On my lunch hour walk I noticed that the thermometer on the TCF building was reading 0oF [-18oC]!
Author Archives: gmcdavid
Ballastexistenz
Ballastexistenz is a blog by an autistic person. The title is explained in her about page. I found this via Monastic Musings, the author of which wrote
“I know that she has contributed to my understanding of what it means to be human in a way that no non-disabled person could.”
That is what being one of Tom’s parents has forced down my throat given me: A far greater understanding of what it is to be human, that I could not achieve otherwise. The experience has been, and still is, incredibly painful, but it has made me a better person, and for that I am grateful.
A cold Saturday
A very cold day, subzero (Fahrenheit) all day long. However, the house furnace works, we have warm clothes, and at least one of our cars will start. That is really enough to get by.
The event of the day was colgaffneyis annual business meeting, featuring elections to the Board of Directors and the adoption of a budget. Continue reading
An aimsir (The weather)
Tá an lá an-fhuar agus an-tirim, ach chonaic mé ar maidin bogha báistí!
(Today is very cold and very dry, but I saw a rainbow this morning–as Gaeilge)
[Our Irish instructors encourage us to use at least a little of the language every day, and yes, I really did see a rainbow while riding the 260 (a dó seasca) Bus.]
Irish for “vegetarian”
Last night, as part of a general reshuffling at Gaeltacht Minnesota, I was moved into the next class up. I was going over my new instructor’s notes when I found this gem: The Irish word for vegetarian is feoilséantóir. Feoil means “meat”, while séantóir means “renegade”, “denier”, or “apostate”. So in Irish a vegetarian is a “meat renegade”!
(Yes, I did confirm this with my Irish dictionary)
Mike Casper, R.I.P.
I just learned that one of my favorite professors at Carleton died on Saturday. In a small department at a small college there is a lot of student-faculty contact. Mike was one of the people who really shaped my life. I have posted the e-mail about him at 72 dpi.
St. Charles’s Day
Propers for the Mass. From the Society of King Charles the Martyr.
“Eat Food, Not Nutrients”
Unhappy Meals by way of Monastic Musings.
Saturday night and Sunday
I got away from work yesterday just in time to go home so I could join the rest of the family for a music party. This was a good time. Several of the other guests were Carleton graduates, although I was (by a wide margin) the Dean of the group.