Baby bumpers are a good idea. Back in college, I hit my hand on the corner of a metal heating unit right in a spot that deadened the nerves in my index and big finger for quite a few minutes, and the feeling came back along with stabbing prickling pain for a few minutes more. Freaked me out enough that I skipped my favorite class for a visit to the clinic. The doctor passed it off as just a bad bump in a bad spot, and the hand was fine (except for the dandy bruise) by later that day, but I still watch out for sharp metal corners to this day.

but I still watch out for sharp metal corners to this day

You are wise. I, apparently, still haven't internalized this behavior.

Do any Chicagoistas know where you could buy a geode around here?

shrift, you could try American Science & Surplus. [link]

The store is at Milwaukee & Foster-ish. Be sure to call before you go. They have a BUNCH of stuff and it always changes.

You could also try the Planetarium shop or one of the museum shops.

Or a geological museum. Or gift shop. I have portions of geodes and fossils (though those are native.) I wish I could recall the Chicago museum my dad adores ( he grew up in Rockford, and should anyone see the moon model at the science museum there, my dad and his friend Eric made that when they were teenagers.) They are certain to have a shop where you could acquire such.

The bruises from my fall last week are only now appearing. Smashed the hell out of my left kneecap, apparently. It hurt, initially, but fivish-days later bruises are really whacky.

My bed is currently cornered in tin foil, due to Devi getting a new clawing habit. Sure maintenance think I have some weird alien fetish thing. Erg.

I was quizzing people at my workplace today to see if they knew the phrase "Do not fold, spindle or mutilate", and it seems that in my small sample, those of us 33 and up do, and 33 and under do not. Although not everyone 33 and up knows what spindle actually is.

My freshman year of college our classes were assigned via punchcards with the aforementioned motto. We had to wait in long lines and then hand in our cards. I don't know why we couldn't just submit them and leave.

All of you vinegar cleaning people seem quixotic to me. When agribusiness, marketing dictated packaging and petrochemicals destroy the planet, I expect your floors will still smell like salad dressing.

I've put a big, fluffy sock on the corner of the frame. I need baby bumpers or something. Or, perhaps, to be more careful, but that doesn't seem to be my way.

This is my advice to the Pregnant!JZ on a daily basis: "Move slowly and deliberately like a drunkard."

This is my advice to the Pregnant!JZ on a daily basis: "Move slowly and deliberately like a drunkard."

Wait for your second kid. "Drunkard II - Drunk 'arder".

Hey bt - did you see the link to the Flying Cephalopods of Environmental Apocalypse?

Hey bt - did you see the link to the Flying Cephalopods of Environmental Apocalypse?

I did. I don't know what point they were making, but whatever it is I approve of it.

For fuck's sake, can we please talk about Deadwood in the cocksucking Movies or Buffyverse folders or at least somewhere where I don't have to pick through the hundreds or thousands of posts that build up between visits here like fucking Wu's pigs searching for tender meat amongst the goddamn bones of the unfortunate? Or at least where I wouldn't feel as prone to censoring myself, lest I forever find myself on msbelle's potty-mouth list?

That said, Deadwood: Absolutely, Dan and Languishe were correct: the point of the letter was the stance of law and community against that abomination Hearst (and wasn't his tear the evidence that even he is aware of his own inhumanity but refuses to admit it?). Let me be clear here: in Milch's moral universe, Hearst is the libertarian free-marketer, the Ayn Rand fanatic, the opportunistic Cheneys of the world, and that absolute refusal to care about others is evil, which Milch sees as dangerous, sad, and pathetic. The opposite end of this spectrum is occupied by Doc Cochran, easily the most compassionate man on the show (Ellsworth gives him a run for his money sometimes), and Al's awesome speech to him was not out of unconcern, but was instead a brutal message of friendship and solidarity designed to push through the Doc's apparent determination /(borne of his defeatist mentality) to suffer and die alone. Hell, I'm nearly moved to tears and I haven't even mentioned Joanie and Jane, let alone the myriad other blossoms of love from this episode. My immediate reaction was concern because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, but somehow I had missed all the shoes falling about my head. My favorite is Blazanov: I've been waiting for Al to realize that he is the focus of communication between Hearst and his men for some time, but Blazanov, because of the pogram that drove him to this country, took the fucking initiative out of concern for the community. That gesture was almost as lovely and touching as Bullock's fine letter. End post.