Musings

I'm the only writer in the newsroom tonight -- along with two editors. I see on the computer that one writer is working from home (why can't I work from home?) and there are two people signed on in Hong Kong (why can't I work from Hong Kong?). I have the two most volatile regions in the world -- South Asia and the Middle East -- so about three am, things will start getting busy as people do cruel and stupid things to each other. It isn't the 21st century everywhere in the world. As I was searching for my misplaced security badge today (every time I take it off, I lose it), I found my combat boots. So, I decided to wear them one last time. I'm wearing my boots, jungle BDU pants and a black Air Force tee shirt. Feels like old times. The dust of South Korea is still on my boots from the last time I wore them in 1992. But I'll have to be careful of my timing with a button fly. Oh, the badge was under my checkbook, which I didn't know I'd lost till I found it. I haven't written a check since I started computer banking about four months ago. I learned something interesting about praying mantises last week. That harmless insect that I've had perched on my hand several times is capable of killing mice and small snakes and of plucking hummingbirds out of the air. I had no idea until I saw the video on the Discovery channel. It seems that some astronauts have been going into space while under the influence of alcohol. I'm not a drinker, but I can understand how someone might want to fortify himself before climbing into one of those 1970s deathtraps. I mean, it's not like they are sitting behind a steering wheel actually driving the thing. While they are being flattened in their seats, computers do the piloting. Also, these people are highly-trained professionals. They can probably fly a space shuttle totally hammered more safely than Ted Kennedy can drive a car across a bridge. I'm just sayin'.....