Oh man. So I just talked to Taylor. She's applied for a Henrietta Lacks scholarship (was nominated.) She didn't get it, BUT she read the 'rejection' letter to me and frankly, they practically fell all over themselves apologizing for it. They're setting her up with a couple of mentors, providing her with another summer job, enrolling her in workshops in communication, presentation, college applications, etc. And a college counselor. Provided her with a thorough critique of her application and interview, which emphasized that it was all really good, the competition was just stiff, but also gave her pointers. It was 5 pages long. Best scholarship rejection ever.

And then her dad and mom informed me I am one of Taylor's Moms, and Happy Mother's Day. There was a lot more.

God, this girl. Her parents are awesome advocates, but will be the first to tell you that they are hampered by their own lackings (understanding Charles is hard sometimes for me. It is part diction, part a brain injury, but he's a sharp guy and an awesome dad and her mom's precarious health means she's in and out of the hospital and was pretty absent due to that until 2008 or so) but frankly, they aren't lacking anything. They love their daughter. They will jump out on a limb to find people who can help her where they can't. I was one of the first outside family they did this with. Her dad took a crazy leap to ask the chick he saw reading on the balcony all the time (he thought I was a teacher or journalist(?) because my car had Gilman School stickers on it from the previous owner) to work with his daughter over the summer to learn her lines for theater camp. Crazy leap. And one I am so grateful for.

I always wondered if Ursula would resent me for all the mom-firsts I ended up having with her daughter, but I don't wonder any more. She thanked me for being a mom to Taylor. Guh.

I took Matilda to her school's annual fundraising Fun Fest, meaning to stop in for a short while before bringing her back so she and Hec could see the Aardman pirate movie, but the facepainting booth looked so overloaded and hapless that I ended up spending the entire day painting face after face after face, until the paint applicating wands disintegrated and I was reduced to fingerpainting monkeys and dragons on kids' faces because there was nothing left but black, olive green and fingertips.

I feel so utterly, thoroughly fried. But the universe just this minute instantaneously rewarded me for the exhausting good-deed-doing, in the form of a call from Polter-Cow, who just cornered Greg Rucka before his Writers With Drinks event. Greg remembers me! Fondly! And P-C delivered verbatim the snark I asked him to pass along, which caused him to bark with laughter. In short: P-C, and long-lost college friends: both awesomecakes with awesomesauce on top.

Thanks for the update, David. I hate to admit that I hadn't been watching the scores today. I'm just happy they are over .500.

Yeah for good deed being rewarded, JZ. Man, I miss you guys.

I am watching Thor, in preparation for my second Avengers viewing.

Thor pretty, especially shirtless, but it's really not very good, is it?

I enjoyed Thor so much! But I think I saw it on a really hot day, and I really like going to the movies.

sara, that's so great.

Welllll... the special effects are really pretty, and the acting is good on Anthony Hopkins' and Tom Hiddleston's parts. But it didn't really wow me as that well put-together a story.

JZ, the box arrived today! Thank you so very much. I'm waiting until tomorrow to open it (and oh and ah) with Grace.

Thor pretty, especially shirtless, but it's really not very good, is it?

Right? And it took me two weeks and 3 DVDs to actually see the whole damn thing. I still haven't seen Avengers because I was trying to see all the other movies first.

I thought Thor was the best B-movie it could be. I liked it without reservation. Now, Captain America, OTOH... shudder.

Now that I've seen the whole thing, the second half was a lot better than the first.

Also, Thor pretty.