In college there was the occasional cover charge for a party, but I don't think I've run into it since. I associate rent parties with Langston Hughes because he made them seem so fun.

ita, Old Navy had fairy wings on sale for 1/2 off. It's like they were thinking of you.

Back. No Fitzmas plays, though they did have a "Top 5 Less Embarassing Nicknames than Scooter" countdown to start the clock. Two Rosa Parks plays, though.

Also, one of my favorite ensemble members has returned after a several year hiatus. I was pleasantly surprised.

Nothing particularly Halloweeny tonight. I'm not sure if the website needs to be updated or they only do Halloween shows on Halloween.

The Neo-Futurists? TMLMTBGB? I am whimpering with envy.

That would be them, JZ. My friends and I used to go once every month or so, but lately it's only been a couple times a year. It's still a lot of fun, but the hour drive home at 1am is getting more burdensome as the years pass.

t pedant

From way back....

Only individuals who are entitled to a state funeral ( by law, presidents, former presidents, presidents-elect, or anyone designated for one by the current president) can be said to "lie in state" in the Capitol Rotunda. All others who are accorded the honor "lie in repose."

The services for Rosa Parks have not been designated a state funeral.

t /pedant

It's one of those pieces of trivia that has stuck with me from when I worked on the Hill.

Oh, happy birthday aurelia!

I thought I typed it, but it turns out I just thought it.

Gah. Can't sleep. Woke up to Ruby puking on the kitchen throw rug. Poor sick kitty.

Is it very late or very early over there, Allyson?

Also, poor sick kitty. They do know how to be dramatic with the vomiting, don't they?

I'm not sure. It's in the middle between late and early. It's 3AM.

She was dramatic, yes. Then she drank a lot of water, rolled on the floor and showed me her belly, and then hung out on the window sill.

Me? I'm thinking about whether I should lie down and hope sleep comes, or give in to fate and start dusting or some other quiet chore that won't wake the neighbors. Hate. This.

Hate. This.

Oh blergh. I've suffered from insomnia for exactly one week in my entire life, and I still fear it. And feel for the more regular sufferers. Have you tried the old standbys? Hot milk? Quiet music? Trying to read economic theory textbooks? One of those will usually work for me.

I vote go lie down. And turn off any clocks in your bedroom.

My Big!Big!Boss throws house concerts, in which they basically host a concert at their house and charge admission. It seems sensible, assuming they have a big enough house, because they pay real musicians a decent fee but overall admission is less because there's no venue charge. I think the only people who profit are the musicians.

I would not be comfortable paying a cover charge for a private party unless there was an explanation about charity involved. Especially if I was already a little uncomfortable because I had to find a costume.

We used to call the living room rug the Vomit Magnet, because in an apartment full of gleaming, yet easily cleaned wooden and tile floors, the cats would inevitably choose to go get sick on it. In fact, once in a while you would see a cat rushing towards it, cheeks bulging....

Well, yeah.

Otherwise the vomit splashes.