Dr. Mark came at 9 am and he, Pat, and I talked over the blood sugar drop problem. I certainly hope it never happens again, but at least I feel a little more comfortable with what to do and when to call 911, if necessary.
Other than that, nothing going on. I stuck close to home all day, feeling down. Had a long talk with Marge, dear friend that she is. Called Ellen on the web cam and enjoyed that. Talked to A. later.
Haven't been able to do any more on the "Fatal Family Reunion" script, but will go to Mary Ellen's tonight to work on the Old Barney one with others. Sister Betty and friend, Suzanne, are due in tomorrow and will stay for lunch. Betty will sleep over, then borrow Pat's car for the month.
Wider: Over at Anti-War.Com, Jeff Huber writes about the propaganda war, almost as important to the powers-that-be (hey, that's not us, folks!) as the killing one. Civilian deaths are starting to be noticed? Well, just spin it away and talk about a "serious" effort to limit them. Huber tells us that McChrystal(?) has an admiral named Smith as P.R. officer and writes:
"Like all military reporting now, the LAT piece, titled 'U.S. to limit air strikes in Afghanistan to help reduce civilian deaths,' is a poorly camouflaged piece of stenography, and it’s clear that Smith did the dictating." (Love that "stenography" bit--so true.)
As Huber points out, though, the best way to reduce civilian deaths is for the U.
S. military to pack up and go home.
Uh-huh; that'll be the day.

Don't give me your mountains. Don't give me your parks. In summer, the beach is the only place to be.
A. and I met the birthday crowd--it was Joelly's seventh--in Seaside Heights yesterday under sunny skies and over white sands. The ocean was comfortably warm, and Joel and little "T" loved it. About 5:00 o'clock, we all went back to the apartment ice cream cake. After the opening of the presents, A., M., and I left; I got home a little after 8:00.
Seaside reminds me of Atlantic City in the old, old days, before the casinos. It's crowded, noisy, gaudy, full of rides, games, cheap souvenir shops, artery-clogging food, tattooed teenagers, and every other possible representative of human. I loved it. All this, of course, coexists with the glorious Jersey shore a few yards away, the white sands and rolling surf indifferent to all the hubbub. Great place for a birthday celebration.
Dr. Mark is coming this morning and I want to ask him more about the diabetes thing.

Am now back from my respite half weekend. Left Friday evening and got back this morning. Yesterday, I walked a few miles on the Ventnor boardwalk in the morning, then met old friends Mary and Jane for lunch. Spent the rest of the day relaxing and just going here and there as the spirit moved me.
I was sorry to hear 911 had had to be called on Friday night, as Pat, yet again, suffered a diabetic episode. The police, then the EMTs came, but he didn't go to the hospital. Now I'm contemplating going to Seaside to meet the Phillips Four to celebrate Joelly's 7th birthday on the beach. They're then having ice cream and cake at their apartment. Not sure if all this can be fit in.
Am somewhat dispirited and don't feel like writing more right now.

Went to the (open) business meeting of the Little Egg Theatre Company last night; the board meeting preceded it. It was low-key, but nice. Artistic director Desi announced upcoming shows, including for 2010, "Deathtrap," "Blithe Spirit," "Steel Magnolias," and "The Glass Menagerie." Of course, I have my eye on "Hedda Gabler," which will be staged in November of this year. Desi plans to modify to set in the early '50s and, if I'm not mistaken, to do it in the round. I'll audition for the part of Aunt Julia next Wednesday.

Met at Mary Ellen's last night and it was another long, long night. Didn't get home until 11:00 and to bed until midnight. My script was well-received and we went through the whole thing, but I have a bunch of re-writing to do. Some of the ideas and suggestions are good, others I'm not so sure of, but generally, I think it was worthwhile to get input from the players.
We looked at Mary Ellen's outline for her Jersey Devil piece, too, and kicked around a lot of ideas. I enjoy these creative sessions, just wish they weren't so far away and continue so late. Tonight, the first meeting for Hedda Gabler (to be staged in November) isn't until 8:00, but at least it's nearby in the old municipal building.
Wider: I'm slipping in one of those I-don't-always agree-with-him Fred Reed columns in his "Fred On Everything" blog. Here, he points out the inconsistencies of Israel and some Jews on aggression (okay for us, an abomination for them). He notes that the generally recognized high intellect of many Jews doesn't lead to a realization of the inhumanity of aggression, but:
"Intelligence does allow the fabrication of high-sounding motives. Thugs simply hit people on the head. It is a straightforward and honest undertaking. The smart come up with grand justifications. Americans had Manifest Destiny and now have Spreading Democracy. Israel says its settlements have the right of “natural growth” or, in German, lebensraum. All these amount to 'I want it. Give it to me or I’ll kill you.'
I agree on this one, Fred. All aggressors bastardize their language to promote the idea--so successful in the U.S., too--that it's okay to slaughter "the others."

