Fundraiser for Tom Smith

For those who are familiar with filker Tom Smith and may have missed the news elsewhere, he tore a ligament in his right leg, was in the hospital for a reattachment, and is now in a rehab hospital. Like so many artists, Tom has no health insurance, so some members of the filk community have put together a CD covering a bunch of Tom's songs. Proceeds from sales of the CD will go against Tom's hospital bills. More information and links at the Partially Clips. For those who are not familiar with Tom's work and would like a sample, Kaja Foglio has an MP3 of "Rich Fantasy Lives" sung by Vixy and Tony here

Take me back to the convent

Sigh. Last summer, while the renovations to the offices in the upper library were being done, we who have summer hours were relocated to a building newly acquired by the college for dorm space. This building is Not Exactly on Campus, though it's an easy walk up the hill, and had for many years served as a convent. It is sited pleasantly among ancient pine trees, and the building itself is old brick with hundred-inch-thick outside walls. Even on the hottest, most hectic days of last summer, the convent was an oasis of contemplative peace -- and coolth.

This summer, the renovations long being done, we remained in our usual offices in the library. The renovators, of course, did not install air conditioning as part of the renovations, and while this building is also old, and brick, it slumbers not within the cool embrace of elder trees, but stands tall atop the very highest point of a Significantly High Hill, the clock in its bell tower staring defiantly into the eyes of the sun.

The basement rooms, below grade, are cool. The inner sanctum of the library itself is...not cool, due to the unfortunate facts of several skylights and a multitude of large, south-facing windows. Up here in the attic, where there is no cross-ventilation, and where all the heat accumulated by the lower floors and the library proper, rises to tell stories and drink beer -- is hot.

Today, it is 75F/24C outside (which would be good, except for the 94% humidity level). Up here in the attic, my office boasts 79F/26C, with the window open and the fan running so as to spread the humidity around. In the hallway outside my office, where there are no windows and the lights are turned off, it is 82F/28C, damp and airless.

Yes, I know, this isn't bad, after Baltimore's mellow summertime weather, and I do after all have a window and a fan. But I can't help being a little annoyed that they couldn't have installed the duct-work for AC while they had the place all in a mess, anyway.

And, boy, do I miss the convent.

Wither the weather?

The tornado never materialized, which is Just as Well. It has been raining now and then, sometimes quite heavily, as the supersaturated sky gives up its extra moisture. I'm not sure that the pot tomatoes Steve planted are going to survive the exigencies of the day.

I spent the evening since coming home catching up on paperwork, clearing the decks for an all-weekend run at Fledgling. There's some heavy rewriting to be done in the mid-to-latter portions and I'd really like to be through the worst of that before we leave for Denver in -- eep! -- ten days.

Part of my paperwork was the recording of Saltation donations. We have now placed 777 copies, leaving but a scant 423 yearning for a home.

Everybody stay dry.