I wonder if this little factiod has made the cut for Al Gore's slideshow:

According to TreeHugger and The Star, global warning is causing mo' and mo' kittens. Humane Societies in the Toronto are reporting that due to milder climates, more cats are outside earlier in the winter. And those cats are gittin' it on.

Cats and cats, "sleeping" together!

I don't know why I forgot about GSN for so long -- I love game shows! I wish more filmed in NYC.

So I filed my federal and one state return. Will have to jump through hoops on Monday to see if I can e-file the other state return, but it'll probably have to be paper. And then there are city taxes I need to fill out, because apparently they actually owe me money this time.

Augh. I need beer. A LOT of beer.

x-posted with Bitches -- a bunch of Israel pictures. Not complete yet, but a bunch of good ones. [link]

my mother found two ducks mating in front of our house earlier this week. So much for my address being cursed.

Love the pictures, Hil. I didn't realize you were so close to Lebanon.

The pics make me think about when I went to Israel when I was about 11. I was actually in Jerusalem when Sadat was visiting, I think his first visit there. It was right around Hannukah, and although we were staying in a youth hostel, we stopped by the King David Hotel, where they were having a party for anyone who came. They had a wonderful acoustic guitar player and free orange juice and doughnuts. It was so crowded, but everyone was in a good mood so it was ok.

As you can tell, I loved it there, but haven't been back. When I was in college, I looked into it, but it was almost $2k for airfare alone, and I didn't have anywhere near that kind of money. Now, I live far enough from family that most of my non-work trips are to visit them.

Wow. I really didn't mean to make this post all about me.

sneezes and stopped up. hates it.

Just finished 2.5 staright hours of work. That is easily 5 hours today. sucktastic. end result - two emails. 1) you missed x,y, and Z when you said this was completed. 2) the following things are still wrong even though this project is scheduled to move to next part tomorrow. wanna delay?

now for me bed.

Just got back from a huuuuuge dinner at a tapas restaurant in Evanston, which was fun (nine of us in the group) and oh so yummy! And then, just as they were thinking about what to have for dessert, Tami (the organizer and birthday girl) mentioned a chocolate bar around the corner, so we paid for dinner and headed over there. Five of the group got little chocolate truffles, etc., but the other four of us split a fondue. I never realized how good graham crackers dipped in chocolate is! The marshmallows, pound cake, and bananas were also good, but the graham crackers were addicting. And now I am so stuffed.

Oh, and Tami being the Tami she is, she told the server that we were celebrating both her and my birthdays and do we get any free chocolate for that? He gave us a choice of chocolate coins or peppermint bark (she took the first, I got the second), but when he brought them out to us, it wasn't just the little truffle-sized nugget I was expecting, but an entire package of them! Another one of the group had bought a bunch of chocolate to take back to work with her, and after the server left, she told us that the packages were worth about $10 each!

Definitely had a blast, and not only did I enjoy the company and the food, but I made a very valuable library contact--one of the group whom I've met at several of Tami's parties in the past is a librarian, which I didn't know for some reason. I asked where he worked, and he said he was the geneological librarian at the Newberry Library downtown, which is my dream library to work at!! I chatted with him about my library experience (as he said, just about everything except for medical) and asked what classes I should take in my MLS program (if I get accepted--knock on wood!), and also that he shouldn't be surprised if he gets a phone call from me in three years, looking for a job at the Newberry. He gave me his card, which I am making damn sure I hang onto!

OMG. Tomorrow is going to kill me. Apparently it's best if you don't show pain. They'll know we're in pain, but tough it out.

Uh, okay, as long as no one touches my elbow.

Gotta go have another purloined Celebrex and ice my elbow again.

Just got back from a Chamber of Commerce dinner where my dad was presented with a Lifetime Citzenship Award, and after party. Fun being on the town with my folks, and Dad gave a swell speech. Very cool.

Rotten piece of luck hurting your elbow, ita. Good luck tomorrow. I really hope you don't hate krav at the end of the day.

Mmmm, want chocolate. Too full to actually eat chocolate. Bed, instead.