Finally got the last act of the murder mystery script ("Fatal Family Reunion") finished and e-mailed to those going to the meeting tonight. I was pleased to hear from Frank that he'll go, too, so we'll travel together.
Early in the day, I was able to get over to Hamilton Mall and buy birthday presents for the sweet Singapore sisters. Even wrapped and sent Violet's. Vivian's can wait awhile, as her birthday is at the end of July. Stopped at Santori's on the way home and stocked up on veggies.
There's a first meeting for Hedda Gabbler at 8 pm tomorrow night. Considering I'll be out late tonight, too, I'll tell Susan I may not get up in time to walk either day.
Next weekend, I get my "respite holiday," and boy, am I looking forward to that. I'll be back Sunday in time for Joelly's seventh birthday. It's June, so things are heating up after the long winter drag--good!
Wider: It seems there's no end to the insidious intrusion of militarism into what used to be civilian affairs. In "Obama's Classroom Spies" (Counterpunch), David Price writes about the continuation of this horror:
"The latest manifestation of this continuity came last week when Dennis C. Blair, Director of National Intelligence, announced plans to transform the Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program (PRISP) from a pilot project into a permanent budget item. Blair also announced plans to establish a “Reserve Officers' Training Corps” to train unidentified future intelligence officers in US college classrooms. Like students receiving PRISP funds, the identities of students participating in these programs would not be known to professors, university administrators or fellow students—in effect, these future intelligence analysts and agents would conduct their first covert missions in our university classrooms."
This may be a stretch, but I think it's related: I worked on a college campus for 27 years. When I started, I remember that identification of students (and employees) was by name and address only. That's right, social security numbers were not used. I add emphasis to make a point: It was assumed there was no reason to invade privacy to the extent of using a government-issued number for the convenience of a non-government entity (Rider is an independent university). For that matter, I recall when issuing SS numbers to newborns was unknown. It's still voluntary (dollars to doughnuts, it won't be for long), but of course, you can't claim a child as a tax dependent without one, nor can he or she later open a bank account (or get a Macy's charge, as I happen to know), without this eerily 1984-type I.D.
Hmm...I seem to be ruminating. I also seem like a mean old conservative, rather than the flaming liberal I strive to be. But really--when you think that computers can track you to hell and gone because your number is out there--isn't it scary?
And even scarier is the idea that colleges and universities have or will embrace the spy in the classroom thing because they need the money. So much for academic integrity.
Damn.

Aha! Found out that my dear twin, Betty, sent me the mug. I like it so much and it was such an unexpected surprise. Will think of her when I drink from it.
Spent a lot of yesterday working on the "Fatal Family Reunion" script. Still have to resolve it all in the last act, but will try to finish today. I'm supposed to send it to the rest of the company in preparation for our meeting tomorrow night.
Nothing much else going on around here.
Wider: I've always been interested by "Where Are They Now?" books and articles about people who have faded from public view after their time in the news. On Anti-War.Com, Philip Giraldi has an article called just that, in which he lets us know what the war criminals of the past administration are doing now. Without exception, the ones he names are living high off the hog, rolling in dough, heaped with honors, and--many of them--spreading their filth to the younger generation as college faculty. Yes, Giraldi very properly contrasts this state of affairs to the Nuremberg trials. Here's his end piece:
"So yet again, no one is guilty and no one is punished. Everyone is, in fact, richly rewarded for their dedication to their country. Can there be any wonder why ambitious people who are ethically challenged flock to start wars and torture for Uncle Sam? It is because they know they will never be held accountable for anything they do and will reap the financial rewards that they think they deserve. Until that culture is eradicated by something like a Nuremberg trial, the United States will continue to be a place that the rest of the world quite rightly regards as preaching respect for laws and values while rewarding just the opposite."
Amen.