Just had a group of Mormons come to the door asking if I'd like to find a way to happiness through Jesus Christ or somesuch. I explained that I wasn't against happiness as such, but that I wasn't interested in that particular path. They asked if I had talked to someone about their church before, and I told them I had. (Actually, that's not entirely true; I've never sat down with one of them to hear the whole sales pitch, but I've known Mormons, so I have some idea of what it's all about.) And they asked if they could get a glass of water, which I did provide, so all is right with the world.

But I do so hate the idea of people peddling their religion door-to-door. I'm still smarting from the magazine subscription guy who ripped me off last spring, so my tolerance for being bothered at home is pretty low anyway. (Although, only recently, a guy did manage to sell me a discount coupon book thing, but it was discount coupons to the place I already take my car to be fixed, so not really a hard sell.) Guys trying to sell me on their particular organized religion on my doorstep? Not likely to happen.

Meanwhile, back on TV, the two new Stargate series continue to entertain. After their respective big two-hour premieres, both have fallen into the usual pattern of several smaller-scale shows, but neither one have felt particularly cheap or pointless. In the case of Atlantis, we get a chance to learn about the new characters and setting. With SG-1, there's a new dynamic, with Richard Dean Anderson's Jack O'Neal now in charge of the whole Stargate program instead of leading the team. The first two regular episodes showcase the sorts of stories that still keep him involved (while, handily, allowing the production team to primarily set everything in their standing sets). Perhaps not the same sort of required viewing as Rescue Me--let's face it; if you don't like sci-fi, you're probably not going to like a sci-fi show like Stargate--but considering the usual fate of shows based on movies... these two fly in the face of all conventional wisdom.