Who ordered the exposition?

It has been bothering me since January 29th that the first entry in this diary jumped straight into political commentary. I suppose one strange reader in 2003 may, somehow, stumble upon this page accidentally while searching for a similarly-named 4 year old Male Silver Husky, or a vendor selling something in the world of software. "What, no introduction?" he or she might ask. He or she may click on "older" only to discover that there is nothing older, that Entry One dove right in.

I am similarly distressed, though I don't exactly want to begin as the students I tutor for the GED do: My name is Alisa and I stay in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I am 26 years and 50 1/2 weeks old. These facts are true, but they are also widely known and accepted by my, um, readers, who could also be called nice and supportive family members.

Also, it's boring. So, instead, I will make a list, like the fabulous Louise Plummer told me I should. This list shall be entitled Things alitris loves today, right now, and will likely have no cohesive theme and be in no particular order of importance:

1. My new car stereo. And you should always order from Crutchfield, because standard shipping was actually overnight, and they include car-specific instructions and the wiring harness for FREE. Well, at least you don't have to pay extra at checkout. And did I mention the aluminum detachable face? The perfect marriage of form and function.

2. Links. Make me stop.

3. Justin Hackworth's daily photo.

4. That I'm going to be an aunt! And that it's going to be a darling boy.

5. The short story "Drummond & Son" by Charles D'Ambrosio, from "The New Yorker," October 7, 2002.

6. Television Without Pity

7. Again, with the Alias love. A lot of love.

8. It's going to 62 degrees here tomorrow, and sunny. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon nap.

9. The Sunday Afternoon Nap, which deserves its own line.

10. Haircuts by Whitney Saia.

11. "Clocks," by Coldplay.

And not to end on a downer, but can I just add something that I do not like? In the news today, and so very sad: The Space Shuttle Columbia. I can't help but remember sitting in 4th grade with Mrs. Long and watching the last NASA tragedy. She cried and cried.