susan, bad things come in 3's, no? If so, ithink you are good to go now.

Emily, not mad at all. Especially with all the blushy attention it has gotten me.

ION seems my car doesn't want to go on the little road trip to visit my uncle for the weekend. It was flashing the master warning light & only running on battery. So i am at the dealership. So any spare car~ma would be great.

She probably can't grasp the concept of your work yet, Susan, but I know how frustrating that can be. (Says the woman whose laptop still lacks a "q" key).

I know how angry you are (believe me). But any lecturing will probably result in a power struggle, with A resenting the laptop. We usually try to reinforce the rules with gentle reminders during conversations with the kids. For example, "We're always really gentle with the laptop because it can break," etc. when the kids are receptive to it.

That and we make extra sure to set it in a place where it won't be in the way or attract childish attention (our place is on one of the end tables or on the kitchen counter).

I'm glad it can be fixed.

I'd also like it noted for the record that I'm currently hiding from my kids while watching Becoming Jane on the laptop. They're downstairs playing with DH because they were driving me batshit crazy this morning.

OK, I hope I didn't give the idea that I'm so angry that I'm yelling at AB or anything like that. I just talked to her, gently, once, about how Mommy and Daddy need to each have our own computer so Daddy can build websites and Mommy can write her book, and that it's going to be hard for us to get by with just one. And then I dropped the subject.

I'm currently hiding from my kids while watching Becoming Jane on the laptop.

Oh, I loved that movie. I need to see it again.

I probably would have yelled a little, Susan.

OK, A LOT.

She'll probably be open to reminders, though, and I wouldn't miss an opportunity.

James McEvoy is adorable in a velvet morning coat.

James McEvoy is adorable in a velvet morning coat.

SO.

My SIL and I went and saw it last summer, and we just adored it.

I think

James McEvoy is adorable in n

is true for all values of n

so I'm sitting in the dealership waiting wearing a shirt that my uncle made for me, feeling a bit un-PC. It says:

I'd rather buy clean Japanese technology than dirty Arabic oil!

I probably wouldn't have worn it except the fact I was heading up to visit him.

Awkward.

I would've yelled if I'd been the parent on the spot when it happened.

Also, if I hadn't already been desensitized to all my possessions breaking by the car and heater things. Sigh.