I MUST apologize for not posting regularly as of late. I have discovered that the combination of "returning to work" and "recuperating from having a minor organ removed" result in a situation that makes blogging damnably difficult for the time being.
At present, I just don't seem to have the physical or mental stamina for blogging, as pathetic as that sounds. I tried doing some blogging late last week, but just as soon as I got ideas the words and thoughts that went with them just drifted off into the ether. It wasn't long before I got sick of sitting listlessly in front of the computer. Even worse, the "old-fashioned remedies" are right out: since I've given up the devil's smoke I can't rely on that to get my brain working again.
So to make a long story short, I probably won't resume blogging until sometime over the Fourth of July weekend. For the time being, that will mean turning Benjamin Kepple's Daily Rant into the Holy Roman Empire of blogs, but I think a hiatus is better than producing work that's not my best (as you history majors, groaning over that old chestnut, can attest). So until then, I'll see you all around, and as always, I encourage readers to visit the excellent sites on the blogroll, at left.
SO I'M WATCHING "Reno 911!" and a commercial for the new Kidman-Farrell vehicle comes on the television. Apparently they are remaking "Bewitched!" The movie looks dreadful, of course. But what gets me is that when Ms Kidman tells Mr Farrell that she's a witch -- the big moment, so to speak -- his response is that he's "a Clippers fan."
I would just like it known that I had the whole "I'm a Clippers fan" thing down before it became with it and popular. Hell, I still have a Clippers bumper sticker on my car. That's my own magic trick: using a $3 bumper sticker to provide the same auto-theft protection as a $600 tracking system. As long as the Clippers don't have a chance at making the playoffs, I'm made in the shade.
OK. To bed.
IN THE OLD James Bond movie "Diamonds Are Forever," evil Ernst Stavro Blofeld famously remarked that "if we blew up Kansas, nobody would hear about it for years."
I don't know why it took two years for us to learn about this news story out of Kansas. However, I will say this: if this account is factually correct in its entirety, it is one of the most horrific, revolting and barbaric things I have read about in years. The story starts as follows, with my emphasis added:
A Kansas City (Kan.) abortionist is out of business after investigators discovered a grisly house of horrors at his clinic – with fetuses kept in Styrofoam cups in his refrigerator and one employee accusing him of microwaving one and stirring it into his lunch.
The abortionist in question has denied the allegation of cannibalism. But why it took more than 18 months for Kansas authorities to close the man's clinic and revoke his medical license, I have no idea.
Here's the story in its entirety.
WELL, I FEEL like I'm on the downward slope when it comes to my recuperation. That is a clumsy way to put things, but I mean it in the best possible way, and I am hopeful that I'll be right as rain at the end of the week. The incisions are healing, and that's good. The only trouble is that I'm still worn out by mid-afternoon.
Anyway. I have read (or have been working on) some fine books over the past week or so. In the event you might find them interesting as well, here's those I especially liked:
* Barbara Tuchman's The Guns of August, which thus far is a downright fascinating account of the first month of the Great War. Ms Tuchman is a great historian anyway, but the subject matter makes the book all the more interesting.
* Edward J. Renehan's Dark Genius of Wall Street: The Misunderstood Life of Jay Gould, King of the Robber Barons. The title pretty much says it all, doesn't it? Anyway, this was an enjoyable biography, if only because Mr Renehan rehabilitates Mr Gould pretty convincingly.
* Martin Mayer's The Fed, which is an in-depth examination of the Federal Reserve System. Since our central bank is pretty damned powerful, it's a good thing to know a lot about it. Mr Mayer's book helps with that. From soup to nuts the thing is 350 pages, but there's so much information in it that one ought read it two or three times just to make sure one got it all.
Well, that's it for now, but I do hope I can post more often as the week goes on. I'll keep in touch.
I'M GETTING BETTER. Slowly but surely, I'm getting better, although my scars are taking a while to heal -- they're still painful -- and I'm still awfully tired through the day. I fear this latest episode with hospitalization proves that I'm no longer a young man, and I must act accordingly.
However, I would like to thank everyone -- including my family, friends, coworkers and fellow bloggers -- who has offered their support to me in one way or another during my rough spot health-wise. Truly I am very blessed, and I have greatly appreciated the visits, calls and e-mails from those concerned with my well-being. I was especially surprised and pleased today to receive a lovely fruit basket from my coworkers: among other things, there are two fine grapefruit and three massive oranges in it, which I'll look forward to having at breakfast over the next few days.
As for blogging, I fear it will probably remain light for the time being, although I hope to get back into the swing of things soon. If you don't see anything new here when you visit though, I would definitely encourage you to do as I'm doing: read my favorite blogs on the blogroll, at left. You'll find some folks whose writing you will very much enjoy.
HI EVERYBODY! OK, here's the quick rundown:
First, the good news. The removal of my gall bladder means I can again eat whatever I want. Consider: a mere twelve hours after my surgery, I had a breakfast consisting of two pancakes and two pieces of bacon. Prior to the operation, such a meal would have about caused me to collapse. However, I ate it without any ill effects whatsoever. So for that I am happy.
Now, the bad news, although it's not really that bad, and -- you get the idea. Anyhoo, the bad news is that I'm in pretty much constant pain because the surgeons DID have to operate, and all the entry-points have to heal. This is Not Fun. As a result, I'm taking things easy for a while.
So blogging will be light -- and probably non-existent -- over the next week. But I'll update things as time goes on.