Did I mention that I'm off work today because of my office's extra-special vacation day that NO ONE else in the world, probably, takes as a vacation day? Oh, yes -- it's that time of year again: the National Day of Prayer.

Technically, I should be offended at such a thing, but I can't bring myself to dispute a free day off with pay. I just wish it were a Friday or a Monday.

And the gnome discount!

They're already half-off . . .

billytea, my twin sister suggested Tobey Haines-Smythe this moring but that might sound too English.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE GREEN DAY TONIGHT!!! I'm so stoked to be getting a babysitter and going out to see some live music! Also, I have much Billy Joe Armstrong love.

They're already half-off . . .

Ahahahaha!

My Mom has a gnome obsession. She has (I think) 3 or 4 in the backyard (which is very large, but still -- that's a freaking gnome colony!), and one inside on a shelf, because it's more art than lawn ornament -- it was made by a sculptor or some such, and he even signed it, and it was expensive and therefore Mom doesn't want to leave it in the yard where the dog could knock it over and break it.

The woman is flaky.

She also has gargoyles. Small yard ones, not, like, Ghostbusters-sized ones. But still. She has about 3 or 4 of those, too.

Yeah, I never had a chance of turning out normal. No chance in hell.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE GREEN DAY TONIGHT!!!

Cool. I listened to Brain Stew while driving to work today.

Tep, I second that emotion.(Not about you...I, uh, relate.) My mother has become fascinated by Practical Homicide which is not a surprise...that shit is her fault. She keeps reading it and telling me "How can you look at those pictures?" Research. What's her excuse?

Cashmere, I am so jealous of you. I read a review of their Halloween show here in D.C. and wished so hard I'd gotten tickets. They rock.

(Plus, guys in eyeliner are pretty.)

vw, it sounds like you had a nice time last night, and you are a great friend. Good luck in the garden center.

Erin, your school is run by a bunch of fuckhead nitwits.

And yay for schmoopy Nora and DOOMED jen. Oh, and happy birthday to Zach!

She also has gargoyles. Small yard ones, not, like, Ghostbusters-sized ones. But still. She has about 3 or 4 of those, too.

Gargoyles are cool, though. Gnomes - nsm, imo.

Gargoyles are cool, though. Gnomes - nsm, imo.

Unless the Gargoyles are armed with spears and the Gnomes armed with swords and the two sides are fighting....

Serial:

I am being SUCH A GOOD GIRL.

Here is the background: When I went to the doctor on Tuesday, she said she thought the irregular periods thing was because of my weight. To me, that's about the clearest sign I could get that I need to go on a diet. It's like a yellow light -- my body has been good to me these last 26.5 years, and now it's signaling to me that it's not happy at the size it's at. Ignore that, and I could end up diabetic, or with heart problems; at the very least, I'll have a much harder time getting pregnant when I want to. So I'm heeding the yellow light and doing my best to lose weight now. (I haven't started a specific program yet, though I will probably rejoin Weight Watchers fairly soon. Right now, I'm just trying to eat as healthfully as I can stand.)

Which brings me to the "good girl" part. I work for a food-industry magazine, and, once in a blue moon, we get samples that are actually edible. Today, those samples are a gallon of Breyer's Vanilla and a bunch of Hershey's fudge sauce for sundaes. Mmmmm.

I? Put it on the lunchroom table and turned my back. Even though i'm hungry and all I packed was a Lean Cuisine I'm not sure I'll like and a banana.

I hope this willpower outlasts the ice cream.