I'll content myself with a hack-cough-sniffle. My four-year-old grand-niece is damned cute, but undoubtedly a vessel of unfamiliar germs.

My four-year-old grand-niece is damned cute, but undoubtedly a vessel of unfamiliar germs.

Adorable little petrie dishes.

Also, two new tires. I only do two at a time because they are so damn expensive ($260 for two tires, peeps!) I'm used to the little, cheapy tires all my other cars had. Talk about sticker shock.

me too. and they seem to wear out a hell of a lot faster than the old ones. I like the idea of Pirelli tires, but I'm getting some Michelin or something next go-round.

Juliana, will you call me on Thursday night and ask me if I have the tickets in my purse?

Brakes? Oh yeah, thank doG I have the hybrid. The brakes on those tend to last easily 100,000 miles.

Go with the Michelins, vortex. They give you a quieter ride too.

Ahh, smoking. It's the bad boy to which I keep going back, what with the spell he puts on me. I started in high school -- 17ish -- with whatever I could get my hands on, which usually meant Winstons or my grandmother's Benson & Hedges 100's Menthol. Then in college I switched to Camel Lights. The Djarum clove cigarettes came out when I clubbed. Something junior year made me switch to Marlboro Lights, and I've been smoking them ever since. When in Canada, it's duMaurier and in Italy/France, it's Muratti.

I actually quit after graduation, but the stress (and alcohol) of law school got me hooked again. I was up to a pack and a half a day. Now it's a pack every 3 days. It helps that I don't smoke in the house. My mother used to smoke Virginia Slims but quit cold turkey in 1979. My father's one of those rare birds that can smoke a cigarette with friends who smoke, and never get hooked. My sister smokes (Marlboro Lights), and that comes from working in the restaurant/bar industry.

One of these days, I'm going to quit, but today is not the day. I'm not mentally ready yet.

How did we I (it's just me, right?) miss this? It's ChiKat's birthday!

Feliciations to you, Dearheart, on the Anniversary of Your Natal Day! With the schedule you're working these days there probably isn't time for cake and frivols, but at least get a cupcake, stick a candle in it, make a wish and blow it out. We'll all add our ~ma to your wish.

And later on, when there's time to breathe, let there be cake, and fun, and many, many happy returns of the day!

It's ChiKat's birthday? I missed it, too, Bev!

Happy, happy birthday, ChiKat! Here's to cake and a lot of happy in the coming year.

One of these days, I'm going to quit, but today is not the day. I'm not mentally ready yet.

Maria is me.

Also, Maria!!! Good to see you here, gorgeous!

Um, no, Bev. It's me too. In fact I missed a bunch of birthdays.

So.....

Happiest of birthdays to ChiKat, and happiest of belated ones to Hil, Jessica, brenda, and everyone else I missed.

~ma to those that need it.

(Christ, can I overgeneralise any more? I didn't think so.) Bad Maria, no biscuit.

edit: AmyLiz!

D'oh! Happy Birthday, ChiKat! Don't work too late!