his head [including eyebrows] had been shaved. He was a monk for a day, along with several male relatives, to help speed his grandmother's soul to heaven.

Oh, yes, on this -- my instinct would be to praise the hell out of how important his role was, and at the same time to offer him the most flowery and outrageous hat in the room. No idea if that's either psychologically or pedagogically right, but it seems to fit the child.

Put the second one in the freezer, Hil - maybe even slice it first. Fresh bread does not last very long, generally.

My child is a dork: [link]

A flexible one, mind. [link]

So damned cute!

Still in class. Want to go home and eat cake and open prezzies!

That child is impossibly cute.

In other depressing gender news, I'm watching a PBS report of doping of the East German women athletes. In a number of cases, the high levels of male hormones they were given permanently reshaped their bodies to look masculine, and they were never told why these strange things were happening to their bodies. Some were tormented for being "transvestites" when wearing dresses. Several of the athletes interviewed now had had a terrible time with their sexual identities, and one of the interviewees had had a sex change. They had severe physical problems from overstressing their bodies, plus when they were able to see their Stazi files, they found that they had injuries that weren't treated because treatment might have revealed the doping. It was so sad.

did I miss that it's your birthday?

if so... Happy Birthday, Glamcookie!

Thanks, Laga. Yes, it is my birthday :)

D'oh! Happy Birthday!

If my boss left a message on my cell phone asking where something is and I left it right where she told me it was yesterday I don't have to call her back, right?

Happy birthday Glamcookie