It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on

Well, yesterday, we cut down a tree. It is up in the living room, but not decorated. That will wait until my eldest daughters show up. I haven't put up any reindeer, but we did sing songs of joy and peace and the Christmas Pageant yesterday. Oh, and yes, I wish I had a river I could skate away on.

My sleep last night was disturbed. Perhaps it is because thinking too much about semiotics and structuralism as it applies to social media and virtual worlds before going to bed. Maybe it is because stress at work. Or maybe it was because of things going on in other worlds.

I don't have any particularly personal reaction to the death of Kim Jong Il. It was a shock. I hope it leads towards better relations between the U.S. and North Korea, or at least not a worsening of relations.

Yet, today, I received news that a friend had died yesterday. Rich Sivel, a political activist I've known and respected for several years died unexpectedly yesterday. On top of the lack of sleep, stress at work and just generally trying to make it though the holidays, I am deeply grieved.

It was another day that it was hard to drive home, I was so tired. Yet as I sit to write, the words of Day is Done come to mind.

All will be well when the day is done.
Day is done, Day is done