I have got to give massive kudos to the kid's school.

I have no idea how the teachers and staff held it together today, but they did, they sent out their reminder of security measures (and increases in case of copycats), they put together an email with advice (including, "Please keep your children away from the news today."), and the kids had their Friday Pyjama Day and were none the wiser. No fear, no sorrow. Just another day for them.

And I'm so thankful for that.

And I'm so thankful for that.

Yeah, my kids seem to have heard nothing as well. I really didn't want them to have to think through that one.

Stephanie, I am sorry to hear that Joe is behaving so badly. And the Hawaii part? Oy!

msbelle, I just got a pair of Sorels for Xmas and they are super comfy, but they look a bit spendy. I hope they were purchased on sale.

My office is across the hall from the dressing rooms for the Cratchit kids. We were instructed not to discuss the news once the kids arrived. I thought that was probably a good call.

msbelle, my mom makes us felted slippers every year that are amazingly warm and no animal in our house, yet, has wanted to chew them. BEcause felted wool is not tasty.

Thanks, everyone. Crazy fact- I just found out that he is in Hawaii right now. Going back in a week. Even though he has no money for child support.

I hope someone records him trying to explain THAT to the family court judge if it goes to trial.

In other news, I bought a humongous pancake and some sausage from the recently re-opened Presley's Drive In. New ownership, but same nummy breakfast food.

Breakfast sounds amazing.

I have to give a presentation today which means I should get my ass off the couch, shower, get breakfast and vamoose. Yet, not feeling it. I fear I'll do a shitty job.

Matilda doesn't know anything about it either, for which I'm very grateful.

On one of the comment threads on the Atlantic, someone was talking about how clearly the most effective solution to these horrible events is to seriously rethink our approach to... school design. And that it would probably be really helpful, and the best thing for our children, to look to prison design as a model.

This was suggested in the most matter-of-fact, here's-the-obvious-answer way imaginable. Because barricading our kids for 12-year stints inside imitation penal institutions is a perfectly rational act and something no reasonable person could ever object to. After all, what other solution could possibly exist?

In its way, that may have been the bleakest thing I've read yet.

On the slipper front, I am obsessed with mine, but wonder if the fact that it's animal would make them more chewable? (Also they were a gift and I also hope they were on sale -- but honestly, I've worn them most days for years now.)

JZ, but that is entirely not new thinking. If you read Jeremy Benthem's Panopticon it talks precisely about that. Not necessarily prison design in the way you are envisioning, but a sense of constantly being watched.

My school actually looks like a prison and is one of the safest I've ever worked at. There is only one entrance in. It definitely feels secure.

My elementary school looked like a prison, but that was just the lack of windows. It was designed for a high-tech HVAC system that they then couldn't put in, so we had little windows that didn't open AND no air-conditioning. It's been rebuilt since.