Tonight the news is full of the pending execution of Saddam Hussein. Something about the speed of this and the homely details (hanging, a green jumpsuit, an unmarked grave, we gotta get it done tonight--because tomorrow is a religious day, the volunteer Iraqi executioner, his family isn't coming, his effects have been "handed over") is profoundly shocking to me. Also, the information or public relations is being handled at a level very close to gossip and rumor. All of this contrasts so much with the excruciatingly slow formality of the process of executions in the U.S. I thought they were going to hold a trial about the Kurdish deaths; the deaths he is being executed for seem a relatively minor one of his horrible deeds. The decision and the whole process seems too hurried. The word that has just come up for me is "hugger-mugger" which in addition to hurried chaos, has an element of secrecy. I looked it up just now. I am very troubled by the haste and the sort of jury-rigged procedures. Much of the world seems out of joint to me now.
In preparation for the New Year's cleanup (garage, closets, bookshelves, 40 years of accumulation) we went out and bought some more boxes today. Those office boxes are a little small, but easier to lift when filled with books and papers. S was looking for a small pocket calendar, so we went to the second office supply store where the boxes were on sale. I bought some more. Now I have 50 boxes (ought to do it!) and a serious project ahead of me. I have 2500 books on librarything.com now. Serious fun!
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