I believe we need some name to refer to this blog. For a while this site was for me like a crazy name you read in a novel that only registers as a visual string of letters until you have to discuss the book and pronounce the name, and then you realize that you have never thought about how it sounds. When I want to tell Lori to read an entry by The Nav or whatnot, I’m at a loss as to what moniker to use for the blog. I’ve sorta settled on “WillisBlog,” and even though Jim’s tech rantings seem to still dominate the content landscape, I believe the rest of us are beginning to contribute enough that it’s not just the blog of the Willises. (OTOH, maybe one could someone liken our community to _Seinfeld_, a group of friends brought and held together by the one central, linchpin friend, S. James Willis?)

How do you deal with casual racism? I was just down at the local machine shop (I need to fabricate some door hardware for my old house), and got into a conversion with the old guy who owns the place. He’s lived here in McKinney all his life, so I wanted to hear a little about the town’s history and politics. For some reason he launched into talking about the four rental properties he owns and how “you can’t rent to the niggers.” I guess he assumed from my being white that I’d agree with him. However, I did nothing to show him I didn’t. I wasn’t quite sure how to react. I rarely deal with casual racism like that. And usually racism is couched and and folded into PC terms. Should I have stopped him right there and walked away with my business? As it is, I’m expecting a call from his son on what my job will cost. I’m conflicted.