Book Meme

Gacked from nightdog_barks...

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 4-7 sentences on your LJ along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest (unless it's too troublesome to reach and is really heavy. Then go back to step 1).

I'm in the studio, and the nearest books are largely trade magazines and thin instruction manuals. The closest book with the requisite number of pages that isn't full of illustrations, poetry or quizzes is "The Devil's Notebook" by Anton Szandor LaVey.

If, however, you are able to meet your fright-needs and exorcise them, then go on to the next step:

From a chapter on "How to Become a Werewolf". Ah, Anton. Your writing is always so entertaining.

Happy Birthday, Canada!

I have been in bed all day -- a wonderful indulgence after a week of work wrapping up my mom's apartment. Though I won't be leaving the house today, it IS Canada Day, and on the 140th birthday of my country I am taking time to remember how much I love it, and why.

Socialized medicine. A system of government that usually works well in practice. Gay rights, including the right to marry. Multiculturalism. Tolerance. An overall gentleness that really stands out in comparison to the culture down south in the US (CNN Newsworld runs stories on blood and terrorism; the Canadian equivalent station runs stories on butterfly smuggling rings and exercise regimens for overweight puppies). Those are only some of the reasons that I'm so very glad to be a Canadian.

So I'd like to join my fellow Canucks in saying: Joyeux anniversaire, Canada! May our country remain a beacon of freedom and peace for the world in the decades to come.

O Canada!

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

(You can find an mp3 version here.)

The dark side of the day

Yesterday I made a mistake that almost ruined the handfasting. More on that later if I can bring myself to speak of it.

Today I found myself wandering aimlessly, able to settle on nothing. Apparently this can be part of the grieving process. I keep focussing on moments of my mother's life that I can recall, and then realizing that everything she knew -- her thoughts, her dreams, the internal record of her experiences -- is gone forever. It's a horrible and sobering thought.

I was also suicidal today for the first time in a long time, but the feelings weren't strong enough to wake George up over.

I'm sorry now that I wasted most of the day in bed. My sleep schedule has been severely bent out of shape as a result. If I have too much trouble getting to sleep tonight, I can always take a tranquillizer.

George hasn't woken up yet, and right now I feel like the most alone person on the face of the planet.