GUY FAWKES DAY

Today is Guy Fawkes Day. It's my second favorite holiday (next to Halloween). Only the English would celebrate a failure. I mean, here in the States, we have Independence Day; the result of a successful revolution; with fireworks and explosions which, obviously, represent the destruction and tumult of war. Yippeee!

Over there, however, they celebrate the bungled attempt of an inept revolutionary (Fawkes) to blow up Parliament. He was discovered and arrested in a cellar beneath the House of Lords (into which he and other malcontents had tunneled) with a massive supply of gunpowder. Apparently, his co-conspirators evacuated when they learned that their plot might hurt innocent people, leaving Fawkes to guard the kegs of powder. Whether or not he was still planning to ignite them is unclear.

The fireworks, in this case, must represent something that didn't actually happen. The English probably wish all such terrorists were as inept as Fawkes.

I should note that Fawkes was, summarily, tortured and executed, and the English burn him in effigy every Fifth of November. Merry Olde England.

Poor olde Guy.

To read all about Guy Fawkes, go here:http://www.bonefire.org/guy/ .

And now for something completely different:

Yesterday, I learned that some of our brainiest science people have discovered that pigments found in curry can both reverse and prevent the brain plaque which causes Alzheimer's Disease. This is wonderful news for us all (if the research pans out).

India, incidentally, has one of the lowest rates of Alzheimer's.
To read all about it, go here:
http://channels.netscape.com/homerealestate/package.jsp?name=fte/yellowcurry/yellowcurry&floc=HR-1-L3

Anyone for Indian food?

I had a great day at work, today. Felt like a leader! Acted like one, too. I think we're going to survive Christmas. All the major merchandising and inventory is done, and now we can concentrate on keeping (getting) the store organized. I feel quite capable of raising the morale of the people around me. I can feel others being inspired when I'm in a good mood, and the whole crew seems down when I'm feeling low. What power! I have to be careful how I use it. I may also have to overcome some people's perceptions of me. Either that, or just ignore them completely. And I'm trying to empathize with even my most difficult co-workers. What else can a good manager do?

Did you know that there is a patron saint of booksellers (and/or librarians)? He is called St. Jerome. He is also the saint of the insane.

Anyway, thoughts of school still buzz in my brain...

.. .you see, I've got this plan to detonate a huge cargo of gunpowder in the catacombs beneath SMU, and then ... no?

TODAY'S QUOTE:

"Remember, remember
the Fifth of November."
-- John Lennon (again)