Some Devo fan I am. I had no idea that they’d released a new single in 2007, “Watch Us Work It”. I’m also not much of a television watcher either, apparently, since an excerpt from the song and its video was also used to push Dell gear.

If you’re some sort of pathetic excuse for a mutant like I am, and are wondering what it sounds like, fearing another helping of weaksauce like the one that was last dished out in Smooth Noodle Maps, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. It’s kind of a fusion of styles from Oh No, It’s Devo and Freedom of Choice though I do detect what sounds like some percussion lifted from “Super Thing” off of New Traditionalists.

But enough about my impressions. Judge for yourself.

While investigating a possible CMS issue this afternoon, I ran across the interesting course offering Humanities 013: Witches:

“Witches: Myth and Historical Reality (4) Lecture–3 hours; extensive writing. This course examines the historical construction of the witch. The four areas covered are: European pagan religions and the spread of christianity; the “Burning’ Times” in early modern Europe; 17th-century New England and the Salem witch trials; and fairytales. GE Credit: ArtHum, Div, Wri.”

I wonder if the course number was intentional. If so, I have to admit that’s clever. No doubt other such unexpected items are lurking in the schedule as well.

I was in the middle of composing a polemic against the last inhabitant of the White House, something along the lines of the “good riddance” variety, when I was hauled into a conference room to watch President Obama’s inaugural speech, which proceeded to take the wind right out of my sails.

I liked what Obama said, though I have to admit I was not as deeply moved as some folks in the room seemed to be. Don’t get me wrong, it was a fine speech, a call to action, a statement of resolution in uncertain times. For me, though, the most stirring moment was when he appeared to repudiate the disgraceful, dangerous security policies of the Bush administration:

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake… our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

Finally, after eight years, a President who respects the rule of law and understands how integral that is not only to America’s security, but its very identity. A President that gets it. We were long overdue.

It’s an unseasonably balmy 68° outside; the sky, scoured clean of clouds by yesterday’s winds, is a brilliant French blue. It feels like a marvelous spring day, not the middle of winter. And here I am, stuck inside a tarpaper shack, chained to a computer.

I must be feeling unusually restless, this being the second post in two weeks wherein I whine about not wanting to be in the office. In my defense, though, it really is beautiful outside, and a shame that anybody,, anywhere, has to be indoors against one’s own volition.

It seems the town I live in was built atop an immense Argentine ant supercolony. My house, my neighbors’ houses, and houses of acquaintances that live just a few miles away are all continually plagued with invasion, and not just for the usual tempting reasons like a stray dollop of jam falling to the floor unnoticed.

Whatever these other reasons are, they’re a mystery to me. The other day I sat down in the den to discover a veritable cloud of ants milling around the desk, with no particularly apparent aim in mind. No food ever enters that room, since I have a long history of ruining keyboards with beverages. Maybe they were going through my papers? Did they want to play TF2? I’ve no idea.

They also appear, from time to time, on a dresser that stands in the entryway. Why? I’ve no idea. There’s no food there, either. Maybe they get stupid in the winter; in the summer, they like to squeeze through the back door to assault the pantry. You’d think they’d keep attacking someplace that actually contained sugars and oils instead of electronics and gloves.

Maybe their goal is simply to vex and confound. If so, they’re doing a bang-up job of it.

Having had the 31st and 1st off as paid holidays has really thrown my internal clock for a loop. Don’t get me wrong; I’m most grateful for the time spent away from the office, but after having those two days off, yesterday felt like Monday, so this morning when I rolled over to look at the clock and saw that it was 9:30, I got a nice shot of adrenaline and sat bolt upright before remembering it was Saturday, which sucked, since I probably could have snoozed on for another peaceful hour. Nuts.