As I write this, it looks like the BP – Deepwater Horizon oil spill may actually be coming to an end. The actual spillage, anyway. Despite the White House’s claim that three quarters of the oil spilled is now gone, the effects of this spill will last a very long time, and affect a countless number of lives in and around the Gulf of Mexico, and the whole world beyond. The ecology of the sea and the land around it has been changed, possibly forever, definitely not for the better.

I’ve been thinking for a few weeks that it would be worthwhile to put this incident into a greater context by telling the stories of other cases in our history of industrial disasters, toxic spills and mass pollutions. The truth is that nothing that’s happened in the Deepwater Horizon case is really new.

We’ve spilled it all before.

I’ve decided that before I start writing I would ask of anyone who is reading this: is it worthwhile? Would you be interested in finding out a little more about some past disasters, the lessons we could have learned from them, the motives that led to them which are not so different as those which inform BP’s actions before and after the Macondo well blew out? Or maybe someone’s already done this, and so there’s no need for me to cover that ground again. I admit, I think it would be great if that were the case.

Some of the incidents I’ve thought about covering:

• the molasses flood in Boston, January 1919: though it sounds like a joke, it killed more people than died aboard the Deepwater Horizon

the tragedy of Minamata, where a large corporation denied and covered up the truth of its deadly pollution for decades

• the toxic gas leak in Bhopal, December 1984: thousands died and the court cases drag on, one of them ending only this year

And plenty others besides. Sadly, there’s no shortage.

So please. Speak up in the comments and let me know what you think. Is it time for a history lesson?

“It seems no one reads Santayana any more. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be over there, getting drunk with the rest of the aliens.” — Susan Ivanova, Babylon 5

What with a conflict between the President and one of his generals leading the news, it seemed like a really good time to bring this peeve up.

I have been seeing (and hearing!) this phrase a lot lately: “The President is the Commander and Chief …”

Not quite.

From the United States Constitution, Section 2, Clause 1:

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; [ ... ]

Commander in Chief. Not “and.”

The mistake’s an easy one to make, goodness knows. Most of us haven’t read the Constitution in a long time; and it’s easy to hear the word “and” when someone’s actually saying “in” (especially if they are speaking quickly or with less-than-perfectly-precise diction).

I just wanted to point it out, because it really does bug me.

Vagabond Opera is not just one of my favorite local bands, they are one of my favorite bands, period. Right now they are trying to raise money to stage an original opera written by band founder and leader Eric Stern. Joe and I have chipped a bit in, and hopefully this little widget will help inspire folks to chip in just a little bit too! Believe me, it’s going to be well worth it.

February, and now the first week of March, has passed far more quickly than even a short month ought to, I think. But I feel like I’m finally able to focus and get my head back around some of the projects that I need to get going. One of them is a last-ditch attempt to revitalize the message board I run, The Starlight Teahouse.

The Teahouse is a general-interest message board or forum, where folks can discuss creative efforts, the latest in pop culture, the news of the day, politics, pets, and (of course!) tea. You can join role-playing games that run on the forum, try your hand at a round robin story written five words at a time, or share your favorite quotations. The Okamisan (that’s me!) does her best to keep the atmosphere friendly, civil, and spam-free. There are also no advertisements on the board for registered, signed-in members — and membership is absolutely free!

Over the past year or so, Facebook has offered some of the interactive possibilities that can be found at the Teahouse, but the Teahouse does offer a few things Facebook doesn’t. We won’t change our format every few months; there are no ads (once you are registered and signed in); and you won’t have to get all of your friends to join the game you’re playing in order to have any hope of success in it — or, for those who aren’t into games, you don’t have to set a bunch of filters to bypass a bazillion automated game-related postings. And when someone posts an item of interest on the Teahouse, you’re much less likely to miss it!

Please stop by The Starlight Teahouse and have a look around. Sign up and start a discussion. It would really make my day. And maybe yours too!

Not November 2009, a little over a month before.  November 2008, thirteen months before.  And to be totally honest, it isn’t the first time such a thing has happened.  Not by a long shot.  Clearly, it was far past time for me to do something about this.

There are so many things that have drawn my interest and effort over the years, so many things I want to do and try.  But it is far past time for me to admit to myself that right now, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to even come close to doing everything I would like to do.  And there are things in life that I need to do which take time as well.

Since I don’t have a robotic duplicate I can send out into the world to do stuff for me, and since I don’t anticipate getting a TARDIS any time soon, this means I’m going to have to set priorities, make choices, and (most importantly) stick to them.  And so the first part of my New Year plan is to pay more attention to the basic work of taking care of myself and my family, and make sure that we have the resources, the energy, the good health, and the time to accomplish what really matters to each of us.

(Granted, in the case of the cats, that’s largely eating, sleeping, and chattering at the birds and critters outside the window, but if they’re not healthy, they’re not going to be able to enjoy even those things.  So the point stands, even if it does mean getting carted off to The Evil Doctor now and then.)

