:002004-06-16T15:33:57.810-04:00

Your grandfather gives you a five dollar bill and says, "Here, have your Dad take you out for some ice-cream." You, dutifully, go to Dad and say, "Dad, Grandpa gave me five bucks to get ice-cream. Can we go?" Your father says, "You should put that in the bank." You respond, "Well, Dad, I simply can't do that. This money was given with the expressed intent that it was for the purchase of

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1087321936279776502004-06-15T13:51:00.000-04:002004-06-15T14:02:12.040-04:00

Last week I watched a woman, dragging a six or seven year old girl through a Metro Station. She was running to catch the train that's announcer was already chiming. "Doors closing, please stand clear of the doors, thank you." She darted and managed to get on the train, but her daughter didn't. The train-doors closed on the mothers arm, still holding her daughter's hand. The train doors will

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1086810728243260562004-06-09T15:45:00.000-04:002004-06-09T16:10:27.760-04:00

The rain on the mall made a melancholy event even more so. I don't think I would have appreciated what I saw half as well, if not for the rain. I took this picture for my father, because he was also a Sea-Bee. The text didn't turn out well, and I did not write this man's name down. What I do remember is that I was at the Memorial on May 30th, 2004. The man in this picture died on May 25,

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1086794152644877952004-06-09T11:05:00.000-04:002004-06-09T11:18:54.016-04:00

When you're a Jet, you're a jet all the way...Normally when I am struck by a person's gait, it is because they walk with confidence or purpose. Occasionally, a person's gait is noteworthy because it is quirky. I once knew a man who walked fast, chest out, head high, and after each step with his left leg he would snap his right arm sharply behind his back. It could not be missed. He walked

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1086291137989686102004-06-03T15:31:00.019-04:002004-06-03T15:43:09.566-04:00

This young many gave an impromptu speech to a crowd gathered at the new World War II Memorial, on Sunday night. Against the back drop of the stone walls strewn with photographs and mementos, this young man lectured on the importance of Patriotism. "Freedom isn't free," he said. This sailor encouraged the crowd to thank those who have served, and those who serve now. He spoke about the

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1086194170305309842004-06-02T12:32:00.000-04:002004-06-09T16:05:47.673-04:00

I went to see the World War II memorial over the weekend. I went Sunday night, just as the day's activities were ending. I wandered the mall a bit, and made my way down to the Memorial in a light rain. I am so very glad that I did. It was incredibly moving. There were old men there in their uniforms. Their uniforms hung on them as though the men were no more substantial than wire hangers

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1085685664973650772004-05-27T15:14:00.000-04:002004-05-27T15:23:19.513-04:00

"Where are you from?" The part of me that pauses when I hear this question, still wanting to say Pennsylvania, wants to come into DC for the dedication of the WWII memorial this weekend. The part of me that lives in Maryland/DC Metro, and works in the city, wants to be as far away from here as possible. Who will win? The part that wants to be here for a significant historical event, or the

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1085683922757519642004-05-27T14:12:00.000-04:002004-05-27T14:56:59.206-04:00

When the cicada emergence began, I reported here that I had yet to see one. That is no longer the case. I've seen plenty. I think I've seen more of them dead than alive. We still don't really have them near my house, there aren't enough old trees, but they are everywhere else. They are: Jumping in front of cars on the highway- Good bye cruel world! Occaisionally jumping into cars on the

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1085681556128917222004-05-27T14:11:00.000-04:002004-05-27T14:12:36.126-04:00

My goodness, I've had some visitors. I should tidy up! Wow, it's just like home.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1085681472695070492004-05-27T14:08:00.000-04:002004-05-27T14:11:12.696-04:00

"Mark is back," exclaimed Nichole. Go see him at Exclamation Mark. Apparently, he has been back for some time, but I had long-since stopped looking for him. Next time, Mark, you must inform your loyal readers! I have so much catching up to do now! Oh well, that will be my lunch-time entertainment for a while.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1085409711389828082004-05-24T10:41:00.000-04:002004-05-24T10:41:51.390-04:00

