The Life of Henry Martin, bell ringer for the University from U.Va. Magazine on Vimeo.

This 4-minute video about a remarkable man at UVA is a must-see. The accompanying article, written by Lee Graves and appearing in the University of Virginia Magazine, brings back wonderful memories of my life in Charlottesville.

My own great-uncle John A. (Jap) Penton who played football at UVA in the late 1800s must have met Henry Martin during his years in Charlottesville. The Civil War had ended and slavery abolished. I wish I knew more about John Penton’s experiences, but he died before I was born. Jap Penton went on to coach football and was celebrated in a Collier’s Magazine article (1928) by none other than John Heisman. That’s a story for another time, however.

As I read Graves’s article about Martin and watched the video in which Coy Barefoot (Grad ’97), author of The Corner: A History of Student Life at the University of Virginia, eloquently describes Martin’s contribution to UVA, I couldn’t help but wonder how Henry Martin’s life touched Jap Penton’s life. I know Martin’s life touched mine.

Thank you, Lee Graves and Coy Barefoot, for your marvelous stories.

And, now for the non-sequitur (except it does relate to smartphones and home security). Low-tech Lulu (Tallulah) is my home security and smart monitor in the form of 80+ pounds of White German Shepherd. She alerts me when there’s a possum on the porch, when the tea kettle whistles, when the washing machine goes into the spin cycle . . . and when Rainbow (the long-hair calico mischief-making cat) is taunting her, swatting her tail with a paw and leaping to safety typically on my laptop’s keyboard.

Lulu’s security modes range from her very annoying escalating WHINE to the big nose NUDGE to move my hand off the laptop when I’m writing a press release to the BARK that cannot be ignored when someone knocks on the front door or when she decides it’s time for me to get up (and it might be 4:00 A.M. unfortunately.)

I love Lulu, my new iPhone 4S, my life in Fairhope and David Pogue!

I’m delighted to report that the commitment I made to give up DRAMA in life has proven successful. It’s far easier to focus on challenging writing assignments …like DECOMMISSIONING A NUCLEAR FACILITY which must remain unnamed since it threatened to destroy Motor City several decades ago!

Seven days straight on a technical writing project. Whew! Fine tuning revisions today for client and graphic designer.

The Meyer Lemon Tree is getting ready to flower — I gave it some milk, because it likes calcium. The wisteria is lovely and my azaleas are getting ready to burst into bloom. The basil (3 different varieties) and moon flowers are sprouting happily and just about ready to go into the garden. 

I am choosing to ignore my neighbor who is attacking his greenery with a chain saw. (This is more difficult than it sounds, as I am tempted to launch my own attack on him.) What’s wrong with green in its natural state?

And I have to focus on writing this morning. Ash Wednesday — Lent begins.