and now it's Monday...

hello. in a weird mood right now and not sure why. Week-end was nice. weird in a clingy mildly stressful way (nothing serious just had a not very happy 2.5 year old who may or may not have been getting sick and who has two enormous canker sores right in the middle of her tongue making pretty much anything involving chewing hurt like hell/provoking screaming/annoying her mom who was doing her best to "understand" and still at the same time was being driven INSANE -- anyway, got the definite impression that I/my little family would have been better served all round if we'd just kind of stayed in the house the whole time but at the same time, but I can't honestly say that that would have "worked" any better since pretty much regardless where we were her poor little mouth would still be hurting.... anyways. Saw the Bee kids on Sunday which was grand! Really honestly, too adorable! one of the littler ones wasn't feeling so great though so that was sad. Little kids being under the weather is probably one of the saddest things ever. they're just so tiny and miserable and there's nothing you can do except stand there trying to force them to eat/drink something "cherry-flavored" that they have NO interest in... Travelin' Man was on the scene though (thank God!) and so was able to do most of the "dirty work" re: comforting whilst the rest of us made tiny pandas out of play doh. Good times.

Quick shout out to IHOEL who's starting (maybe already started...?) her new job today. It pretty much goes without saying that this is a slam dunk but cool that some sleeves are finally getting a chance to rolled up as it were... Good luck, have fun -- You rock and everyone there will soon know it!

Plus, kudos to my other Buddy Bee who is finally at the end of her "what other hoops do I have to jump through just so you'll let me basically raise your children" credential program and who will be entering her very own (well, almost) classroom today I think! You go girl! Try not to give up before my kid gets to your school...!

Then little shout to Boo the third grader and her new cohort. I know this will be the best third grade year ever so I'm not even going to wish you luck. I will wish you fun though, and good times. You're amazing, I love you, and if you insist on continuing to grow/get older I may have to call in the authorities...

This is how I torture myself...

First, I take a relatively general invitation personally and decide to go see my Wanna-be-sooooo-not-interested-in-me-Sweetie do some drummin. Upon arrival at the admittedly very cool event I then get in line behind the fifty thousand or so OTHER friends who also want to say "hi"/hug/chat with my WBSNIIMS as well as get to watch his on-going concern/interaction with his most recent ex. From all of this comes one quick hug, a beautifully sweet smile and total ignoring for the remainder of the gig. Nice. Pathetic=me. Seriously, I really need to get myself to a qualified therapist, fast!

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Boo school starts school on Monday! She apparently has "the good teacher" -- this from a parent of one of the many children who is delighted that the Boo-meister is in the same class with thier kid. I have no idea who aforementioned teacher is but I'm glad she comes highly recommended. They have a new principal this year too who I hear is AWESOME. So, then, seems as though the world is all set in terms of third-grade-age.

Speaking of cool Boo stuff, she had a show yesterday wherein she demonstrated an amazing flying karate kick AND a backbend walk-over (neither of which things she could do previous to this week!) Needless to say, I was pretty shockingly impressed by the whole thing.

---

On a final note: my fabulous assistant is leaving me to go make fifty times more money so if anyone knows anyone who might want to do web development at the foremost purveyor of adult merchandise, send them here (but if they want to be overworked,underappreciated and barely paid send em to me!)

Sad.

My DB just told me that he and the "missus" are moving to El Reno. What the hell? Where the heck is that??? Is it too much to ask that my freaking friends NOT keep moving the hell away to places I would never in a ba-zillion years ever consider visiting were it not for thier newly arrived presence??? I mean, jeezus people, can't you all see that I'm delicate right now. Anyway, I just got all teary. i'll be fine in a minute. move along folks, nothing to see...

(Although, apparently they've got quite the line up "of festivals and activities" out there in the hinterlands...)

School starts for me tonight!

Whoo Hoo!

For Bleeding Fuck's Sake!

Could one thing POSSIBLY not go stupidly, annoyingly wrong today? Seriously!

Ah, life...

WHY am I having seriously inappropriate thoughts/dreams/etc. about a friend of mine???? I mean, once or twice during the course of our long-lived pal-ship, sure, but three nights in a row? that's just nas-tey! Anyways...

Conversation with Boo this morning wherein I ruminate on subliminal racism and Boo responds by cracking me up:

Me:So...[reflecting on the fact that Angelina Ballerina appears to be not only the star of her own show/series of books/etc. but also the only white mouse in her not so small town] what color is Angelina's mom?
Boo: Light brown.
Me: What color's her dad?
Boo: Dark brown.
Me:Is Angelina adopted?
Boo:[Laughs] I don't know! that's funny though.
Me:I'm just saying, because it looks like she's the only white mouse in the whole town.
Boo:her [ballet] teacher is white.
Me:But her parents are brown. You can't get a white mouse from two brown parents.
Boo:Hm.
Boo:maybe it's a perk!
Me:[snort - coffee flies out nose]Ha!
Boo:[laughs]Eeeewwwww!

Although, having done some research, I've since turned up the fact that Mr. Mouseling (aka: Angelina's dad, Maurice) does in fact have a white mouse for a mom but still, Angelina's being pure white still sort of points to a little hanky-panky between he and "Miss" Lily -- sort of makes you wonder if there's some deep dark secret there; Miss Lily was a prima ballerina in her day, Angelina for some reason loves to dance; everyone knows that prima ballerinas can't have/raise kids, what would that do to their career...? i don't know people, I think there's going to be some sort of cliff hanger in season four where all of this comes out... eh hem. K. So. Understanding that I need to get out more...

Henry the octopus!

I have the Bee children here with me right now -- Boo and Spark are also here so for all intents and purposes I currently am as much of a "draw" as, say, the couch... Anyways --they are here and they are adorable and I ::heart:: them. Before the lovelies showed up our life was all about back-to-school-shopping (!!) for one big ole grown up 3rd grader! Her CP and I are pretty much able to act like friends right now but interestingly enough (or distressingly, however you want to look at it...) at one point Boo (tired and hungry) was not listening to her CP and aformentioned CP says to me "Does she do that with you? Disrespect you like that?" Now this threw me a little. First, actually, no she doesn't but even if she did I don't know that I would call her behavior "disrespectful." I mean she very definitely was being "bad" in that she was continuing to do something her mom had asked her (politely) not to do but disrespectful??? I dunno. Seems to me more like she was just expressing her (granted, wrong) opinion about how she'd like the situation to work. I mean, is it just me? Anyway, it made me think that we've (me and CP) almost never sat down and "discussed" the Boo (I mean we RAVE about her all the time but actually discussing her almost never happens other than trying to figure out a way to address some need she might have expressed or where she goes to camp on a given week) and then too almost never when she's not around... So, I left a mee-suage with the CP asking if she'd like to "go for a coffee" after we drop off our angel for her first day of school so we can discuss. Hopefully some good will come of it/I will not get mad and have to kill her.

---

Other news has to include the fact that the fabulous Miss Tail has "met" someone on one of her school group outtings and I could not be more thrilled! He had better call her/not be a jerk/user/a**hole, though -- I just don't have the time to kill anyone right this instant.

Fish!

My big girl got another fish this week-end. It's a Kawarimono Nishikigoi (non-metallic koi) of the Shiro Matsuba variety (all-white) that has been bred to have more flowing "butterfly" fins and tail than standard koi. I bring all of this up because up until I reached the register and displayed some surprise at the fact that I was paying $8.99 for a freaking goldfish (keeping in mind, people that the Boo's official class fish we had previously purchased -- variety: "feeder" -- was $0.78 with tax) I had no idea what an illustrious line of finned family I was buying into. Anyway. We now have this "lucky fish" which, I do have to admit, especially when seen shimmering silkily next to her other, less exotic brethren, is pretty damn beautiful. Her name is "Snowy" and I have NO idea what we're going to do with her after she assumes her full-grown size rivaling that of a small dog. Ah well, c-est la vie....

I'm at home right now putting the "finishing touches on" (aka thinking about starting in about twenty minutes or so...) a paper that's due tomorrow in my Proposal and Dissertation Readiness class. I am officially over school. Nice since my Fall classes begin again on the 22nd. {sigh} which, now that I'm thinking about it/just made myself feel guilty, I think I'll actually go do. Stay tuned though for the point at which I get bored with writing and come back here to spout off about the lady at work who called me "conservative" (and meant it as a compliment!)

Be jealous...

Be very, very jealous. Me and the big kid just put horse-headed flames on the sides of our car! Plus, we put this cool tribal decal on the hood. I mean, I KNEW we were cool but now -- we're sa-weeeeeeet...!

Whose 7-year-old Baby Girl is with her at work right now?

Yup. Who's delighted with that scenario? Me, that's who!

I have the best baby!

Well, I mean TECHNICALLY she's a toddler but she's my little sweetie so she'll pretty much always be my baby regardless... and anyway, what's wrong with that?! why the hell do I have to justifying myself...! Whose blog is this anyway??! Sorry, I'm in a fiesty mood today because i was up all last night reading an awful book which I would like to compare to Portnoy's Complaint except that it's not that "awful-but-deep" kind of rambling by a self-centered egotist who while presumably going on and on (and on) about himself, his needs and (more importantly) his entitlements is at the same time begging some deeper more global sociological questions occuring in the schism that is considered relations between the sexes... but I cannot. Because this book is not that. It is a collection of ramblings by some Jewish (I throw that in because her Jewishness is a predominate theme in this book) chick who is spoiled to a shocking degree (31 years old, not working, supported by her parents and getting remorseful about the need to "trick" her parents/grandparents into buying her a $25,000 SUV -- she thinks she should just be able to ask them straight out for the car in question...), completely unable to accept that she is the root of all things evil/give her freaking boyfriend-husband/the world a break already. In short, I hate this woman. For every sentence where she admits that some of her misery (because, yes, she has the freaking audacity to be miserable) may (possibly) be her own damn fault is followed by pages of whining about her on-going unmet need for really good sex. Why I am reading this stupid book is a mystery to me, except that I have this thing where I cannot not read a book all the way to the end just in case there's something redeeming on the very last page that makes the rest of it make some sort of sense. Anyway. Sucky book. Long book. Up waaaaay too late last night reading it. Tired today.

