Hi, all! I, umm, had to do some skipping and skimming, so all kinds of ~ma to those that needs it. {{{{{Bitches}}}}}}

I have been well and truly swamped. End of quarter which means grades and switching classes. Prepping for new 6th grade classes Monday. New 7th and 8th grade classes on the following Monday.

And, our fall show opens in 2 weeks. Next week is dress rehearsals. We are not ready. They know the songs and choreography, but we've only got 1/2 of Act 1 blocked. And, some of the kids are reading their lines like they've never ever seen them before. Yipes.

I just keep telling myself what a friend told me last year: They're middle school. If all they do is stand on the stage and fart, their parents would still love every second of it.

Note to Not!Helpdesk -- You cannot close a ticket until the problem has been resolved.

ugh. This happens to me too often. We used to call them Helpless Desk.

If all they do is stand on the stage and fart, their parents would still love every second of it.

now that's theatre!

She traveled for a bit to the east coast (she was living in California at the time) and after being there for a few days, she noticed her sense of smell came back. So she now makes it a point to spend some time outside of California during the really bad allergy season so she can taste food again (!)

Steph, maybe you need to vacation and go some place different so your head can clear up?

Hey, a *medically necessary* vacation! It just might work....

I'm hoping to buy a new coat today, too! My beloved decade-old motorcycle jacket which I bought in a tiny discount leather store on Bleeker St. finally died. Looking for a jacket with a zip-out lining to wear on our bike trip up the coast this weekend. It's going to be in the 90s down here and the 60s up there, so there is actually a reason beyond lurve to buy one.

Happy birthday, d!

SHOE POST! Actually more like BOOT POST!

• Cute but pricey black ankle boot: >[link]
• Cute black wedge boot: >[link]
• Way too pricey, but how sugar are these black wedge boots??? >[link]
• I'm feeling the patent leather: >[link]
• Seriously think I need one of these pair of awesome red patent leather boots. But which ones (right now I think the pricey ones - 2nd link)?

I like those low-heeled boots, Glam. Very nice.

That coat is killing me. I'm in no position to be spending money, but it's lovely and I need a long not-warm coat--my other long coats are leather and Russian army-order wool. Nothing you can sport in most SoCal daytime environments, if you have a lack of a deathwish.

But it's so lovely!

eta, on reading back some: Shir, peace to you and the family of your friend. Askye, go you! Is this the 2nd life guy?

Oh, thank goodness- I was worried when GC mentioned shoes. Because after the day I had (nearly got absolutely creamed by a stupid driver in a Large U-Haul and that was the good part of my day), temptation would be strong for some retail therapy.

However, not a fan of ankle boots, wedges, or patent, so while all the shoes are absolutely fab, they're not so fab I feel compelled to go tapping out the credit card digits.

I am also giggling wildly because I got an email sale alert from Babeland Briefs that read:

Joe Six-Pack, Meet the REAL Maverick

Always there to lend a hand Works for every man Body-friendly elastomer material Bucks the status quo And women love him too! Find out why >> Plus, the Maverick sleeve is just Twenty Bucks!

Why this makes me giggle so, I'm not sure, but I'm not about to question too closely.

I can never work out what to wear ankle boots with, so I'm safe from their lure.

I pretty much live in ankle boots in the winter. I wear them with jeans and sweaters and such.

Happy Birthday, d!

Vortex, that coat RAWKS!

Pix, please share your good news!

ChiKat, grading ~ma to you and Break-a-leg to your students. First quarter in this county ends next week and exams are next Thursday and Friday.

If all they do is stand on the stage and fart, their parents would still love every second of it.

This is what we say about one of the other high schools in this county. I could be doing Shakespeare with Julie Taymor as a guest director and costume designer, Ming Cho Lee designing the set and lighting and Patrick Stewart guest staring and we would get a 'press release' in the paper with half the information wrong. Lecanto could have a farting contest and it would be front page with full color photos.

Can I have a "medically necessary vacation"?