Just in case you were wondering... Cell phones aren't machine washable.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1084542399433649912004-05-14T09:42:00.000-04:002004-05-14T09:46:39.433-04:00

Well, Blogger made some updates, and some fine additions. As a result, they now accept comments. I have been using Enetation for my comments. I'd like to switch over, for the ease of having everything in one place. I am a little torn though. I don't want to lose my old comments when I enable blogger's. Be warned, your old comments on my blog may soon be going away.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1084459739364204182004-05-13T10:44:00.000-04:002004-05-13T11:41:17.456-04:00

Okay, despite the hype, I have yet to see a single solitary cicada. I saw what I thought were their holes, but I haven't seen the bugs yet. My boss swears that he has them all over his property, but I haven't seen one yet. And yes, after all the hype, I must say I'm disappointed. They said it was a phenomena, every seventeen years, worth seeing. They've had area May and June brides in a

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1084459065408026862004-05-13T10:16:00.000-04:002004-05-13T10:37:45.406-04:00

Nick Berg, the American man whose violent murder was broadcast all over the world, lived in the same town as my grandmother. In the same town where my father lived for years. He went to Henderson High School. My high school played Henderson in athletic competitions. And he would have been there, at the same time as me, just two classes behind. I didn't know him, and now I can't help but

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1084457208024481272004-05-13T09:45:00.001-04:002004-05-13T10:13:44.196-04:00

Cindy is singing a new tune now that summer is here, and it made me think. I just recently bought a new cell-phone, my old one was doing Amilyn's (Paul Reubens) death scene from the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It wasn't dead, but you could tell it was dying. For example, the phone would heat up with extended use. Heat up. Seriously. Like the LED screen was beginning to look a little on

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1084022871118083502004-05-08T09:27:00.000-04:002004-05-08T09:32:55.170-04:00

The Smoking Gun has the military's finding report posted. From Article 15-6 Investigation of the 800th Military Police Brigade, page 50"The individual Soldiers and Sailors that we observed and believe should be favorably noted include: a. (U) Master-at-Arms First Class William J. Kimbro, US Navy Dog Handler, knew his duties and refused to participate in improper interrogations despite

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1083986179208459662004-05-07T23:16:00.000-04:002004-05-07T23:35:16.280-04:00

True to form, Keith over at Berry's World has chosen to focus on the most sensational part of my argument, rather than my point, and to do so by calling me both sensible and stupid in almost the same breath. Very well, I will clarify the minor point in this post, and then I will remove the inflamatory portion of the post in question, so that it remains more true to my actual point. I do not

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1083934652514935232004-05-07T08:57:00.000-04:002004-05-07T09:07:25.890-04:00

The periodic cicadas are due to begin emerging any day now. It could very well be today. But for now, it's beautiful. photographs © 2004, Nichole M. Dulin p.s. My new camera-phone is awesome.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1083856534378512902004-05-06T11:15:00.000-04:002004-05-06T11:26:37.060-04:00

"My best friend died," said classmate Don Beal, 9. "I hope she feels happy in her new home." article by Nancy Trejos, photo by Bill O'Leary from the Washington PostAmen, Don, Amen.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1083856131394179542004-05-06T11:08:00.000-04:002004-05-07T23:33:10.780-04:00

I would like to believe that our government had good reasons for going into Iraq. And I have believed that. Throughout this War I have forced myself to believe that there were reasons that were not released to the public; reasons that made our practices sound. I would like to believe it. I would like to believe that ultimately, the ends will justify the means. I like to believe that America

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1083764709115094682004-05-05T09:45:00.000-04:002004-05-06T10:06:28.326-04:00

I was brewing up a blog storm, when it suddenly occurred to me that what I had to say was incredibly simple: If we have no respect for the living then why are we surprised to have no respect for the dead. [Addendum:] If you chased the above link before, you will notice it now goes a different place. It seems that there was some confusion. I did not mean to imply that Keith Berry had no

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1083182368563492292004-04-28T15:59:00.000-04:002004-04-28T16:09:12.246-04:00

