And a happy, if slightly early, 40th National Day to Singapore. We won't be going to the National Day Parade -- tickets are far too hard to get, and I don't care for parades, though I don't mind their existence or anything like that -- but we will see what turns up.
Alas, it was a quiet day for two fronts. The more important and worrisome is 
spaceroo feeling a bit sick, possibly with a cold. I got a supply of the random cold and flu medicines that I take, when I get sick, in the hopes they'll make me feel better, which they don't. I also picked up some Tiger balm, which does all right at reducing aches and pains and itches, but is really good at clearing the sinuses, if you dab some under your nose.
But Monday was also the first day of classes, and for a change, I was teaching one. I don't think I've ever before been the opener for the term before, though there were two lecture slots before mine. This went marvelously well, though; one of my better lectures. The only upsetting point is when I got in, the instructor's desk was on the wrong side of the room, and in moving it, I banged it on my big toe, causing a rather nasty-looking tear in my toenail, and bled a little on my new sandals. It also rather hurt, but since it was the start of class I couldn't stop to whine any. I suppose we might speculate that minor physical injury is needed for my best lecturing performances ... I don't want to do this often, but should remember it for my peer-evaluated lectures.
I saw a note that Loulie Jean Norman passed away 2 August. She was the soprano who sung for the theme to the original Star Trek. I didn't even know anyone knew who sang it.
Trivia: Orchard Road was named for the orchards of Captain William Scott, 1786-1861, first cousin to writer Sir William Scott, and an early Harbour Master and Port Master of Singapore. Source: Street Names of Singapore, Dunlop Street.
Currently Reading: The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, Diana Wynne Jones. Considering I don't read epic extruded fantasy -- it's just not my taste -- I'm getting a disturbing number of these jokes. What's going on that I can identify with the clichés and quirks in something I don't have much direct experience with?