What I came here to post is that I am sad that June Thomas is no longer on Slate's Culture Gabfest. She was my favorite (I guess she was just a sub for someone, but I just started listening because of her!)

I know!!! I had completely forgotten she wasn't a regular until she left, and now I'm sad.

A vague departure date is nobody's friend.

I have orientation today, which means I go to the other corporate site and it's a shorter day (sort of, I have already done a little work from home and I'm sure I'll do more this evening, but my in-the-office time is shorter) so I'm having a leisurely morning.

Royal baby watch! Though not a birth-and-post.

June was definitely my favorite, too. Not only do I like what she has to say, I could listen to her voice all day. Especially when Warby Parker was the sponsor. Oh, speaking of which, I got to explain shipping to a friend this weekend, talking about the Bert and Ernie New Yorker cover.

This pitch for a new line of journals is cracking me up:

These beautiful journals were designed by Angee Robertson. Growing up with divorced parents and moving quite often, Angie's journal was the one constant she had in her life. It was her confidant and her best friend. In 2006, she became really frustrated at the lack of options available in journals for women. She thought to herself: “Why aren't there any pretty journals that are also functional, laying flat when opened so I can actually write in them?” So she set out on what would be a four-year journey to develop a way to provide journals for women that were not only functional, but beautiful as well.

I don't know what part amuses me more, the "four-year journey" to create these journals, the emphasis on journals for women (Why do only men get to have functional journals? SEXISM!!), or the idea that the world needs another fucking line of journals in the first place.

And I have a seat by myself (so far) in the quiet car! Amtrak WIN.

Women are oppressed! Not enough journals.

So I went with my sister yesterday to pick up the new dog--she's adopting another St. Bernard. This one is a 3-year-old male, a conformation champion, whose owner needs an ankle replaced and just doesn't have the time/energy to keep such big dogs anymore.

So we met him, and he's pretty sweet and biddable. But he's three years old and doesn't know how to sit on command! And I don't think he even recognizes his name!

My sister is flabbergasted: she didn't expect to have to do such remedial training with him.

And he has been rechristened as Ringo, since he's so good natured and maybe kinda dopey. (Apologies to the Beetles fans!)

Women are oppressed! Not enough journals.

This is what those hardback composition books with the black and white covers are for.

But he's three years old and doesn't know how to sit on command!

What? Wow. What's a conformation champion, though?