The world is on brink of war again, everybody's lining up for
smallpox vaccinations, and the economy has pretty much fallen apart. But
hey - we're doing fine. This was a year in which we lived with our eyes
wide open, especially after last year. But, as we did, we tried to see
the beauty around us. And we found ourselves returning to the things that
make life worthwhile.
Helen continues to tutor five and six year old kids who are just learning
English. It is a spiritual experience for her, being around these kids
and being able to use her skills and passion in so fruitful a way.
After a year or so of relative inactivity, Steve is off in a new direction
at work called autonomic
computing, trying to drastically simplify computing systems, and enable
them to organize, manage, and fix themselves. The College
of Creative Studies at UCSB, Steve's undergraduate alma mater, slipped
off the edge of sanity this year and asked Steve to give the commencement
speech which, despite all expectations, was well
received.
We had an interesting time in Scotland
this year, searching the archives in Edinburgh and the older parts of Glasgow
for evidence of Steve's family. The records are still there, but the places
where those people lived are not. The world has moved on.
We spent another idyllic week on the coast of Maine,
eating and sleeping too much, but delightfully so. We spent
a week on Tortola (in the British Virgin Islands), exploring new places
and meeting quite a number of fascinating local people, and another on
the tiny nearby island to which we return year after year.
We continue to be alternately amused and annoyed by our cat, who rules
the household much more certainly than we do. For some reason, Steve is
still writing his Weblog, which
continues to gain readership
among the mentally disturbed.
We're not sure what the future holds. It is a time of such great uncertainty
in the world, and events both domestic and international often seem so
foreboding.
When you've had a terrible week, isn't it nice to come home, hug your
loved ones, and sit down to a comforting dinner of meat loaf and mashed
potatoes? Well, that's what our life is like right now.
