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.

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.

I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I've been in similar situations and had similar constraints placed on me, and that's at the high school level. Craxy-making. Thank goodness 95% of the parents I deal with are so awesome. (Like Buffistas parents! Send me your children!)

I so killed Natter.

t hangs head in shame

Does it help if I tell you all that I talked the parent off the ledge, and now she's all sweet and wanting to work together to help her daughter? I'm so friggin' stoked that I went around the house loudly proclaiming myself the Parent Whisperer.

Does it help if I tell you all that I talked the parent off the ledge, and now she's all sweet and wanting to work together to help her daughter? I'm so friggin' stoked that I went around the house loudly proclaiming myself the Parent Whisperer.

PARENT WHISPERER BABY!! Oh, the irony.

I'm here, Kristin. I'm just posting from my phone, so long, inspired posts with appropriate quotations are a little too much to ask right now.

Billytea! Sean! t tacklehugs

BT, how are wedding plans going? I heard something about a honeymoon hotel issue...?

Sean, how is S. doing? And how are you? No more fever?

BT, how are wedding plans going? I heard something about a honeymoon hotel issue...?

Going well, it sounds like everything's in hand. Only seven days until I fly out! There are indeed some honeymoon hotel issues, which seem to be largely convincing people that we would rather a great holiday than a great bargain. But we'll see how it goes.

I'm so excited for you! There will be LOTS of pictures, right?

Nice work, Parent Whisperer. You should have your own show.

I had things to say about the day's Natter, but all I can remember is - I do not like the bread you eat with Ethiopian food, so that kind of ruins the whole thing for me, plus I bit into the hottest pepper on the planet when I was eating Ethiopian the first time, and I still have flashbacks. Matt's description of the bread, though, as a grey sponge, is perfect. Also, I think I've typed this paragraph or one very similar to it on this very board before. At least once, maybe more.

Also, I totally had to look up no homo. I am so un with it anymore. Oh, well.

Oh, and Kathy A - fantastic.

And Allyson's review, also fantastic.