Thanks, everybody, for the support and encouragement. Kristin, your post was extra-nice, what with the vast experience and all, but you've all been a major help for me today. This is such a supportive community. I can't express how much I love it, even when I disappear for weeks at a time.

I'm a bit drunk now, which is pleasant. And really, the day didn't go so badly, despite its beginning. The cheating classes retook their quizzes with minimal complaints - most of the major complainers were the ones that clearly didn't cheat, which I understand since I might have complained a bit were I them - and the class that took the quiz last week had a nice lesson of cutting out percentages from newspapers and discussing real-world applications. Went decently. The day was destined to feel crappy, else it might have been fine. Still, I earned my 3 beers and 2 gin and juices and 1.5 shots of jack daniels, and I'm glad I've had them. I will sleep well, now, and wake up fairly bright and fresh for a day of Saturday School (did I mention that I've been working some Saturdays for 3 hours, plus two afternoons a week from 4-6, outside of normal school time? I get paid extra for it, but still...) Then I'll see a musical (Grey Gardens yay!) and celebrate the history teacher's birthday by dancing and drinking, so tomorrow should be good if guilt-inducingly unproductive (in terms of grading and preparation for second semester).

I would prefer to organize my apartment. It could use it. Especially my bedroom, which is a disaster. I can barely walk in there. But that's okay. Who needs clean/unwrinkled clothes? Not me.

I turn 40 in ten weeks. Crap.

Don't fret, Tom. I turn 40 in about 7 weeks. I'll lose before you do.

I turn in 9 weeks. Or 11. It's just too late to count and I clearly didn't have Gris as a math teacher. I have no thoughts of a book of mine being published, although my mom just had her first book published, and she's 3.5 weeks from 77.

Speaking of Gris, I'm so glad your day was better than expected.

Steven Colbert explains the AT&T deal

I'm glad things didn't go as badly as you though they might, Gris.

Best wishes for Matilda's baptism.

I called my older nephew a little while ago to wish him a happy birthday. He's 11 today, which just seems so unreal. He was just opening the gift I sent him as I called, which was a happy coincidence. He loved the gift and we talked for a while. Then I remembered it was also a friend's birthday today. We haven't talked in a while, but I finally tracked down her number. I really have to make time to get together with her soon. I haven't been very good at keeping up the meatspace friendships the last few years.

Hi everyone.

I had a date tonight, someone I met on nerve.com.

It went fine until he told me that he sometimes likes to wear his Spock ears when he goes out to dinner.

I. Give. Up.

Does he have a different set of elf ears?

I think my reaction--which was to laugh enthusiastically until I realized he was serious--precluded any revelations of other ears.

Ohhh, I'm all done in. Up at 7 to drive Emmett to school, back to Deb's place to pick up some laundry I'd done and left in her dryer (she'd taken it all out and folded it -- I almost cried), off to TJ's to pick up more brunch supplies for tomorrow, wrestled with the DMV, crossed the Bay Bridge again, went to my dad's house to drop off the brunch supplies, picked Emmett up, jaunted from Albany out to SFO to pick up David's sister (who is sweet and smart and funny and doesn't look much like him, but does have their mother's eyes). I'm now blind with the sleepy.

I would so very, very much hang out all the damn time (that Matilda permitted) at juliana and Daisy Jane's bar, it's not even funny. And snarf up all of vw's Chex mix.

That's an excellent poem, Jess. Donne is just marvelous, all dreamy and intense and erotic. Except for being (I think) taller, totally a proto-Prince.

Also -- though in no way related to the Donne observation -- has the sproglet got a known gender yet? I have all sorts of Buffista baby clothes that Matilda is starting to grow out of, some girly and some genderless, and it's being set aside for Jess and Katsprog.

Also -- though in no way related to the Donne observation -- has the sproglet got a known gender yet? I have all sorts of Buffista baby clothes that Matilda is starting to grow out of, some girly and some genderless, and it's being set aside for Jess and Katsprog.

Aw, you're so sweet!

We were supposed to find out yesterday, but my appointment got pushed back to next Thursday, so no baby spoilers yet.

I. Give. Up.

Ima go embrace my cats.