So frustrating, Jesse.

Aspertame and diet sodas are gross. My go-to sodas are Dr. Pepper and Ginger Ale. With Root Beer and Cherry Cola a close second, but those are too sweet to be more than an indulgence. Iced cold Root Beer is good, too.

That school clerk was the BOSS. Glad there was a happy ending there, for once.

Although that article made me mad, as any article about school shootings does, when they basically liken a school shooting to a rampant epidemic. They're (school shootings) horrible, they're wrong and to be avoided, yes, and one is too many. But the fear mongering I see in the reporting that makes it seem like dozens are happening in every state every month for the past three decades (hyperbole in reaction to a hyperbole) raises my hackles. I might be wrong and hypocritical, what with my belief that of course once is too many times. I just despise the press's bent on making it seem like every school everywhere is having to deal with gun-toting maniacs on a regular basis.

I drink very, very little carbonated beverages. One sip has me burping like...a burping thing that burps. My beverages of choice are tea, water, flavored water, and whiskey. Occasionally leamonade.

I have already had a shot of whiskey tonight. Before 5pm. Eeep.

I did it! I queued up Good Stuff all the way through the weekend! Now I just hope the queue works.

Are there more comprehensive day programs he could attend, Jesse? I know there are some with medical staff, where you can get meals and transportation, and Medicare covers a lot of them.

I'm a little surprised that Cassandra Clare was just a Jeopardy question. Right after a question about F. Scott Fitzgerald .

He doesn't need medical care, is the problem.

was just a Jeopardy question.

Seriously? I assume it didn't have anything to do with plagiarism, did it?

And the only thing my mother's really having an issue with is overnight. And the transitions during the day, but I think we've gotten that covered (and she's retiring in 6 weeks).

Sadly, no, Tep.

It gives me the feeling (with the movie out right now) that you might be able to buy placement in a Jeopardy question. I could be entirely wrong, but still.

He doesn't need medical care, is the problem.

Oh! But he doesn't have to. I just had to write a piece about this topic, and I think over 50% of participants in all programs nationwide had either dementia or Alzheimer's.

Does your mom need help overnight regularly, or is it just if she's traveling?

Regularly -- it's that he gets up many times in the night, and has started to pee on the floor a couple of times. Theoretically they could make the apartment back into a 2-bed and sleep separately with a health aide in the room with my father, but how terrible does that sound? (To me, terrible.)