---

I do need to say, however, that the beginning of last night was splendid though. Went out to wish the M L-L/K faction Godspeed (they're leaving for L.A. this weekend. I was in denial, now I'm just sad.) Big dinner. Lots of people. My toddler was a DREAM. She was so happy and settled and accepting of that in your face, pinching-of-cheeks attention adorable kids get at these sorts of things(and I hardly need mention she was the epitome of A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E) even when it scary loud she just sort of hunkered down but didn't get all cry-ey or anything. Sweet. I love that kid.

Things I'm looking forward to:

1) Dinner tonight with the fabulous and sadly leaving Mr. L-L and his luverly wife-to-be K.
2) Getting my little Fox back so i can start putting cool flame decals all over it.
3) Seeing my big girl (that's not til tomorrow but I'll add it to the list anyway because I MISS HER!)

Things I'm not looking forward to:
1) My next three meetings
2)Cleaning up my messy desk and organizing my "files" (aka "stacks of papers that are piled under my desk")

Hmmm. I guess that's it. not bad for a Wednesday!

She shoots, She scores!

Finally. Christ. I was beginning to forget what all the fuss was about. Anyway. HUGE thanks go out to Mistah L-L for watching the chil-uns (e.g. teaching the oldest one how to play Blackjack and where to go to get her driver's license online and feeding the youngest copious amount of pizza then letting her stay up until 11:00pm.) Who's the best kiddsitter, ever?? (Seriously, you rock but I wouldn't go thinking about having your own children anytime soon... KIDDING!)

---

Early part of day was spent at park with the Bees, including loverly G-ma B. (!) and the BBQ + her progeny! Good times, my friend, good times... Then lost the big girl for a bit during the afternoon whilst she went off to see the newest Depp creation with her CP after which I regained her briefly only to lose her again to the aforementioned ML-L who so gallantly offered to attend whilst I not only became privy to the secret initiatives being developed in the world of major search engines/community service not-for-profit portals but also was able to re-aquainted myself with the sheer delights of one-on-one adult interaction... eh hem.

And now I'm at work. Sigh. Week-ends are never long enough...

small yappy dogs and kids that don't eat...

The really awfully nice lady who owns our house now lives in the front flat. She's great. Her husband is cute and very nice. They have one of those little yappy dogs though... Suffice to say it's usually up circa 7:00ish and yapping at something ten times it's size. anyways.

---

Other things of note this morning, I decided to stop telling my kids every three seconds that they should eat their food. I figure it's partly (mostly) my fault that they don't eat because I can't stand the fact that they might be hungry so I make sure there's something they can/will eat pretty much the second it occurs to them to get hungry so there's no real incentive for them to eat at whichever period during the day when they might have a meal in front of them. We're on day 1 and half of this initiative and it's already killing me. Not so much the part where I have to bite my tongue as I watch thier cereal turn progressively more mushy but the part where I'm assembling snacks for later in the day and I KNOW they'e going to ask for something in just about half an hour and I'll KNOW I have food for them but I'll have to say "nope" until lunchtime. Durrrrr! I've said it before and I'll say it again, parenting is all about discovering novel ways to prove you know nothing about how to parent!

---

Yesterday we had a fun interaction with a nice traveling magician guy and his lovely wife who spent a significant amount of time pulling quarters out of the Boo's ear in the laundrymat. Good fun. And today we're off to meet the B family for some serious Tot-type fun! Whoo hoo! I love week-ends. I really, really do.

And the verdict is...!

nope. Zilch. TSG cute as she is (although she struck me as decidedly less cute than I remembered) I'm sure is a very nice person but she is also, alas, dull as dirt. Well, to me anyway. I did have a great time out with my Work Chums (a vivacious and adorable bunch to say the least) so that at least made the "going out" part worth it but sadly, not a single spark was felt for or by Miss Couldn't-Hold-up-her-end-of-a-conversation-if-you-gave-her-a-bucket... Sorry, I'm being mean. She was o.k. and in a way I'm glad we got that over with before she showed up on her "real" vacation circa the holiday party -- how awful would it have been if I'd ditched some other young lovely in order to hang out with the unknown that was TSG only to discover the awful truth!! K. Anyway. once again returning to the land of sheltered, understandable, asexuality. It really is lovely here at times and while it's not exactly fulfilling it's not particularly fattening either so it all kind of works out in the end...

and then they were one...

Just had the very best lunch time impromptu date with the oh-so-cute (especially with the long hair) BBQ! Yay! Which meant that I was unavailable to take the THREE calls from my new friend TSG -- 1 telling me they were unable to set up the booth and so had time to hang out if I was available, 2 telling me that an "favorite hoodie" with muy sentimental value had been lost and 3 letting me know that TSG co-worker/sidekick, would NOT, in fact, be joining us for this evening's festivities.... hm. That's all. Just "hm."

possible interesting developments, maybe...

But not likely. First, TradeShowGirl is in town and is maybe going to stop by today for "a tour" of the offices. She and her buddy have also opted in to going out with me and my band of merry Work Chums tonight (I owe my various Kidsitters BIG, BTW, both for tonight and for Sundee eve, ML-L you rock!) so we shall see what we shall see. In the spirit of "what's the freaking point-i-ness" of it all, I'm refusing to get in any way excited about seeing TSG but i am actually quite excited about getting to hang out with my WCs since they're a pretty cute bunch themselves and more than likely will present myriad moments of amusment/hilarity so pretty much regardless, I'm good.

Then on Sundee I not only maybe get to see the Bees in all their glory, I also get to see Pretty Boy who you might remember from seventy thousand years ago when he was alive and active in my life and who has since dropped off the face of the damn earth (due entirely to "being-newly-girlfriended" so it's expected/understandable but still sucky) -- anyways, we're gonna get some din-din so I can hear how the life is going, fill him in on my highlights and try my darndest not to proposition him. We shall see how well that plan works out!

YES!

Just got a note from my School Law and Public Policy Professor:

"You're all done. I posted your grade: A-. Thanks. --Dan"

Whoo Hoo! ::does happy little dance around desk:: [sigh] now then, if I can just stop having dreams about my co-workers and start thinking about the actual instances coming up this week where I might realistically be gettin' some, I think everything will be all right...!

---

Had lunch with the effervescent Ms. Bee yesterday, BTW and I just have to say, that gal is quality! And, no, I'm not just saying that because she is currently sporting the nicest set of bosoms I think I've seen in a very long time (a thought which I've been thinking for awhile now but somehow her particular outfit yesterday highlighted their voluptuosity in such a way that made them appear really quite stunning!) anyway, moving on...

---

Thanks also to the much maligned DB for bringing me this thing called an "academic calendar" which (still inexplicably to me) starts with August! I do not know why a calendar would choose to start mid-year but still and all, thank the gods I have people who know people (who are still attending college -- which is it's own scary issue) who can help me manage my life!

you know what's pathetic? What's pathetic is getting to the end of your calendar (which stops at the beginning of AUGUST for some inexplicable reason!!) and knowing that you have to go get a new one yet and still being so completely lazy that you'd rather write things/dates in the goddamn margins then get all concerned when you "forget" stuff -- than just freaking expending the damn energy it would take to GO GET A NEW CALENDAR. Seriously. I mean, doesn't every single drugstore in the world have these things??!

Not to brag, but...

My kid is a such a rockstar! Consider the following conversation this morning when I dropped her off for the first day of her new camp (kinda new, she was there last year but this is her first day this summer.)

New Counselor: Well, hello! And who are you?
Random Child sitting on stage: That's Boo.
New Counselor: [raised eyebrows] Oh, You're Boo?
Boo nods.
New Counselor: [Looking at me all impressed] Well. I've heard alot about her! [to Boo] Susan [program director] says you're a very nice little girl!
Boo nods again taking it all in stride, then goes off to pick a cubby. Second random child goes chasing after her. Mommy beams.

Sheesh. I'd be nice if I thought I had anything to do with it but... nice anyway that I somehow got such a great kid.

Speaking of which, Boo occasionally opts to change her name and her current pick happens to be "Panda" which I think is THE most adorable name ever!

Finally, quick sigh of freaking relief since final paper for summer class (School Law and Public Policy) which was due TODAY got finished yesterday (thanks in no small part to ex-work chums who came to whisk off little Panda and a little big girl who, while cranky still managed to entertain herself the better part of the afternoon while Mommy typed) and sent away. Hooray! One more to go (poster project, no big deal) then Fall semester starts August 28th.Sigh. I know this is all making sense in the grand scheme of things but honestly, sometimes I think I might be better off just taking the MA and running...

Am I still going to hell...?

If I think "Aw, honey that's too bad..." BEFORE i think "Whoo Hoo! That's one f***buddy back in the fold!" :-]

Why do I think this is so funny...?

A local United Way office realized that the organization had never received a donation from the town's most successful lawyer. The person in charge of contributions called him to persuade him to contribute.

"Our research shows that out of a yearly income of at least $500,000, you give not a penny to charity. Wouldn't you like to give back to the community in some way?"

The lawyer mulled this over for a moment and replied, "First, did your research also show that my mother is dying after a long illness, and has medical bills that are several times her annual income?"

Embarrassed, the United Way rep mumbled, "Um ... no."

The lawyer interrupts, "or that my brother, a disabled veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair?"

The stricken United Way rep began to stammer out an apology, but was interrupted again.

"or that my sister's husband died in a traffic accident," the lawyer's voice rising in indignation, "leaving her penniless with three children?!"

The humiliated United Way rep, completely beaten, said simply, "I had no idea..."

On a roll, the lawyer cut him off once again, "So if I don't give any money to them, why should I give any to you?"

Who just got an e-mail mere moments ago from her high school boyfriend (who is now living with his lovely wife and two children in Oregon) -- I did that's who! Weird. I think I last spoke with him when Boo was a toddler and the little Missus was pregg-ers with the first! Ah, well.... Speaking of e-mail, who also got a "follow-up" from one of the cutie girls at the trade show letting her know that aforementioned cutie girl was "90% sure" she'd be coming to Frisco for another show in August...! Tee Hee. May have to pull in some of those evening babysitting offers for this one; after all can't let the poor dear wander around a city as scandalous as this alone now can we??

Note...

Apparently for an item of clothing to be "distracting" one needs first to have some measure of simple attention from somebody... [sigh - i'd be funny if it wasn't so sad.]

Today I am "distracting"...

I have just been informed by a second person today that my "shirt is distracting" -- the first was my beautiful, finally home from jammy-maka Boo, who told me that my shirt made her want to "do my buttons up" (a really very nice gesture which I chose to decline) then here at work, I was told that I needed to "close my shirt" because it was "distracting" that particular comment however came from someone who not only has no power over me and/or my position here but who also has been nursing a tiny crush on yours truly for a bit now and so, it too, was summarily dismissed. I do, however plan to test the distraction potential of this shirt on one or two people in this building who I would actually like to stir up so stay tuned for more on that subject.

In other news, I got my beautiful brown tired looking Big Girl back on Sat. eve and I just have to say I am STUPID in love with that girl. She's just so very much one of the primary reasons I am having so much fun existing right now -- anyhoo spent Sundee morning picking out a bike/staring at her (also got the world's coolest tiny bike for my little girl, a-freaking-dorable!) then headed over to hang with the Bee kids and the super fabulous Travelin' Man for the afternoon. Cute. Sweet. Brillant. It never ceases to amaze me how me and my buddies managed to get all the cool kids. Ah, well.. ours is not to question why... :-]

And lastly, I was going to put a note in here about the Trade Show an the various hijinks that may or may not have gone on but instead I will simply say that if all of the lovely ladies that I met and flirted with and subsequently invited out for the Company Holiday party/to stay with me personally actually take me up on the offer... Well, I'm screwed pure and simple. Fun to throw it around like I meant it though! ;-]

I'm in Pasadena at a convention/industry show. This one is not nearly so Sexually charged as the last (which is ironic since it's actually about S-E-X and the toys and videos and various acroutemont one might need to better facilitate that but I suppose that's neither here nor there) -- I'm here with a bunch of co-workers and while I love them to the very ends of whichever earth it is we're on they are a for the most part settled lot, with wives and partners and boy-toys back home, who are really interested in getting some sleep more than anything else (as am I typically but when one only has the few minutes of "alone adult time" one want to make the most of it!) so the actually going out part isn't really happening. Although we did go out last night for a few seconds to a club to dance with a bunch of people we met at the convention. Fun for the most part, I have to say though, I'm noticing a lightly disturbing trend in that I think I'm becoming attracted to the same kind of ladies my dad likes. There's a certain type of down home, smart but not necessarily "educated" beautiful, tragic type of lady-friend that my dad seems to get himself involved with who you just take one look at and you fall instantly into "Aw, honey! C'mere Let me show you how nice life can be...!" and I kind of knew I was trending in that direction with Stripes but I met another lady last night (the husband of Bert who "has 40 stores!" and is living in Florida now where it's not "so dang hot!") who I LOVE! I want to take her home with me. I want to take care of her. I want to see that she gets every single pretty thing her sweet little Kentucky bred heart desires; plus I want to mess up her long black hair and make her beautiful green eyes roll up into the back of her head but that's another story... Anyways. I know, FOR A FACT that were pops here, we'd be fighting over this gal. Which is interesting. And disturbing. And kind of cool.... :-]

sad.

then too, something I just realized is that having a little extended alone time with the new little big girl without having to "share" is not such a bad thing either. (Not that that makes it o.k. that my sweetie is being cruelly ripped from my arms mere days from now but I would say extra Spark time does constitute a significant silver lining...)

I'm waaaayyyyyyy into these boys right now (well, technically I'm way into one of em -- guess which one and you can win one of four fabulous prizes!) Check out the video and tell me they're not HOT!

In other news, kid is leaving on Friday morning. I'm nowhere near o.k. with it but at least I'm saying it aloud which I gather is the first step toward acceptance.

That's it really. Work is going o.k. (finally) although I've had my feet kicked out from under me enough times now to know that it's probably just the calm before the crap but at least it's nice to be able to relax for a little bit even if it's all a mirage.

pathetic...

God, I'm in a wierd mood. First though, big shout-out / good luck starting the fancy new top level military security job BBQ -- just knowing you're in bed with the big dogs makes me feel that much better about our prospects on a country-wide level!

Now then, week-end was o.k. Got to hang alot with the peeps that matter (with an occassional foray into the world of straight women who care waaaayyyyyy too much about my child's hair) so all good on that front... No, I have to say, what is making me wierd right this second has nothing to do with whom I'm being exposed to it's, quite simply, that my Boo is leaving me in a few days to go to Jamaica for 10 days with CP and I don't know what I'm going to do with myself. I mean OF COURSE i know what I'm going to do -- I'm going to f***ing soldier on and stop treating this like some kind of cataclysmic event but for just a minute, can everyone please take a quick step with me into the tiny part of my brain that is screaming on a non-stop basis "the single most dear thing to you in your entire world is going to be on a different continent with someone who you've not exactly held in the highest esteem for a few years now, and, that in the event of any sort of even kind-of emergency you [I] am not only not going to be able to do a damn thing -- in fact, the odds are incredibly good that you [I] won't even know anything has happened until 1) they fail to show up at the Oakland airport at 10:33pm on July 23; 2) the ransom note arrives attatched to a blurry video tape and/or the CIA phones and tells me "not to panic." Seriously, I get that I'm overreacting but can I please ask that you all feel me on this??! My baby is leaving the country! God. I'm making light of this but seriously, this is freaking me out. Sigh. Sorry. I'll apologize in advance if I'm irritating my nearest and dearest but I don't think I've ever been so freaked out (in a low-level I know it's really not that big a deal so why am I losing my mind over this) kind of way...

Me and my babies!

At Pride -- Holla back!

Good luck!

Just a quick shout out to the fabulous IHOEL, hope your "event" this afternoon goes swimmingly and you get every single little thing you ask for!

In other news, check out my article...

Coupla things...

First and most important being HAPPY B-DAY, BBQ! I ::heart:: you more than almost any other living adult and I am THRILLED that you not only exist but that you continue to find value (albeit generally of the "entertainment" sort) in my humble company. I just got off the phone with the "image" guy for Sephora BTW (aka Angel) and he says we need to either go with Cargo cosmetics line or "whatever that new line is they have at Walgreens!" Nice. Anyway... I ran into my always impeccably turned out ex-co-worker today in the lunch line and he (looking as impeccably turned out as ever) enlightened me as to two important facts. The first being that Ernest Boy ex-coworker and his loverly illegal immigrant wife have just had a beautiful bouncy baby! (Whoo Hoo! Couldn't have happened to nicer folks!) and that he himself is due to be wed/shackled/whatever the heck it is when you basically sign yourself into some sort of bizarre shared indentured servitude in just a few days! Double yay! Again, really couldn't happen to a more impeccably turned out individual! All the best wishes and mazel tov to you and yours!

K. So, now that that's out of the way, did I tell everyone that I very nearly got a time-out the other day for showing up late for a Boo performance (one in which she performed heart-stopping feats of acrobatic skill on a contruction of ropes and pvc piping known simply as "the birdcage"!) barely catching her "group act" and missing her solo entirely? She was mad. Now, I've never really had the Boo mad at me beforeand I have to say, it's not something I would wish on mine worst enemy. kinda sucks truth be told. Anyway, during my groveling I inquired (somewhat jocularly) if I "was in trouble" and needed a time-out to which she snapped "Yes!" and returned to her arms-crossed-staring-silently-out-the-window stance which very near killed me. We made it all up later when we got home (and I ahd access to cookies with which to bribe her) but I tell ya, it was hairy for a minute!

Wow.

So, just got back from Bourbon street where I got a big guy to pay for strippers/lapdances for me all night long and I just have to say... First club, met cute girl in the bathroom. Blonde. not really my type but into girls so that was nice. but moved onto second club where Stripes was dancing and OH. My. God. So cute. brown hair up, adorable natural body, whispers in my ear "we have to go do this birthday guy but stick around..." lap dance plus up on stage plus friend who says "Are you the dildo girl?" mmmmmmmmmmmmm. Loving her a LOT. K. sorry. more than a little drunk. mmmmmmmmm. strippers. Seriously, are there any better people in the world????

Things that make you go "Hmmmmm....."

Aresenio?? Anyone???

K. So, a coupla things I've noticed about the Crescent City:

1) N'awlins girls can wear the HELL out of some shoes! Damn. And the skirt/shoe/bra-with-the-good-uplift combos they've got going on out here... well, let's just say, it makes me wish I was a dyke so I could properly appreciate... oh, wait...

2) White people out here are WHITE. Like I get that we're technically in the south and I'm not saying that there's anything WRONG with being WHITE it's just interesting how there aren't any other flavors of peach. Fer instance, not alot of Italian/Irish mixes walking around helpfully giving out directions if you know what I mean...

3) Straight girls are easy. I know, this is not N'awlins specific but still, it's where I happen to be and it's where my new "friend" happens to be so that's really all I have to work with right now. (Speaking of which, how much to hell am I going that I JUST spent a full 15 minutes flirting with another straight girl presenter right in front of M's sad, confused, little nose!!! Very is how much!)

K. conference done for the day. Now I work on work stuff then it's off to the French quarter to have a drink and to listen to what my little buddy's boyfriend did to piss her off (this time.) :-]

ah.

I'm sitting here in the world's most comfortable white cotton robe, at a cute little round table sipping my complimentary morning tea and staring out the window at a beautiful old ivy-covered brick building. Life, she ees gud...!

Now then. Where was I?

1) Last week was crazy. Spent the week-end at Lake Powell with my family (including my brother's adorable sons and newly HUGE -- like a foot taller than me -- / beautiful "grown-up" daughter). The Lake was beautiful. The desert was amazing. I got to talk to my Dad quite a bit. He's a keeper that one. His current set-up though is SICK. He's living in an upscale "trailer park" (100,000 just to get a freaking lot) with a bunch of really rich people. In addition to the outdoor patio and 18 foot "shade" system, he's got a outdoor pueblo style oven, an "Arizona room" (basically a studio that doesn't have plumbing -- although some of the "arizona rooms" I saw were comparable to really nice multi-bedroom homes) the 'Vette, a golf cart and of course, The Lincoln Towncar. Oh yeah, and the boat. The complex has a "town Center" where there's a restaurant, a post office and about a million classes (things like jewelry making, ceramics and stained glass design) are offered for free. there are also four really nice pools. You're not allowed to own property there unless you're over the age of 55 so my pops is one of the youngest. He's living large out there with a bunch of insanely "comfortable" 70 year olds. May I just remind everyone that my pops is technically "poor." I just don't get it.

Anyway, trip was great. Kind of whirlwind but well-overdue. I LOVE my family and they make me so proud and happy and calm and I love that my daughters get to see their extended support system. Unexpectedly (but making a great deal of sense now that I think about it) my youngest fell in love with her super high energy cousin, J. He's the kind of kid who'll pick up a stick and start hitting a stump and twenty minutes later when you check back, he's still wacking away at the stump. Well, my kid was standing right there watching him wack. Very cute.

Back to work for the week which is slightly more bearable because we've managed to assemble a support team of consultants who don't completely suck/are not shady beyond belief so I'm confident in our ability to get at least one of our major projects done.

Pride on Sunday -- the babies and I marched with little Stevie (I do have to put it out there that my kid was looking pretty damn adorable in her knotted up "Play Safe" GV shirt) and the rest of the GV work contingent, then off to San Joser to drop off Spark with her G-ma and myself off at the airport so I could fly away to paradise and end up in this really comfy robe...!

Whew! that was alot!

K. I'm out to my conf. more later. (More which may or may not involve an update re: which traveling correspondent got snuggled by a cute "straight" girl she met at the conference last night!!)

Just real quick, mon...

I'm in NEW ORLEANS. I. am. in. New Orleans. In a really nice hotel room. (with complimentary shoe polish and oatmeal soap.) I think I've gone to heaven... K. I'm out to an con-feer-rance -- seriously, is the fact that all the names here are some tangled version of french spoken with a creole accent TO DIE FOR, or what??! :-)

The full update, tonight at 10:00 (ish)

I hate my job. I love my team though... :-]

I think I need an intervention...

Consider the following conversation:

Me: [Yawn] Hey.
Him: Hey.
Me: What can I do fer you, Mister?
Him: [Handing over folded piece of paper]
Me: [after reading] You got in! [to SFSU] Cool!
Him: [nod]
Me: Did you tell your mom?
Him: Yeah.
Me: Whad she say?
Him: She said it was cool.
Me: Cool. [pause] So... was there a reason you needed me to see this at 1-f**k-ing o'clock in the goddamn Mbbbph! [That's right folks, yet another brilliantly scathing comment cut short by the introduction of a second party tongue into my mouth]

Sigh. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?????????? I am so glad I'm outtie for awhile.

TMI...

I'm tired. ;-]

On a lighter note...

I just put together a "Cheer the f*** up!" Playlist which includes "Wish I didn't know" by Toby Keith, "All I want for Christmas is a real good tan" by the inestimable Mr. Kenny Chesney "We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This" by George -- Country GOD -- Strait and "Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like that" by the one, the only, Miss D. Parton! (What is it about physical/emotional exhaustion that makes a gal head straight for the New Country Stations??) Somebody stop me before I throw in some Blake!!!! Damn, that boy's easy on the eyes...

GOD!!!

Yesterday SUCKED! Maybe today will be better. :-]

LaLaLa...

Still pretending work doesn't exist... Lalalala.

So, we're going to Lake Powell on Thursdee to meet up the rest of the Magnet-brigade for a week-end of fun in the sun (I know, I know, this sort of behavior runs straight in the face of everything we've learned so far about National Security but, you know what?? I needs to see the peeps and if that means they're gonna have to step up the patrols around the AZ/Utah border then so be it!) which means that before I actually get to see any of them I have to run this Joycean (what are we thinking of all the literary references, BTW?) gamut (Think Sound and the Fury) of telephone conversations wherein each and every one of my family members pronounces with dead certainty their belief in a highly effective, completely bought-into, all-bases-covered plan which inevitably noone else has ever heard of. This is hilarious as it happens every year and yet and still we all still manage to end up in the same place fed, clothed and housed (usually on a really nice boat) and having a really very nice time. Suffice to say at the end of the evening last night, the seven year old who was privy to my side of each of the sixty million conversations remarked "Your family should learn to relaaaaxxxxx." She accompanied this remark with a sort of zen arm gesture which made me snort and fall over laughing so I wasn't able to immediately point out that they are, in fact hers too. Ah well. She'll discover the disquieting truth soon enough...

for the purposes of this post...

I am pretending to be unemployed. Now then...

Congratulations to BBQ on her fancy new job offer! I've always wanted a best friend who had top-secret government clearance so I'm glad the moment has finally arrived -- Sephora here we come!

Nextly, I'm so hugely sorry and I hope you feel better to the Baby Bees who are under the weather right this moment. It sucks being little and being sick and I wish you renewed health as soon as such a thing is possible. Best wishes and hugs also to their sleepy-stir-crazy moms who are valiantly supporting their infirmity. If there is a single thing I can do please do not hesitate to let me know.

In other news, I'm looking to buy a car. This is funny to those of you who know me and speaks in a very stereotypical way to my roots growing up in New Mex. where if you didn't have at least five cars on your front lawn you weren't really serious about driving! So, I need a vehicle with more than three seatbelts, a working set of windshield wipers and the ability to get slightly more than 1.5 miles to the gallon -- while at the same time giving up my truck WOULD KILL ME so, here I am, with one car not quite sold/doanted/left to be towed by the city, already looking for another. I'm thinking my new nickname should just be "three-car-family". We can leave it at that. :-]

My seven year old has donned a diaper in a moment of sister-solidarity, my two year old knows how to count to ten, how to say the alphabet and how to make jokey-jokes in Spanish:

me: [holding up a red shoe] What color is this?
her: Azul!
me: Are you sure?
her: [giggling] Azul! Ha-ha! Rojo...
me: Red?
her: [nodding] Rojo!
me: [holding up the other shoe] then which color is this?
her: [big laugh] Azul!!

I have a cup of coffee next to me. A cat on my lap and nothing to do today that doesn't involve hanging with my babies. Life, she ees gud!

BUSTED!

Ha! I just almost got SOOOOO busted a minute ago. See here's the thing, back when NYG and I were "seeing" each other, we had kind of agreed we weren't going to tell the respective kiddos (for a whole variety of reasons I won't EVEN go into here) so we didn't. Right. We stop "seeing" each other and it becomes a "non-issue". Then through a whole convoluted Brechtian turn of events, it so happens that entirely outside of our involvement and subsequent lack thereof, our kids decide that they like each other a great deal and as one of them has a mom who needs to be out on the town tonight with her new Sweetie and the other has a parent who is all about the sleepovers ... well, let's just say I've ended up with little Stevie Nicks here with me and the Boo tonight. SO. They're all tucked in, ready for books and bed and lo and behold, they discover, under the couch a business card with Stevie's daddy's info on it! (god only knows how it could have gotten there. eh hem...) Weird right? Even weirder given that we (me and Stevie's Daddy) aren't really supposed to know each other -- save the one or two times he's accompanied Miss Nicks to various group events. I'm sure everyone will be delighted to know that when presented with this evidence of his independent existence in my living room (on my couch) I quickly offered that it must have "dropped out" of his pocket the time he was here with Stevie for Spark's birthday! Yeah. Because cards do that, right?? Fall out of people's pockets when they stop by... eh, hem. Anyway.

---

Thanks BTW for those of you who called to offer your support vis a vis my total inability to deal with my life a few days ago. I was just kind of overwhelmed by the sheer amounts of STUFF I was suddenly having to do (work = learn someone else's job/fix about a billion really bad things that were/are about to explode in our faces and that inexplicably nothing has been done about; school = going into week 3 of 6 with two more papers due, plus four chapters of reading in a book that I got the wrong edition of - we're talking entire legal cases missing because they hadn't actually occured yet; home = sty. Pure and simple. Too much crap. Too little space.) Plus which, I got lectured to about how my optimistic little views would change once I'd "matured" a little and experienced a bit more life from a woman who turned out to be a year younger than me! She thought I was 23. Nice. Kind of threw what was left of my identity into a tailspin.

All of that notwithstanding though, I just spent the entire day with my kid out on Angel Island so I'm back, I'm good and I think I may even be able to deal. (possibly. I wouldn't go placing any bets in Vegas just yet...)

What fresh hell is this?

Jeesus, God, what have I done...???????!

work + school + never seeing my kids is kicking my a**!

I miss liking my life. I miss BBQ and IHOEL and the rest of the Bees. I want to become a person of leisure (not unlike newly freed, soon-to-be-Slacker Extraordinaire, Mistah Lovah-Lovah) I want to be able to take a day off from work without having to anticipate fifteen tons of sh** being systematically created by the Sup-turned-Sub from Hell Miss J-lo from the Block that I will have to unravel, "follow up on" and otherwise figure out how to fix the second I get back. Sigh. At least there's a light at the end of THAT particular tunnel...

Ah well. Long week-end ahead. Lots of kid time. I'm going to just think about that and act like Tuesday isn't ever going to come.

Can an 8-year-old be a bitch...??!

Consider the following conversation which took place today in my child's second grade class:

Boy Student: [finishing up his report on Gekkos] Any questions or comments?
Supposed "best friend" of Boo: [Raises hand] ...
Teacher: Yes, SBFOB? Go ahead...
SBFOB: Um, [giggles] well, this isn't really about BS's report or about gekkos but... I just saw a lice bug in Boo's hair.*
[Class erupts in squeals, laughter, chagrin etc.]
Teacher: Alright, SBFOB. That cetainly doesn't have anything to do with Gekkos. Now does anyone have any comments about gekkos? [Boo sits still feeling small, embarrassed and confused. I know this because she told me that's how she felt as we were driving home.]

*ed. note - this from a child who actually did have a pretty serious case of lice herself and surely knows how it feels to be teased PLUS who staunchly declares herself Boo's "closest friend ever!" Sad, but I still have to kill her...

In other news, finally feeling a little more on top of the life, school and work. I'm not going to say it out loud or anything because it might all crumble into nothingness but right this second, I'm doing well.

Conversations with a two-year-old

Two-Year-Old: [holding out a Sesame Street "Do the Alphabet" video] ABC?
Me: No. We're going to school now. No. ABCs...
Two-Year-Old: EFG?
Me: Ha! No. Good try, though. By the way, you missed a letter.
Two-Year-Old: D!
Me: [in shock] Wow.


Two-Year-Old: 1-2-3
Me: 4
Two-Year-Old: 5
Me: 6
Two-Year-Old: 7-8-9-10! Yay! Gud Dob! [claps]
Me: yay! [claps. then, realizing her baby girl knows how to count to ten] Whoa! Good Job!

Yup. Smartest TYO in the world. Get in early with your applications to associate yourself with the brillance that is my little girl! Line forms to the left people, no pushing...

Jesus gawd. I don't know if I can get MORE over a place than I am right now. And the sick thing is, things are finally, actually working themselves out! blah. Whatever. I'm tired. And I'm sniffley and I really want to get a lingering hug from a reasonably cute person. Hmmmmm. I think I'm going to get moving on that last bit right now. I'll check in later if there's anything at all worth reporting...

I need to be making alot more money.

I also need a Network Engineer. let me know if anyone knows anyone who is available NOW...!

Brillant!

The week-end was brillant BTW! Lots of hanging about with the girls and with other exceptionally cool 6-year olds. I did some laundry, figured out how to hook up a supplemental VCR to the existing "tower of power" because, seriously folks, you can NEVER have too much VCR-capability! and assisted my big girl in the fitting-out, as it were of her fancy new "we're keeping the class fish for the summer" aquarium. Because I am a loser when it comes to fish (I tend to kill them even faster than I do plants!) i went out and bought the full on mondo-fancy, bio-filtration, uber-aeration "if-your-fish-die-it's-because-you-forgot-to-put-them-in-the-tank" tank so there is a better than average chance this one will survive her months in the Magnet home. One hopes, at any rate... hmmmmm. Maybe I better start sourcing "doppleganger" goldfish just in case...

Black Code

My dear friend Angel is back in town for a few days. He just stopped by to say "howdy" wearing this and I just about attacked him. Seriously, if you are in any way a boy/boyish/a big ole girl who occassionally plays at appearing masculine, you owe it to yourself to buy this cologne. You then owe it to the world to let every available girlish type person within smelling distance come nuzzle into your neck. All I know is that hand-to-god this stuff smells like really good sex. And lemon. With a bergamot chaser. Seriously.

Discussion Points...

The 12 year old sitting on my livingroom floor seems to think that a person should "work" at the beginning of a relationship but that once it's established they are allowed to slack off. I happen to think the opposite; that doing extraordinary amounts of work just to get someone to admit they like you is stupid (although, I will admit that I've just recently arrived at this conclusion) but that once you know you want to stay together for a little bit, that you then need to allow some time and energy for "working through" the inevitable shit that will occur. I know I'm right because I'm 37 and have been around the block a time or two and he is four. Conversely, I am routinely failing to find someone who is interested in touching my naughty bits for more than a time or two and he is happily ensconced in a committed, relatively long-term, relatively equal relationship with a smart, attractive pink-haired girl who, while she should honestly know better, doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon. Hmmmmmmm. I think that means he wins.

On an entirely unrelated note, the little pest just channeled his inner-hairdresser and gave me a really great haircut so while I may never recover from the twin annoyances of finding out that 1) I am once again facing months of no kissing and 2) DB may actually be smarter than me when it comes to relationships, at least I look good.

You win some...

So, I don't think I'm "seeing" anyone anymore. It's hard to say because I still very much like my boy and he very much still (he says) likes me but we never actually see each other. And, having taken a long, cool appraising glance at our respective lives, I don't think it's not super likely that we ever will. Given all of this, I'm thinking that maybe we should "just be friends" for awhile (the kind of friends that never see each other! :-]) and, having put that out there and not having recieved any strong opposition to the idea, I guess that's it. Weird. Anyway...

In other news, I got my 2-year olds new Birth Certificate in the mail today! Yay! They spelled her name wrong, so I have to send it back (seriously, what is up with people??!) but how cool that I am now listed TWICE in various county registries as the "mother" of "a baby girl"...!

Anyway, I'm at home right now, not working on a paper that's due today so I guess I need to get my get on and start working. Hope people's days are good. I'll check in later if/when this stupid (er...ah... i mean illustrative) tome is finished.

Best not to care...

Will be the name of my next book.

So, this morning started with me walking into some corner cafe and paying close to $3.00 to a bored young gentleman for a large cup of Organic, fair trade, Guatemalan shade-grown brown liquid. I filled my 80% recycled by-product paper cup and let the "shelf-talkers" explain to me how purchasing, distributing and ultimately drinking this particular brand could (and presumably would) lead to total and complete empowerment/self-sustainabilty for numerous rural fishing villiages in 3rd world/"developing" countries. Then, as I took a sip of the not-quite lukewarm, not quite noteworthy in any real way brew, I happened to suddenly become aware of the fact that whilst three (countem three) hip young caucasian gentlemen lounged behind the counter occassionally cutting a slice of wholewheat glutten banana bread or serving up an organic strawberry "crumble" in a reusable ceramic tureen for a customer (but, honestly, more often than not, chatting about whether or not the one individual needed "terrain" wheels on his bicycle for city riding or whether that was just plain "overkill") there was a middle aged woman apparently of Mexican descent changing out the coffee pots, wiping up the counter, sweeping together the left over newspapers and emptying the crap out of the used spoon receptacle. It occurred to me that it was not outside the realm of realistic possibility that this woman made less than the gents "on the register" and that's when I realized that there are moments in life when, really, if one intends to continue occupying space in this world/not giving in to the need to kill someone all the time, one really must learn that at times it is best not to care...

On an entirely different note, is there anyone on earth more compelling than Johnny Depp?? Well, maybe, but go have a look at the French kissing lesson in Cry-Baby and then try to convince me otherwise!

conversation

Boo: {subdued tiny voice} Hi, Mommy, it's me.
Me: Hey, Sweeetie what's up?
Boo: Ms. "World's Best Second Grade Teacher" says I can ask if I can have the fish.
Me: The class fish?
Boo: {still sad} Uh huh.
Me: Sure. O.K.
Boo: {surprise} Really?
Me: [thinking: "Is there a 'deal' here that I'm missing?"] yeah.
Boo: {happy} Yay!
Me: That it?
Boo: Uh huh. {pause} CP said I couldn't because we don't have room...
Me: {having it all become suddenly clear/anticipating future conversation with CP re: "undermining her authority/decisions/making it so that Boo want to be at my house more... blah, blah, blah!!!!"} Ah. Well. We have TONS of space so bring it, Baby!

:-]

Wow. Just wow.

http://www.cowboytroy.com/

Two-year-old is doing swell

Thanks fer asking! We just had our 24 month check up and at the nice Dr. office Ms. Simms-Mackey (aka "Best damn kid doctor in the world!") asked "Is she speaking in sentences yet? To which I replied "Hmmm. Not really. But she does have lots of words." And to which my Big Girl Two-year-old then replied: "Whar mi apple??!" Yes, That's right folks. Parenting = nothing more than a series of steps designed to show you that YOU. KNOW. NOTHING.

We also got shots. Which suck. Big Girl Trooper handled it well though her mother was a mess.

Pattern...?

You know who the across the board, most attractive, downright sexiest people are at my kid's school? The divorced moms and the married dads. I do not know what it is about being married that makes all the attached moms so freaking surly but, seriously, those chicks need to relax. There is one married mom who stand in opposition to the aforementioned rule but she is from new York so whaddaya want??

Tangential segue here. I love my big girl so much it's silly. This morning she was being all resigned about getting up and getting dressed and having her breakfast and assisting her sister down the stairs ... and after we dropped off the Spark at daycare and were heading across the bridge... after ALL of this good-natured usefulness, she remarks to me that she feels sick. Not in a whiney, screamy, moody way, but more in a "I feel bad. Not 'bad' like 'mad' but bad like kind of nauseous..." and I remark that I'm sorry but that we're almost to school and can she try it out and see if she feels better? And she says "yes." and promptly snuggles into my arm and falls asleep. Now, I'm not sure what it is about this whole scenario that makes my heart hurt but there it is... Kids. Get some. Love them.

Yay, yay, yay...

I {heart} my friends! I {heart} thier beautiful babies, too! Seriously, how is it possible that I have been so completely blessed as to have ALL the cool people in the world willing to play integral roles in my social circle??? (I'm not going to question it too much because that might lead to certain people asking certain questions and someone somewhere might realize it's all a huge mistake and ... well... that would just be BAD!) Pesh B-day celebration today was perfect. weather was perfect. Pals showed up, most with beautiful offspring in tow. Perfect. New Boyfriend made an appearance as well (which was particularly brave since basically his entire invitation was predicated upon the fact that a bunch of people wanted to have a look at him!) escorting one of the coolest 6 year olds ever... all in all it was just a really great fabulous turn-out and I am happy. And tired. But I'm always tired, so there you have it.

Happy 2nd B-Day, Baby!!!!!!

Today is my sweetie-Mouse's Second Birthday! Whoo Hoo! It is sooooo all about being a grown-up from here on in...! Now if i can hjsut figure out how to get the towel to "disappear"...

toddler stuff

So, here's what you do when your kid hits the 20-24 month age. You surreptitiously surround them with every kind of soft, attractive, 100% organic something 200 thread count open-work weave, child-sized blanket item imaginable so that when (and the odds are they will, although Boo didn't for some reason...) they decide they can't live without that particular strip of cloth 1) it's relatively presentable at least for the first few months, 2) it's fairly easy to drag around given that it's sized for a miniature person and 3) you know where you got it so when the time comes (and it will come) for the item in question to be forgotten on the bus you can find a replacement fairly easily. This, of course, presumes that you, not your toddler is in charge of this relationship which (I think we all know) is just plain faulty logic at best and a fact which, normally, I'm well aware of -- why then was I in any way surprised by my baby-girl's sudden fiercely possessive adoption of a stained, king-sized bath towel with neon crabs, a possessed looking dolphin and the words "Puerto Rico!" emblazoned across the mid-area that i think she found in either in the scrap fabric box or under her bed. {sigh} It's not so much a question of when will I be able to understand her and her tiny little choices but more when will I get that I'm not really supposed to...

La La la...!

Just saw NYG. Just got kissed! Me=happy!

Band names...

O.k. remember you saw it here first!

Me: what're you gonna call the band you're gonna be in when you grow up?
Boo: I dunno. I like the "D Chicks."
Me: How about "Backbeat and the Taquitos"
Boo: {laughs} ha! How about "Backbeat and the Zapatos!"
Me: Ha! "The Zapatos!" I love that!
Boo: But if Spark was here she'd say "Red Zapatos"
Me & Boo: {simultaneously delighted} "The Red Zapatos!"

{sigh, wipe eye.} I swear, sometimes having a kid is just way too much fun.

You wanna feel old...?

Go to your buddy's 30ieth B-day party and really consider the fact that you're the oldest person in the room by at least 7-10 years. Scary. And not in a good way. Just kidding. B-Day festie was delightful. I am amazed that such quantities of beauty not only walk the face of the earth but that they congregate in Mistah L-L's life! Met the little (?) brother as well. He's sweet. Quiet and nice. He's here for a bit so hopefully I'll get more of a chance to chat with him/find out all of Mistah L-L's childhood secrets!

---

In other news, just got off the phone with My New Boyfriend -- he's been slammed this week with the job and the pseudo single-parent gig whilst Iron-on Transfer Gal is on the East Coast so he's not had all that much time to lavish attention on me which just plain SUCKS. Understandable though. His kid is super lucky right now because apparently yesterday involved getting a goldfish/SpongBob aquarium which is just plain cool by anyone's standards! So, being that I am a centered and aware person who has undergone significant amounts of self-analysis not too mention seen real, lasting growth in terms of my "patterns" and who is working on her empathetic connecting, I am not in any way dissapointed or sad or jealous that despite all the crazyness and not having seen me in forever someone else got what little extra time and attention NYG had to give last night. (And yes, I know that I had other plans as well -- but honestly, that's not really the point now is it??!) So much for a slam dunk. Why, oh why do I tend to forget that this dating/relationship stuff takes work...
I'm in a weird mood so I'm going to close with a conversation with the Boo who I just picked up from a sleep-over B-day party she was at last night.

Boo: So, yesterday I was lonely and I sang a song and just when I finished Antonia walked over and asked me if I wanted to play.
Me: What was the song?
Boo: The one from Mulan after she can't be a bride because she's different.
Me: Oh. [I'm useless.]

Happy Birthday Mistah Lovah-Lovah!

At least I think it's today. Happy Birthday, even if it's not! You're a star and I am simply delighted that you continue to exist! Mwah!

Arrrrg!

Well not really. Actually things seem to be working themselves through in a not completely stupid way. I have my baby here at work today for a few hours (wherein I have 4, countem 4 freaking meetings to attend) -- she is feverish but not "screamy" so we're pretty much all good on that score. My new Sweetheart is ignoring me (he has alot of work to do or something equally useless excuse-wise. When will these people learn to get their priorities straight/realize it is all about ME and my needs???) but other than that things are going o.k. I got my test and my first statistical article analysis paper back in class last night and i got pretty o.k. grades on both so I guess I'm not completely doomed... Sigh. Anyways. Just checking in before i go off to meet with the troops. Hope everyone's day is fabulous! Ciao fer now!

Not much time...

To post today since things are still askew at work, but i just had to give a major shout-out to the whole beautiful Bee family who came by this week-end and whipped my yard into glorious, pruned shape!It's crazy -- It's like someone actually cares about it again! Nice.

Due to a significant lack of Boo this week-end, i ended up having lots of other visitors as well (What up, Miss Tail and Dirty B. in da house! Whoo Whoo!). I fully realize the visits were because everyone knows how pathetic I am without my Boo but hell, I ain't proud!

Then when I got my Boo back I had to share her with Miss Maxi-Pants which was just soooo unfair onna counta she's funner than I am. It all worked out in the end though since MP had to leave eventually and I was able to tempt my child to stay by offering her lots of cookies. NEVER underestimate the power of a home baked cookie!

Also had a little drop-by from my new very favoritest Boy person, NYG. He is cute and I like him so very much. {sigh} Anyway. Probably the last time I get to see him until sometime next month so I'm glad it was memorable! K. anyway. I am sitting here covered with toddler poo trying to avoid the full-scale clean-up that needs to happen right now but, the smell is starting to get to me so... til later my frieds. Adieu, adieu, adieu...

La la la...

Baby is in bed supposedly asleep. Big Girl is with CP. House is clean(kind of) and I am just sitting here WAITING FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN IN THE WORLD TO COME OVER. I think I'm going to die...

La-deez and Genteel-men, In - tro - ducing......!

My next 3-5 year relationship! Whoo Hoo! Give it up folks for New York Guy!!! {sigh. smile.} My face feels like it's had sandpaper dragged across it. But in a good way, ya know... :-]

Sweet Jeezuz, Gawd!

It just doesn't get better does it?? (I know I'm a minor player in all of this but still, the act of watching something so silly compound itself until it verges on the surreal is disheartening to the point of being laughable -- if you can call a fed-up discusted sort of snort "laughter"...) {sigh}

K. So. not really moving on but at least making an attempt to buckle down...

More later if I can get over being annoyed/depressed

And today's F*** YOU! goes to...

This chick at the park yesterday who stared at my littlest one for close to ten minutes before walking up and asking "Is her hair some sort of fashion statement?" I replied "No. It's just her hair." Still though. Pissed me off. How exactly is it that people seem to think they're allowed to comment on my coarse-haired child's supposed life of folicular woes whereas they would NEVER dream of applying the same sort of commentary to my smoother-haired big girl... I get that it's a "cultural" thing but it's also an annoyingly judgmental, borderline racist thing that needs to stop is all. I mean, I can be cool with the term "interesting" as it applies to hair, because it, quite frankly, is pretty cool to look at, it's the assumption that her hair needs to be "fixed" or that I'm supposed to agonize over "taming"/"combing" and "managing" it that's got my particular panties in a wad. And it comes from EVERYBODY (even people who should know better - MOM!) -- anyway. Nothing new, just something to add to my list of things to fight against is all. I have to get some better comebacks though. "It's just her hair!" is true but it's not pissy enough. What if I get tiny t-shirts made that say "Nappy-headed!" with a cute little brown baby girl on the front and the words "Proud much?" on the back -- That might be just the ticket...!

Quick note...

Weekend going stupendously. Thanks for asking! Just to clarify -- the DATE isn't actually supposed to happen until Wed. eve. Right this second our little mutual admiration society is more taking the form of yakking on the phone trying to figure out ways to be mildly insulting without actually being offputting. Rest assured, I'll let chall know how it goes... :-]

Hmmmm...

We've not even completed our first date and I'm already wondering what the break-up is going to be like.

There is something seriously wrong with me.



(did everyone catch the subtext there? I HAVE A DATE!!!!!)

Eh, hem. Now then, back to your regular programing..... :-]

Literally sucks ass!

I know I shouldn't make fun of people (uh, yeah.) But every so often I'll be surfing the web (I get paid to do this people -- how much does your job suck??) and I'll happen upon a blog entry like this:

"My name is Ines. You will come to know me a little bit better (hopefully). I live in Atlanta, Georgia, I currently have the most amazing, caring boyfriend in the whole entire world. I work in retail...sometimes it can suck ass, literally. Anyway...I'm a 19 year old bisexual female who enjoys reading poetry, shopping, and singing in the shower daily.What I hope to get from this web blog is a better, more deep understanding of myself." and I just have to take a moment to wonder how exactly our world continues to exist/function... That's all.

New crush!

I may actually go to hell over this one but I've got the serious hots for my friend-here-at-work's newly adopted daughter's bio-dad! Heh.

Anyhoo... HAPPY LEGALIZATION SUPERMOM-B!!! You are so deserving and this has been sooooo long coming and I just wish you and your newly legal big girl the very super best of everything! oxoxoxoxox!

K. I'm still not wanting to work so I'm going to stop typing and try instead to figure out how the hell to get FOCUSED/where I can find some coffee...

This has the website printed on the wrapper, yet I can't get our catalog manager to put OUR website on the front of the catalog??! (Just kidding -- kind of -- You know I {heart} you, CC!)

La La La La...

My baby can't breathe. Do you have any idea how disconcerting it is when your baby is having trouble performing a basic function that's sort of necessary for her to live? Step forward with me then to the world of medical professional types who have pretty much "seen it all" /"are used to this type of thing" and who (although they are very nice and certainly well-meaning) seem almost bored as they tell you (again) that the only thing you can do is continue to pump her tiny body full of steroids. This sucks. Sucks more that I'm a horrible parent and haven't managed to get an appointment with holistic health guy to investigate other (non-western) remedies {sigh} I will put in another call today. I'm tired. Can I go home?

Happy B-Day TM...

Have fun being a year older! (I'm not really in a blogging mood so I guess that's it for now....)

Yay! I just got my truck back with it's fancy new, non-squeaky brakes. The nice auto fixing guy also tightened by oil filter so it would stop hemmoraging oil and informed me that I appear to have no emergency brake at all. He'll fix that for me next week if I want. nice.

Blah.

I'm not inclined to work today. I'm inclined to leave this stupid place to it's own stupid devices and to go lie around in the sun and not think about anything. My brakes are getting fixed as we speak though, so that's good...

STUPID FUCKING IDIOTS!!!!! (Sorry. Just had to get that out there.)

The coolest hair, ever!

My baby-girl has really cool hair. Typically, it's all curled up close to her head but when gathered into 21 tiny "puff" ponytails, each puff starts to separate into these super thin, shiny black corkscrew curls. Seriously. Just about the coolest thing I've ever seen. (We both got sleep last night so, she's remarkably less agro about everything and I'm in a MUCH better mood. Plus, she gets to hang with the World's-GREATEST-baby-sitter two nights a week now instead of just the one eve with TWGBS + one with "O.K. but not as stellar babysitter" so I'm thinking that had something to do with it...)

"Communication breakdown," my ass!

This post is going to be crabby.

i've had no sleep, my baby has elected screaming as her primary mode of communication and my truck needs new brakepads.

Plus, I get home last night with aforementioned Miss Screamy-Pants in tow to find this message on my machine:

"6:10pm - {beep} Hey, Chick, it's CP. Is Boo with you??! {click}"

Seriously. If you ever want to make a co-parent's heart STOP BEATING leave a message on her goddamn machine asking where the child that she left in what she considered a fairly safe place at the beginning of the day for you to pick up at the end of the day (following a schedule that's been established for the better part of THREE years, BTW way, no surprises here) is. go ahead. It's fun. Really! Then when she calls you back in a panic, laugh and say "She's at BV? I'm at AFY. You didn't tell me where she was going to be [two face-to-face-conversations + one e-mail="not telling"] so I just assumed she was over here [why?? Why would you assume that she would be someplace she has only ever been once in her entire life for about two days and that we agreed was useless and out-of-the-way??!] Anyway, [here's an attempt to make ME feel better for dropping the ball] it was probably just a communication breakdown. Can you call them and let them know I'm on my way?"

AAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!

{breathe} I'm going to say this slowly so that it is crystal clear to every single person in the world who has ever considered attempting this. Do. Not. Co-parent. Just don't. Unless you can figure out how to somehow do it differently. The thing is CP is a "good" co-parent. Given the various stories I hear from other people who are trying this, she's downright stellar. She's at the top of her game and still I am forced to entertain thoughts for close to half and hour about how completely not worth living my life would instantly become should I suddenly find out my Boo had gone missing. {sigh} Seriously, I think the best thing my dad ever did for my mom was to exit stage right pretty much the second he realized he was useless as a parent. We turned out great. My mom didn't have to deal with this particular load of crap. And Pops got to swoop in as the best G-pa in existence so it all worked out....

Vacation, all I ever wanted! Vacation, HAD to get away...!

Just got back from a loverly little road trip with the babies to the fab-u-loso Santa Cruz! Some thoughts:

1) There are NO black people in Santa Cruz. There were three but then we left.
2) My kids rule! I love them and I love running around with them.
3) That being said, my youngest has a new nickname "Miss Screamy-Pants" -- nuff said.
4) A road trip is simply not a roadtrip unless you're driving a cool car. Thanks to Rent-a-Wreck for the Chevy malibu, gold, fully automatic (like EVERYTHING in this car was on auto -- it was a little scary) hook-up!
5) Regardless of how kickass it is to be out and about, it is always equally nice to come home.
That's it for now. Cheers! (oh, and happy Easter and stuff...)

This will be quick...

Because I'm tired. Just wanted to say though that we met with Miss Boo's teacher today and whilst I was waiting in the hall for her to finish up with some other student's 'rents/finish chatting with the co-teacher she had on hand as a Spanish/English interpreter, I heard her say "Only one more! This one is going to be fun though, she's one of my favorites!" (!!) Yay! I mean, we know this right but still! How very lovely to hear that the woman in charge of my Angel-Baby's life for close to 6 hours a day thinks she's the knees of the bees just like the rest of us! Besides which, I always love these things because we get to read Boo's journal that she keeps in class to write in during the day. A-DOR-RA-BLE! Pictures of Spark blowing kisses, ruminations about how she's "out of sorts but doesn't exactly know why." Asides written in parenthesees (she's the only kid in class who uses parenthesees -- wonder where she gets that from??) just general goodness and light all the way around. She's reading and comprehending at "well-above grade level" Strong marks in everything else. One thing the teach did point out which is interesting is that because Boo doesn't really choose her friends (they choose her) she sometimes ends up in the middle where groups/individuals are wanting her to be exclusive -- Teach brings this up because she noticed that Boo isn't inclined to exploit this like some of the other "intellectually more mature" girls do which is good (great) but that sometimes she may feel like she needs to just be by herself because the demands can feel overwhelming. This is a new take on the "She's too sensitive" thing I've been hearing from her teachers over the years and so is interesting to me. Poor little one. It's kind of true though. The only time I've known her to actually choose someone to be friends with was Sweet Little Becky who I think she liked/likes because they're basically the same child only with different parents and different hair. Also to come out of this meeting was a copy of the cookbook the kids in class made as part of a fundraising project and which (if you all are VERY nice) I may share. Probably not though so don't get your hopes too up... (they're only $15.00/copy, BTW, all proceeds go to Boo's school. I'll be taking orders through Saturday...!)

Fame!

One seriously great movie! I mean, sure, no one in it can actually act but STILL! The hopes, the dreams, the unmitigated angst...! We watched Once Upon a Time in Mexico as well. Can we all just say EYE-CANDY! Christ. I didn't even know they made people that beautiful! Oh, and for the record DB = "whiny-ass baby who had better be off my couch by the time I get home tonight!"

That's it for now. Hope everyone's day is FAB!

Happy Birthday (yesterday), IHOEL!

That's right, IHOEL is the first and arguably finest of our little clan to reach the 40-candles-on-the-cake stage of her career and I would just like to take a moment to wish her Happy, happy B-Day and to sincerely hope she has the very best year of living ever!

There. Now that that's done, can we please turn the conversation back to me??! Sheesh. I have the world's largest pimple on the tip of my nose. There was a single moment during the last two days whilst I was readying myself to go out and hang with people of the adult nature when I wondered what exactly it could possibly be that was preventing some significantly adorable type from throwing his or herself at my impeccably clad feet and now I know. It is the fact that no one, let alone anyone with whom I am intended to get horizontal, could look me in the eye, presumably bypassing the ENORMOUS pimple on my nose, without busting up. Which, of course, would render any further discussion of dating pretty much useless. We could be friends maybe. But really, I need my love-interests to not laugh at me. A girl's gotta have standards!

Speaking of dating. i was honored to have the ever adorable Bendy Girl as my date for the Company after-holiday party and you can imagine my delight when I discovered that in addition to the fact that we continue to have nothing in common, she is also now apparently allergic to me! Don't know why this didn't come up sooner given the extreme kissing that's gone on during past sessions but there it is. Constant sneezing, watery eyes, itching. The whole nine yards. And believe you me, there is nothing so emotionally fulfilling as a really very cute, awfully smart, sexy girl standing next to her motorcyle, smiling at you whilst murmuring those words every gal wants to hear: "Stay away from me! You make me sneeze!"

{sigh} Thanks BTW to Mistah L-L, Miss K and the ever wonderful Miss Tail for providing some quality kid-sitting so I could go out and commune with grownups/remember exactly what serious rejection feels like. You all rock and I owe you big!

p.s. I am never leaving the house ever again.

I am in love!

With a man named Chris. I don't know what Chris looks like (I think he's from Australia though) but he was given the hands of a saint and was furthermore good enough to rub those hands all over my back and most of my front for approximately 50 minutes AFTER i'd already been had quite a nice little soak in lilac scented rosewater for about half an hour. I am mush right now and I owe it all to Chris.

I also owe it to DB who gave me the coupon to the Kabuki Springs & Spa centerand who, regardless of how much I rail about his continued existence in my life is actually, the very finest kind of "good people". (This should not, however, be taken to mean you can resume coming over whenever the hell you want, DB so don't go getting any ideas!) Thank you, thank you. A thousand times thank you!

In other news, my children will soon be featured as flower girls extraordinare at the wedding of the century tween a certain Mistah L-L and his fabulous Fee-yon-ce (pronounced like Beyonce), Ms. K. That's right, folks, apparently the ring was big enough and she said yes!! It really is all too perfect and I'm going to stop talking about it now lest I tear up... {sniff}

Marketing Chick is back and has resumed her attentions after a sudden and complete hiatus of a week and a half during which I fabricated all sorts of bizarre rationales. Apparently, rather than exhibiting the shallow, odd, borderline pychotic tendencies I'd been wont to ascribe to her, the real reason for the total news black-out was more straightforward -- she had to go to Ohio for a family "conference." (meaning, I gather, that someone "passed" and they had to sort out who got the house on the hill. Either that or "Ohio" is code for "The CIA occassionally needs me to help them tie up loose ends" Honestly though, she's cute, she's entertaining, so I'm not asking!)

Baby Grand-Niece, TJ is in New Mexico as we speak and although I've not yet been blessed with in-the-home pictures (seriously, this whole taking-pictures-but-then-never-developing-the-film thing must be endemic to the Magnet clan. All I know is, it has got to stop!) I've had the opportunity to hear her gurgle at me over the phone lines and I just have to say, it is soooo obvious she's been blessed with every single iota of fabulousness that being a part of the Magnet lineage promises to provide and then some!

Hmmmmm. I think that's it. I could go on and on and on about the continuing adorableness of my two-year-old but I'll save that for tomorrow when it will no doubt have been doubled (tripled even!)

Note...

If I've only met you once (and spoken approximately four sentences to you) and still my instant response upon thinking of you and/or interacting with you is "Ass!" then I honestly feel there's some room for personal development in your future. just saying.

Now then, I got my kid this little $4.00 book of spells she's been wanting, like, forever and upon receiving it she said "Oh, Mommy! Thank you, thank you thank you! Wow. This is just like getting a sister. You forget all about it then it shows up!" Nice.

And lastly, my best bud in the whole world is not feeling well and I was just thinking about her today and I'm sorry she's sick and I hope she gets better soon. That's all fer right now. Hasta la pasta, Baby!

My baby has entered an even more adorable stage

Granted, not all that possible but true nonetheless! She is being freaking A-Dor-ra-ble right now. Skipping around, kissing me incessantly, hugging my legs whenever she's near me... just a delight! When she's not biting, that is. The biting thing just started as well. C'est la vie. i guess you can't have everything... :-]

What the...??!

Just got in to work a minute ago and it would seem that the new cleaning people have taken it upon themselves to toss out the varous dying/dead plants that once graced my desk -- pretty much serving as the only real warning most people get to just back-off! Damn. I wonder what would happen if I brought in another dead plant. Like I wonder if it would turn into this huge power/values struggle between me and the cleaning peeps... Whatever.

Conversation from this week-end:

Me: So, my work is having a after-holiday party. Want to be my date?
Her: Your "date"?
Me: Oh, I'm sorry. Is that a scary word? If I call it something different would you be more inclined to go??

And yes, it has been suggested that a not inconsequential part of my repeated failure to "hook-up" may in part be due to my attitude!

{sigh}

K. So. When I'm not alienating girls I want to have sex with, I am being a fabulous mom. I had such a great time with my (admittedly somewhat cranky -- the big one this time. The two-year-old was an angel!) children. And, yes, I am also well aware of the fact that it is only the fabulousness of my babies that allows me to even being to approach that title, all of this notwithstanding, week-end was spent finalizing this really cool quilt project for big kid's class to auction off (which is funny if you think about it because the fact that it existed in my house for so long and that Miss Boo basically made it herself whilst I sat on the couch and watched Chicken Run pretty much means that now I have to go to that stupid auction and try to buy it back! Weird how the world is set up sometimes...)

Anyway, despite the attitude displayed by both myself and my oldest, we all managed (in no small part due to the outrageous adorableness of my littlest big kid) to have a really good time in a "family" way. Very nice.

It's not that serious...

This is what I need to keep repeating to myself. So, I have one kid who's hopped up on steroids (albuterol) making her agro/tantrumy/clingy when it's time to go to sleep and another who's more into the "holistic" approach to being sick (flat-out refuses to take medicine) and as such is sniffeley, fevery and toss-and-turney all night. Add to this a sudden introduction to my life of a really VERY cute Marketing Analyst girl who while she says she has a girlfriend (who she likes very much) seems to be wanting to be on the phone with me an awful lot of the time... Consider the following conversation and tell em if I'm making stuff up:

Her: So, how'd the meeting go?
Me: Really well. People liked your document. I think we're actually going to be able to get moving on this.
Her: Hey, it's your document too. I mean we worked on it together...
Me: Yeah but you told me what to say.
Her: But you wrote it...!
Me: ::giggle- yes, folks, a full-on Chick giggle:: Yeah, with you were standing there reading over my shoulder the whole time!
Her: [obvious smile in voice] I was not reading over your shoulder! I just happened to be standing there -- maybe I looking at something else. Maybe I was looking at your dolls or at the pictures [on my extremely messy/cluttered desk]
Me: Or down my shirt. [I know, I know...Whaddaya want, it was late!]
Her: Yes! Maybe I was just standing there, innocently trying to get a little peek at the goods...
Me: "The goods??"
Her: ::giggle - that was her, folks:: Yeah. That whole evening was really about me trying to get close enough to get a really good look down your shirt.
Me: I knew it! I knew you could care less about the company!
Her: ::laugh::
Me: I feel so used.
Her: ::laugh again:: Yeah, now I have to figure out a way to get you interested in some sort of "follow-up" ...
Me: For the document?
Her: Uh, sure.
Me: Too late. I already turned it over to Marketing.
Her: [silence]
Me: Hello?
Her: Did you say you were taking a statistics class...?

Am I miscontruing this? That's flirting right?????

Whatever. I need to get some sleep before I think about any of this anymore. Otherwise I will go insane.

Ooops. Almost forgot to mention that I ran into Bendy-Girl (or rather, she ran into me!) and she was v. cute and smiley and said she hoped to see me again next week. What is it about crazy girls that makes them sooooo freaking attractive. Also along those lines, I hooked up with this very nice girl who I met through a work contact type and who got all excited to help me out with this work-related thing but who then, upon appearing at my house (I'd actually only spoken with her on the phone) was COMPLETELY cute! Needless to say nothing happened (except coming up with the best damn brand positioning proposal ever! And no, that is not "code" for something...!) we had fun though and she went off home. I was just beginning to get all excited about her (after discussing the situation at length with Missy Ho, my new best friend here at work) when she calls to let me know that she was "just thinking about me and the proposal and wondering how it went" (Good) and "by the way, was just telling her GIRLFRIEND, who wants kids, all about Boo, blah, blah, blah..." (Bad) Whatever. She hugely sweet and helpful and I am grateful to her for her time and attention.

At some point soon I figure I will have been celibate longer than I've been alive. I wonder what that'll feel like...

Kind of sad...

My front flatmates are in the process of clearing out and it's kind of sad watching all the beautiful stuff they did (in terms of front/back yard upgrading) disappear. Just looks sort of deserted now. ::Sniff:: I know I never actually saw either of them but still, I'm gonna miss those ladies.

In other news, I miss my kid. Weird. I technically just saw her but still... We were talking on the phone last night and she told me that she was going to ask her CP if she could have a whole week with me which made me all happy 'n sheet, until I next chatted with a freshly apprised CP and discovered that she also thought it was a great idea because then SHE could have Boo for a week... Which. would. kill. me. ::sigh, again:: I know it's too late for the majority of you, but still, please, if you even are at the point of beginning to consider this stuff, I BEG of you, think twice before you agree that it might be a good idea to share the single most important thing that will ever deign to grace your life with his or her presence. just sayin'.