Dear God, I don't even know where to begin. I suppose, I should begin with the link, so you can see for yourself what I still don't quite believe. Here it is: Operation Take One for the Country Where to begin? Let's start with a quote, shall?God Bless Our Troops, God Bless Our President, and GOD BLESS AMERICA! -Kelly McDonough [Ed. Operation TOFTC founder]Yes, I'm quite sure these ladies

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1083087088793925942004-04-27T13:31:00.000-04:002004-04-27T13:34:32.793-04:00

"Proper names are capitalized." United States Government Printing Office Style Manual, 2000, page 23 orHe dreamed, he said, to be a man designed like a balanced wave... how someday he would wait, giant and straight."From For Johny Pole on the Forgotten Beach, The Complete Poems of Anne Sexton. I got this from Berry's World, who got this from... a whole ton of other people that started with

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1082663390569594782004-04-22T15:49:00.000-04:002004-04-23T08:22:35.670-04:00

Billy Bob's real name is... Alan. Now I just have to figure out what Fat Alan's real name is, because if it is William or Robert, that will be just too perfect. Also, Fat Alan seems to be unmarried, but he has a son. He's about 12, he skateboards, and he's got much darker skin than his father. Either his mother is hispanic, or Junior is adpoted. He dresses like a a 12-year-old skateboarder,

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1081863484367523482004-04-13T09:38:00.000-04:002004-04-13T10:45:08.700-04:00

I don't get it. I don't get it. I don't get it. When a Christian church posts a sign that says, "Jews killed the Lord Jesus," do you think that they realize that Jesus was a Jew? There were no Christians before Christ! Christ was killed by those of little faith and mob-mentality. Every country, every religion, every sect has people of little faith. Last November a woman waiting in line to

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1081521248986312712004-04-09T10:34:00.000-04:002005-03-02T14:13:52.513-05:00

Stop reporting that a dozen servicepeople died. Twelve U.S. Soldiers and Marines died. Twelve (12), not a dozen. They aren't muffins. They're real people... with families and loved ones and friends. They're men and women from different branches who deserve the honor of a few precious details. If you don't have their names, at least do them the honor of not mentioning them in such a cursory

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1081520028465141652004-04-09T10:13:00.000-04:002004-04-09T12:54:32.450-04:00

***Bulletin*** Condoleezza Rice did not fly planes into the World Trade Center. Bush did not fly a jet into the Pentagon. Richard Clark is not a Democrat. I remember September 11th. I remember that it was unthinkable. Unthinkable. So why are we surprised that nobody thought of it? If the United States had tried to put the necessary controls in place to stop a possible terror attack

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1081514671905998912004-04-09T08:44:00.000-04:002004-04-09T08:47:17.450-04:00

My friend Cindy, a very talented writer, but not a politico- has posted an uncommonly heated post. Not only is it passionate and well-thought-out, it's also a damn fine idea! Go Cin! Read it here. (Ah! Cindy, where are you're Permalinks? ) Okay folks the title is "TV frightens me." It is her post from Tuesday, April 6.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1081186825956578412004-04-05T13:40:00.000-04:002004-04-05T13:58:16.153-04:00

I am not sure who BattlePanda is, but I'm pretty sure she's not Paul Krugman. I am sure that she had either the talent or the serendipity to take this photograph, which I am absolutely certain she could sell on cards and T-shirts, if not in frames. Incidentally, I took the quiz to which BP pointed. There was one question wherein I had difficulty selecting an answer, and so I ran my results

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1080757849949352862004-03-31T13:30:00.000-05:002004-03-31T13:34:23.640-05:00

And now, some pretty things, to help keep life in perspective. Cherry Blossoms In an unexpected turn of events, this year forsythias make me vaguely melancholy. Daffodils, however, still make me happy, and they smell wonderful. Every year at this time it is all I can do to keep myself from absconding with someone else's daffodils. I am most tempted by those outside the National Air and

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1080747287127633782004-03-31T10:34:00.000-05:002004-03-31T13:09:20.653-05:00

Professor X made me realize that there are people who have gone irretrievably 'round the bend. I had heard stories, and I had met some strange people. I had even seen some people first-hand whose problems required greater attention than I realized. I guess what I thought was that people all had problems, but that all problems went away eventually. Not all of them do. Amy* was on the high

