Holy crap. We have to take our R&R next month, and wanted to stay in Europe (shorter plane flight with baby), but the declining dollar is wreaking havoc on our plans. I hadn't realized how bad it had gotten.

It's 20 minutes until billytea's birthday starts in Greece.

I'm holding off on the billytea wishes until late my time tomorrow to stretch out the celebration.

Where did the phrase "Bitch, PLEASE" get started?

The locution itself is very old among Black Americans. Though mostly I heard "Child, PLEASE!" growing up.

If you mean what's popularized it recently, I'd guess the Chapelle show, but I'm just guessing.

Reason to love the A's today - They put their prettiest rookies in drag

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Arlington, Texas -- The pressures of the pennant race were forgotten for a while Sunday when the A's did their annual rookie hazing, dressing the team's rookies in outlandish costumes.

The highlights included closer Huston Street dressed as a scantily clad schoolgirl, Keiichi Yabu in a geisha outfit (both of those included wigs), and pals Nick Swisher and Joe Blanton as electrical socket (Blanton) and plug (Swisher).

"Oh, yeah, they're definitely a circuit,'' said starter Barry Zito, who has been in charge of procuring costumes for four years, ever since making a splash in a wedding dress as a rookie in 2000.

Of Street, Zito said, "He looks good in skimpy clothes.''

"Huston, you're hot!'' said first baseman Dan Johnson, dressed as a bottle of mustard.

Zito and cohort Dan Haren were going to give Yabu a break, figuring that 11 years of Japanese baseball exempted him, but Yabu was a good sport and didn't want any special privileges.

"He wanted to be part of it; isn't that cool?'' Zito said.

"It's a good event,'' Yabu said with a laugh. "I'm not the only one, so it's not too intimidating.''

Huston Street (not in drag)

In Ichiro's first season with the M's the players decided that he was a rookie and decided he had to wear the costume no matter what. They gave him a Hooters waitress outfit. He proudly wore it on the team plane home.

The Hooter's outfit is now on exhibit at the Ichiro Museum in Japan. I kid thee not.

I'm still waiting for Ple or Shrift to come in and slash the socket and plug.

Why can things never be just a little bit easy?

Why can things never be just a little bit easy?

::peels Jars a grape::

::peels Jars a grape::

If I tell you that upon seeing this I burst into tears you won't think less of me right? Yeah, just one of those days.

::grabs grape and hugs it::

::gives Jars a footrub::