Oh, does that sound familiar! When I drove out to see my mom and my brother and his family this summer, Mom was all apologetic that she was still recovering from walking pneumonia and couldn't go out and do things with me, and I was all, "No problem!!" I actually got several books read that week--sheer bliss.

If only my family would let me read.

Well, luckily these days I stay at my sister's house, and she is totally down with the "hang out, be on the laptop or reading a book, and watch Law and Order" plan. My brother-in-law finds this a little odd, as he'll look in at the two of us doing this from time to time, silently side by side on the couch, and be like "you people!" But really--the only other thing I might do is bake, but I don't feel comfortable doing so in their kitchen! I don't have my recipes/ingredients/utensils around me!

I haven't read that article, but soldiers aren't allowed to have sex while deployed. Generally, but I assume specifically in this case.

I've seen this on a couple of blogs, and active soldiers deployed in Iraq have all chimed in with this very point - they're not supposed to be having sex in the first place, so the no-preggers rule is just a SERIOUSLY, WE MEAN IT, NO SEX addendum. It's not as out of the blue as the media is making it seem.

The major issue with it (again, that I've seen raised by currently deployed female soldiers) is that it's not going hand-in-hand with stricter penalties for rape, which is a far more prevalent problem than female soldiers getting deliberately knocked up in order to get out of active duty.

I nterrupting to say :

I want my cat's health to improve.

Oh, meara, I feel your pain! With those specific locations! You could also go to the Eiteljoerg! Or go to Monument Circle and look at the lights! (Although Dave & I love Indy's children's museum and have dragged many people there. It has a giant liquid clock.)

Or, you know, you could have a vacation. Sheesh, parentals.

My folks totally do this. Last time we took the architectural tour of Columbus, IN. We were dubious, although it did in fact turn out to be interesting.

I just was way more intent on lying around on my parents' couch and reading their back issues of Mother Earth magazine and Readers' Digest and filling in erroneous answers in my dad's latest Sudoku book.

I think the parents worry that we'll be bored hanging out with them. But really, not so much.

{{{beth}}} and {{{beth's cat}}}

A friend who is in town (i.e., closer to me than California - where she lives) phoned tonight to say that she may not be doing anything she planned because they were on their way to the hospital with her little boy who pulled a cup full of hot water for tea onto himself and is badly burned. - - ~ ma for him please.

~ma for Sumi's friend's little boy.

~ma also for beth's cat.

I am strangely soothed by playing in my brain a constant loop of Paul Gross as Geoffrey Tennant uttering a magnificent "FUCK" as he stalks out of the theater.

I really need to see him in something other than Due South. My brain just broke trying to imagine Benny cussing.

I really need to see him in something other than Due South.

Slings and Arrows. You'll love it. I guarantee this.

I have a date for the company holiday party! A friend-date, but at least I won't be going alone this time. I didn't realize you could bring non-significant—but not insignificant—others, so my co-workers convinced me to ask a friend. I don't even know what it's like to go to a...Thing with someone. This will be a new experience. (Or maybe it will be like the time I brought a friend to a company happy hour thing after our free movie fell through.)