In other news: Rich was up in the cleaning supplies getting a scouring pad and discovered the Drano had a leak. He splashed some on the best t-shirt he owns. It changed the color a little, but it isn't as bad as it could be.

The camera repair place called, and it's going to be another 3-4 weeks. Grumble. It means I won't need to take a lot of computer supplies on the trip, I guess.

Nick came on by and got the key and checked out his instructions.

I had a hard time in church, so many songs about dying.

Why lookie there. I was fielding mail and checking Usenet, so I was fairly grounded in the fact that my friend was gone. Then I went to Drudge Report. There was a story about A.I. and I was all excited about sharing it with Gharlane. There are pitfalls everywhere. I no sooner get over my mother than this happens.

One of my last notes to Gharlane on Tuesday (after the "Hey? You Alive?" one) was about Mars, telling him to dash out and look. I guess he's got a better view now, with Heinlein et. al. His last Usenet post was thus:

From: Gharlane of Eddore (gharlane@kithrup.com)
Subject: Re: Okay, so I watched Witchblade
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv, rec.arts.sf.tv
Date: 2001-06-10 01:00:02 PST

In <3b2319f9.1346567@news-server>,
Daniel E. Damouth wrote:

> > Why, then, do you say that they assigned sentience to the gauntlet?
> Did they say it?

> The Blade isn't properly a "gauntlet;" it manifests in various forms. It has an eye, or an eye-stone, in all forms; it looks at things, evaluates potential owners, and constantly tests them by providing them with great power, but not allowing them to become dependent on it. At the most critical junctures, the Blade may suddenly apport to a location twenty yards off to the side, leaving the current Bearer completely on her own, sink or swim. It's as capricious as a cat, at least superficially -- in actuality, it's a partner, training device, life form, symbiote, and long- time societal manipulator with an agenda of its own, which refuses to stay partnered with a lazy or dishonorable Bearer. *OR* to discuss what it's up to and why....

And you *betcha* it's conscious and aware.

I'm busy practicing the proper pronunciation of "enmities." (And the proper spelling, as well.) It's apparent I've been doing it wrong all my life, and you just betcha Wowbagger would have caught it.

We turned over the violin, and I learned a little more about how the memorial service will go. I think it will be a much bigger thing than I initially thought.