An update - August 22, 2005

I have been rather busy with work, and there are a lot of changes going on, which may make a good story, but are not very much fun to live through. (Sounds sort of like Sam and Frodo in the upper reaches of the Stairs to Cirith Ungol...)

However, there are some pieces of news...

1. At last report, my friend's daughter Eloise is doing well, thank God; it may ahve just been a misdiagnosis.

2. My dear friend, known under the title of "Mr. Nasium" called last Thursday to announce the birth of a new daughter: Monica. Hurray! a new playmate next time I visit.

3. Today marks the two thousandth day that the system of (*company name suppressed*) has been up and running. Alas, this system is coming to an end - which means I will be able to tell you lots more about things, as it will then be in the past. (Note to software developers: according to Aquinas, not even God can change the past.) It is a bitter cup to drink, but we still have hope, not being billionaires - also, this is almost certainly going to lead to a new book. I have hinted about it - or maybe not. Some of the references will be Rerum Novarum, Centesimus Annus and The House That Jack Built, and though it probably not contain any code, it will almost certainly have lots of nice technical diagrams. I will do what I can to get some dialog into it, or perhaps a story. Poetry is always an option - I actually incorporated (ha! great pun!) a poem into my doctoral dissertation... OK I will post that too.

4. Nancy over at Flying Stars has written about Fr. Jaki's observation regarding the order of creation of the sun versus the earth. After I do some more praying, I may attempt to address this difficult topic - but it needs addressing. Also this urges me to get busy and review a book or two of his... but there are so many crying out for that honor! I think it funny that people get grexy about Harry Potter - one of the most authentic descriptions in them is the books screaming. I can hardly hear some days... (quiet! Hey, what do you think you're doing? No, no, not the Greek Lexicon! Ow! Back!) I had to use the scissors, they're scared of scissors.

A postscript to (3) above: not only must I thank God for the incredible opportunity to be part of this massive system for 2000 days, but I must also thank the team, of which I am just one part, for all their hard work. When this chapter has finally closed, I will make a more full report, but for these last days, let our thoughts be of gratitude... Please remember me and my co-workers in your prayers, as well as my friends and their families; I will remember you and yours in my prayers.

"Thanks are the highest form of thought."
-- G. K. Chesterton, A Short History of England