Monthly Archives: March 2008

Milestones

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Been quiet recently, not because things have been quiet, but because there’s been a lot going on. I’ve been doing a lot of reading, and a lot of praying, and a lot of thinking, and I haven’t generally felt like discussing any of it with the world at large.

No offense.

But yesterday was a significant milestone that I’d like to record. Most Catholic bloggers went all out for Easter Sunday, and Easter Sunday was indeed a glorious day; I went to the Easter Vigil, and then the whole family got up in time for the Easter Sunrise mass at a park not far from where we live that’s perched on the side of a mountain high above Los Angeles with a view I simply could not believe. And the air was warm and crystal clear.

But yesterday was even better. Because yesterday was the day that Jane, after mumble, mumble years as an Anglican, was received in the Catholic Church, was confirmed, and made her first communion as a Catholic. Two of our kids were able to receive their first communion along with her. And then we all went to Baskin-Robbins for ice cream.

We’re here. We’re finally all here. For this I am truly thankful. (And the ice cream was nice, too.)

Google Summer of Code — Now in Tcl/Tk!

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For any Tcl/Tk programmers/students who happen by here, here’s a noticed posted earlier by Jeff Hobbs and Andreas Kupries of the Tcl Core Team:

Just an FYI that the Tcl/Tk community application to be a mentor organization and participate in the Google Summer of Code 2008 has been accepted. You can see the full list of organizations at:

http://code.google.com/soc/2008/

and Tcl/Tk’s info:

http://code.google.com/soc/2008/tcl/about.html

Now begins phase 2 – drumming up students interested in the ideas. The details are in the first link, but students may start applying for particular projects next Monday, March 24th.

If you have any connections to universities or other compsci student groups that might be interested, point them in the direction of our ideas list and encourage an application.

Thanks,

Jeff, et al

Do Re Meme

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I was tagged for a meme, which almost never happens, so here’s some Random Stuff about Me.

Da rules:

1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

Here are six random things about me.

1. I played the accordion for several years, but I recovered.

2. A homeless lady once tried to pick me up in a pizza joint on Hollywood Boulevard. (She didn’t succeed.) My friend and I didn’t realize that she was probably homeless until she left the place with a big trash bag of stuff.

3. Most poetry leaves me cold, but I’ve had “Jabberwocky” memorized since I was eight years old.

4. I play the recorder when the mood takes me.

5. I’ve been to Orlando maybe ten times in the last few years, but I’ve never been to Disneyworld (or any of the other theme parks, for that matter).

6. The first computer I ever used stored programs by punching holes in paper tape. (I was in high school, and my dad built it from a kit.) My friend and I used to save the punched-out holes in those little plastic 35mm film containers. We’d take them to high school football games and sprinkle them in the hair of the people sitting in front of us.

Now, let’s see. I tag Happy Catholic, Phil and Lars at Brandywine Books, Jaquandor, Ian, and Captain Yips.

Technically I ought to leave a comment on each of these blogs, to say “Tag, you’re it!”, but frankly we’ve got a babysitter tonight and they are here. Time with Jane trumps blogging. Ciao!

Those Awful Crusades!

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Here’s a more balanced view of the Crusades than you usually hear these days. My chief complaint about the Crusades is not that they happened; they were a response to the Muslim conquest of the breadbasket of the Byzantine Empire, the heart of Christendom. My chief complaint is that the Crusaders succumbed to individual ambition and internecine bickering rather than working well with the Byzantines.