As I may have mentioned, my “alarm clock” is a Perl script which chooses one of my digitized CDs, in either MP3 or Ogg Vorbis, and plays it to wake me up.

This morning’s wake-up music was very appropriate, as we continue to mourn with our brothers and sisters on the other side of the planet.

Brother, Don’t You Walk Away, The Hooters.

…
He’s about my size and about my age
Down a different road, might’ve been my friend
But you never know how the road will bend

Now the wind blows hard through the holes in your cap
While I’m safe inside here in luxury’s lap
…

So you look at me with a look so real
As I turn away from the things I feel
Even here and now as I lie awake
Tell me how much difference can one man make

… Brother, don’t you walk away

So, while you think that you can’t make much difference, do something anyway, because together we can make a difference as our insignificant little bits add up.

I’ve rather intentionally avoided watching most of the footage from the areas affected by the tsunami. It’s just too heartbreaking. But to see the faces of the children is more than I can really bear. I don’t know how people can stand to watch this stuff night after night in their luxuriant livingrooms on their 54″ televisions. I realize that some folks become immune to the effects. I don’t think I ever can become that way, and, in a sense, for the sake of my very soul, I hope that I never do.