It was 12/12/12. The entire lunch room full of fifth and third graders were watching the minute hand sweep around from 12:11:30 to 12:12.  I pawed at the bank of light switches to turn the lights all off at the same time to get everybody's attention. We've trained the kids to shut their voices off when the lights go off, and this time, most of them ( Read more... )

 Okay, so, it's been over a year ( Read more... )

     We have a tendency to be fuck-ups in my family.  Mom would like to think it comes from Dad's side of the family where there's a long line of teenage pregnancies, a dearth of diplomas, a lack of basic health- and money-related life skills, and an abiding fondness for self-medication.  Well, that's my paternal grandmother's people anyway.  My ( Read more... )

Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It - Maile Meloy 
    Excellent domestic drama short stories.  I can see why it made everyone's best of 2009 list.
A Hat Full of Sky - Terry Pratchett 
    Second in the Wee Free Men series.  I'm gonna read these to my girls because the protagonist is exactly the kind of girl I want them to be.
Making Room: Finding ( Read more... )

 And Hereby Vow to Banish From my Life Forever ( Read more... )

So Corey and I went to California a couple of weeks ago with a few other couples, Brian and Jenn and Jerry and Mindi, (later to be joined by Mark and Jen)  to see our friend Dave Kilzer finally wed.  We decided to go ahead and make a big deal out of it and stay a week in San Francisco.  It was fantastic.


( Read more... )

Oh my Livejournal darlings, how I have missed you!  My laptop was dying a slow death and had no idea where the internet was, despite repeated reminders, and so I just avoided any major online usage altogether.  No more, I say!  My sweetie bought a new lappy for me!

Goodbye ancient Toshiba; hello Dell Vostro 1520!  You are sleek and strong and have ( Read more... )

Okay here's what happened:

The plague has hit my house and I'm up to  my armpits in sick people.  And then the washing machine broke again.  And it's January.  Despite the fact that I'm wrapped in the pillowy cushion of Wellbutrin, watching the alcohol intake and getting regular exercise, the Winter Depression Vulture is no longer idly circling but ( Read more... )

This having kids thing is bullshit.

Now that was different.  CDL and I loaded the kids and the presents up in the van and drove12 hours to my parents' house to spend the holiday with them.  We'd never traveled as a family for Christmas before and now I know why there's all those movies about Christmas travel hijinks.  It was fun to spend the time with my folks and the kids had a ball ( Read more... )