I know I haven't been out of work long, but it's weird suddenly having a normal schedule again. And skipping around time zones and crossing the United States a couple of times probably didn't help.

I, guess, a, comma, would, have, helped. Oh, well.

I can try Amy. I don't have character names down too well yet - I missed the first 10 minutes when I'm sure they were all wearing name tags.

Yay for a good first day, shrift!

I ... trying to think of names now, and have forgotten them already. The principal and his wife have the daughter *and* the adopted son? *And* he's now got a kid from some other chick, too?

I can't help wondering where Donna Martin would have fit into this.

Yay for 1st day! Really, it is wonderful to see you in a much much more deserving situation, shrift.

It appears the Palin kids were told about all this after they arrived in Ohio on Friday.

So McCain was never going to get my vote no matter who he chose for VP. All's fair in politics, etc. Palin couldn't be further removed from my political positions. One thing that still bugs me a whole bunch, as a mother. I would never subject my teenage children to the public scrutiny that Palin has inflicted upon her daughter. All the political portrayal of this as a good supportive mother makes me ill.

Ugh. At least my news is more obsessed with Hanna, Ike, and Josephine. Time to buy a new umbrella.

Oh, crap. An old friend of the family just died. Heart-attack, at 57. Leaves a high-school senior daughter and a seven-year-old daughter behind, with his wife, who is a teacher.

He was an old-school progressive: a labor organizer and an activist all his life, marched in every anti-war protest, and for years every summer he organized a whitewater tubing trip in Yolo County for up to twenty people.

I last saw him by complete chance, about three years ago, where he was meeting with a union member in the coffee-shop in my building.

Damn. What a loss. He was one of the Good People.

The principal and his wife have the daughter *and* the adopted son? *And* he's now got a kid from some other chick, too?

Yeah. And am I nuts for thinking Naomi (I think that is her name) keeps reminding me of Elizabeth Berkley (and wasn't her stripper character names Naomi?)

And it took me more than half way through to do the DUH - "Silver" is Kelly's little sis from the original show .

I'm sorry, Consuela. What a loss for his young family.

And am I nuts for thinking Naomi (I think that is her name) keeps reminding me of Elizabeth Berkley

I kept thinking that, too.

Do we know who the father of Kelly's son is?

I'm sorry about your friend, Consuela.

If we do, Hil, I missed it.