Hil, you must watch the show! I just mainlined it the other week on DVD, and I just adore the hell out of it.

It's on DVD already? I'm on spring break next week. Once I get home, must check the video store in town to see if they've got it.

(My mother has informed me that, when I'm at home, I'm not allowed to go to the mall after dark. Because apparently Garden State Plaza now has a "rough crowd." I reminded her that I'm frequently out after dark in DC, which I'm sure has a rougher crowd than the mall in Bergen County. She said that yes, she knows that, but she was at the mall last week and got scared. I rolled my eyes. A lot. I also asked her what this rough crowd was doing, and she couldn't name anything specific, it was just their "attitude." Um, they're teenagers in suburbia. Hanging around malls and having attitude is kind of their purpose.)

they're teenagers in suburbia. Hanging around malls and having attitude is kind of their purpose

oh not me, man. I hung out by the riverwalk.

Eeeeeuuuggh. On Lewis Black's show, someone is showing off torture instruments used during the Inquisition. I so did not need to see that.

Ew?

Why the hell can't I fall asleep? I never have this problem unless there's something big and exciting happening in the morning. And there's not. But even though I got up early, didn't nap, had no caffeine late at night, and was so tired I thought about going to bed before Make Me a Supermodel...and yet, no sleep. WTF, brain/body?

I was watching Good Eats. Then Throwdown with Bobby Flay came on, and I didn't bother to change the channel, so I learned all about how to make fish and chips. Now, Wolfgang Puck is on, and listening to this accent is making me miss my grandfather. Though I can't remember Opa ever talking about how to steam bok choy.

(My grandfather used to say that he liked to listen to Henry Kissinger give speeches, because he was the only polititian who didn't speak with an accent.)

I should get to sleep, too. I don't have anything I need to do tomorrow before 12:30, but I need to clean my apartment and pack my suitcase before leaving for spring break, so I ought to do some of that in the morning.

Yeah, my sleep habits have been crazy lately. Kind of been operating on awake for eight hours, asleep for six hours, repeat, with occaisional bouts of either awake or asleep for twenty hours. No clue what's up, but I thought all my new medications were supposed to fix this. (Though it could help if I tried a bit harder to observe a schedule and stick to the plan of no lights after dinner and no TV after midnight.)

Yeah, I saw you posted, Hil, and I was like "goodness, woman, that's WAY too late for the east coast! It's almost time for the morning crew!"

I made dinner for people last night. I made healthy dinner. Spinach salad with pear and almonds, and dressing I made. And quinoa with black beans, stoplight peppers (red/yellow/green), onion, avocado, and feta. It was delicious, and I felt good about eating it.

If I have all this time, why am I not eating healthy like that every day? I'm ridiculous.

Spinach salad with pear and almonds, and dressing I made. And quinoa with black beans, stoplight peppers (red/yellow/green), onion, avocado, and feta. It was delicious, and I felt good about eating it.

Oooh, that sounds yum.

I'm watching a video on the Times website about a music teacher in the Bronx who's from Ireland and is teaching the kids Irish dance. A few of these kids are really good, at least to my knows-nothing-about-Irish-dance eye. [link] Though in most of the close-ups of their feet, I want to tell half these kids to tie their shoes before they trip over the laces and break their legs. (I was kind of amused by the article, where several of the mothers of these mostly Hispanic kids were saying things like, "I tried for years to get him to learn Salsa, and he refused. Now, he'll practice Irish dance for hours a day?" Stuff from Somewhere Else is just about always more exciting than stuff from wherever you're from.)

Anyone here worked as an independent contractor?

I have - communications/PR/web industry, tho. I agree with Vortex... nothing is better than a good accountant. AND some really good organizing software as well. You should track travel expenses (mileage separate), supplies, equipment, subscriptions - anything related to your job that you pay for.* Even if you're reimbursed for something. And payments by client, if you have multiple clients.

• accountant still won't let me deduct shoes or office clothes. RUDE. Nurses and private care staff can deduct scrubs, though.