Odds and Ends

Saturday--beautiful ocean: deep blue, peacock blue, light (seafoam) green, and purple. very quiet and smooth. Sky: sun shining, cloud cover about 50%, with black bottomed cumulus clouds (but after a brief rain midday, it cleared).

Sunday--morning glories along the road between San Vicente and Airport Road. Rain midday. Plumeria in bloom. Beautiful pink sky after sunset.

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Greg Baka leaves island on Tuesday.

He was a lightning rod for criticism as an acting Attorney General during the Fitial Administration's first term (after Matt Gregory resigned). I disagree with him politically and was very disappointed in his positions for Fitial (opposing the Open Government Act request of Tina Sablan, for example). But I like Greg and recognize his many talents and positive attributes, too. Greg contributed a lot to Saipan during his years here. He was an assistant public defender; a law clerk for Judge Munson, and an assistant US attorney, serving many years in each of these capacities without controversy and doing many needed and important jobs. His wife, Cheryl, is personable and extremely hard-working. They have two handsome and smart sons, who attend Mount Carmel School.

Greg is always interesting in conversation, and sincere and intelligent. He will once again be working for the U.S. government (in San Francisco, this time).

I wish him well.

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Thanks to P. F. Kluge for elevating us out of the muck of the latest controversies and focusing on the beauty and value of stories. His book discussions are continuing--now on Monday and Wednesday evengings at 6 PM and Saturday mornings at 9 AM, at the American Memorial Park. We've finished with TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD; next up OLD MAN AND THE SEA.

And thanks to the Humanities Council for sponsoring this discussion of literature.

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Prayers for Wally Guerrero and the family he's left behind. There's something comforting and immortal in hearing the rosary and litany prayed and the songs sung during the nightly lisayu. No matter who dies here in the CNMI, this tradition is an integral part of the community response--in support of the family and as a recognition of the deceased.