Then maybe an MP3 player?

My wallet and I are taking it under advisement. My father has decided against one because he doesn't have the patience to put all his music on it, and I don't know if my brother already has one or not.

What about various guide books for wherever it is they're heading to, Emily?

Pretty sure they've already got this covered, but thank you!

Emily, you must be in midterms now, right?

Essentially. The first of 4 9-week portions, anyway.

Very pretty tattoo, SA!

Stay safe, LAistas. I hope the fires are out soon.

OMG THE GRONK! At least everyone in Red Sox Nation is also gronklified so we're all on equal footing. Except for people who went to bed before the rookies blew that game wide open! Game till midnight and then I couldn't calm down and get to sleep for like another hour.

Wrod. I slept in, so I can't complain too much about the gronk, but we stayed up after the game to enjoy some of the post game craziness, then I couldn't sleep. TCG must be exhausted at work. I told him he better sleep well tonight and tomorrow night, because all the games are starting at 8.

Y'all should just fly out here and be locals for the duration of the World Series! Yes, I like this plan.

Seconded.

I just sent a thank you e-mail to my old boss. She was the one who encouraged me to return to school. Now I feel like a dork.

A dork who went back to school, and is about to graduate. That's my kind of dork.

That's not dorky, Suzi, that's sweet and awesome.

Emily, phone cards good for international use? A bunch of postcards pre addressed to you and other people with stamps, ready to be written on and sent? Stationery or blank journals or directions on how to make a podcast?

What Brenda said. Also? That's the best kind of thank-you note there is. No sense of obligation or quid pro quo, just pure "you made a difference for me". I'd be really touched. And, in fact, am right now, but that could just be the insomnia doing the wacky on my mood.

Although, I did try to set our house on fire yesterday.

"Set the house on fire" for "not set the house of fire". There is no try grasshopper...

t grabs Laura real quick-like and snogs her madly

Suzi, that's awesome. I am always really touched when someone tells me I made a difference in their lives (not that it happens a lot). I know that she appreciated it.

The real dorky part - I had wanted to send her flowers. I just don't have the cash.

Zenkitty, I have been thinking about you and your family. I just didn't get around to the actual typing part. It's so hard.

Suzi, I'd love to get that e-mail from someone.

Washing your hair while keeping one arm dry and fretting about the amount of water you're using? Not fun.