Google just did a little tease. When I clicked on my dashboard to get to this site, I was informed that they had a beta version of blogger. What I read sounded good. Unfortunately, when I clicked on through I learned that they apparently have enough beta testers, so I'll be using the old version for awhile longer.
What's new? It took me a long, loooooong time, listening one half hour each way to and from work, but I finished an absolutely wonderful audiobook, Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It took a total of 36 CDs, but was a "ripping good read". I'm much more knowledgeable about the history of the 1850's and 1860's, including Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency and all the individuals he appointed to his cabinet (some of whom had actually been his rivals in that election and some of whom had been Democrats or Whigs just a few years prior.) It was a fascinating, in-depth look at the words and actions of many key players of that period taken directly from original source documents (their own or family members' diaries, letters, and telegrams). I now also know much more about William Sewert, Lincoln's Secretary of State. (I'm ashamed to say I don't ever remember visiting his house in Auburn, New York. There is much more to the man than high school history's labeling of Alaska as Sewert' Folly/Icebox. I recommend this book highly as an absolutely painless way to absorb our country's history.Progress has ceased (for the time being) on all three bargello projects. Oh, the joys of being a cyclical scanner! I'll come back to them again, I know.
Besides sporadically writing here, I've begun commenting and writing diary entries on a brand new blog the albany project. I was the 24th registered user and have even had one of my diaries front paged! Exciting stuff! The blog is dedicated to bringing about reform of the dysfuctional New York State Legislature. Wish us luck and stop by to take a look!
