Thanks, Tom and Laura! I don't know if I'll do great or not. I don't feel sufficiently steeped in the jargon to be sure that I'll necessarily remember the five CELDT levels (Beginner, Early Intermediate, Intermediate, Early Advanced, Advanced), or the three goals for ELD instruction (something[language development], content instruction, and self-esteem), or the many SDAIE strategies (graphic organizers, cooperative learning, er, realia, er, something?), or blah-de-fucking-blah. I'm all in favor of the whole thing, I just feel lost when someone asks me for two key components of a balanced, comprehensive reading program. Um... books? And, er, people to read them? Apparently that's not really specific enough.

meara, not only did I do the same thing when going to Vegas (fortunately, the flight's short enough that I still got there in enough time -- I did wonder why Lee wanted to get the the airport three hours early!), but on returning from London I misremembered the DATE of departure. I was worried I was going to have to stay in England until I got the money to fly home -- sort of a Charlie on the MTA thing, only with more tea and homelessness.

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Crunchy test cereal:

I really love this list of things NOT TO BRING TO THE TEST SITE: cell phone, food, books, electronic devices/media (including, I assume, iPods), packages or totes of any kind (like backpacks, briefcases, etc).

I'll be there for at least five hours, with a break in between tests. Puh-lease.

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Pete, I can play Saturday evening, so hopefully we can make that happen.

I'll give you a call Saturday evening if it turns out I have time to play. It'll probably be gone 8pm, maybe later.

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So, um. Hi.

I was coming out of semi-retirement to send Laura and B and their friends all my good wishes, and now I see good news for Bob! I'm so glad. Stoopit no-bedside-manner-having cardiologist!

Actually, having worked with cardio docs before, I can say that a high percentage of them are prima donas with few social skills, nor the ability to see need for such skills. Some are sweethearts, real human beings, but the percentage of ass-scrubcaps is high.

Felicitations to everyone whose birthdays I've missed. A year of good work, good fun, and good friends to each of you.

Yay, Chi-Kat! And congratulations! Those kids are going to be so lucky to have you for a teacher.

ND and Kristin, I know. You know I know. Strength and courage and never-lose-your-humor to both of you.

I know I missed fanTABulous pictures, but you should know you're ALL gorgeous all the time to me.

So, what'd I miss?

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A moron, or an evil genius. You be the judge.

Well, I WAS saying as how Portland is the most fabulous city ever and I realy really want to move here...

But still.

There was, however, a semi-useless but adorable waiter who really needed to be part of shrift's harem. (Whaddya mean, shrift doesn't have a harem? She SHOULD!). He completely messed up our orders, but whatev'. (And he took the messed up part off the check entirely, so yay).

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Hi dear Beverly! My doctor friends tell me that this cardio guy has the mad skills if no common sense. They have both now let him know they have a personal interest in Bob in hopes that he will think a bit before he opens his mouth.

I've clearly lost my mind. My guilt over working a zillion hours and being gone and being an absentee parent resulted in my letting Bobby have 2 friends over tonight and Brendon has 1 friend over. So I have 5 younger boys and one over tired and stressed DH. And I just want quiet and to go to sleep. Such a bad plan.

I've told them that if they are quiet I won't know they are awake. Ugh. Time for earplugs.

All~da~right~answers~ma headed out to you Emily.

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BEVERLY!

I got damn near nothing to report, other than that Matilda is cutting her third tooth, continues to refuse to sleep the night through, and has added prunes to her roster of preferred food items. Also, Emmett is still doting.

I must also shamefacedly report that today I managed to mail neither a long-promised package for Jess and Fone Bone and Dylan, nor a small present that's been patiently waiting to be sent to Tep since two months before her previous birthday.

You've been much missed. I'm feeling weirdly blue about how long it's been since I've seen anyone but localistas (and not even enough of the localistas lately, though that'll be remedied somewhat tomorrow). I think of you whenever I walk past a really gorgeous Victorian I haven't seen before, and I think, "Hey, I need to remember where this is so I can drive Bev past it the next... oh. Damn."

eta: And all the ~ma I can muster to you for the tests, Emily. I was always better at taking tests than doing any actual work, so apparently my test~ma is unusually potent. And now you've got all of it headed your way.

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How about race car driver?

Oh! Cute kidlet Jane!

ION, I'm a complete dumbass sometimes. I have cough varient asthma and as such, can sometimes have coughing fits for no apparent reason. Last night, I was hacking up a lung and was hacking up pink stuff. I freaked thinking I was coughing up blood. Then I remembered I had just eaten a red velvet cupcake.

meara read this to me earlier as I was pretending that I had vacuumed before her impromptu slumber party and I laughed again on reskim.

So I'm spending the night with Cass

A moron, or an evil genius. You be the judge.

I don't know. I don't care. I gots me a meara! Which at the moment is Two Chicks on the Couch with Laptops. And the theory of watching a movie if we'd just stop showing each other clips on YouTube and flickr pictures. So maybe movie.

There was, however, a semi-useless but adorable waiter who really needed to be part of shrift's harem. (Whaddya mean, shrift doesn't have a harem? She SHOULD!).

I am boxing him up to send to shrift, I think. She'd like him and make him do teh sex with other cute boys. And I think he'd be happy with the arrangement too.

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Tons of test-ma, Emily.

Beverly! Good to see your font.

Sounds like a lucky mistake, meara.

JZ and Hec, sorry to hear about the teething woes. I hope Matilda is sleeping peacefuly tonight and that you both are too.

I have the evil insomnia and a splitting headache.

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I hope Matilda is sleeping peacefuly tonight and that you both are too.

Phew, me too. I only got three hours of sleep last night so I'm wiped.

The only thing tolerable about being up from 4:30 to 6am with Matilda last night was that she wasn't whiny or fussy. Just very alert and active. Of course, she'd been whiny and fussy from 2 to 4:30am.

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