Day one of family business meeting:

Arrived in Hershey, Pa. Checked in with Nancy and Brian after a delightful drive from Jerz, temperature in the 70's, white fluffy clouds. Went to Rite Aid and picked up something to stop the flow, highlighting kit, several nail polishes for fingers and toes, lip stain, nail file and cotton balls.

Cocktails and dinner with the family. Magician shows/teaches us several tricks with rubber bands. Fun and impressive. Food is good.

Talked to/missed Brent several times today.

Watched the newest Sex and the City with Nancy and Brian over cheese and wine. Discussed/lamented the fact that most of family thinks none of the women on the show (save Charlotte) are attractive and laughed at my need to vocalize the stupidity of this "enlightened" revelation. ("Is this what gives women WORTH? For God's SAKE, man. Let's just get over that bullshit for TWO SECONDS." Yes, I like being attractive. But, you may say, HO, My God).

Smoked half a cigarette out of the window of my nonsmoking room. Dipped burning butt in glass of water not unlike Daffy Duck. Crumpled out remainder of tobacco into toilet and stuffed the filter into tampon applicator. Felt seventeen again.

Must go to bed because I have to get up at 7:45 in the morning to start the meeting extravaganza. Not sure yet what that means.

I will of course read David Sedaris before falling asleep God knows when. Waiting for Brent to call when he gets out of work.

More later.

Word of the Day for Wednesday August 7, 2002:

insensate in-SEN-sayt; -sit, adjective:

1. Lacking sensation or awareness; inanimate.

2. Lacking human feeling or sensitivity; brutal; cruel.

3. Lacking sense; stupid; foolish.

The religion of primeval humans, he suggested, held that souls inhabited not only human beings but also animals, trees, plants--even rocks, rivers, and other natural features we regard as insensate. --Bill Strubbe, "The world as self, the self as world," TheWorld & I, June 1, 1997

The cutting room is a cruel place, where writing that may have cost blood to commit to paper is kneaded and pummelled like so much insensate clay. --Jasper Rees, "Blood and ink on the floor," [1]Independent, April 13, 1997

Europe needs security and, having experienced the insensate forces loosed by this war, wonders if security is a mirage. --Arthur Irwin, "Looking beyond VE-day," [2]Maclean's, May 1, 1995

But then, without warning, the conflict degenerated, and the insensate killing began.

--Jay Winik, "Between Honor and Glory," [3]American Spectator, February 1, 2001

You'd have to be insensate not to know that the ad isdesigned to undermine Wellstone's popularity in this year's Senate race. --Greg Gordon, "Loopholes loom large as parties find a way around spending limits," [4]Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 23, 1996

Insensate comes from Late Latin insensatus, from in-, "not" + sensatus, "gifted with sense, intelligent," from Latin sensus, "sense."