Good news on your mom, Calli!

That sucks about the bus. One of the things I love love love about Chicago is the public transit. Better than anywhere I've ever lived.

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Great news, P-C!

The Raleigh (NC) News and Observer has on its main Web page a map showing the lowest gas prices in the area. Last week, the lows were around $2.40. Today, $2.50. Nearer to home, I paid $2.80 about 1/2 mile from home on Monday.

There's a new bus stop practically at our front door. May have to check it out.

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Mal is already taller than the side of the Pack-n-Play when he stands up. Which also means he touches both sides of the crib when he lays laterally. Which means he can engage in his new favorite pasttime of kicking the rattly crib side over and over. At 3:00 am.

Heh. Babies are so cool, especially when I'm not the mommy.

edited out note to Raq because clearly I'm coffee deprived.

Oh Plei, that first year with the baby, and with the salary loss or reduction is a bitch and a half. We were living on our extended credit, and it wasn't pretty. It somehow adjusted for us soon after a year. I hope it gets easier for you, even before you return to work.

Speaking totally out of turn, if there's no where to go in the car that isn't a horrible gas expense, and even though there's no place to walk to--take Lily for walks, everyday the weather permits, a couple of times a day, if you can.

I love having you online more, but it's good for you to get out of the house, even if it's only to walk around the block a couple of different times a day. It's good for Lily, too. For some reason, being outside, even having their tushies in a stroller, makes them nice and sleepy.

I think walking the dingy streets of South Medford saved my life, during Ben's first year and a half. I knew every crack in the sidewalk, and each weed growing there in. There was precious little to look at, except blocks of two family houses, cars and little shops, but it is very, very, very, very good to get out of the house.

Though I never developed a deep and abiding love for The Smiths/Morrissey or The Cure. Music shouldn't make me want to slit my wrists.

I had a tawdry ear fling with The Smiths, post-college, when I was dating my drummer and for a while, after we broke up. Somehow, the depression was cheering for me. I think it must have worked along the lines of hair-of-the-dog-that-bit-me.

I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour, but heaven knows I'm miserable, now.

Oh, Susan's going to kill me.

We'll send Sean Bean over to distract her, only to save your life, mind.

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Just as vw paid herself with an iPod for school attendance, I can pay myself for doing things that I don't particularly want to but should.

What a wonderful idea, libkitty! I’m glad I could inspire. For those who are wondering, I’m going to try the tactic again this semester. I’m either going to buy myself a new CD every other week or save up for a massage at the end of the semester. We’ll see what I actually decide to do.

Yay PC! Sounds like you did fabulously on your phone interview!

Calli, that’s wonderful news about your mom!

Raq, insent in a bit.

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I had a tawdry ear fling with The Smiths, post-college, when I was dating my drummer and for a while, after we broke up.

One of my roommates was a big fan of The Queen Is Dead when it came out. I rather liked it but wasn't overwhelmed.

Then came Morrissey's latest solo album. The song "First of the Gang to Die" grabbed me and hasn't let go yet.

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That sucks about the bus. One of the things I love love love about Chicago is the public transit. Better than anywhere I've ever lived.

Yeah, transit is good here. I have my choice of two completely different train lines to take to work.

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The song "First of the Gang to Die" grabbed me and hasn't let go yet.

You and Greek radio both. Between that and "somebody told me/that you had a boyfriend/who looked like a girlfriend/that I had in February of last year" in heavy rotation for the last year, there's not much time for anything else.

I just got back from a walk with Mal, as the temp is cooler today. There are several bulldozers working one street over, and he was fascinated. He also really got a kick out of watching the guy shave the Urn o' Meat at the souvlaki stand.

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Yeah, transit it fabulous here. I have no excuse (but laziness) to not use it. I barely drive...pretty much just to my parents' place or Target (which I can get to in 10 minutes if I drive, but more like 45 if I take the bus). I spent $60 on gas to get to the retreat this weekend and back home. *That* was not a budgeted expense!

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Poptarts:

Question for the Hivemind: Next Tuesday and Wednesday there is a job fair on campus. I figured I'd head over and check it out, take a bunch of resumes with me, etc. Should I write a general "To whom it may concern" cover letter with my strengths and whatnot to attatch to the resume? Has anyone ever done anything like this? What should I wear? Thoughts?

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I spent $60 on gas to get to the retreat this weekend and back home. *That* was not a budgeted expense!

Gah. The gas increases were an unexpected benefit to our moving, as Tom's commute would have added lots of money to the monthly budget. Now we have higher fixed expenses, but much lower gasoline expediture.

We are also relieved that we can both get to work by train, very easily, if the shit hits the fan (i.e., even Tom's every-other-week fill up becomes too prohibitive). We are trying to develop a backup grocery plan, but that hopefully won't be an issue. Probably involve Tom shopping every day at the Stop & Shop across from where he works, no more than a backpack's full o' stuff.

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