Wednesday evening: Middle of the week and packing time

1. The signal is going to dip a great deal for my day-time LJ and facebook readers and e-mail recipients.

For the last two or three months, for some reason, the county's Internet filtering software has been in low gear and has been allowing fairly free access. Somebody realized something, and late this after we were back to full strength -- no social networking or e-mail and all "sports" sites blocked, including Special Olympics.

I have no complaints. This *will* make me more productive at work, and at lunch time, there is a computer I can use to check those sites.

2. I have to love my office some times. The word got out that I was moving, and the human relations director plunked six or seven of the big boxes that copy paper comes in (empty) by my office. Yay.

3. That said, tomorrow morning at 9, my boss will give me my annual review. I hate these things. I have only been in the current job since July 1, and while I have had some ups and downs, I think I am gonna be OK. The stuff from the previous part of the year is all pretty good, I think.

4. I know some folks will be excited for this:

<td width="30" valign="top"></td><td width="306" valign="top" align="left">SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling,
Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide
Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance
Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

5. For my Boston friends, Redbones has some excellent beers up right now, and the Shipyard Pumpkin should be up by the weekend.

But here's the big news:

15th Annual Northwest Fest
Join us for the next NW Fest Keg Parties on November 2, 3, & 4 from 5-7 pm. Cash Bar. Free appetizers.

More than 60 kegs tapped during October & November from over a dozen breweries including Elysian, Big Time, and Baron Brew from Washington & Rogue, Deschutes, and Cascade from Oregon.

6. What do the librarians (and others here) think of this?

People have asked the library not to carry a book written from the point of view of a home invader who killed local residnets.

The librarian is trying to make the book available.

Associated Press

CHESHIRE - The library board in the Connecticut town where a mother and her two daughters were killed in 2007 has scheduled a hearing on requests to ban a book about the home invasion.

More than two dozen supporters of the ban showed up at the

Cheshire Library Advisory Board's meeting Monday night, but the crowd was too big for the room and the board set a special meeting for Thursday at the Town Hall.

The library has ordered two copies of "In the Middle of the Night: The Shocking True Story of a Family Killed in Cold Blood" by Brian McDonald. It's based on an account by one of two men charged in the killings of Jennifer-Hawke Petit and her two daughters, ages 11 and 17.

Library Director Ramona Harten says she won't ban the book because of free speech protections.

7. For the record, we have definitely peaked on the Fall colors up here. I did see four deer in a clearing on the way home, but the big herd's not around. Hunting, maybe?

Don't stop him, he's on a roll. . . .

On the teaching community, someone posted this:

Hi Teachers!

I was approached by a student to help her start a GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) at our school (high school). I have no experience running a student organization, and I want to provide as much support as possible to this student. I have already googled and found some helpful information, but I'm wondering if anybody has any first-hand experience with running a GSA or starting an after-school club.

The student has already contacted our principal regarding this issue. She and I will probably have lunch sometime next week to talk about next steps.

Thanks in advance!

I gave a "brief" (for me) response.


Been there. Done that.

Come to think of it, we never had t-shirts.

Go to www.glsen.org. Now. That's the first step.

Here are some of the things that helped us do it back in 1995.

1. The young man who wanted to do it had some good ideas, and the principal -- a devout Catholic but understand of youth and the laws -- pushed him to develop a clear vision for what he wanted the group to do.

2. Get faculty allies together. Some will oppose, but you can probably find folks who will be supportive. Invite them to the first meeting, but do not push it.

3. The first meeting is crucial. Don't make dozens of signs. Just a few. Maybe one of two days on the announcements. Make it clear anyone can come and that it's a planning meeting.

Bring cookies.

What we did was to establish ground rules, including that was what said in the room stayed in the room and that no one had to identify or non-identify.

Then we went around the room and asked people to explain why they were there.

We did a regular president-vice president, etc. thing for two years, but it became apparent that the next person in line for the presidency was in it for the "Look At Me" factor and would be divisive. So we opted for a five-member council. She was on it and did an excellent job.

5. Check the GLSEN web site and other places and find out if any other local school have them. Contact them. Check for PFLAG groups too. There me even be a local GLSEN chapter.

6. As far as starting an after-school club, you need to check school guidelines. If you are lucky, you will have some sort of Christian group or Fellowship of Christian Athletes there. They face some of the same hurdles GSAs do.

7. You said you were going to have lunch with "her." The student or the the principal. I would do both. With the girl, find out what her goals are. With the principal, say that the girl has contacted you (She has already contacted the principal, right?). See what advice the principal gives.

Then have a meeting among the three of you.

Good luck, and please pepper me with questions. You can send me a private message if you'd like.

Color me surprised . . .

I not only finished "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown, I really enjoyed it.

Yes, I had to suspend my disbelief, but that's OK.

It was as good a popcorn thriller as I have read in a while.

I just wish I could stop picturing the main character as Tom Hanks.