Home Again

I'm back. I got in last night, actually; I'd planned to go onto campus today, to take care of various bits of paperwork, but found myself short of vim. Instead, I did as much of the work as I could from home. Other than that, I walked the dogs - delighted at their first excursion in three weeks - and did some grocery shopping.

The homestead was mostly as I'd left it, except that the dogs had pulled the pillow and sheets off my bed and also indulged in eating the couch some more. (I have to get some new furniture one of these days.) The weather is unseasonably warm; I went shopping in a long-sleeved shirt, sans jacket or even windbreaker.

One other item of possible interest: on my way to California, I noticed that my Illinois ID card was due to expire on my birthday, January 4, 2012. Given that my flight back was on the 5th, this was a matter of concern.... While in California, I checked the TSA website, and gathered as much alternative ID - none of it with my picture - as I could: Social Security card, credit cards, birth certificate (unfortunately in German), and a State Department certification of the birth of a citizen overseas. I put all of these (well, except the credit cards) into my shoulder bag for the trip back, and ran through various scenarios in my head. My (slightly paranoid) brother lent me his cell phone, just in case. In the event, the TSAgent looked at the date, wished me happy birthday, told me I needed to get a new card, and sent me on my way without incident. (This, despite my current resemblance - according to Sister C - to Ted Kaczynski. If you're reading this, sis: ;-PP.)

More to say later, perhaps, but my vim-free state appears to be persistent.

Origins

Some time back I commented on the Kenny Rogers / Whitney Duncan duet "My World Is Over", which I love. Over on Ta-Nehisi Coates' blog, they're discussing poetry, and someone just brought up - and quoted in full - W. H. Auden's "Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone". It seems obvious that the songwriter (Rogers, I assume) knew the Auden poem. The lyrics aren't a close match, but they're close enough.

Auden:

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Rogers:

So sweep away the sand and dry the ocean,
And just pack the moon and stars up in a cardboard box
And stop the clocks from chiming
Block the sun from shining
And paint the sky a deeper shade of blue
'Cause my world's over without you

(Auden's poem also, as the title suggests, makes mention of stopping clocks.)