Did you know your last name is an adverb?

This morning on the way to work, J and I were talking about the inherent flaw of rap and rock music: that these artists usually get to the top relating the suffering they've endured in the inner city, or struggling to make it in the music world, having no money, no women, etc.... So then once they get famous, they suddenly have everything they want and, therefore, having nothing interesting to say anymore. I mean, really, does anybody want to hear another song about how rich and popular Nelly is? Or how much whiskey Motley Crue can drink? I know I don't. And I think that the reason women singers are able to enjoy a little more longevity is because many of them sing about relationships, and even if you're rich, that doesn't make you immune from getting screwed over by some dude. I mean, Stevie Nicks has spent 40 years singing about feeling lonely. 40 YEARS. Incredible.

But that's my theory du jour. Tomorrow: why I think you don't see many African American swimmers in the Olympics. It's all about socioeconomics and pools, my friends. Oh yes.

And I'm very excited about the Super Bowl on Sunday. I'll be rooting for the Cardinals because I could not be more annoyed with the Steelers. Take that, Mark!

It was so good, I almost peed my pants

While it was nice to actually sleep last night, I am disturbed by the dream I was having: I was helping the contestants from the Christian Siriano year of Project Runway swim around the Hudson River in sequined alligator costumes, only to be interrupted by Angelina Jolie showing up and asking me to babysit her adopted kids. And instead of paying me money, she offered to give me a share of her business, which she called her "salt lick." What? It seems like no matter what I do, I'm going to wake up confused in the morning.

Have I mentioned yet how ready I am for spring? We had a snow day off work yesterday (which was great, don't get me wrong), but I am just sick and tired of temperatures in the single digits, trudging through ice and snow every day and trying not to slide off the road on the way home from work. Ugh. Once Christmas is over, winter is such a waste.

You'll get pancakes and you'll like it

I only got to watch about a minute and a half of The Office last night, but I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of it. I've been trying this week (since Lost was on, too) to record the programs and watch them the next morning before Lil J wakes up, but that scamp has figured me out and keeps waking up early. If I could read his mind, I'm quite sure he'd be saying "Silly lady. You sometimes act as though you have interests in life beyond me. Let me remedy that for you." I keep reminding myself that one day when he's 12 and is ashamed to be seen with me, I'll look back on these moments fondly. Although, I don't know, do little boys get like that in their preteen years like girls do? I seem to remember my brother dealt with peer pressure much better than I did. Whereas my sisters and I wanted to have nice clothes and fit in, my Mom would have to drag him to JCPenney and force him to buy a pair of generic jeans. You know, I'm starting to have hope that maybe those preteen years aren't going to be so bad after all...now watch, I said that and Lil J will be riding Harleys, collecting rattlesnakes and threatening to move out when he's 9.

Why are my homies dissing my girl?

The assignment from Jocelyn: Go to your picture files, go to your 6th folder, go to your 6th picture, tell us about it, tag 6 friends to do the same. The result:



This is the big, red art sign on the campus where I work. In fact, that white rectangle to the left is the actual building where the library is. I like this picture because a) you can see part of the Columbus skyline in the background, b) you get a good sense of what the sky looks like here from November to February and c) it illustrates the complete lack of creativity we have at this here art school. I'm serious, people actually call this "the big, red art sign." We also have a building on campus called "B&E." You know what the "B" and "E" stand for? "Big" and "empty." I'm not even making that up. They're very literal when it comes to naming things. It makes me sad. They're building a new dorm where that parking lot is, and you know what people are calling it? The "new dorm." Sigh. Ok, Beth, Alisa, Katie, Hannah, Ashley and Becky, it's your turn.

I would love a chocolate croissant right about now

I think I watched about 6 hours of inauguration coverage yesterday. And my main concern for the day? That Michelle Obama needed a heavier winter coat. I liked what she wore...I just hope that gold outfit was lined with fleece. Seriously though, that was fun to watch. I thought the President's inaugural speech was pretty funny in one way, too. There he was basically trashing the direction Bush had taken the country, and Bush was sitting about 2 feet behind him. And all I could figure was that Bush was sitting there thinking "Well, when he's right, he's right. I want some ribs."

Here's a picture J took of Lil J last night. He loves making this face:

I need an old priest and a young priest

I just want you all to know that I'm going to kill somebody. I haven't picked the lucky victim yet, but I was up again last night from 1:30 to 5, and right now my mood is wildly swinging between "murderous" and "furious." It's a good thing there's not an ax within reach, that's all I'm saying. Rest assured, however, that I'm really too tired to maintain my rage at the universe. I'm figuring I'll be too wiped out to even hiss at somebody in about 3 minutes. So that's good.