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1080665838894054102004-03-30T11:57:00.000-05:002004-03-30T13:30:10.483-05:00

I didn't believe in crazy people until I arrived at college. At college I met an English professor whose wife and daughter had been killed in a fire thirty years before, and who had, reportedly, been insane since. Only he and the horses had survived the fire, and horses were his only pleasure now. Professor "X" always came into class in the same outfit, with minor variations. He arrived in

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1080569270803982212004-03-29T09:07:00.000-05:002004-03-29T09:15:38.530-05:00

California, Pennsylvania that is. In a rare moment of pride in my obscure Alma Mater, I am proud to announce that California University of Pennsylvania's own Vulcan Women have won the National Championship for Division II. As a side note, I was never so happy as a few years ago, when Cal was considering renaming the University. There was talk of naming it Eberly University, after a major

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1080223410155876762004-03-25T09:03:00.000-05:002004-03-25T09:08:34.686-05:00

Pessimist over at To the Barricades uses an impressive literary device to convey his point in this post. Even if you don't respect his point, you have to admire the originality. I grow so tired of reading political blogs because so many of them use the same voice. You'll find that almost all of the political blogs I link to place some degree of importance or finding original ways to convey

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1080221567353501432004-03-25T08:32:00.000-05:002004-03-25T08:39:15.216-05:00

Keith over at Berry's World gave me some much needed publicity for my recently posted question on what to send a friend who is now serving in Iraq. Thank's Keith! I'm working on that letter for my friend. I would love to provide his address, but I don't think he would like it. He values his anonymity. He's a very private person, which is part of the reason his candid letter was so stunning

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1080061412683596462004-03-23T12:03:00.000-05:002004-03-23T12:09:59.606-05:00

Today, I, along with several of my friends, received an e-mail from another friend, recently deployed in Iraq. We're not close friends. Don't get me wrong, I like him, and we are very often at the same events and functions. He's just not someone I call to hang out with, or seek out. In his e-mail, he offered up his snail mail address, where he and his unit can receive letters from home. He

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1079988529537753662004-03-22T15:48:00.000-05:002004-03-22T15:53:19.543-05:00

When I was a kid, my mother used to plan great vacations on next to no money. We camped, everywhere. It was all she could afford. And we went many, many places: Ocean City and Assateague; MD, Harpers Ferry, Gettysburg, Red Rock; PA, the Pocono's, the Thousand Islands, Montauk;NY, the Great Smokey Mountains, and of course, Washington, DC. I also visited Washington in eighth grade, and once

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1078165735648302792004-03-01T13:28:00.000-05:002004-03-01T13:31:02.640-05:00

A stretch of hallway between my office and the elevator smells, intensely, of sandlewood today. There is no carpet, no furniture, and there are no doors along the smelly stretch. Just white walls, institutional green linoleum tiles, and sandlewood.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1077910850084356152004-02-27T14:40:00.000-05:002004-03-01T13:26:06.530-05:00

Today I learned that people with disabilities exist in three major categories: 1. In a Wheelchair. People in this category will appear in a standard-issue, manually operated wheelchair, like the ones they keep in the hospital ER. No one really owns automated wheelchairs or scooters. Even when on a family picnic, the chair is the focus of any photograph in which the person appears. When being

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1077212279156458482004-02-19T12:37:00.000-05:002004-02-24T09:55:04.043-05:00

They're young. I'd say they're both college age. I'd say sophmores or juniors, because they don't have the stunned look of freshmen, or the panicked look of seniors. One is about 5'6, she's slender, and wearing a nicely fitted black trench over flare leg blue jeans worn with black, square-toed boots. Her very straight deep brown hair is arranged loosely in a clip that rests on the back of her

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1077036677354993062004-02-17T11:51:00.000-05:002004-02-17T11:55:04.873-05:00

create your own visited states map or write about it on the open travel guide Today I saw this States I've been to page on Rittenhouse. I've actually seen a Countries version of it up on several other pages, but since I've only been to the US and Canada, there wasn't much sense in that. Of the States in red, I've lived in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland (though I tend to block out the

