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Nice social evening last night. Met artistic_chaos, learned that I sort-of met her years ago in several LARPs around town. She's nifty, I think.

Watched several of B5's worst Season Two episodes, then a couple of good ones. Next up is The Coming of Shadows; that one oughtta make Matt happy.

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LJ's newest trick:

When I read or write comments on my friends page, and then go back to the main page, it gives me, instead of the Friends page as it is now, the Friends page as it was when I first logged in. I have to hit refresh to get stuff back.

What the hell?

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Frell.

I forgot my damned reading glasses; this has the effect that my eyes already feel like burned-out cinders.

Ah well.

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Back in 1990, right after high school, I very briefly did some work for a company my aunt worked for, a political analyst. In the office was a giant (10'x10') canvas, painted by the owner's brother-in-law.

This painting was a distillation of all the horrible things we've done to each other and to our planet over the last few millenia. It practically sang of pain and loss, of anger and hurt and the endless dream of the Blind God¹. I loved it.

In my mind's eye it's still there, perfect and whole, in all its terribly beauty. I stood before that piece and memorized every line, every dark shadow of terror. And yet, when I remember it now, all these years later, I remember that it also sang of hope, of the brutal but real truth that if we can look upon these things we have done as a race honestly and without lying to ourselves about why and how they happened, we can begin to move beyond them. It didn't glorify the darkness, it made it even darker by revealing a simple truth: Admit your mistakes, and you can avoid repeating them.

I wish I could see it again.

---

1 Geek reference; read Blade of Tyshalle if you really want to know.

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Imagine a world of 39 Billion people living in 300-story continent-spanning, totally enclosed cities; a world with only two races: Han Chinese and Hung Mao, whites.

Chung Kuo has existed for centuries, but it is about to be shaken to its very core by the events unfolding within the walls ruled by the Seven T'angs, the Chinese rulers of the world. For Chung Kuo is built on a lie -- and nothing that is built upon lies can survive forever.

( Mahdi natters on about it )

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Today's lesson:

A Rihannsu/Romulan has four names: A Given name, a city-name that signifies place of birth (preced by ei- for men, i- for women), a family name (preceded by t' for women, tr' for men), and a personal name, chosen himself, kept private and given only to one's closest friends.

Ex (male): Hveid ei-Ramnau tr'Selinnahr
ex (female): Aidoann i-Ramnau t'Selinnahr

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Gregory Peck, the lanky, handsome movie star whose long career included such classics as "Roman Holiday," "Spellbound" and his Academy Award-winner, "To Kill a Mockingbird," has died.

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OK, I know I'm likely the only person here who likes FOX's Keen Eddie (except for the truly dreadful cut-shots), but next week's guest star is our favorite female Whose Line star, Josey!