a victory

House suspends Alaska drilling push (subhed: Leaders drop Arctic oil proposal from budget bill)

Drilling is still on the table, since the Senate version of the bill (narrowly) included it - at this point, it'll come down to the negotiating and reconciliation between Senate and House versions, assuming it passes. But for a while there it looked like this battle was lost, now there's still hope. The weakness of the Bush White House is really hurting them now. Very good, says I.

I note with some pride that the leader of the Republican moderates who initiated what was really a stunning defection from the party line of the Republican leadership and majority of the representatives, was my own Rep. Charles Bass of New Hampshire. We've corresponded in the past, mostly about environmental issues, and while I by no means support all of his positions, I am satistifed that at the least he's at times a pragmatic environmental advocate. Good for Chuck. Good for the ANWR. Good for hope.

new friends?

Hey, y'all (even as a Yankee, habits are hard to break ;>) -- a fair number of new people have friended me over the last week. If I don't know you, or if I do and might not associate the LJ account with the person I know, could you quickly introduce yourself? Not absolutely required if you don't want to, I'm just curious, if and how I know you, etc. You can either comment here, or just send me an email if you prefer.

Also, to everyone who's friended me at any point, please don't take it personally if I don't friend you back, especially immediately. It's not personal, and it doesn't mean we aren't friends -- I maintain my friends list once in a blue moon (if that often), I've tried (only partially successfully) to keep it down to a really manageable size, and it's mostly people I've known for some time (but not even all my old friends are on there, my bad).

gratitudes and knowing what matters

In one day, my partner had to:

Tell someone they were HIV-positive
Tell someone they were going to die
Tell someone's family their beloved family member would likely never regain normal cognitive function
Likely save someone's life by doing an extremely messy emergency trach tube replacement
Report that a long-shot surgery for a 17-year-old woman to stop life-threatening seizures by severing the corpus callosum and scooping out damaged parts of her frontal lobes asociated with speech and language not only was successful at stopping the seizures, but apparently had left her cognitively intact
Attend a funeral for and comfort the family of a baby who had spent its entire life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit before finally passing over after 8 long, harrowing months

Knowing what really matters is important. Knowing who really matters is important. Knowing where one should best put one's precious and limited time and energy is important.

Perspective is important.

The old saying goes, "Rule #1: Don't sweat the small stuff, Rule #2: It's all small stuff." Actually, it's not all small stuff. But most of it is. It really is. Sometimes it's so damn easy to get sidetracked by the small stuff. And then something happens, you see something or hear something, or help someone process through something, that makes it all so clear, brings it all into focus, highlights in clear relief what matters, what doesn't.

Here are my gratitudes for today, for things that really, truly matter to me:

A nearly 21-year relationship founded on mutual respect that continues to deepen daily, as well as overflowing with juicy lust, proving that love doesn't have to grow old *or* cold
Being totally off petrochemicals for heat (I continue to be thrilled about this)
A house so full of love it perpetually spills out like a river flooding over its banks
Right livelihood
waking up sleepy-eyed, curled up on the couch with a beloved housemate
Long walks in the woods and along the stream, as it changes, ever in beauty, day by day, season by season
The look in her eyes
My boy's enormous love of reading, myths, storytelling, and song
Helping others find their own way
True friends, old and new, those known, and those found in unexpected places
Morning omelettes
Being in the right place, at the right time
Laughing so hard it hurts, and family of the heart to share that laughter with

charming

Robertson warns Pennsylvania voters of God's wrath (subhed: Eight 'intelligent design' school board members lost election)

Personally, I think that the ghost of Charles Darwin will show up and strike down Pat Robertson for his sins against science sometime during the next 20 years. In fact, I'm almost sure of it. If it happens, it proves my theory. Praise Darwin. Amen.