And then Tom would have cried and cried and cried.

My Uncle Tommy was the best and the first Tom in my life. It gives all the subsequent Tom's an advantage with me.

I was supposed to have been named Velvet. No, really. Small favors, huh?

Neither of our kids ever complained about their names. If they had, I'd just have shared the info that they avoided being named Volodimyr by this much.

Hey Plei, do you have any interest in the Web Computing Specialist position that's posted on the UW site for the Preparedness Center? If you do, I know the person doing the hiring at the center, and I'd be more than happy to demand that he give you an interview.

Hey Plei, do you have any interest in the Web Computing Specialist position that's posted on the UW site for the Preparedness Center? If you do, I know the person doing the hiring at the center, and I'd be more than happy to demand that he give you an interview.

I'm technically still working for another three weeks with my current contract, but I'll check the UW site and see.

My Uncle Tommy was the best and the first Tom in my life

thinks about an "Uncle Tom" comment.

The other things I could have been named were Vanessa, Phoebe, Chloe, and Starr. My dad was the Vanessa/Starr proponent, while my mother liked Phoebe and Chloe. I failed her expectations for a daughter miserably anyway; if I'd been named Phoebe or Chloe it would've been that much worse.

Ironically, my father's second wife has a daughter my age named Starr (middle name, but called that in the family).

We really liked Dominic and Gabriel as names for Mallory, and now I can't remember why we didn't go with one of those. Christian was also high up on the list, but dropped because we aren't...and Robert was afraid it would get shortened to Chris. (He's a bit sensitive since people will spasmodically call him Bob or even Bert.)

But the world needs more Berts!

Christian was also high up on the list, but dropped because we aren't...and Robert was afraid it would get shortened to Chris.

My middle name (Jacqueline) is middle and not first because my mom had nickname issues.

I have my doctor's appointment for my back this morning.

So far, I have:

• woken up before my alarm totally awake and rested
• gone in to make coffee and realized that I am not in pain
• decided this is like taking your car to the mechanic when it is making a funky noise and having the noise stop a mile from the shop.

However, just felt a twinge in the same spot so I can't claim the miracle cure just yet.

I'm also going to note (literally, I grabbed a pad of paper to note stuff down on cause my memory is unreliable when faced with date-like questions) that total bed/couch rest for a four-day weekend and then a three-day weekend did not lead to this and that yesterday afternoon was bad and had spasms.

Have a lovely Saturday, Bitches. Off to shower now.

And the not hurting for the first half hour today? We like, we like a lot!

You're smart to make notes, Cass. I hope the pain-free returns/continues, but also, that your doctor can give you more help. You've been suffering so.

This is my seventh day straight of waking up in pain, and being happy once it got down to a dull roar after being away for six hours. I so want to join you, in the land of pain-free-for-a-half-hour.

My poor in-pain bitches. I want to make it all go away. Cass, I hope your doctor's appointment goes well. Cindy, I hope you start feeling better. I swear! Enough already!

I'm doing some catch-up work this morning, and kind of enjoying it. I was going to go out to my parents' today to do laundry, but I have a few people who want to get together possibly today, and I'm waiting to hear from them. So, probably won't go out to mom and dad's, but get work done here instead.

I want my Emily to get up, though, 'cause I'm going to make cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Mmmmmm...cinnamon rolls. Me wants them NOW!