Today was the annual Principal’s Cabinet Meeting prior to the start of school next week. It was a shock waking up early and driving to school in traffic, and I was not mentally prepared for a morning of meetings followed by several hours cleaning up the chaos in the Math Lab. Damaris helped me do it, since she shares the office with me, so at least the lab is tolerable now. And I have a four-day weekend before school starts in earnest next Tuesday. ☺

The destruction in New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina is horrendous, and the latest reminder that no matter how much humans believe that we own the world, we are only its tenants and largely powerless against the forces of nature. It is gratifying to see many people rallying to help the victims, but frustrating at those people who merely see it as an opportunity. The latter group includes the oil companies who have been price-gouging for the past few months (and probably price-fixing as well, illegal though that might be) while reaping record profits. Now they have raised prices practically before Katrina even made landfall and, according to several reports I have read, prior to any real need to do so. Historically, the gas industry has always been a bunch of greedy bastards–why else did the government break up the industry a century ago, only to allow it to reform in recent years to the detriment of the public welfare?

Currently listening: This week was the great Van Morrison’s 60th birthday, so I have been listening to some of his finest albums, including Wavelength and Tupelo Honey.

Currently reading: Mary Gentle is an ironically-misnamed writer since her historical fiction (which delves somewhat into alternate history as well) is at times graphically violent, but still gripping reading in spite of that. A Sundial in a Grave: 1610 is slow reading, but worthwhile.