Yeah, and the high today is 7. People, that's just ridiculous. But I should be grateful that our house had heat last night. The electricity went out at J's parent's from about midnight to 5, apparently. I cannot fathom how much that must have sucked. That's when it's good to have a cat who likes to lie on your face.

Junior Mints...they're very refreshing

It snowed about 6 inches yesterday afternoon, and it therefore took us an extra HOUR to get home last night. Good grief. As much as I liked going out to L.A. a few years ago to visit Arisa, there is no possible way I could live there unless I worked in my garage. How do people stand being in their cars for 3 hours a day every day? I think I'd prefer some bamboo shoots in my thumbnails, thank you very much.

We went to the ENT's this morning and got good news. We're going to taper the Propranolol for a week then take Lil J off it entirely. So keep your fingers crossed that his breathing remains quiet once he's off it.

Oh, and even though Lil J is now sleeping through the night (go team!), I have been suffering from insomnia. 3 of the past 4 nights, I've been up from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. for no discernable reason. Pardon my French, but what the heck?

What happened to Mickey Rourke's face?

There's a girl who works here in the library who has decided to go to San Diego for graduate school. Seeing as to how it is currently about 8 degrees outside and snowing, I am totally digging her jive. My right hand is so dry that I swear I just heard the skin crack when I started typing. Ewww.

We had the semester-ly faculty and staff meeting this morning, and they offered a few different "healthy lifestyle" workshops to go to, so I dragged J to the "Life Balance: Too Many Balls, Not Enough Bounce" session. And not just because it had the best subtitle either. I really feel overwhelmed at times by how many things I am trying to keep going, and I have that unfortunate tendency to feel guilty when I let things slide. Things like keeping in touch with friends and family...cleaning the kitchen floor...smiling at my husband...general stuff like that. Everybody keeps telling me that things get easier once kids get older and more independent, but I have to wonder what it's going to be like to live in my own filth for another few years.

My heart's on fire for Elvira

I keep having dreams about two things: chasing Robert Pattinson through warehouses and helping the Obama family move to Ohio. Curious.

My mother-in-law has been bringing some CDs to the house so she and Lil J can listen to some music the days she watches him. It's stinking adorable to watch them dance, and Lil J just loves it. This morning, they were whirling around to the Statler Brothers. And that got me reminiscing about the music that was cool when I was a kid in the early 80's. Remember the Oak Ridge Boys? Crystal Gayle? I couldn't tell you a single song they sang, but I remember seeing them on tv a lot. My sisters and I used to watch a lot of Solid Gold. We thought that was such a cool show. Oh, and Dance Fever. Sigh. Such a simpler time. But, ironically, the hair and makeup were much more complex. Your feathered bangs and sparkly blue eyeshadow had to look just right.

Turducken

I got home from work yesterday and tried to watch Superman Returns on FX while I was playing with Lil J, and, really, I'm just glad I had something else to do because, wow, was that a boring movie. I'm going to send a note to that director and tell him that no superhero movie should include 2 hours of dramatic, panoramic shots of extras staring at the sky. There is no need for that many shots of people looking up. Reminded me of how one of my elementary school teachers once told me that turkeys are so stupid that they'll look up in a rainstorm and drown to death. Turkeys: stupid but delicious.

P.S. I love ginger ale and wish it was more readily available in grocery stores.

P.P.S. Now I'm wondering if a turkey would drink so much ginger ale that it would die. I'm just curious.

Don, can I have one of those buttons?

I'm finally back at work today. Feels weird to be here since we had such a long winter break this year. I thought for sure that Lil J would be sad to see me leave this morning, but the minute Grandma S. walked in the door, he wanted nothing to do with me. Hmph.

You know, I think it's almost time to get that kid's hair cut because everybody who's seen him out in public lately has called him "she." Even though almost everything we dress him in is either blue or has dump trucks all over it, people think he's a girl. But I'm pretty sure it's because of his hair. It's starting to curl up on the ends, and it's getting down past his ears. So it may be time. I don't really want to cut it because I'm so fascinated by a child of mine having curly hair (how did that happen??), but I don't want him to look like Kate Hudson's little boy either. Pardon my French, but little boys aren't supposed to look like Disney princesses.