Today I was published at the International Museum of Women for their online gallery “Imagining Ourselves“. Please check it out.

Big weekend off! All sorts of fun things to do, inside. Rhen is sick too. Poor guy.

I’ve been fighting off his cold with this great product. It’s about the best thing I’ve ever used for a cold. I know I’d be absolutely miserable right now if it weren’t for it. All hail mighty Airborne®! May your effervescent health formula smite the common cold. It really works. Taste isn’t so great. I’d try the pink grapefruit flavor.

Things in the hinterlands are fine. We had snow and then it melted. That actually can sum up an entire six months in Minnesota.

To answer my brother’s question. Yes. I did get the new Shuffle and it totally rules. So flippin’ light and small. I like attaching it to Rhen’s sling. With a storage capacity of one gigabyte, it holds around 240 songs. I thought that not being able to see a screen would be distracting but it’s not a problem. I start off in shuffle mode and then if I find a song that makes me want to listen to the entire album I just switch off the shuffle and go straight forward.

I also bought more Moo cards. They do such a freakin’ awesome job of printing. They love to print! A nice product, straight from the UK. First time I’ve ever received “Royal Mail”. Very thrilling. I’ll post some pictures later which probably means never. They’re tucked in their smart little box right next to me, sleeping.

What else do we have here? Oh, Mocha Momma recently suggested that I put up audio of Rhen. I know how to do this, but unless you’re his parents, it’s not the most exciting dialogue in the world. It’s mostly this eight hours of the day, “Uh, uh. Uh, Uh. ORSE!.” Then he waves his horse figurine at me and then I fall backwards hoping that the impact to my head will knock me unconscious.

It’s just that most of the time, I know he’s saying something else. It’s more than “Uh uh.” I think most toddlers are walking around discovering things and three seconds later are saying, “Et tu, Brute?” Yes Rhen, you thought that dog was your friend until he knocked you over heading to his dish for dinner.

Well Miles is giving me the “I haven’t peed since yesterday morn look, OPEN THE DOOR NOW.” I’ll wrap this up. For the dog’s sake.

“Yeah. I know.”

This fall around the time kids went back to school they changed the entire morning show format and line up. It sucks. Obviously I don’t do well with change.

My main complaint is Miss Lori and Hooper.  They’re understanding, inquisitive and joyful each morning we tune in. It’s a little early for that. I really love the greetings they do to start the show. Nothing like having someone shout “hello” to you in Swahili while waiting for your tea to steep.

Then there’s this woman.  She does a song each morning. Ugh.

I know I’ll come around to the new line up. Still though. There’s no way Curious George is better than It’s a Big Big World. It’s good to see that Arthur is still king. Yes. This is my world.

I don’t need to go over the headlines. We’re all aware of what’s been in the news lately. I think what are these seemingly normal people thinking? I don’t believe in evil. It’s a cop out. They should be thinking before they act upon their incredibly selfish impulses, “What would your mother say?” It cuts right through the pop psycho-babble. But it’s neither here nor there and it’s not something I want to dwell on. The slobbering news dogs give it plenty of play already. I bet ratings are up.

I work with a lot of college students. Robust, bright and healthy. I can actually see the glimmer of youthful optimism in their eyes when they pass by me in the stockroom. Perhaps it’s just the reflection of the flourescent lighting but I like to imagine it is inspiration.

On occassion one will stop to chat with me and tell me about the hardships of being a student and working a job. My impulse is to tell them about raising a toddler and coming to work afterwards but it’s not their deal. They wouldn’t get it nor should they. I listen and tell them they do have a very challenging schedule but it will soon be over. Off you go.

I know this because I’m a parent now, and it’s wrong to disparage children, even when they are in college.

Oh, and I’ve had this The Big Lebowski line in my head all day long, “I do mind, the Dude minds. This will not stand, ya know, this aggression will not stand, man.”