I'm sorry about Senor Sock, Tommy. I hope that you are able to take a day today.

{{CV and CVsister}} God.

Thanks, ita, I was just going to do that.

Sorry to herd. Just wanted to make sure nothing gets lost.

I've heard of that book you mention--probably in a krav context now that I think about it. It was recommended.

Rape kits just shouldn't be left in the hands of people who can't be decent to a rape victim. That's just pain on top of pain.

Also, they gave me a little clay pad with his pawprints on it. I'm baking it right now (to make it solid).

When our cat died, the vet clinic had this as an option but having paid $250 for cremation, we passed on the paw pad imprint. A few weeks later, the receptionist from the clinic called us - she had arranged for a print to be taken at her own cost. Now THAT made me cry. *sniff*

I still can't believe the friend of my aunt's who off-handedly mentioned that her dog had been killed that morning -- in a tone that suggested it was the equivalent of a lightbulb burning out.

My father did something similar -- two days into a family get-together a couple years ago, my brother asked after the dogs, and got, "Oh, they're fine. [pause] Well, Robert died last week." Mind you, I think he just didn't want to make us sad, and he doesn't like getting sympathy, but it was bizarre. (I adore my family beyond the telling of it, but it does have... quirks.)

Also, and unrelatedly, HELP! I need lesson ideas! Today I have jury duty, then I have to go to school and sort out what to tell the sub to do with the kids tomorrow AND with the books which need to be (somehow -- I'm really struggling with the physical HOW here) returned to the book room, then go over to my brother's so I can borrow his car to go give a demo lesson tomorrow. And somewhere in there (well, I am assuming there'll be lots of sitting-around time today) I have to figure out this demo lesson thing, even though after fretting about this for a couple of hours last night I got nothing!

Main problem, of course, is that I have zero confidence right now. Come up with an engaging, varied, challenging yet accessible lesson for precalc students? When I've spent the last couple months concentrating mainly on how to find a 20% discount and also please god would you sit down and if you have to throw things, please try to avoid the scissors?

Okay. Enough bitching. Off to dress and go.

My mother remembers her mother receiving a phone call from her elderly great-aunt Inez, probably in the mid-1960s. Any contact other than the ritual weekly, very short check-in phone call was unusual - Inez was from a generation before the telephone was for chatting. My grandmother said, "Is everything all right?" and Inez replied, "Well, Ava [her sister] is fine, but Bert [her brother], he's dead."

Need I note they were Yankees?

Emily, take a look here for ideas: [link]

Emily - if you need a test subject, K-Bug is precalc...you could call her tonight (after 3pm today, actually) if that would be helpful. Zap my e-mail if you need my cell. Seriously.

Today is corset day at ita's desk. Also, she is blonde again.

Corset and petticoat and puff sleeves and collar with ruffles that ties at the neck.

I like clothes.

Other than that--work? Why, again?

I think we need pictures, ita.

I haven't gone to work yet.

Kind of wondering if I really will.