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1077034370810615722004-02-17T11:12:00.000-05:002004-02-17T12:24:39.340-05:00

The funniest thing Homestar Runner has ever said is part of this Strong Bad e-mail. He says:Draft Dodger, eh? We'll see if those trees you're always huggin' will save you when Gordon Lightfoot 's creeping round your back stair. [addendum] spell check would like to make this say "Hamster Runner" and turned the word "huggin'" into Hussein.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1076617731362568482004-02-12T15:28:00.000-05:002004-02-12T15:32:25.420-05:00

So my little sister, who shall henceforth be referred to as Tomato, had a rough month. Actually she's had a rough couple of years. Not devastatingly badly rough. Just bad enough for general misery, gloom, melodrama, and self-pity The kind of years that almost makes you wish you had serious problems to distract you from the penny-ante ones. But since you don't they become never-ending,

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1076597325403723982004-02-12T09:48:00.000-05:002004-02-12T14:49:51.700-05:00

Don't think that I haven't written. I haven't not written. I just haven't posted. Because what I haven't not written is not yet completely completed. And now I don't think I'm going to finish it. What I mean is, I have started several things, and then ran out of wind. For example, I started a piece on heritage/ethnicity and hyphenated Americans, inspired by a post on Rittenhouse about

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1075756646930912922004-02-02T16:17:00.000-05:002004-02-05T10:07:40.093-05:00

...I'll give you something to be angry about. While people are talking about is Ms. Jackson's unexpected guest performance at the Superbowl, they are missing the most offensive thing that happened on stage. The really offensive performance belonged to one Kid Rock. Though well meaning, Mr. Rock ended up conveying precisely the opposite message from his intention. The Kid performed a

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1075737260647184232004-02-02T10:54:00.000-05:002004-02-03T15:04:04.123-05:00

Oh for Pete's sake people. It's a Boob. It's a boob we didn't even see up close, or for that long. To quote Julia Roberts, "Seriously, I mean, they're just breasts. Every second person in the world has got them... they're odd-looking. They're for milk. Your mum's got them. You must have seen a thousand of them -- what's the fuss about?" (from Notting Hill. Quote from the script). To

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1074884466076745322004-01-23T14:01:00.000-05:002004-01-23T14:02:35.390-05:00

I'm never working on January 22 again, for as long as I work in Washington. I will take a personal day, but I will not board a bus and come downtown. Yesterday was the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Roe's anniversary always causes a fuss around here, particularly with a sitting President who is sympathetic to the anti-abortion cause. But even last year, on the 30th anniversary, I didn't see the

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1074611619944186742004-01-20T10:13:00.000-05:002004-01-20T10:16:48.936-05:00

Let me begin by saying I mean no disrespect to Dwight and the others over a Wampum. Before Keith (Berry's World) nominated me for a Koufax Award the folks over at Wampum had probably never heard of me. (Seriously, I'm drawing about 10 hits a day, so I'm not exactly shocked to have missed their radar screen.) I've read Wampum now and then in the past (usually linked from The Rittenhouse Review)

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1074090950501256882004-01-14T09:35:00.000-05:002004-01-16T12:14:21.420-05:00

I can win an argument on any topic, against any opponent. People know this, and steer clear of me at parties. Often, as a sign of their great respect, they don't even invite me. -- Dave Barry I don't spend too much time discussing politics on my page, though I don't imagine that my personal politics are, in general, too difficult to ascertain. In fact, in certain circles, I am known for being

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1073929146514977182004-01-12T12:39:00.000-05:002004-01-13T14:48:46.653-05:00

1. His name. I love old man names. (Incidentally some other jewels in my family have included my great-grandfather- Ernest, an uncle- Maynard, my grandfather and subsequently my nephew- Chester, several ancestors named Wesley, an uncle with the middle-name Aloysius, and several ancestors named Hezekiah.) 2. At age 70 he built a new barn for his horses, himself. 3. At age 82 he moved into a

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1073674258584391322004-01-09T13:50:00.000-05:002004-01-13T14:51:15.000-05:00

