Wild data and wild injuns

I'm growing intensely curious to know what we're going to do next year in admissions. I suspect I'll have to reconfigure my analyses. I look forward to diving deep into data, coming up for air (and diet pepsi) only when I must. It's the part of my job I love.

On "This American Life" this weekend, I caught the tail end of a story reported by a woman following the Trail of Tears. She herself was part Cherokee (although a small part). She mused about the fact that the more she learned, the more horrible she felt, and how that was antithetical to what you are always told about learning about your heritage and studying history. She could see almost no good coming of her knowing more. It got me thinking about how absolutely horrible the history of United States - Native American relations is.

My dad has always been interested in Plains Indian lore, and we travelled so much in the Southwest that I was intrigued by the Hopi & Navaho and other tribes as well. But as I've gotten older, I know I have consciously avoided studying the topic in depth. I just don't want to feel that bad. It's our Holocaust. I suppose that's why Ken Burns hasn't come out with a miniseries on it--it'd make everyone just feel so damned bad. I wonder how much the new museum in D.C. is going to cover our dismal treatment of their peoples and cultures.

If I can ever get through some of my backlog of books, maybe I'll pull my head out of the sand and start reading.

I forgot to post about my delightful used-book find

I was cruising the book aisle of my favorite thrift store and picked up a slightly-oversized paperback. I am not sure why I grabbed it; the spin shouldn't have drawn my attention. But the cover said it was a sequel to "Pride and Prejudice" (written by a modern author, of course). I just had to have it.

I'm thought the first quarter of it. Jane and Mr. Bingley are *so* happy, as are Lizzy and Mr. Darcy. Both have their problems with snooty relatives, but they're so in love! *deep contentment*