Wednesday 17 May 2000 The redwinged blackbirds are back nesting in Sweet's Meadow. I noticed them last evening, and again tonight. When they're on lookout they cling to the upright reed stalks, clutching with their toes, one foot higher up than the other. It looks very uncomfortable. But I'm glad to see them back. They weren't there last year. I wonder if the Baltimore Orioles will return... I just walked back from Ma's. The moon is full and the sky is full of scudding clouds that seem to be swirling as they cross the moon. Very pretty. I'm tired. Today was my first day as Departmental Computer Consultant at the John Carter Brown Library. It is a very cool library and I think I'm going to like this job a lot. I'll be assisting the library staff and the visiting fellows-- there's a guy there whose title is "Senior Mellon Fellow"; how many jokes has he heard?-- with their computing problems... One of the people I met today is Eileen, a cataloguer. Today she was cataloguing novenas of all things-- for, or to, Our Lady of Guadalupe, I think. Anyway, her computer problem is that it kicks her off the server whenever she closes her e-mail program. I told her that I would look into the problem as soon as I could, but in the meantime I suggested she say a novena for it. It couldn't hurt. She wanted to know if a patron saint has been assigned for computers. I don't know, but I think the patron saint of programmers and technicians is Saint Jude. (Lost causes, don't you know.) I'm off to bed. I'll read a bit. If I can keep my eyes open. I'm glad the blackbirds are back.   Copyright © 2000 New Moon Please feel free to comment at: The Madwoman's Message Board