My handsome, sensetive, and sometimes incredibly blond husband, Steve, was conned into subscribing to a variety of magazines to the tune of $54. They were mostly silly celebrity mags and even (horror of horrors) SPORTS magazines, but we did end up with "Wired" in the bargain. I had never read it before, but if there was ever a mainstream publication put out by the Virtual Adepts, this is it. Gamer stuff, techie stuff, just plain technology stuff...it's actually a highly informative read. The May issue has info about Matrix: Reloaded. It also confirms that our paradigm of reality is constantly being shifted to a more sci-fi one. Consider the following:

"In March, researchers at the University of Rochester began a clinical study of bacteria-sniffing microchip probes. Eventually, they hope to embed a handful of the devices in a single bandage, which would be able to detect specific pathogens like salmonella, listeria, and E. Coli. When a probe detects a bug, a small wireless transmitter on top of the dressing will notify an ambulance's onboard computer. Within 5 minutes, medics will know what they're up against."

Is that insane, or what? Not that it's incredibly far-fetched or anything, but...wow.
The lines between fact and fiction are blurring once again. Some might say they were only imagined in the first place. Peace out.

Well, Rafe did it, so why shouldn't I? That's almost never a sound argument, but it's pretty much why I got this page. Why not share my innermost thoughts with thousands of unspecified readers? The Technocracy can already read our minds, and they haven't come for me yet, so what I have to say must not be TOO volatile.

I usually have something angry to say, like bemoaning the war or griping about the creativity-stifling banality so prevalent almost everywhere I turn, but today I'm pretty happy. I showed my almost-3-year-old sister Sarina the 3rd ed AD&D Player's Handbook today for the first time. She liked the druid, because the one in a picture had a wolf, and Sarina likes animals. I was a little surprised, though, when I showed her the lineup of PC races, and asked her which one she liked. I've always been a fan of half-elves myself, but she proceeded to point to the female...half-orc. I had somehow thought she would pick the gnome or halfling, because they're short like her, or the elf, because she's pretty. She liked the half-orc chick because she looked big and strong. I drew one for her, and she helped me color it in. Then Sarina wanted me to draw a pet cat for him, since cats are her favorite animal. When my 14-year-old sister Hayley came home, she said, "Ugh! Get that thing away from her! You'll scare her or corrupt her or something." The half-orc is probably the most different-looking race in the PHB, but Sarina wasn't afraid of it. And she's anything but corrupt. If anybody cries or looks sad, she runs over and hugs them right away, without hesitation, and pets their hair until they feel better. Sarina embodies my hope for the future. As she grows up, she'll change, of course; some for the better, some for the worse. I hope she always keeps a little bit of that innocence, the part of her that comforts sadness reflexively and gives a pet to a lonely half-orc. Take care, all. Rant atcha later.