And, tommy, it's also the way the brain learns too. For example, fluent readers don't note each letter of each word. Rather the brain chunks bits and instantly interprets that set of letters as given word. If the word that the brain perceives isn't sense-making, then the eyes go back and recheck. Of course all of this happens near instantaneously.

So cool!

And if you get used to not understanding a damned thing on signs for a period of time, your brain begins to assume you can't understand a damned thing. So you return to the land of the familiar and can't figure out what on earth a sign for s-p-a or ma-t-t-r-e-s-s could possibly referring to. (It took about a week to unlearn that. And it was really bizarre.)

I thanked the heavens that my pitcher of ice coffee was not empty. It is dangerously low, so after the ice cream finishes, I think I will brew up another pot to get in the fridge.

I have conquered the other half of the living room with the vacuum.

I just ate curried naan. It was ...interesting.

Ice cream is done and yum, but I might add some peach slices to it, the peach in it now is all puree and I think I want more.

So time to get the coffee on. I am ignoring mac's room and instead got a craigslist listing up and will email pictures of some furniture I selling to the vintage store I bought it from, fingers crossed they will want it back even with the wear.

I had a really great view of the fireworks last night from my friend's place, but the cloud cover meant that all of the smoke just hung around, so there were times we could only see like 1.5 of the 3 sets of fireworks that should have been visible. And I continue to be unimpressed by most of her roommates and friends, so eh. But still! Fireworks!

I stayed at her place, so this morning we had diner breakfast, then I went to Trader Joe's and now I am home. Odds I do anything before Damn Yankees tonight? Slim to none.

Also, I like to look at Pioneer Woman recipes and dream of having a lifestyle where I could use multiple sticks of butter in every meal and have it be OK. Then I make popcorn.

NYCistas up for cheesed out musicfest - turn on PLJ, they are doing some countdown thing. So far I have heard Journey, Paula Abdul, Def Lepard - currently Jack & Diane.

Ya'll I am totally getting treated. This "1 hour at the park" thing is totally more like over 2 hours.

OK- I fail at wrapping gifts. In the past hour I have a) realized I had no wrapping paper, b) ironed some tissue paper with the iron, c) ruined my iron because I did not realize there was glitter on the tissue, d) tried to spray paint a paper bag , e) almost asphyxiated myself, f) cried g) realized I have only one chjoice of outfit to wear that does not need to be iron h) cannot find my gold scarf that I usually wear with it and i) no been ready when someone was ready to pick me up. I am also hungry and hangry.

Sophia, will they have wine at the party?