{{{Shir}}}

Very mixed day. BBC thing went great - The Girl was amazing, as were the other wonderful women on the panel. Meeting at Derby Uni also very good, if mainly administrative. In between I heard that Leeds hasn't given me one of their PhD scholarships. Annoying as hell, as I have good enough grades. It was an oversubscribed year, but I'm still pissed off at them. But, hey ho. Derby is a possibility whether or not I get funding (because there are ways of making it happen, and they are committed to me, and much other stuff that Leeds can't offer). And I like it there. There's also still one more long-shot funding attempt at Leeds and an open competition for one of the research councils via Derby.

hopes that yours aren't due to your mother feeding you mostly crappy kibble the first seven years of your life

More like bacon hotpot. Euuuuugggghhh bacon hotpot.

Wondered why Seska was peeing into non-absorbent, non-odor-controlling plastic beads.

The Girl won't let me in the bathroom...

I just saw Jason Priestly at the mall. Brandon Walsh FTW! I bought baby the cutest outfit. Yes it was overpriced, but I couldn't resist!

Jacket: [link]

Pants: [link]

Also, I reserved an iPad! So excited! I'm considering it an early 40th b-day gift to myself. Woot!

And we've had good luck with the Drinkwell pet fountain for keeping the cats hydrated. They like to drink from the stream, which is adorable.

Anyway, he tries to make me feel guilty and impart his own opinions on how society should work and how my "need" to take care of my family is somehow detrimental to the country and I am the reason that the real etate bubble burst or somesuchshit.

He should call Glenn Beck and see if The Beckster will pony up for his mortgage.

IOW, what a stupid fucktard.

Glenn Beck ain't right. (and not in that "I Totally Disagree with You So I Fart In Your general Direction" way. I mean, like, really-really. Like one day he will come to the studio without pants on.

When Koogie had to wear one of those lampshade collars, we were afraid he'd drown himself, because he loves to drink out of running faucets, and he had no qualms about sticking his head--collar and all--into the stream of a faucet. Of course, we then realized he knew precisely what he was doing, because he'd get his drink then hurry towards us before shaking his head to dump the water that was still in the collar.

The only thing wrong with that video, Todd, was that nobody was on a horse.

They like to drink from the stream, which is adorable.

Teddy loved to drink from the faucet. Eventually, we had to leave one faucet dripping so he'd always have water available. Eventually caused problems because Rigatoni liked to nap in sinks.

cats can be not clinically dehydrated, and yet still not be properly hydrated enough to maintain optimum urinary tract health.

Not strident at all, Andi. You're perfectly right and I was oversimplifying. I apologize. That's a rough test for cats about whom little is known, and certainly only a very rough diagnostic.

Good news on the girl's panel, Seska. But she really should be more generous with you and the washroom.

I thought of you the other day when I was gathering movies for our European Road Trip project. I couldn't find any movies set in Moldova. Armenia, Georgia, Estonia, no problem, but no Moldova.

In my two years there, I heard of one tourist. Not met, heard of. And he was a genealogy tourist, so... doesn't really count.

Here is a music video by my favorite Moldovan band, Zdob si Zdub, that shows Moldova now and then (1960s during Communism). Buna Dimineata means "good morning," and the song is basically a recitation of all things Moldovan. [link]