Updates for Friday, April 2nd [2004]

Dearest of Dear Friends,

It has been ages upon ages that I have decided to lay to pen what I might have to say to you, and many of the dearest preoccupations I abide, but not for one letter to you, my dearest of friends. An absence of some time at this occasional and the distant residence we share must force me to apologize for the delay in acknowledging the sanctity of our friendship. During the course of the last several weeks I have been indebted to Daniel for my brief period of unemployment, of which my new job at the Radio Shanty has finally brought occassion for repayment. Like the Pantry, I get paid every two weeks, and that makes it difficult to repay debts with any haste. Natalie boarded me at her place when things were dire between me and Daniel, as our new roommate Mr. James Roosevelt the Fourth manages to cause much difficulties for my shortcomings. Natalie harbored me for a couple of weeks, doing so of her free will, so I might have a refuge to retain that suits better than the couch at home. She offered to let me stay but I voiced my obligation to Daniel. It is of my most humblest wishes, now that I have finally gotten the opportunity to do so, to write to you all the happenings of the afforementioned month.

It was not one day since the last night I spoke with you friends of the Enternet that I went into my first day at work at the Radio Shanty, aparently I cannot refer to a Shack as a Shanty to customers, but how inappropriate is it to describe any place so well built as a crude shack? Irregardless, the place sells technical spectacles. I did not know what most of them entailed in design or form. The first day a customer went in and asked if we sold a mouse but I told him that such a fine establishment is rodent free, and I feel this typifies it's quality.

I have learned much from working there for the last month, about manufactures and how well they produce. I noticed many of the things we sell come from all over the world, all to make for cheaper deals for the people who purvey our stock. I wondered just exactly how many people derive their industry and life from the sales of such goods. It was truly something of an international bazaar. Not fitting to be called a mere, crudely built Shack.

I still don't understand what a majority of the devices do and many of them seem to be pieces of greater things. Many cords and adapters and metal joints to attach the cords together and split their lines. There are typing boards and televizions and radios. I played with a radio and it began talking, something I never really understood. Aparently it's broadcasts work through the air, invisibly allowing telegraphed communications, like the telephone, be broadcasted. I can only imagine how useful this tool was to the men coming out of my times. One day, I was listening to the radio tuned in to a program with a man named Howard Stern, while the radio was tuned to the frequency 101.1. We was angrily upset with the "FCC", and said that Opera was more profane than he, which made me wonder to the quality of today's staged performances. I asked a coworker what this "FCC" meant, and he said it was a government commission to rule communications. I wondered perhaps, if as they censure what is said over radios, they censure letters sent through the postal mail, or maybe even what I say on the enternet. As of yet, I have experienced no such censure.

So it was that I purchased one of these radios, which to me makes for better casual recreation than the televizion which requires so much from the senses. I listened to one program by a man named Michael Savage profusing about the threat of "the left" and sausages, to which I enquire, what is wrong with sausages? I did not understand. It was in fact, on the same program that I heard about something that happened in an Iraq city of Falluja, where some Americans were killed mercilessly and their bodies strung up from wires and cables in grim public display. Aparently, we are bound to do nothing. How can one do nothing? This was yet another thing I did not understand. American lives are taken regardless and it is my shame that there is no recourse given to such violent acts.

Two weeks ago it was the strange occurance that I happened upon a frequent customer, a older greyed man, who purchases various electronics. I spoke with him the other day, and met upon an interesting coincidence,

ChronoTech is the name of the same place Daniel met me during the accident that brought me to this new time, sometime nearly 6 months ago. I cannot believe it has already been that long. Perhaps if I can find a shared interest with this Ludwig I can learn more about the company, maybe even learn more about how I can get home.

One week ago, after staying with Natalie as I did, I got my most recent paycheck from the Radio Shanty and I finally moved many of my things back to Daniel's apartment, back to board back on the couch. I stand by my obligations to Daniel for his rents, since he has helped me so much being here, but I try to get out with Natalie often as James seems to disregard me and treat me ill around the house. James brought in a turtle he found ill on the beach, he claimed to save it after it had stepped on the remains of a broken bottle. It was odd, since he brought it in, he has not really done much to care for it, just stuck it in a jar and let it's water get musty, feeding it random bits of crackers and bread. I managed to buy it some proper food from the pet store and got it a new jar, and it treats me as it's master. Since I began treating it James has scolded me as I let it out and about every night or so to help it walk on it's injured leg, and the wandering turtle bothers him, he proclaims it a nuisance and claims it should be set free again into the wild. I care too much for it's welfare to do so.

Ever since Daniel invited James into our home, I have lost many affections for our time together, we discuss very few things around the house. Perhaps, James being invited in is one of the only displeasures I have had knowing Daniel. James likewise, the other day, brought in several vagrants to sleep on the floor, to whom I attribute the theft of $5 and one package of Doritos chips I had reserved for lunch. I confronted James with these discoveries, to which he denied the vagrants had taken anything, and in due recourse lectured me on referring to them as vagrants, as he favored the term "economically challenged". I don't know what this "Capitalism" thing is he refers to, but he will not shut up about it's many evils. Perhaps I will look more into that as well, no doubt I will find something about his opinions to disagree with. Since James disagrees with this "Capitalism" so much, I decided to give the turtle that name, as he disagrees with the turtle too - at least he did ever since I started taking care of it.

Finally, while it was never much of an occassion for me, I would note that it was on this day, April 2nd 1743 O.S. that I was born. As the clock turns midnight now, I turn 261, and the travelling of time has only done wonders to the troubles of aging. Since the accident which brought me here to this time, I have in all physical ways been as if I had not turned a day past 30. Living to an age where it became difficult to do simple things like take horse-rides and then suddenly being young again is by all means an Oddity by which the Lord himself can only offer explanation.

I salute you with affectionate friendship & respect.

- TH. Jefferson