What I'm Reading 4.23: Nature and Police Sketches

"If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making the earth bald before her time, he is deemed an industrious and enterprising citizen." - Henry David Thoreau

Despite the feelings of those around me, and society in general, this quote, from my favorite of all essayists/writers, describes my feeling on how to spend days - and how I spent much of yesterday.

I haven't been blessed, or cursed, to have a regular job yet, but I've 'seized' the opportunity to venture in my sabbatical, of sorts. Yesterday, was the capstone to what I've tried to do all semester, in my venture of unwinding prior to the life-long of winding, which i estimate will begin soon.

I had a busy day of picking up trash for Earth day, and walking in the woods, and isn't it funny as I found it to be a busy day, everyone else said I was being 'loafing'.

But, despite their lack of understanding to the world around them, I had a very 'constructive' day, as I picked up not one but 2 heaping garbage bags of trash along Waterfall Rd., walked with the dog - capturing images of spring's splendor along the way, and walked through the woods to see 'things unseen, which are eternal' (Keller).

And now for my thought of the day, which you can love or leave, depending on your outlook on all things regarded and unregarded.

Think, please, that a man's vices may be his virtue, prior dismissing the way he spends his days as fault. Remember that what's important to you, in most cases is not important to him, and even life, that which we all share, takes on a different meaning for him, than you.

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The news takes on a terrifying turn everyday because we can never predict what's next. (a bit rhetorical but it's the truth)

Like take this: South Carolina wildfires, near Myrtle Beach have destroyed several homes and made many people evacuate. No injuries have been attributed to the fires, as of yet.

It seems as common as nightfall, but two suicide bombers in Iraq this morning have killed at least 45.

NPR has a song of the day, every weekday and they're all usually pretty good. Check it out.

Apparently a pregnant women in Fayetteville, N.C., about to rob a bank, was stopped not by cops, but by answering her cell phone. And, another robbery, this time at a dry cleaner, was foiled. The culprit this time: a ninja.

More evidence has been discovered in the Craigslist murder. Apparently Phillips Markoff, kept panties of the victim(s).

Officials in Webster, Mass. have agreed to a common spelling of a lake with a 45-letter name. Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg, more commnly called Lake Webster, by locals, has had several variations in spelling. One amusing paragraph from the story from MSNBC:

But after researching historical spelling combinations, the Telegram & Gazette of Worcester said local Chamber of Commerce officials agreed that some signs were wrong. There was an "o" at letter 20 where a "u" should have been, and an "h" at letter 38 where an "n" should go.

And lastly in 'weird news' a Hamilton, Ohio teacher has resigned after she accompanied female students to a male strip club.

More importantly my Strat-O-Matic team has moved over .500!

Some deals:
- Sears has some Dearfoam slippers for $3.50 per pair.
-The Nike Store has a 20 percent off coupon code: TRAINHARD, for clearance items and NIKESNEAKER, for orders more than $100.
- Amazon has some Birki's and Birkenstock sandals starting at $20.

And last but not least, looking into story ideas for all you potential journalists out there (we all are). Look into the effectiveness of police sketches in your local area. The Times-Picayune in New Orleans looked into it; you should too!

Wish Wash

Yesterday was interesting in that I did almost NOTHING!

Awaking at 8:30 a.m. is not a big thing anywhere but here. I live in a basement if you didn't know and so the amount of light that trickles through the crevices they call windows resembles the amount that creeps into Mammoth cave.

I stumbled to The Star Press at about 9 a.m. without caffeine running through my veins leading to a disillusionment with the world rivaled by only these people.

I plopped at my desk and planned to stay for only three hours. I received an email back from my advisor in London, Dr. Popovich who at this moment is still cleaning out the remains of 30+ years of teaching at Ball State. It was a kind email telling me that he misses London everyday and that it is something WE can only understand fully.

"It is a special time, but probably a time that can only be experienced in a certain way. We certainly are richer for that special time. Just don't let yourself forget to go back."

He also urged me to read an English paper online everyday, as he reads the Daily Telegraph. Talking to him also reminded me of our 'Happy Hour' we used to have at the local Prince Alfred pub, when he would buy nachos for all of us. They were good nachos.

Doing research for stories I ran upon an Iraqi doctor that goes to Ball State and created a prize-winning documentary on the Iraq war and the state of hospitals.

I discovered while drinking the coffee out of a styrofoam cup that it causes cancer just like everything else. At the rate things are causing cancer these days, I figure we'll all be dying of cancer in about 20 years. So much for you heart disease, I'm eating all the cholesterol I want.

I also began looking for a job on journalismjobs.com, and stumbled upon a job of interest in Georgetown, KY.

SPORTS

Here is an interesting column that I heard Paul Daughtery talking about. Had no idea about Bernie Carbo.

And here is an interesting article about Pete Rose and A-Rod and their interestingly close relationship.

The Reds were off yesterday and therefore the pains of losing two out of three to the BoSOX rings in the ears of Reds fans as much as, well maybe not as loud as the Homers that Homer gave up in only 2 1/3 innings in his most recent start.

It's beginning to make me wonder if the scouts got him wrong like Brandon Claussen, Ryan Wagner, Brandon Larsen, like well the list can go on forever for the Reds.

I don't think that the debate over the fifth starter position should be getting the talk that it is in Cincinnati as THAT spot in the rotation is not supposed to be as strong and therefore in my opinion send Homer down, and just let Fogg or Belisle pitch in the fifth spot.

There are worse things the Reds are having to deal with right now is what i'm saying.