Simple things are good. I've been up since forever already. I have to go be Bessie in a few minutes, but Roman, K's dog, is asleep on the bed next to me. It's nice to have another living thing to take care of.

I mean, not just a plant which we also have. But a mammal.

Man, I just read that Bob Clark (director of A Christmas Story) was killed by a drunk driver in an SUV who swerved into oncoming traffic. That's such an utterly stupid way to go.

ION Punxatawney Phil is a FUCKING liar!!! Mid 20s + 40 mph gusts in April = me not amused.

Also, bummed now because I forget to set the DVR to catch RAINES and I won't be home in time to rectify that.

I also love the walk/don't walk signals that have a countdown on them.

Those signals were all over the place in central Hangzhou and Shanghai. They would have been even more helpful had the traffic actually obeyed the traffic signals.

I mean, not just a plant which we also have.

Yeah, plants aren't so good at the whole interacting thing. I mean, I guess you could interact with a ficus (Sesame Street seemed to think so...if that was a ficus) and true, it wouldn't barf on your carpets, but...

Gorgeous, shrift! An excellent choice. Did you like the stylist?

Thanks! And yes. She was cute and wee, and was happy to make suggestions.

DAMN, Shrift. How the hell did you get hotter? You're like, Dean-hot now.

Well, I think Jensen Ackles is prettier than I am, and I'm woman enough to admit it. But the haircut took to a messy wave really well this morning, and dudes keep flirting with me. They really should put the flirt on hold until after I've had coffee and am capable of appreciating it.

A group of women at school gave us an orchid. I've never had an orchid before, but I've always thought of them as high maintenance plants. Is it wise to give two people who are incredibly distracted by Other Things a plant that is easy to kill?

Roman at least will force us to get home at reasonable hours and he's at least snuggly.

Is it wise to give two people who are incredibly distracted by Other Things a plant that is easy to kill?

Sometimes enthusiasm overtakes logic, which is why every group needs a Captain Sanity in their tugboat.

We don't have one of those in the LAista tugboat.

And the Chicagoistas don't have a cat herder. Maybe we need a Buffista exchange program.

I've never had an orchid before, but I've always thought of them as high maintenance plants. Is it wise to give two people who are incredibly distracted by Other Things a plant that is easy to kill?

Kat, I've heard that keeping them in a warm place with lots of indirect sunlight and using a tray of pebbles that you can pour water over to keep the air around the orchid humid is the best bet short of a hothouse.

The Wild Oats Market has them for $17, so I'm thinking of getting one myself and putting it on my round coffee table instead of the current candles and piles of assorted videotapes.