Dear Reverend Charlie, I won't be coming back to your church. I do not like you. On Christmas, instead of feeling uplifted and happy, I was hoping for a speedy exodus. While you were delivering you Sodom and Gomorra Christmas sermon, I was thinking how much I don't like you. On Christmas. On Christmas, I was thinking how much I didn't like the pastor. Which made me think I'm not a good

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1073594193690407712004-01-08T15:36:00.000-05:002004-01-14T10:43:34.356-05:00

Well, the Christmas stuff had to go, and while I was at it, I thought I would update the whole page. In doing so I have come to an important decision. Bloglinker is extremely efficient, but a little high maintenance. If I'm going to do the work, I might just as well do it myself, and have more control. Besides, I think participating in bloglinker is encouraging some spiders to miss my links

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1073504415956597392004-01-07T14:40:00.000-05:002004-01-08T15:23:25.310-05:00

Episode #1.2 - a repeated offense: It happened again!

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1073415828578941262004-01-06T14:03:00.000-05:002004-01-07T10:17:19.186-05:00

6. Santa is the mall-Santa. His beard is fake. So is his padding. But I do think he is an older-man, which is good at least. He has a nice deep voice, and he says "Merry Christmas" and "What do you want for Christmas?" convincingly. The only disturbing thing he does is when he says, "Ho ho ho." He makes his voice even lower. Like a person impersonating Santa would. Like I sound when I

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1073309304189085522004-01-05T08:28:00.000-05:002004-01-05T08:29:53.123-05:00

4. Santa is my bus driver. He's wearing parts of two uniforms. He's wearing his grey slacks and blue shirt, his maroon tie is draped around his coffee cup on the console to his left, and he is wearing a Santa hat. He excruciatingly happy on a Monday afternoon, but it's the week between Christmas and New Year's, so one must allow for these things. Instead of his usual "Good Afternoon!" he

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1072126375949899392003-12-22T15:52:00.000-05:002003-12-22T15:57:28.796-05:00

1. Santa Clause is driving a Dodge Omni, I think. It could be a Plymouth Horizon, but it's the same car. It's grey. Santa is leaning forward in the seat, so that only his lower back is touching the back-rest. His shoulders are arched forward and he's squinting out the front window in the rain. The white beard is touching the steering wheel. Santa is wearing a dark corduroy coat. His hair

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1070994917780280012003-12-09T13:35:00.000-05:002003-12-09T13:49:48.340-05:00

If I have to hear one more person talk about "thinking outside the box" I'm going to go completely nucking futts. Is there anyone left who finds this: 1. original, 2. meaningful, 3. adequate, 4. thought provoking, 5. relevant? Is there anyone left who remembers how we got "in the box" to begin with? What is the box? To me, it is like fingernails on a chalkboard. It is like the sound my

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1070482382309871002003-12-03T15:13:00.000-05:002003-12-04T08:14:45.763-05:00

Our armed forces shouldn't be over there - they?re good at killing people and blowing things up, not peace-keeping. --Rush Limbaugh on Clinton's deployment of troops to Bosnia. Feminism was established to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream. --Rush Limbaugh The difference between Los Angeles and yogurt is that yogurt comes with less fruit. --Rush Limbaugh Enraging

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1069342654126338682003-11-20T10:37:00.000-05:002003-11-20T10:43:15.966-05:00

On the day I was born: John Denver received a gold record for I’m Sorry. Calvin Murphy (Houston) ends NBA free throw streak 58 games Black-Panther leader Eldridge Cleaver returns to US One my first Birthday: The parliament of Spain approved a bill that established a democracy after 37 years of dictatorship. On my third birthday: In Jonestown, Guyana, Reverend Jim Jones persuaded his followers

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1069099746387224172003-11-17T15:09:00.000-05:002003-11-17T15:10:01.263-05:00

There will be some relieved people in the area today. article from the Washington Post.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1069093818799079752003-11-17T13:30:00.000-05:002003-11-24T08:32:26.436-05:00

