We had rain this morning, as I walked to work, but no lightening, no thunder. The rain didn't pound down, either. It wasn't a real storm, but the drops were too big for a drizzle.
Now the clouds have broken up. The sky is clearing. Once they pass, they'll be all gone. The sky's not any more blue than it was yesterday, though. I guess there wasn't enough rain to scrub the sky.
I think I heard some of the first drops fall last night as I was finished reading The Westing Game again. It's been one of my favorite books for a long, long time. I think I've read it at least once a year since I was in the fifth grade. It seems like someone should make a really good movie out of it. Too bad they haven't, yet.
Once I finished The Westing Game I started reading Neil Stephenson's Zodiac. For those who haven't read it, it's the best summer movie you'll ever read. Heels loaned me her/Johnny Logic's copy during the summer that I lived in Cowcity. After I returned it to them, I went out and bought my own copy to read it again. Since then, I try and read it each summer. It's got everything a great popcorn flick should have. Scruffy hero? Check. Chases? Check. Satanists who use PCP? Check. Interesting and sort of creepy settings? Check. Girl who likes the hero but is also annoyed by the hero? Check. Nutty science? Check. Enough real/plausible science to make the nutty science believable and fun? Check. Lobster fishermen? Check. Retarded sidekick? Not so much, but there are plenty of little people could who fill that role.
Books this week are to be quick. One or two days worth of reading, at most. They are also to me entertaining, which is why I've read them before. This is all to lead up to the new Harry Potter book on Saturday. No, I will not be buying it at midnight, I have ordered it. And if it's not in front of my door by Saturday evening it's free. Most, if not all, of Sunday is for reading the new Potter. And then, I start the series from the beginning to get them all in one lump. It'll a fun week or two.
Most of that was written before lunch and it's now almost four.
Work has been worked upon. Files moved from the shelf to my desk to where they need to go. There are more at my desk, but I've found that keeping things stacked at my computer allows people to believe that I'm doing work, rather than not doing work.
The sky is now clear. The temperature has risen. And the humidity has dropped. How I miss the overcast morning. I like to watch the clouds rolling through the sky on their way East to the mountains. Sometimes, if I look carefully enough, I can see where it's raining by how some areas of the clouds smear.
Oh, I finally learned what Athena (often called Minerva, but the Romans were just hack when it came to their religion) is doing on the California state seal. I suppose the story makes sense, but I don't think the casual observer is going to know. Hell, I've been wondering about it since I started working for the State, and I've just found out. The worst thing about it is that it doesn't really connect in an obvious way. Athena is the goddess of wisdom and battle and weaving. She supports the cunning characters in the mythology, like Odysseus. She brought the olives to Athens. And even when she punishes a mortal, like Arachne, she lets the mortal live.
What does she have to do with California?
Nothing, that I can see, but she's there and the people in charge back in 1849 came up with a reason to put her there. Just not the right reasons. Honestly, Demeter or, maybe, Hephaestus would have made more sense. At least then, upon seeing them on the seal, I'd be able to think of a reason for either of them to be there.
Well, shit. I just found out that for each interview I have, I'm only allowed 4 hours of free time off. The other 4 hours are for me to make up. So, that's my trip there for free. FUCK! I don't think I'm going to take any interviews as far away as Cowtown, anymore. The one I have on the 24th will be the last. It's my 6th or 7th interview and if they don't want to hire me then they can go fuck their asses with a fat, spiny cactus.
Fuck this.
And fuck them.
3 comments:
This made me curious about the Texas state seal, and it is really boring, but would have been a lot easier for a fourth grader to draw than the North Carolina state seal, which is the one I had to draw. The Texas one is just boring, but the North Carolina one makes no sense at all. Maybe I can find out what it is supposed to mean.
I'm sorry about your job interview stuff. I hope things get better.
That would be a barrel cactus, and all I have to say to your suggestion is OUCH.
As for Athena/Minerva, I would surmise that she's there because of the whole wisdom thing. Of course, when I look at CA and Hollywood and the whole OC culture thing I can't help but wonder where the wisdom comes in - though of course, CA is more than LA and the surrounding area.
What I've always wondered about CA is the flag. I've never seen a bear in CA (except in the San Diego zoo) and what's with the California REPUBLIC thing? Republic?????
And that's the direction my mind is going in today.
Geewits -- The North Carolina seal is probably more confusing that California's. Liberty and Plenty? I don't get it. Wikipedia sort of has a description.
And thanks for the sympathy about interveiws and such. I just have to remember that I do it because I want it.
Jazz -- That was the most painful picture I could find, in my brief search for a picture of a cactus. I though it made the point.
As for Athena (Minerva), it's not the wisdom. It's because she sprang from the head of Zeus's (Juipter's) head fully formed because California was never a territory of the US. I know it, but it still doesn't make sense to me.
The bear is there because California used to have lots of grizzlies and then people came along and there are a lot less. I suppose there are some in the national and state forests. And the republic thing is because California was it's own country for like two months before the US decided any place full of gold should be part of it.
Hooray for remembering the California history I learned way back in the fourth grade!
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