Dammit, I tried to fill out the "did you feel it?" questionnaire and it won't take my final submission. I am so not doing it again in another browser.

That's really not good.

Thanks for the link, ita. My ninja-fast shakemap finding skills have suffered since leaving SoCal, clearly.

But I've got to have a car to get Emmett back and forth. This is forcing our hand to look at pulling Matilda out of preschool and having me stay home with her to save the money. ($1,100/month)

But then I can't really job hunt because there's no place to put Matilda if I do get a job. She'd lose her spot at the preschool quickly (two year waitlist).

Hec, have you looked at ModestNeeds.org? They're kind of built for people who are getting by until one unexpected expense screws everything. (So car repairs turn up on the applications fairly regularly.)

So, I appreciate Lil Wayne blogging from jail to (among other things) support someone in going for her MLIS, but I REALLY enjoyed Gawker's comparison of other folks who have written from jail/prison: [link]

Hec, have you looked at ModestNeeds.org?

I have not! But now I will - thank you.

So sorry about the river of suck, Hec. Glad you found a comfrtable place to stay and regroup.

So sorry about the river of suck, Hec. Glad you found a comfrtable place to stay and regroup.

I'll think about it tomorrow. t /Scarlett

I went to the posh bar, with all the good looking bartenders downstairs and asked for a Rye Manhattan.

"Rye? Is that a brand?"

Seriously, they had never heard of Rye. I offered them musical mnemonics: "Them good ol' boys was drinkin' whisky and rye / singin' this'll be the day that I die..."

So I schooled them a bit on cocktails.

"If any assholes come down here from San Francisco, you're going to know how to make a Negroni and an Aviation..."

This hotel was a $22 million dollar investment and it's the fanciest thing in Bakersfield in any direction for about 100 miles. And all of the staff here are very good looking kids in their twenties, with chic hairstyles and they're all single parents.

The handsome guy who was just 32, divorced with three kids. (He does home loans and when that market collapsed and he got divorced he had to double up. Works 5 days a week full time, and five nights at the bar.) The gorgeous gal with the Karen O. bangs and the big blue eyes with the 4 y.o. that she stays home with during the day. The barista who's into scooters, and wants to do the Scooter rally up to SF, just divorced with a 2 y.o. and a single dad.

It's just interesting seeing how the economic collapse affects folks, plus all those busted marriages and single parents. I mean, these are sharp looking, smart, motivated kids stuck here in Bakersfield.

msbelle, the Texas house looks wonderful, and those salvaged tiles are gorgeous!

Hec, good luck with the Car O' Doom.

Hec, good luck with the Car O' Doom.

Well the Manhattans were good even without the Rye.

Plus, baseball season starts tonight.

Ugh. Tomorrow looms ill.

Yes, those tiles are to die for!