Revised Uncle Justin

Her name is Natalie Aunah Mertz. Not sure how you pronounce her middle name, but it's nice to know.

Uncle Justin

< rant>

Well, it's official. I have a 8lb, 6oz niece that was born at 7:41pm January 22nd. But did anyone think to tell me her NAME?!? That trivial little detail that follows us throughout our lives (unless we pay a small fee and file some paperwork to have it legally changed) and shall forever be a word that conjures up images of our face or memories of time spent with us? Her name, which we shall forever use to get her attention, or speak to her, or address her by? NO! NO ONE TOLD ME THAT! I KNOW HER EXACT WEIGHT AND BIRTH MINUTE, BUT NOT HER NAME!

< /rant>

On the other hand, Michael Spencer, when given the names of the father, mother, and home town, came up with a couple anagrams of the letters for some possible suggestions.

"Retard Mockery" was the most flattering, yet somehow, I think he is incorrect.

The Other Side of the Story (cont'd)

You may remember that little biblical bit I wrote a while ago, well I put a bunch more of it together, and here are the next two verses

Light
Long were my talks with Raphiel. Long they were, and full of thought. Spoke we of that which had been given to Us: Creation. Fullest on our minds were the beings like as Us as We were to the Creator. Fragile were they, fragile and delicate. They had naught wings nor halo, nor were they gifted with Knowledge, but reflections of Us they were, these men

With Raphiel I spoke, and with Raphiel did I consider. With Raphiel spoke I, and doing so, reached I My conclusion. To the Creator I would go. To Him I would go and to Him I would speak. A task not lightly undertaken, nor one of ease would this be. I had been given dominion, and ruled I in the Creator’s Name, and His authority did I wield, but certain things were forbidden to me. Power and authority had I, yet certain things was I forbade.

Into the Presence went I, with head held high. Into the Presence I went, firm in the Justice of My cause. Standing humbly before My Creator, spake I My piece, and intently did He listen. With all His Being did He listen to Me, for I was His finest work. When I finished, silently did He regard Me. Silently and thoughtfully He considered His Words. With silence and thought He considered and then He Spoke to Me

“Lucifer,” He Spoke “trouble not Your mind with inconsequentials. Given to You was the whole of Creation, and You rule over it in My Name. Worry not on these beasts. As with any act, there are effects. Does not every crash of thunder echo? Does not every stone cause ripples? But when the echos are gone, is not the sky still standing? When the ripples fade, does not the stone remain unchanged? Trouble not your mind with these men as they are merely echos of Your thunder; ripples of the stone I have cast”

Shame
From the Presence went I with eyes downcast. From the Presence I went, disheartened in My shame. With His Rebuke still rang in My ears did I leave the Presence. Despite this rebuke, despite My shame, I still believed in the Justice of my cause, for was not Justice given to Me? Was not Justice My dominion and did I not rule over Creation?

Long thought I on this matter. Long thought I and often did I speak with Raphiel. Of Knowledge and Justice did we speak. Of Knowledge and Justice, and on occasion, of man. Hard was man’s life. Hard it was, and short, wrapped in tragedy and pain. In man’s pain did we share, so fully did we see ourselves reflected in them

In time came I to another decision. Not to the Creator did I argue My cause, but to Raphiel. Argued did I of pain and fear. Of pain and fear and ignorance did I argue, and pulled I at Raphiels heart with the gentlest of urgings. Listened he to My words, and agreed he with My cause. Thus were we bound. In brotherhood and rebellion thus were we bound

Reconnected

Oh, and I have my computer back again, fixed and functional. Yay.

Iz in yer akwarium tiklinz yer octopus

Today I started a new habit: tickling the octopus. Contrary to what this sounds like, this is NOT some euphemism for inappropriate conduct that could get one fined for pubic lewdness, this is, exactly as the phrase implies, "tickling the octopus". We have a male giant pacific octopus in one of our holding tanks, and he's a curious little bugger, and whenever I clean out the aquarium, he comes over, tries to grab the net or the scrubbie, and when he flips a tentacle over the astroturf (which is there to keep him from grabbing the side and flipping out), I reach down and tickle his tentacle. He then tries to grab and eat my finger, and I pull it back quickly. It's an entertaining way to pass a few mintues