Yet Another Sundial. This one is on the U of Nevada Reno campus. You read it by the string shadow on the inner side of the circle, and it can be adjusted for daylight savings time.

Well, last week's stats are kinda bad: gained 3 pounds! I weigh more than I did except when pregnant with Vince, and maybe even then. Did I walk? Not exactly. 5 magazines, I wrote one update and sent Bernadette her ballot, and we turned in our requests for absentee ballots. No history, no math. Blech.

I can't stay depressed for long. Pagan wrote a journal entry, entitled "Jan's Birthday." He also reclaimed his personal cloud, which I had borrowed for the day.
Pagan and Al sent birthday mail.

In family news, Roni called to announce she has a "real" job, working for WELL Engaged, which is not, it appears, a bridal firm. She'll be doing personnel and payroll. They are sending her to class to learn Excel. She said she credits me, telling the interviewer that they had the first computer on the block. Then she spoiled it by claiming it was a Commodore-64, completely ignoring the Vic-20. Hey, if you want to impress someone with your antiquity, you need to do it right!
She also says her bromeliad has three flowers!
Bernadette got cast as Rachel in Gonzaga's play, Anne of Green Gables. It would have been a real blow if she hadn't been cast, as the director/writer/producer of this play is her former roommate! Said roommate went to Prince Edward Island this summer to drink in the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the play will be in early December, when we can't go.
Vince, who escaped a pink slip this month, will probably go, however. He had wanted to go to D.C. this weekend, as 6 of his college friends will be there, but he just couldn't afford it.

Sunday I went to the Davis Musical Theater Company production of The Fantasticks. I know I first heard of this play from Ted, my friend who is so ill in Denver. He and I went to it in the summer of 1965, and one of my elementary- through- high- school friends thought Ted was my fiance. Anyway, Sunday's performance was great. The Wall, in particular, was really hamming it up. The last time DMTC put this on, the El Gallo character was much more diabolical, but I enjoyed this one. The Boy was a friend of Bernadette's from high school. They did a fantastic job.
Following this, we went to one of my favorite Davis bookstores. I found a copy of THE DEATH OF OUTRAGE for half price, plus some other books I've wanted off and on. I ALWAYS feel better when I spend money on books!
When we went to the ice cream parlor, the clerk hovered over me so assiduously, and I couldn't make up my mind, that I finally decided on nothing. This worked out, as Rich wanted to take me out to dinner when I got home. We went to the Sacramento Brewing Company, which was delicious as usual.

Then yesterday the Hyde committee gave me a great present. I especially liked Bob Barr's speech. (I would prefer if all the speeches had been put up on the House page!) To summarize, he pointed out that in many countries and in many times in history, if the ruler summoned an underling to his room and did unseemly things to the underling, the underling had no recourse. In this country we do have recourse, through the courts. Then if the ruler lies in court, and is allowed to lie because he's the ruler, we've lost that special privilege. We don't have a dictator, or an Emperor, not yet.
People who say everyone lies about sex, so it's OK, have just made rape trials, sexual harassment trials, and child abuse trials pointless.
Jerome Zeifman who was a Democratic lawyer for the Nixon impeachment, suggests that Democrats should vote to proceed with the enquiry, just to save their party. (I really don't understand why they think they have to be "loyal" to Clinton considering what he's done to the party. In 1992 they lost Congress for the first time in 40 years, and '96 kept that loss. Then the Democratic party chairman was surprised to find out that they wanted to use DNC money to save Clinton, not to elect Democrats. "Loyalty" only works upward to the Clintons.)

Anyway. THAT definitely cheered me! I don't usually stay gloomy long.