I'm Short.
Sarah and Michael Shanks aren't.

Well, Sarah was a pal and went with me this past Saturday to Chicago for 1 day at the Stargate convention to see Michael Shanks/Daniel Jackson/Daniel Shanks/Michael Jackson. THANK YOU, SARAH! You were a true trooper, coming with me to a convention featuring not only a specific show, but an entire GENRE that you dislike. A+!

Look, we got our picture taken with Mr. Shanks! This is a tiny picture because it's only the thumbnail and I haven't got the pic sent to me yet. But as far as I can tell, he isn't smiling. Sarah, did you grab his butt or something?? And I look like a midget.

Nothing much else to say right now. I have my school orientation tomorrow. It lasts ALL day. Seriously. 8:45am through dinner. WTF? Overkill, much? I'm debating whether I should drive or take the bus...hmmm. Free or $3 for parking? More environmentally friendly or less environmentally healthy? Motivated or lazy? I think the lazy will win out and I'll drive.

I watched a movie the other day called The Fog of War. Eleven lessons from the life of Robert S. McNamara. It was really very good. Anyway, he quoted T.S. Eliot in it, and it was a quote that I really liked:

"We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."

I'm reading a book called The Rape of the Nile about...well, the rape of the Nile. The pillaging and whatnot of Egyptian antiquities and stuff. So far, so good. There was a part in this book that also got me thinking, "Hmmm..." I mean, when I read about the destruction of the pyramids by Egyptians (ancient Egyptians, but not ancient ANCIENT Egyptians) themselves when they recycled the stones to make their own buildings, naturally my reaction is, "Oh no! That's so sad! What a travesty!" Yadda yadda yadda. But then there is this field of thought--this quote from some French dude (Constantin-Francois Chasseboeuf, Comte de Volney) in the 1700-1800s:

"While the lover of the arts may wax indignant when he sees the columns of the palace being sawn up to make millstones, the philosopher cannot help smiling at the secret malice of fate that gives back to the people what cost them so much misery, and that ssigns to the most humble of their needs the pride of useless luxury."

Because, you know, they were built by kings using slave labor.

I'm sad that I missed Bill Clinton's speech at the DNC tonight. Right now Biden's talking. I wanted to hear (Bill) Clinton!!!

Ummm. That's it.