That right, since tommorrow is my birthday, I am going to subject you to a week of fun facts about November 18, and my lifetime (but not my life, you get plenty of that already). So, without further ado, here are all the movies that have been awarded the Oscar for best picture in my lifetime. The ones I've seen are in boldface. And the Oscar goes to: 1975 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 1976

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1069079977074114932003-11-17T09:39:00.000-05:002003-11-17T09:39:59.576-05:00

More green things

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1068818909597795332003-11-14T09:08:00.000-05:002003-11-14T09:31:17.076-05:00

I haven't tackled this fear yet, but it sometimes strikes me when I make posts like this one and when I make comments about my father's political beliefs, like I did on Keith's page. (Speaking of which, hey Keith, where the hell are you?) So today, when I was directed over to The Onion I had nothing but sympathy for the author of this article, whose mother has just discovered his blog.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1068486518876052052003-11-10T12:48:00.000-05:002003-11-10T12:50:51.980-05:00

Today I bought a chicken salad sandwich, an uncharacteristic move for me, because I do not usually like chicken salad made by anyone, but myself. The sandwich came in a small plastic container which bore a sticker that read: Tropical Chicken Salad Ingredients: Mayonnaise, mandarins, raisins Now, admittedly, the ingredients list omitted some obvious details; details like bread and chicken

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1068229761253172602003-11-07T13:29:00.000-05:002003-11-07T13:35:41.200-05:00

and we were. * There are two families riding the train together. One is on holiday from Great Britain, and another has kept the kids home from school, in favor of a trip to the Nation's Capital. The Brit family has a mother, a father, a boy and a girl. The American family has a Mom and two boys. Mum and Dad are in their mid to late thirties. Their boy is about ten, and the girl is about

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1068150593302146952003-11-06T15:29:00.000-05:002003-11-06T15:33:29.076-05:00

Movies that were irritating because I read the book: Jurassic Park- number one with a bullet, what a hack-job they did with this one. I was excited about seeing this movie for basically one reason- the river scene. But oops, it's not there. Oh and by the way, Nobody was supposed to live. (Okay, not totally nobody, but pretty close to nobody.) That's how the Gods punish hubris, and it's the

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1067536088141303972003-10-30T12:48:00.000-05:002003-10-30T12:47:55.523-05:00

From The Truth Laid Bear's New Webblog Showcase: Earthly Passions: Bare Faced Betrayal SchoolView: What Do They Spend It On? Dipped in Chocolate The World of Revog: Compliments Wanted

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1067525308585842542003-10-30T09:48:00.000-05:002003-10-30T09:48:33.270-05:00

Wow. I really am a product of my generation. Two days ago, while my boss was still out recovering from his heart-attack, a co-worker came to me with a question. She asked, "Am I able to view a live webcast?" I answered, "Did they give you the URL?" "The what?" "The web address. A w-w-w. Did they give you one?" "No." "Okay, you need to get that, but we all have streaming software so you

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1067445266375766452003-10-29T11:34:00.000-05:002003-10-29T14:46:39.820-05:00

Overheard today at work, as several IT Techs were installing new computers: "Watch your toes, watch your toes. You don't get but one pair of toes."

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1067015644610325622003-10-24T13:14:00.000-04:002003-10-24T13:14:04.466-04:00

The Redskins dropped Rob Johnson.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1067004892399550692003-10-24T10:14:00.000-04:002003-10-24T10:54:28.073-04:00

I love Killing the Buddha. I love the notion that we serve our faith(s) by exploration. Not blind doctrine. I also enjoyed the hell out of this post, wherein an author from the seldom-mentioned religious left is stunned, and not a little disappointed, to find herself embraced by the Right.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1066997606825067222003-10-24T08:13:00.000-04:002003-10-24T10:54:37.026-04:00

Fat Alan is Single! That's right, I finally got a good look at the left hand, and it's blank. It could all be yours. And if you act today, you get: The dark blue polo shirt, with the blue and green plaid front. That's right, only the front... the sleeves, collar, and back are solid. But that's not all, you also get, a light pair of khaki pants, brown shoes, and a black half-zip pullover.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1066996554311829682003-10-24T07:55:00.000-04:002003-10-24T08:14:13.243-04:00

