Thursday morning: Bright, sunny and full of promise

1. If you are still on the fence on what to do this weekend, please consider the East Kingdom University/Knight School in Troy, NY. There are some great classes, and for fighters, it's a chance to learn from the best!

2. The beauty of having a miserable day is that the sun comes up in the morning, and you can go at it again, knowing it's going to be better. And away we go!

3. You know it's funny. I was mocking the Red Sox lineup last night, seeking Youklis batting cleanup. Then he hits a walk-off double to win it in the 12th. Yeah. Gotta love him.

4. Ms. Magazine has a story and photos on models with unretouched photos.

5. Go. Vote. For The Muppets. Thanks, yendi.

6. My friend tpau is doing the 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer. Here's her link.

nicolaa5 has something cool going to, but I do not rememner what it is. Nicolaa?

7. Sometimes, a photo just works:

Class by Committee

I will be teaching an SCA 101 class at East Kingdom University Saturday in Troy, NY.

Please help me?

Please tell me one or more things you wish you knew when you came into the SCA.

Think about it from the point of view of someone who is at their first or second event, or has been in the SCA for fewer than six months?

Thanks,

Liam

I am going to get serious for a minute -- about a comic strip

I have been reading Doonesbury since college. I think Garry Trudeau is brilliant.

I am a real fanatic about the strip. I know who Brian Dowling was. (Yale quarterback when Trudeau was there. He is the basis for B.D.). I remember Joanie leaving her husband and hooking up with Rick and working for Lacey. I know Zonker's first name.

In actuality, while this was not true for a long time, B.D. is my favorite character for a variety of reasons.

I have two books that chronicle his battle after losing a leg in Iraq, both with psychological issue and with alcohol.

This is going somewhere, I promise.

So today, my friend soldiergrrrl posted a link to Cpl. Helen Ruhl getting a Bronze Star. We're talking a hero here. Of course, as I told someone in a facebook post this afternoon, I think anyone in uniform doing what they do overseas for us is a hero.

Whenever I think of soldiergrrrl, who is truly one of the spiffiest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet and talk to, I think about women in the military and the difficulties they face.

*taps foot*

Liam? Doonesbury? A point, if you please?

*taps foot*

As I was saying, when I think about her, I think about what a hard job all soldiers have, especially those who are women.

And I think of Doonesbury, and I think of a character named Melissa.

B.D. ran into her at the Vets' Center, and it turned out she had been sexually assaulted by an officer who had been in command of her (in Iraq or Afghanistan).

The current story line with Melissa starts last week.

But, fortunate'y the folks from the strip answer questions on the site, and there's a link to Melissa's whole backstory.

Please read if/when you have time. And think about it.

And thanks for listening.

Thursday afternoon: Yeah for getting things accomplished . ..

1. She really ought to know better, but please welcome baronessekat to the insanity that is The Liamverse. If you don't know Ekat, well you probably do.

2. Yes, indeed. You tell yourself you're going to have a good day and sometimes you do. I got the laundry done, did a pair of blof entries,  and got two doctor's appointments made. While I have not done the six job letters I have planned for today (the day is decidedly not over), I did apply for four others today, including working as The Meat Store in Wilton.I took come time to read Doonesbury, which always makes me happy and I got a lot more of "Changes" by Jim Bitcher read.

3.  I love my friends! Thanks to everyone commenting on the SCA thread.

4. There are two new posts up at "Working" Press.

5. Also on the fund-raising circuit, I need to pump with the volume for tashabear and the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

6. Two items of Troy dining news: The new menu is up at Brown's Brewing, but now it looks like Dinosaur BBQ won't open until the Fall.

7. The word of the day is "spiffy." The East Kingdom is spiffy. Here are two major reasons: