Preludes and Nocturnes says it so well...

My grandfather had it. My uncle has it. Preludes & Nocturnes has just written about it. Please go take a look.

Halloween!

5:30 PM - Last minute rush to the store when we were terrified that 3 pounds of candy wouldn't last long enough.

6:00 PM - MM dressed as Superman. I dressed as...I don't know what. I was wearing a black cocktail dress, a glittery jester's hat with little bells on it, and MM's gold lame cape (his royal king's cape, if you must know). So what was I? Any ideas?

MM and MS went out on the TorT rounds while I stayed home to dole out the candy.

By 7:00 MM and MS were back. By 7:15 the last Trick or Treater had been to the door. We didn't need the extra candy after all.

Least cutest trick-or-treater: the one who said "Give me candy or else!" Ugh.

Cutest costume out there: the little cow that had a push-button moo-er.

Cutest MM moment: Him answering the door and giving out his own candy wearing just his dinosaur underpants.

Have I told you lately what a big man he is?

Today f'rinstance:

I dropped him off early at Posh Place so I could get my car's safety inspection done before I hit the road to get to my 9:30 AM class. He was happy to be at school, reminded me that I was going to pick him up early for his doctor's appointment, and pushed me out the door.

I picked him up at 2:15 and brought him to the doctor's office. He took his flu shot with style and grace, and not even a flinch. Chose a Snoopy bandaid and two stickers. And left with a smile on his face and made all the nurses in the office laugh.

Upon getting back into the car he fastened his own seat belt. Which feat he repeated after we bought some expensive Disn3y stickers for being such a big man.

And at bed-time, he made up songs to sing for me.

I love that boy.

Bullets of a windy weekend - UPDATED

• News Flash! Dunkin Donuts is waaaaaaay better than Starbucks. Why? 'Cause they will put the milk and sugar in for you. Light and sweet, please.
• Muffin Man loves Chu-ckEChee$e. Me, not so much, but I like it better at 10:00 then at noon.
• Angry Boy gets cuter by the minute and Angry Baby is the sweetest dumpling of a baby. And he likes to hula. Thanks, APL, for hanging with us today.
• Muffin Man doesn't want to wear jammies under his Superman costume. It remains to be seen if we're going to the parade.
• PARADE UPDATE: After I cut all the tags out and removed every sticker, the jammies were rated, "still itchy" (fleece jammies, zip-up, no feet). With a t-shirt underneath the jammies they were rated, "okay. But I'm taking them off as soon as we get home." Thus, Superman did not have to wear a coat over his cape.

NoMo

Motivation that is. Boy howdy, am I ever in a blah mood.

Lots of work to do, calls to make, butts to kick and absolutely no desire to do any of it.

Did I tell y'all that the Advanced Placement Services section of the College Board have lost the records of my having taken the APs lo these many years ago? I think they lost my motivation too. I just don't want to have to hunt down my own records, make multiple phone calls, work my way up the chain of command and seriously pull out the hysterically weeping card to get them to just FIND my records and SEND them to Nearby U so that I can get credit for 2 full years of a foreign language, 1 semester of American History and 1 semester of English 101. If they can't find them, I'll have to take a year of Japanese 200 over the Summer. And it's been nearly 20 frelling years since I last took any Japanese. People, I just don't remember enough to even say, "I can't speak Japanese" in Japanese.

On the other hand, I've got a real desire to just start cooking for t-giving, but I have to straighten up the kitchen first.

Is it procrastinating if you're doing something you have to do anyway, just with a lower priority?

Growing

Muffin Man is growing.

He's too big for his car seats, we had to buy him a booster seat for each of the cars yesterday.

He's going on his First! Field! Trip! tomorrow with his class at Posh Place.

He's eating. And eating. And eating. And complaining that he's still hungry after he's just finished eating an enormous slice (seriously, two slices worth) of pepperoni pizza and a huge dish of ice cream.

He's not sleeping well, waking up in the middle of the night the last several nights in a row and coming into our room and trying to get into bed with us (actually me, my side of the bed). Most nights I pick him up and carry him back to his room and snuggle with him for a while there until he's fallen asleep again. Once in a while, I'm too tired to move him, so I let him sleep with us, but then he steals all my blankets.

I'm not ready for my little boy to be a big boy in a booster seat, in a big boy bed, wearing clothes that don't have a T after the number. Going on field trips for cripe's sake. Field trips!

It's all just too soon, too fast.

Random bullets of way too much coffee

• Why too much coffee? Muffin Man thought that 4:35 was a good time to wake up this morning, and I had to spend a good bit of time convincing him otherwise and also arguing the merits of all of us sleeping in our own fireplacing beds.
• Results of too much coffee? My hands are shaking and I keep typing letters twice.
• Other results of too much coffee? I took notes at light speed today. They may or may not make sense or be legible tomorrow.

Tomorrow is "Team Spirit!" day at Posh Place. "Everyone wear a jersey to support your favorite team!" Well, we're not a terribly sports-loving household, not even considering that I'm a jinx. So I had to actually buy a jersey for Muffin Man today. He'll be supporting Nearby University's althletics department tomorrow.

Winter Holiday Extravaganza Answers

If I could, I'd invent a Transporter, like they have on Star Trek, and damn it, the world needs one because, that way I'd be able to visit my sister more often, not to mention seeing all y'all face-to-face.

I sometimes buy organic strawberries, because it is/they are more like the me I want to be than the me that I am.

If you came over to my house to play and touched my laptop without asking me first I'd be a little bit mad at you forever. (Not really, but it's the only thing I could think of that doesn't live in my underwear drawer.)

The colour/s that my high school used to paint the classrooms makes me want to shave my eyeballs with a cheese grater.

The colour/s of the water off Kauai is/are so beautiful that when I see them, a beam of light comes down and I hear a choir sing.

Most tv shows that in any way include eating bugs makes me gag, feel it in my mouth for a minute, and then swallow it back down rather than spit it out (or else I just don't like it, but I'm too nice to say it.)

I might get sick or die if I touch or ingest cilantro, or look at Paris Hilton.

The Doodlebops gives me the willies and I might need to consider a frontal lobotomy if I even think about it further.

I love the feel of flannel so much I want to hump it like a puppy on a sofa pillow.

No one should have to watch me eat Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream, because then I might consider being polite enough to share (not!), and I don't want to share it.

I'm a grown-up now, so I don't have to eat beets any more, and you can't make me.

If I could invent a way to permanently coat my nostril hairs with this scent, I'd be my own biggest customer: chicken soup simmering on the stove (but I'm really an unscented kind of a girl.)

Three things I like that anyone might like: I'm going with Andrea's answer here (and I do like the Bing Crosby Christmas stuff): european chocolate, classical holiday music (classical as in the musical style, not as in 'the classics' like Bing Crosby or whatever--I mean, I like that stuff too, but who else does?), and homemade baked goods.

Three things I like that nobody else in the world likes: Liver and onions, having grey hair, Frances Hodgsen Burnett's books for Adults.

I have TOO MANY/TOO MUCH OF clutter around the house, and not enough time or motivation to clean up.

Okay, we know the best things in life aren't things, but these are the best things in life if there are going to be best things: books. Lots and lots of books.

When people have kind, sweet and nice things about me, they're usually talking about Muffin Man. When they say I'm very silly, they're usually right too.

It's true, I'm a good student. I'm learning to be proud of believe it.

If I could have any talent in the world, I'd choose cooking and hosting like Martha Stewart.

You are given a day and a no-limit credit card to spend in one of these places, childfree. Choose one, or write your own:

A gourmet food store, because you are what you eat. It's all about feeding yourself and your soul. (and a book store. with every book ever in print.)

And here's the last chance to make sure that you're not going to get a "Jelly of the Month" club membership when you're expecting your bonus for a swimming pool:

It is important to me that the items chosen for me be fun for you to get.
(Examples: respect my Wal-Mart boycott, are vegan, aren't made by child or sweatshop labour, can be stuffed down my pants)

And

If I could suggest that you read only one post from my archives, this would be it: Dreaming of a Ham Sandwich

And

If I were to name the Holiday of my choice for this exchange, it would be:
Christmas, even though I'm Jewish, I'm completely a Christmas girl! (Please feel free to make one up - but this is your chance to say "Um, I'm Jewish but that doesn't mean give me dreidels!" or "More Santa decorations please - I only have thirty-seven now." or "Winter and gifts yes; religious denominations, no - if only all cards could be like those politically correct corporate holiday wishes!" if you want to.)

Look over there -->

I've added a few new faces, updated some links, and rearranged things a bit. There are a few bloggers over there with more than one blog that I read regularly and I've linked to each of them on one line (Hi Chris! Moxie! Moreena!!)

Andrea asked a few months ago what the demographics of our blogrolls look like and whether they are primarily mirrors of ourselves.

For the most part, I'd say that my blogroll looks alot like me. White North American Married Women who have at least one child. I do have a few men on the list (Hi Corndog! Scrivener! Overread! Laid-off Dad!) and more that I will be adding. I have a few single folks, a few who are not parents, and a few who have a whole heck of a lot more kids than me. There are some professors, and I'm a student. There are some folks who are having health issues in their families, and (knock wood) my family is currently pretty healthy -- though I am constantly aware of how quickly that could change. I am, after all, 37. My dad had a heart attack when he was a year younger than me, and though he's currently healthy, his father died when he was nine. There are folks who are living about as far away from me geographically as you can get, and here I am. There are a few home-schoolers, and my son's been in daycare forever. There are some people who are far more certain of God's hand in their lives than I and some who are far more certain that there isn't any God.

Each and every person on the list is someone I identify with and am interested in. Even if their lives are very different from mine, I feel a connection. Perhaps it's not reciprocated, but that doesn't matter to me. The blogs I list are ones that touch me, make me laugh, or cry, or both. In any case, there they are. If you haven't had a chance to read some of them, go on and pay a visit.

As seen at KLee's

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 5,959 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

But no one in the US currently has my birth name. Which I knew without the quiz since there are only about, what, 25? people in the country with my birth last name and I know all of them personally and none of them have my first name.

Ahem...

Muffin Man wiped his own tu$hie!!

Stickers for everybody!

What I'm learning in school this week

Psychology (lecture and lab) - Correlational regression testing and Standard Error.

Religion - Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation. Once again, I seem to be the only person in the class aside from the teacher to have ever heard of, say, Martin Luther.

Biology - Mitosis and Miosis. Sythesis in Miosis is so! totally! cool!

Hawaiian Dance - we just had our mid-term on the meaning and history of and movements for the first verse of 'Ulupalakula. Then we learned the meaning and movements for the next two verses. Beautiful song, beautiful dance. It. Is. Kicking. My. Ass. I most likely got an A on the meanings. I know I only got a B on the movements. Crap.

My Biology lab will be having a mid-term on Tuesday. Biology and Psychology lectures have mid-terms Thursday. We may or may not get a mid-term in Religion on Wednesday, it depends on whether we finish up Christianity on Monday.

So, if I don't seem to be around much this week, you'll think of me chained to my books studying until my eyes bleed, won't you?

Doctor Whooooooooo!!!!

It was old home week on Doctor Who. Sarah Jane Smith showed up and berated the Doctor and there was a great scene between her and Rose. Just splendid. And Anthony Stewart Head (Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) had a guest role as well. Total geek paradise. Really lovely.

And the new Doctor is growing on me, though I'm still missing the guy from last season.

The Illustrated (Muffin) Man

This last one, Muffin Man did himself yesterday. Smile!

All better now.

Thank goodness. Muffin Man was all better by Saturday evening (after a peak fever of 102.5). It took me just a little longer to recover after sleeping on the floor of his room two nights in a row (I stayed there Saturday night too, just in case.)

On Sunday, he made up for a full day of all soup all the time by eating everything that wasn't nailed down and begging for more.

Today the three of us got to rub shoulders (and shake hands) with one of The Powers That Be. Very nice experience.

Oh. And North Korea has the bomb. Duck and cover, anyone?

Why is it that kids never start getting sick in the daytime?

And only exhibit symptoms for the first time at midnight?

Muffin Man has a yucky stomach virus. The good news is that even though he threw up twice last night (requiring two bed changes), and he's got a fever of 100.1, he's feeling pretty chipper.

We just got back from the Ped.'s. Negative for strep. He's on the couch in his jammies and bathrobe, watching The Incredibles. So far, he's keeping the chicken soup he had for breakfast down.

Hope y'all are having a healthier weekend than we are.

Bullets of Ugh

• Someone actually said, "I'm still voting for Allen, because he's a good Christian." Lady, good Christians don't intimidate people, call attention to their skin color, say "Welcome to America", and then immediately turn the conversation to the war on terror.

• Foley. Need I say more? On the other hand, I am LOVING how the Republican leadership is digging themselves deeper and deeper into it. I'm loving how they are missing opportunities to look strong and non-partisan. I'm loving how they are all playing hot potato. I just wish Foley had done something less....vile.

• There goes the neighborhood.

How old are you?

Are you old enough to identify this commercial without Googling it?

Now you see it
Now you don't
Here you have it
Here you won't

I wouldn't touch this product with a ten foot pole, but I loved that commercial.

Got it, read it, loved it.

Under Orders arrived today. This afternoon. I just finished it. It's sooo good. A bit bloodier and more violent than Francis's usual stuff, but still his voice.

Next up: Undead and Unreturnable by MaryJanice Davidson, which I added to my order to get the free shipping (but I wanted it anyway, just not enough to buy it on its own, y'know?). Also added for the free shipping was No Fighting, No Biting for Muffin Man. We read chapter one tonight.

Oh, and did I tell you that I bought all three books for less than they were charging for just the Dick Francis at my school's bookstore? Not that I begrudge the money to the publishers and the authors, but I really resent the big box bookstore that has the monopoly on campus not giving the students the same deal they give at their larger stand-alone stores. If it were an independent bookstore, it'd be a totally different matter and I'd support them whole-heartedly. But it's not. It's a B@rne$ & N0ble.

Getting naked and other imponderables

Yesterday, Muffin Man decided that Cinderella Barbie, Prince Charming Ken, and Cowboy Pete were all wearing too many clothes. "It's bed-time! They need to put on their pajamas!" Well, they don't have any pajamas. And it's no good pretending that the sparkly blue princess dress is a nightgown because "it's just NOT, Mama! And that's all I'm going to say about it!" So, they're all downstairs in the playroom, in the make-shift bed (the top to a box of file folders), sleeping. Naked.

Why is this bothering me? I'm guessing it's because he had absolutely no desire to change what they were wearing before. He used to imagine that what they were wearing was whatever he decided it was at that moment. Pajamas, pink muumuus. Whatever. He could see them wearing it despite the clothes they really had on. Now he'd rather they wore nothing at all than that they wear clothes that interfere with his vision.

Also, it's a little creepy that Cinderella Barbie is still wearing her blue neck ribbon and Prince Charming Ken is still wearing his crown (sewn on y'know). Also, he's got on permanant underwear. With a fly and everything. Creepy.

Muffin Man is a bit worried about Cowboy Pete. "Why's he so much shorter than the Prince?" And I said, "Well, he's a different doll. He has to be small enough to ride his horse." And then, thinking of Frances, I said, "You know. Some people just are smaller than other people and that's really okay. There will always be some people who are smaller than you and some people who are bigger than you and they're all just the right size and you are too."
"I know. You told me that before."
"I'm glad you remember. Hugs?"
"Hugs."

Update on the little cousin

She's off the respirator and being treated for jaundice. Expected to go home sometime this week.

Thank you all for your thoughts!