My biggest priority for this year, beyond keeping on top of the everyday work of caring for myself and my family, is supporting and promoting Ollin Productions — especially “Afterhell,” but also “Dicebag Theater” and at least one other big project which will hopefully go into production this year.  Continuing support of Dreams Landing, my jewelry crafting efforts as the House of Sailbourne, and maintaining the online sim games I’m a part of are also important things for me.  And I want to organize a renewal of vows and celebration of Joe’s and my 20th wedding anniversary.

I’m realizing that these things, plus the day job that allows everything else to happen, add up to a quite full plate.  There are some things I’m going to have to let go of, at least for a while.  The first one, which I’ve already started on, is to cut way back on my Facebook games and applications.  Facebook is a great tool for connecting with friends and family, and the applications and games available on it are fun, but stack up a few of them and it becomes an almost frightening time sink.  There are only a few Facebook games and applications I’ll be maintaining from now on, and as the year progresses, it may happen that I have to cut back on those.  I apologize to anyone who is inconvenienced by this; I know most of the FB games depend on having as many friends as possible also playing.

Another item that is going on the shelf, for a while at least, is the It Was 20 Years Ago Today podcast.  I’m not abandoning it, but the podcast will go on hiatus for a time.  Exactly how long, I don’t yet know.  It will be back though.

A final note.  I plan to update this blog regularly this year, at least once a week.  I plan to use it to keep on track with my efforts both to take care of myself and my family, and to keep on top of the many tasks that will be priorities in this coming year.  I might even use it just for fun now and then — I’m sure the memes won’t go away, even if I resist the urge to play them all!

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 15 people you like and include me (presuming I’m someone you like). You can’t use the artist I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It’s a lot harder than you think! Repost as ‘my life according to (artist name)’.

Pick Your Artist: Austin Lounge Lizards

Are you male or female:
Big Tex’s Girl

Describe yourself:
Forty Years Old and I’m Livin’ In My Mom’s Garage

How do you feel:
We’ve Been Through Some Crappy Times Before

Describe where you currently live:
A Hundred Miles of Dry

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Dallas, Texas

Your favourite form of transportation:
Hey Little Minivan

Your best friend:
Grandpa’s Hologram

You and your best friends are:
Swingin’ From Your Crystal Chandeliers

What’s the weather like:
Ain’t Gonna Rain

Favourite time of day:
Mourning Edition

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
The Illusion Travels By Stock Car (Petty/Bunuel)

What is life to you:
Hillbillies in a Haunted House

Your relationship:
He’s Just a Friend

Your fear:
Pizza on the Ground

Thought for the day:
Life Is Hard, But Life Is Hardest When You’re Dumb

How I would like to die:
Paint Me On Velvet

My soul’s present condition:
Jesus Loves Me (But He Can’t Stand You)

My motto:
Do Not Go To Tennessee

I was tagged so now … you’ve been tagged ! It works like this: you are supposed to write a note with the 3′s of YOU. At the end, choose people to be tagged. You have to tag me. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you — but not in a creepy stalker kind of way.

To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 3′s, tag at least 10 people (in the right hand corner of the app), then click publish.

Three names I go by:
1. Jamie
2. Neko-chan
3. Puddy

Three jobs I have had in my life.
1. Newspaper columnist
2. Motel housekeeper
3. Telephone solicitor (never again!)

Three Places I have lived
1. Crescent City, California
2. Rohnert Park, California
3. Beloit, Wisconsin

Three Favorite drinks
1. Mighty Leaf vanilla bean black tea
2. Mojito
3. Moose Drool Brown Ale

Three TV shows that I watch
1. Leverage
2. Burn Notice
3. Begin Japanology

Three Places I Have Been
1. Springfield, Mass.
2. Victoria, BC
3. Anaheim, CA

Three people who e-mail/IM/Facebook me regularly
1. Joe Medina
2. Alida Saxon
3. Penny Booher

Three of my favorite restaurants
1. Juan Colorado, Hillsboro, OR
2. Kabul, Mountain View, CA
3. Toshi, Aloha, OR

Three friends I think will respond
1. Jean Lawson
2. Penny Booher
3. Rey Stephens

Three things I’m looking forward to
1. A quiet weekend at home
2. The next session of any number of role-playing games
3. The end of summer heat

Three Places I would like to visit
1. Japan
2. the UK
3. Mexico

This can be a quick one. Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Tag 15 friends, including me because I’m interested in seeing what books my friends choose …

1. The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston
2. The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
3. Fever Pitch, by Nick Hornby
4. (a slight cheat, perhaps, but …) Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Handbook, by E. Gary Gygax
5. All Creatures Great and Small, by James Herriot
6. The Gathering Storm, by Winston S. Churchill
7. Since Yesterday, by Frederick Lewis Allen
8. The Living Shadow, by Maxwell Grant (Walter B. Gibson)
9. The Tarot: the Origins, Meaning, and Uses of the Cards, by Alfred Douglas
10. The Portable Jung, by Carl G. Jung; edited by Joseph Campbell
11. The Norton Anthology of Poetry (second edition, shorter version)
12. All the President’s Men, by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
13. Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, by Alan Dean Foster
14. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, by William L. Shirer
15. Justice at Nuremberg, by Robert E. Conot

1. What author do you own the most books by?
Strangely, I’m going to say Terrance Dicks.  We have a ton of Doctor Who novelizations.  Not counting that, probably Harlan Ellison.

