The Look of Mormon

You know what scares me about Mormons?

It's the Look. Not their features - they don't all look alike, that's not what I'm saying. But every Mormon I've seen or met has the Look. It's in their eyes. It's a look like too-clean spring water. It's a look that says to me, "My brain is cleaner than your brain."

Which, admittedly, is no great feat, but it's like I can see through their eyes clear into the back of their head. It's slightly unnerving. Don't get me wrong, this is not really a criticism. I've met Mormons I like - ladyat's daughter and her husband for example - but they had the Look too.

Just like the two relatively attractive and well-groomed Mormon girls that showed up at my door just now waking me from my still-apnea'd sleep and tried to evangelize to me. Sadly, I have little patience for these things, especially when my mind is all cottony from being half asphyxiated, so I fobbed them off as gently and as politely as possible. I'd just have wound up distressing them with my views anyway.

Having the Look isn't a bad thing. It just weirds me out, sometimes, when I spot it. I feel like I'm facing porcelain dolls, and feel the need to tiptoe around them or mirror the smiles they always seem to have on their faces.

I've lost the urge to smack those faces. This is a good thing. I feel I've grown.

Idle thoughts about thesis topics

Does anybody out there know if there's been any books done on the history of the Georgia Militia/Home Guard during the Civil War? I've read plenty of anecdotes and scattered mentions, but I'm not sure if any detailed work has been done on them. I know they were called out for the Battle of Atlanta, but that's about it.

Given that Cold Mountain portrayed the North Carolina Home Guard as complete bastards, it might be interesting to look into the real story on the Georgia side - who were these men, how they coped with having to stay behind, what they did while the war was being fought elsewhere, etc.

(privately, of course, I'm hoping there isn't, so that this might be a possible thesis topic)

Let's review, shall we?

The Life and Times of CIA Asset Saddam Hussein.

(Flash required)

Ladies and gentlemen... we've ALWAYS had him.

(thanks to mrdankelly)

Moments of self-righteousness

Sometimes, while bored, I come across LJs that complain how lonely the person is, how angry they are at the world, how everyone else is stupid, and how love, or simple affection, is just so fucking hard to come by. And more and more, the following happens:

I think to myself, "You're nineteen. You'll learn."

And then I look inwardly at myself and think, "Well... maybe not."

Then a minute or so later I think again, "Well... at least you'll stop whining about it so loudly."

And the moment passes.