Somusing

I finally finished the sweater I designed and made for Jon, and here it is:

Jon is a programmer, user, fan, and proponent of free software (similar to open-source software), hence the "free as in freedom." I don't know if the phrase is the official tagline of the Free Software Foundation, but it's the title of a biography of Richard Stallman, the father of the free software movement, and it describes what is meant by "free software." Anyway, I wanted Jon's sweater (the first I've made for him) to be unique to him, and this is what we came up with.

It looks good on him, right? :)

I loved, loved, loved this TV show. The best thing about it is the character of Veronica. I think she's 17 in the beginning episodes of the show (maybe even 16), and she's one of the smartest TV characters I've ever seen. She's not just private eye smart (she's the daughter of the local P.I./former sheriff and does her own sleuthing on the side); she's also relationship smart. And when was the last time you saw a TV show character who wasn't a total idiot about relationships? I finally stopped watching Grey's Anatomy because I couldn't stand the retardation of pretty much every character. (oops! I accidentally slept with so-and-so! i must do everything possible to keep what's-her-name from finding out! that is the best thing for our relationship!) There's a reason I don't watch daytime soaps. (And mostly that reason is that the plots proceed at a snail's pace, but also, it's the stupid relationship stuff.)

I'm not saying that Veronica never makes a mistake or does something stupid, but when she does, she takes steps to correct it. She's honest and seems to actually have some principles. I know Buffy is another strong, smart, young female lead, but Veronica is even better: she battles the bad guys (and they're just regular, non-supernatural bad guys, which is nice), she does well in school, she helps out the unpopular kids, she gets along with her dad (of course, her dad is another excellent character). She's not perfect, but she's a great person.

The story is good, too. The first season has one overarching mystery throughout, with one-episode P.I. jobs along the way. The second and third seasons have shorter, multiple-episode mysteries. There's good writing and decent acting. I fully intend to make Jon watch it with me someday.

The disclaimer: As the parent of teenagers and a former naive teenager myself (at least to some degree), I didn't like all the drinking and drugs and mean people and sex in the show, but I know from other, more experienced people that it all really happens, at least for some kids. Just thought I'd warn anyone who's interested: there is plenty of bad stuff.

Emily Eden is a delightful cross between Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde, and by Oscar Wilde, I mean The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband (movie versions), because that's about all I'm familiar with. The Semi-Detached House is the second of her two novels that I've read. (The first was The Semi-Attached Couple, and no, I can't explain the over-use of "semi" and words about attachment or lack thereof.) The book that I have is a paperback containing both of the novels, and I have no idea where I got it. Did my Uncle Steve send it to me? Did I pick it up at a used bookstore somewhere? I have no idea. But I'm so glad to have it and that I finally got around to reading both of the books.

The Semi-Detached House is about a young and recently married aristocrat who must move out to the country and into a dreaded "semi-detached" house. But I guess she's not the main character. There really isn't a main character; it's more of a multiple-character novel like Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford, but with more plot. It is funny and a fairly quick read. I'd like to know if English majors are introduced to Emily Eden in their course-work. I had never heard of her, and it seems a shame.