2. What book do you own the most copies of?
As far as I know we only have multiple copies of one book at the moment: Conservatives Without Conscience by John W. Dean.

3. Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?
Not in the least bit.  (Hearing Douglas Rain’s voice there.)

4. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
At least three but none of them have been widely published as yet.

5. What book have you read the most times in your life?
Probably The Lord of the Rings.  With The Hot Zone a close second.

6. What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
The Enormous Egg, by Oliver Butterworth.

7. What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
I haven’t read any books I’d consider genuinely bad in the past year, so I’ll take a pass on this question.

8. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
Don’t know if it’s the best, but Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke is probably the most important. And I definitely enjoyed reading it.

9. If you could force everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be?
I wouldn’t want to force anyone (because who would enjoy the book then?) but I think if you read either The Wild Trees by Richard Preston or Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson, you would not be disappointed.

10. Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for Literature?
I have no freaking clue.  Honestly I don’t read much of the literature that gets one awarded a Nobel Prize.

11. What book would you most like to see made into a movie?
The Wild Trees, by Richard Preston — but only if done as a documentary, not fictionalized.

12. What book would you least like to see made into a movie?
The Prisoner: Shattered Visage, by Dean Motter & Mark Askwith. This story does just fine in its original form, and some “franchises” should just be left alone.

13. Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character.
I’ve had a couple where the point of view shifted between myself playing an RPG and the actions of the characters in that game as it was being played. Pretty wild stuff.

14. What is the most lowbrow book you’ve read as an adult?
I have read a handful of Harlequin romance novels. For research. Seriously.

15. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
The Seidensticker translation of The Tale of Genji. Still working my way through it.

16. What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you’ve seen?
The ones I’ve seen are considered the most well-known ones.

17. Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
I haven’t read enough of either to fairly judge.

18. Roth or Updike?
Don’t think I’ve read any of either.

19. David Sedaris or Dave Eggers?
I’ve had some Sedaris read to me, which I enjoyed a lot.

20. Shakespeare, Milton, or Chaucer?
Shakespeare all the way. (Not that I’ve read a lot of Milton or Chaucer.)

21. Austen or Eliot?
I’ve read “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” … oh, I bet you meant George Eliot.  Haven’t read either.

22. What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
See answers to questions 17 – 21, above.

23. What is your favorite novel?
I can’t decide the answer to this. I’ve tried. I just can’t.

24. Play?
The Zoo Story, by Edward Albee. Stumbled on it by chance in high school, didn’t understand it at all then, but was blown away anyway. After having seen it performed once, and having read it a few dozen more times, I think I’m finally beginning to get my head around it.

25. Poem?
I think there would have to be at least ten of these. So for today let’s say: Grass, by Carl Sandburg.

26. Essay?
You, Too Can Speak Gaelic, by Isaac Asimov. Everything I know about pronouncing long scientific names comes from there. First runner-up: The chapter about Hillsborough in Fever Pitch, by Nick Hornby.

27. Short story?
A Quantum of Solace, by Ian Fleming. A James Bond story in which Bond is nothing more than the listener of a tale related by someone else — this story makes some very insightful points about human relationships.

28. Work of nonfiction?
The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston.  It’s approaching LOTR for the book I’ve read the most times, and it still manages to scare the snot outta me.

29. Who is your favorite writer?
Joe Medina.

30. Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
J.K. Rowling.

31. What is your desert island book?
Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy.

32. And… what are you reading right now?
Thank You, Mr. Moto by John P. Marquand; The Secret Life of Houdini: the Making of America’s First Superhero, by William Kalush and Larry Sloman; Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II by John W. Dower; several RPG rulebooks

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

• I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
• What I create will be just for you.
• It’ll be done this year (2009).
• You have no clue what it’s going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something over the internet. It may be a mixed CD. It may be a poem. It may be a felt mouse or a triple-chocolate cake or a handful of origami wish-stars. Who knows? Not you, that’s for sure! [not me either]
• I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

Here’s the fine print:

In return, all you need to do is post this text into a note of your own and make 5 things for 5 others.

[This is going out on my personal blog as well as over Facebook so I will go by the timestamps of the comments I get.  Not that I think there's gonna be a mad rush or anything, but maybe I'll be proved wrong.]