Yes, I'm afraid it's true. I've been terribly lazy about the blog, herelately. Here come the excuses: I'm still not sleeping well. My supervisor had a heart attack on Friday, and I've had a bit of an extra workload, so the last thing I want to do when I get home is touch a computer. I have just finished writing the largest, most detailed thing I have ever written in my life, and I'm a little

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1066242796434142682003-10-15T14:33:00.000-04:002003-10-15T14:39:59.393-04:00

I know that I have not been sleeping well lately. I do not know why. I know that last night I took a Benadryl, in the sincere hope that it would help me sleep. I know that it did not help at all. I do not know why. I know that at three thirty in the morning I got up to put the toilet lid down in the bathroom, because the puppy was getting a drink, and I didn't think he should. I do not know who

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1066239305327528282003-10-15T13:35:00.000-04:002003-10-15T13:35:48.520-04:00

I saw a man yesterday, with a bike tire over his shoulder. So what? I know that some people remove a tire to prevent theft, and take the tire into their place of employment with them. There is nothing unusual about that. So why was this man so odd? Well, because he was riding a bike at the time. A bike with two wheels already in place and acting as they ought. He had the third over his

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1065537446538053002003-10-07T10:37:00.000-04:002003-10-07T10:38:03.703-04:00

What were you thinking this morning when you decided to wear black socks with your white tennis shoes? Ugh. Today nothing matched as Fat Alan climbed onto the bus in khaki pants and a red half-zip pull over; rip-stop nylon on the outside, black fleece on the in. I'm guessing Fat Alan woke up late this morning. Oh well, I don't look to great today either. At least my socks match.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1065191868371325372003-10-03T10:37:00.000-04:002003-10-03T10:37:48.016-04:00

Blogger is not behaving.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1065190902310344542003-10-03T10:21:00.000-04:002003-10-03T10:21:56.843-04:00

For about three weeks now, I have been missing the good bus every day, which explains why I've seen so little of Billy Bob and Fat Alan. I did however, pick up a new Bus-boy, who I am going to call W. W looks a bit like our current president, not an overwhelming resemblance, just enough. He is, I believe, older than the president by ten years or so, and his hair is either darker, or fuller.

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1065036318068022532003-10-01T15:25:00.000-04:002003-10-01T15:25:26.150-04:00

Someone left a Polaroid on a seat of the Metro-train. It is a picture of two women, both Hispanic, standing in a white-walled hallway, with a staircase in the background. The woman in the foreground is standing so that the photographer has a profile view of her, at the left-hand side of the picture. She is wearing a white t-shirt, with a short black necklace. She has a slightly mullet haircut

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1064507146330445712003-09-25T12:25:00.000-04:002003-09-25T12:26:30.120-04:00

Episode #2: Overheard outside the National Museum of the American Indian (still under construction): Woman: What's that gonna be? Man with her, reading from plaque: National Museum of the American Indian Woman: Oh… It's a shame they couldn't make it look… more Indian Episode #1: A group of teenagers demonstrates a lack of confidence in the efficiency of the "Walk/Don't Walk" symbol, when

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1064252165012744342003-09-22T13:36:00.000-04:002003-09-22T13:43:32.126-04:00

Isabel (female) der. Spanish 1. consecrated to God 2. God is bountiful from Parenthood.com's BabyNamer In my neighborhood, it meant four days without electricity. The first day I was of the attitude "that's how it goes". Day two, "Oh well, we can tough it out." Day three, "Okay, I'd really like to have power now." Day four, "Please God turn the electricity back on." I feel like such a wimp,

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446550.post-1063719959573337322003-09-16T09:45:00.000-04:002003-09-16T09:45:59.373-04:00

Fat Alan rode my bus in the afternoon yesterday. We exited the bus at the same stop, and I went off to find my car and drive home. I drove to the end of my row of parking, and there was Fat Alan in an early nineties model maroon Jeep Cherokee. And! he waved me in front of him. (And just in case you wondered: khaki pants, white polo, brown shoes, red ballcap.)

nmdlinnoreply@blogger.com