More To Come

Here's a quirky little story for you:

Three Marines went to a house in Hollywood to tell the parents of Pfc. Alexander Arredondo that the 20-year-old died Tuesday in Najaf, according to police and television reports.

Carlos Arredondo, 44, then walked out of the house with a torch and what appeared to be a container of flammable liquid, reports said.

Police said that despite the Marines' efforts to stop him, Arredondo set the van and himself on fire. The Marines pulled him out of the burning vehicle and put out the flames, police said.

Arredondo was listed in serious condition at a Miami hospital.

"We have not seen this type of reaction."

But you may see it again. . .

De Man Dead

I have so much to write about, so many nice comments and personal messages to return. But I'm too beat to do any of it.

After teaching at 8am, going to see Riding Giants at the El Con, discussing the difference between open-minded and close-minded political correctness on the JCC basketball court; developing a cramp while playing a crazy game of 21; rushing to get Skylar from school; taking her to J.W. Tumbles for her class; shopping at TJ's; going for a long walk with Kim, Travis, and the Bean; cleaning up the kitchen; and spending myself in the orange-blue glow of our westernmost room -- let's just say that I don't have much left for correspondence.

What energy I do have is being saved for Paul De Man. See, I'm fixating on the problem of allegory again -- I'll blog about my reflections later this week -- and can't afford to dissipate my mental energy by composing prose that isn't directly related to that eminently worthwhile project. Except, of course, the three short paragraphs I just wrote here. . .