Here is a joke I'm yoinking from mstab ...

----------------------------------------

On a trip to Great Britain while he was President of the United States, Bill Clinton had a meeting with Queen Elizabeth. During that meeting he asked her, "How does one manage to run a country so smoothly?"

. ...that not one trick-or-treater has come to my door.

September 18

7:30am

The heater just came on.

Looks like Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are collaborating on a trilogy of Tintin films in CGI. I'm psyched! And dreading the rise of Tintin popularity. I'll be pissed if MacDo's starts tucking Captain Haddock figurines into their Happy Meal boxes. Hopefully an over-promotion will not wear on the public. Our boy reporter deserves better props than that.

...but at least we've made it safely into the sign of Taurus!

The Braxton-Hicks labor pains are starting. I was having lunch with my old schoolmate and her 18 mo old yesterday when my false labor began. It's terribly exciting...my body is getting ready for birth!

I think it's time to start keeping the carseat in the car, ready for an any-moment trip to the hospital!

Most practical gift we've received so far: boxes of adorable and very clean hand-me-down infant clothes to pick through

Most impractical gift we've received so far: a single bag from Tiffany's, in it a tiny silver spoon

Week 34: Your baby's movements may feel different.

So, not only is this child in me getting bigger, but apparently some of his amniotic fluid is getting re-asorbed into my body to make more room for him. The protective layer is shrinking slightly and his body is getting closer to the surface. What once were flutters and distant, internal rolls, are sharper, stronger kicks and powerful waves. My tummy moves when the baby does! If I'm reading a book that rests on my torso, the book will move up and down. It's surreal! A little foot or knee jabs out and you can see the lump!

Tomorrow we move into Week 35 out of 40. I'm getting more and more anxious to meet this kid!

It was bound to happen.

I wrote a thank you card to a wedding guest for the WRONG gift!

So embarrassing.

The newlyweds are having a baby!

I teach again tomorrow morning, and I've been warned that a few students in the class are extremely inhibited. Enough so that if they're put on the spot the rest of the class gets uncomfortable watching them.

This happens a lot when I bring drama to a regular classroom, there are a handful of kids who dread performance. This "stage freeze" is rare, however, when the students have signed up and paid for a drama class. Usually means they've signed up to break free, that behind their silence they're crying out for help. Behind their blank looks they're bursting with expression. Inside their stiff bodies they're exploding with desire to move.

Then again, could be their parents have signed them up to get them outta the house for the afternoon...

Today, Jan 22, is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year.

Here's why...

Next weekend my new spouse and I are going to Vancouver, BC for a luxurious 2-night stay in the Yaletown neighborhood's Opus Hotel. 

On our list of To Do's:

- Take the ferry to Granville Island to explore the Farmer's Market.
- Eat tapas at Bin 941.
- Eat a French breakfast at the Elixir.

The rest of our stay is wiiiiiide open. I've heard about great Chinese restaurants, but I want NAMES!

Please offer any and all suggestions for our Vancouver visit!

Edit: We know shopping on Robson is a hit, but what ELSE is not to miss?

Make sure you let it "buffer" all the way for full effect! Big file and totally worth it.

Some aspects of the human experience remind us of our similarities...

http://www.lumeneclipse.com/gallery/11/Yu/

Melio called from San Francisco this morning. "I'm reading about your windstorms! Are you guys okay?" I told her we were fine and that it was just a noisy night for sleep. And as I was reassuring the Mother Hen, I looked outside and saw our 6ft fence blown over! Poor John had his car scraped up pretty badly on the fence's way down.

'Course, this is nothing compared to several of my friends without power for the week, or suffering from flooding (like Boy Stacey).

My movie rental recommendation: "The Secret Lives of Dentists"
An indie film bursting with heart and intelligence. The married couple's struggles are so real and idenfiable. Dennis Leary has a brilliant role. Hope Davis shows off her fine acting skills.

Tip: If you're like me and you relish continuity mishaps, look for the glaring one where the boom mic makes it into a scene when the camera moves back! I feel ridiculously smug when I catch stuff like that...

I LOVED "Little Miss Sunshine"! I laughed myself silly in the theater tonight! It's uber intelligent and it might even make you cry for a moment.

Will definitely want to own this one...

Credit: BoyStacey

Wish this had been in effect two weeks ago when I flew to Oakland!! My new carry-on I had to check really got filthy and mangled.

Travelers, enjoy the news! You can carry liquids on board now:

http://alaskasworld.com/NEWS/2006/09/25_RevisedRuels.asp