Crap! I just got reminded that it's a friend's birthday party tomorrow. The theme is 30's gangsters. I have little money and no fancy clothes. Suggestions, anyone?

Bueller?

I got the book Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus for my friend's kid ("my nephew") and my friend read it to her son's class and apparently all the kids were laughing and laughing. It kind of fascinates me what kind of things makes 5 year olds laugh.

t Skipping (yeah, even the not-many posts from yesterday)

So, according to the Buffista Calendar, today is Java Cat's birthday. I haven't seen posts from her in quite some time, but I hope the well wishes find her somehow.

Nice(r) less-Monday-ish Mondays to all, too!

Congrats, SA!

Happy Birthday, Java!

Don't Let The Pigeon Ride The Bus is hilarious. Possibly I have the sense of humor of a five year old?

SA, that sounds incredibly exciting. What a great deal, having a work visa and everything.

I am super relieved right now. I sent my references off the job I want, and she replied saying she had already gotten good feedback from my old boss -- the one who fired me. I mean, "laid off." Of course I would never give him as a reference, but I got the feeling she might call anyway, from our conversation. I'm thinking I should send him a thank-you email, yeah?

Ugh, that's an etiquette problem that I wouldn't be sure how to handle.

I'm awake more or less, since I seem to be on the You'll Be Awake Anyway diet right now. Long, long day ahead....

dcp, while I'm sorry you had mechanical difficulties (way upthread), I'm really impressed by your ability to suss them out and (temporarily though it was) fix them. Wow.

I'm thinking I should send him a thank-you email, yeah?

I might. But yeah, this is something of an etiquette challenge. It could be he was feeling guilty and gave he good feedback to assuge some of that. In which case, he's already gotten what he came for.

Thanks. Now that it has all turned out (fairly) well, I'm finding it funnier and funnier. I took the car in to the mechanic early this morning. Finding a replacement part could be the trickiest part of the whole event, and I'm leaving that to the professionals. I'm just hoping the local (60 miles away) Saturn dealer can supply the part overnight and get me up and driving by tomorrow afternoon--and that it doesn't cost much. Otherwise I'll be down to scrounging in the junkyards or, worst case, having a new rod-end custom machined.

Lesson learned: add zip-ties, duct tape, baling wire, and possibly chewing gum to the emergency kit in the trunk.

I just got reminded that it's a friend's birthday party tomorrow. The theme is 30's gangsters. I have little money and no fancy clothes. Suggestions, anyone?

Men's clothing will be easier to improvise, so I'd recommend cross-dressing. If you can borrow a pinstripe suit that would be ideal, but any kind of suit will do. The important thing is a hat -- a fedora or a pageboy. If you can't borrow one, hit a thrift store. A colorful tie is also good, and cheap cigar makes a good prop.

The nice thing is that if everything's ill-fitting and worn, that's okay because, hey, there's a Depression going on.

Maybe bring a violin case?