gaudy night

a fun evening, but something at dinner has upset my stomach and i am now experiencing turbulence.

i have nothing new to add on the continuing CF that is post-katrina evac of new orleans.  i can count on the fingers of one hand the number of things that have been handled correctly in this thing, and while i'm not guaranteeing i could have done better, i'm not the guy on whose desk the buck stops.  we put out some jars for donations at the bar tonight, and got some, and i expect the next few times the bar is open we'll get even more.  everyone i met today heard my american accent and asked me if i had people affected by the hurricane -- i imagine it's not unlike what it must have been, in terms of sympathy (although not in terms of fear), for americans who were abroad on september 11 2001.  apart from [politics ahead] instead, obviously, of rallying behind the administration, this time clearly people are, you know, incredibly not.  midterm elections are only 14 months away, and the GOP was concerned about them before the storm hit.  memo to democrats:  once the people are out of the fucking slums of calcutta that are what new orleans has become, be aware that if you don't manage to take back the legislature in 2006 you will have literally nobody to blame but yourselves.  also, see if you can't find a viable candidate for 2008, will you?  please note:  hilary isn't it.  [/politics]

also, as it's past midnight:  happy birthday to datlowen!  i haven't sent your card yet.  but it's not because i don't love you!  it's because i haven't yet thought of anything clever to say.

starve a fever, right?

it was hot today (by local standards; over 80 degrees this afternoon, again), and i was figuring that had something to do with how i'm feeling uncomfortable (physically; i'm feeling uncomfortable emotionally for a number of reasons in addition to the ongoing disaster that is the post-hurricane melee), but now it's dark out and should be cooler (and it's supposed to get sharply colder tonight, i hear, like down into the 40's with some rain, but it hasn't rained yet so it may not happen until tomorrow), and not only am i not feeling better, i'm not even feeling the same -- i'm feeling worse.  i've taken off most of my clothes, and i still feel hot, but hot on the inside, and my skin feels tight and chilly, and yeah, my temperature's up around 99.

hopefully i'm just hot and cranky, and my temperature is artificially elevated because it hasn't been long enough since i ate hot soup.