Sunday, November 9, 2008

Sunday?

Libby asked why I lived in such remoteness and part of the answer I didn't give was: "so that in order to know what day of the week it is I must look at the label on my pill box - and assume I was taking the pills for the day currently labeled thereon; after which I might confirm it via my computer corner."

I'm more into seasons than the more usual divisions and they glide right by with the familiar "the days are getting shorter but in a few weeks they will lengthen again and the seemingly perpetual snow covering will soon be replaced by the re-greening of the deciduous trees and the returning plumage of the peacocks."

I spent the end of October in the South of France at a conference of a few hundred geeks all of whom had at some previous time been the "smartest kid in the class." It was really exhilirating as the fabled French Cuisine became the stuff of every meal. I learned why Provence is particularly famous for attention to seeking culinary perfection and that in a remote village of 300 there's a multi-star restaurant and near the "French Grand Canyon" in a village of 100 (neither of those had a bakery, however) we relished a marvelous creperie.

And of course a couple days/nights in Amsterdam, the perpetual street party that dwarfs similar celebrations in New Orleans' French Quarter - more coherent because the binder is cannabis rather than ethanol.

I am immersed in the notion of the World Wide Web Foundation and its implications for "enhancing humanity through technology" and the immense relief suggested by the recent presidential election. Finally, once more a president who can read! Perhaps with literacy will come "real change" - but I doubt it; the inertial forces still overwhelm us until we can have access to the immense wealth of the commons that has been so enriched by preceding generations and is being exponentially expanded both by the float on its worth and continuing gifts of the sort started by Stallman, Berners-Lee, Cunningham, Wikipedians everywhere.

So hang in there. "We Have Overcome" in the first phase and 10^10 will rule.

Love.

1 comment:

Convivialdingo said...

Glad to hear you're doing well!

We're actually having a real fall down here in Texas - not too cold, breezy days, and some rain.