Author: Carl Setzer

Pulling into work, my iPhone’s AP app (here’s CNN’s bit on this) pinged me with the news that Syria had agreed to a four day truce starting Friday. Though magnanimous and all, my first thought was “why tomorrow?” I never understood why ceasefires aren’t implemented immediately, regardless of whether we’re talking about today’s story in Syria or WWI’s armistice. I understand that it takes time to communicate out to the lines. But why didn’t the negotiators, or the government at a higher level, have a plan before they walked into the conference room. Perhaps its the finer details that need ironing out before communications can be launched. Perhaps the 1 day timeline is actually aggressive. However, it’s hard to imagine anything more simple than a radio communication of “stop shooting”. Mainly, I expect the Syrian forces are more organized and able to disseminate and act on this info quickly. The resistance, however, I expect to be more disconnected and chaotic. Perhaps that the limiting factor. Anyway, I’m really thinking of the WWI armistice as the ultimate example, where the ceasefire was held back for days so that we’d reach a poetic date. Of course, soldiers were still thrown over the wall to their deaths in the meantime. Some see glorious poetry, I see horrific waste. Perhaps these leaders forget that they aren’t discussing pieces on a board, or numbers on a sheet; rather, lives. Lives of civilians caught in the middle, families, and, of course, soldiers. That dementia disrespects those troops on the line, for those lives lost. For me, that’s unconscionable.

Well, folks, I had one of those moments that I like to claim a minor life victory. One of those times when things just seem to layer against you; just one thing after another. Claim those moments, own them and hold them as banners of triumph when you’re feeling vanquished. Anyway, this one, simple it may be, involves my glasses. My dear, sweet son decided it would be gloriously amusing to color my left lens…with a Sharpie. After a bit of research, which turned up all kinds of horrifying suggestions (rubbing alcohol, hairspray, WD40…on my glasses???), I finally turned to my creativity. A dab of dishwashing liquid, rubbed gently upon the lens, the left to soak during the day. When I removed the glasses from the water…viola! No ink at all! So, I’m quite pleased with myself. So, no, no, NO to the other solutions; they will damage your lenses. Gentleness, along with the universal solvent and time, saved the day. Cheers!

Ha!

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