Joy in the Morning

Along with softball this year, Avocado has signed up for chorus. This is a lovely thing: she has a sweet, clear voice, and is interested in developing that part of her repertoire.

Chorus, however, is a "Zero Period" class. Which means that she has to be out of the house by 7. Which means--sigh--that I will probably have to be up and functioning at 6 rather than 6:45 (as previous). I suppose I can view this as rehearsal for the high school years, which are swarming toward us rather fast. And yet I am not thrilled.

In other news, the power cord receptor on my laptop is dead again. I backed up everything (experience=hard teacher) and the Spouse is going to get onto fixing it. It's an aggravation, but not the end of the world for right now.

Ted Kennedy

From a link via jaylake:

“This is the cause of my life. New hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American - north, south, east, west, young, old - will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege.”

- Ted Kennedy, one year ago today

Kennedy managed, by hard, good work, to climb out of the shadows of his brothers and his own past, to become a respected elder, always on what I consider to be the side of the angels on health care, disability, education, foreign policy. Already he is missed.

ETA: This piece from The American Prospect pretty much sums him up:

Ted Kennedy wasn't a symbol of American liberalism. He was the executor of American liberalism: he was the real deal, he got it done. He couldn't make the whole country fall in love with him. But centuries from now, when the sentimental attachment of those who can remember the older Kennedy brothers are gone, it is the youngest Kennedy sibling who will be remembered, warts and all, for having most shaped America's path, and most exemplified its ideals.

Make Up Your Mind

Really, people.

Via Making Light.