Your dad and sister are coming out? That's really cool. I'm afraid I was a wuss at my dad's black belt test for tae kwon do. Pretty much only saw the palm of my hands or my knees. Watching a 15 year old kick my 50-something dad's ass was too much without making distracting gasping sounds.

ita, that's so sweet.

sara, I love the way you talk about B'more.

I finally watched that Bob Woodruff special, and... holy crap. It's kind of shocking how many of these brain injuries there are. That's just not what you think of when you think of "wounded in combat." I bet he's really able to do a lot of good, reporting on it, because he's so clear that he was just really really lucky, coming back the way he was able to.

ita, I never thought like it seemed Fran loved Calvin, so the whole thing did seem a little weird to me. I was just surprised to be surprised by a Lifetime movie. And I was surprised, from the moment Calvin showed up at the parents' house in Toronto, and how good he was while she was having her identity crisis (or post-partum, or whatever it was).

But I really thought Colin was going to get the girl. And when he made the comment about being glad their literary affair had come to an end and then whatever he said next, he sort of made my knees weak for a moment. Ahem.

I thought that one little line that turned off Fran, was a dumb reason for a turn-off, too. They should have made him more wrong for her. I don't know too many people who are going to be over eager to take on a single parent and someone else's baby, when they've only had one date months before the child was born.

I harangued them all. My father had no problem with the idea--he's just watching their health. My mother begged off because of work, and that might be for the best, because she is the immediate family member most likely to throw down and try and beat the shit out of people attacking me.

My sister cited principles and cowardliness, but the lure was too strong.

I hope they don't expect me to entertain them, or anything.

Cindy, I'm right there with you.

I do like this city. It's a fascinating mis of humanity. I don't know if it is Home home, but it is an interesting place.

And regarding Woodruff, exactly. The Walter Reed issues coming to light NOW sadly only underscore the need to actually cover the whole non-terminal casualties of war thing. As of a year or so ago, I recall reports on how the Pentagon "didn't track" that or made it pretty damned fuzzy, and that is just INSANE. The improvements in medicine and armor mean that hey, more survive. But there's a big cost to that. (Not that dying is necessarily preferable, depending on where you sit on that scale, but it is a major change from past wars.)

ita, I somehow love the idea of your mom going to town on kravvers. And I'm really glad for those who will be there. It's big. It's important. And you've got family that gets that.

Spoke with sister who's bought her ticket to visit for the test, as has my father.

So Ima meet them, then.

Kristin, a friend of mine from high school is teaching fourth graders. She sends weekly reports of the work the children are supposed to complete for that week. The kids that turn in all their assignments get to have a party at the end of the month. She sent a note home with one of her students who was not turning in assignments that he wouldn't get to go to the party if he didn't turn in the rest of his assignments. When this happened, the father called her and berated her, including swearing at her up and down about how she was being unfair to his child.

My poor friend had to call another staffer in to be witness to his verbal abuse. They then had to have a meeting with the principal. And then the SUPERINTENDENT. Now my friend has to email this asshole DAILY with the assignments for his son.

WTF?

The worst part of this story is that the asshole father is living with my sister's fiance's ex, who has custody of my future BiL's son.

Me too, of course, Sarameg. Our city is so much richer, but you know, as an artist in Phoenix, it's like...oh, when are you going to L.A.? Cause it's that or write about NASCAR for the hooples. We have three hundred sunny days a year and a 97% cable penetration rate. Somehow, these stats are connected, but I'm not sure why. But it's a Shiny, Happy, Wasteland at least.(See why I just fit like a damn glove?! Outdoors, heavy sports, and moi...contradiction much?) Oh, and we had 214 murders this past year, so it's not even like "Well, it's boring, but it's safe." (Well, compared to *y'all* but, see, we have the border with Mexico to engage our...uh, independent pharmaceutical contractors... our gain is Douglas' loss. I'm sure you feel me on that.)

I just turned on Survivor for the first time in years, and what is with these people's names? Dreams, Rocky, Boo? I feel like I'm watching I Love New York.

Ha! I haven't watched tonight's, but this season has been boring enough that I'm considering giving up.