Dear Universe, I would like...

Hi Universe,

I know it's been a while since we've spoken. Sorry about that. Life has been hectic, as you know.

I haven't really asked you for anything specific in a long, long time, so I hope you don't mind if I take the opportunity now. If you could give me the following, I'd be very grateful:

- A job where I can control my own schedule.
- Freedom from neck and shoulder pain.
- Marc returned home safe and sound.
- A smooth, favourable processing of my application for the apartment on Clanranald.

Can we start with that? I'll add more if I think of anything important. But this would be a nice start.

Thanks so much,
Me

Apartment update

Just spoke to the current tenant, who in turn just spoke to someone from the landlord company. According to them, it will take no more than 48 hours to do the processing of the application, so I'll know for sure by Friday.

(I feel like I should really pick an icon for apartment-related posts. Maybe I'll look for one later today.)

A question for the historians

Just one more for now, I promise.

Question for the historians: We hear a lot today about how the low birth rate in many industrialized countries (U.S., Europe, parts of Asia) is leading to an "economic time bomb," when a small number of working-age people will need to support a large number of elderly people.

Are there any historical periods with an analogous situation? Perhaps after a plague or a war, when many young people were killed but not so much of the older generation? Anyone know what happened to those societies?

Brand new song! Written yesterday!

I had some time yesterday to fulfill one of my Pennsic commitments, namely to write a poem in honour of Dione Sidhe's kitchen house, which was completed at this year's War. (To see a picture of the kitchen house, click here).

I decided to go the "tell a story" route, though I chose to err on the side of fable rather than fact. I got the official stamp of approval from Mistress Brid this morning, so I present to you The Sign of the Duck, another Pocket Bard original.

( LJ Readers can read it right here instead of clicking on the link to Home of the Pocket Bard )