Nearest Distant Shore

TGIF

A few weeks ago Liam and I decided to take a Play Hooky day. It was rainy and cold and miserable, and as it turned out, he was sick-by midday he was spiking a fever of 104, and after taking him to the doctor we learned he had strep throat. Some hooky day! So I promised him that once things settled down, we'd take another one.

Today is it. The sky is beautifully crystal blue, the temperature is about 68 already, with a light breeze out of the southeast. We're going to drive up the coast to my daddy's, mostly to take care of some estate business, but also to enjoy sitting in the sun beside Bogue Sound, and eating shrimp that was still swimming this time yesterday. Maybe our walk along the waterfront will coincide with the return of some of the fishing boats, and we can watch them unload their catch of the day, but in any event, it's a wonderful day to be on the coast with my favorite kid.

Unpaid Political Advertisement

This month's Vanity Fair has an interesting article by James Wolcott about blogs, with an emphasis on several of the fine political blogs out there. Blogs like Eschaton, Daily Kos and Talking Points Memo certainly don't need plugging from me, so I'll take this chance to point out a couple of my own favorite political blogs. Not only are they consistently well-written, their blog rolls kick ass.

Jeanne d'Arc at Body and Soul is a clear articulate voice for many of the least among us. Her posts on poverty and women are especially affecting and close to my heart, but no matter the subject she speaks truth, loudly when necessary, and always with care and kindness.

Julia at Sisyphus Shrugged is as smart as a new hat, with a razor-sharp eye for both absurdities and injustices. She consistently does the hard work of finding some of the best stories out there, and coolest of all, she is the founder of the Claude Rains Memorial Gambling Award. Don't be fooled by her world-weary New York-born-and-bred voice; it disguises a heart as big as the universe. I'm also blessed to call her my friend, but really, you should read her anyway.

Go and read.

All Work and No Play

has made Terrilynn a very dull girl. I am up to my eyeballs in work, but I can finally see some daylight peeping in and hopefully by the weekend I will be done with this job and can enjoy the spring that seems to have sprung while I was chained to my desk.

Holy cow

Martha Stewart convicted on all counts.

All Aboard the Express Train to Hell

Every once in awhile I will read something that my so-called grown-up self knows is inappropriate, yet nonetheless tickles the hell out of my 11-year-old self. This is one of those things.

(snagged from Sara, who apparently is not only Going Jesus, but also to hell right along with me)

And if you laughed too, we'll save you a seat at the bar.

Oh, how cool

Which Legendary Actress are you?

Well, Moon River IS my very favorite song ever.

School Daze

Last month I registered my Liam for kindergarten at our neighborhood school, then went to the year-round school in our district to add his name to the list to enter him into the lottery for a slot in that school. Then I tried to put it out of my mind, telling myself that I would be satisfied with either school, that Liam would be fine no matter where he went, blahblahblah.

I lied.

I really really wanted him to go to the year-round school, and not only because of the fabulous schedule (9 weeks in school followed by an intercession of just over 3 weeks). The test scores at this school are among the best in the county; at the neighborhood school they are not great. At school A, Liam would be about in the middle of the pack socio-economically; at school B, our family would be one of the wealthier ones. Given that we're solidly working-class (Sweetie is a plumber, I was an admin mostly), that is not as good as it might sound.

And dammit, I wanted school A because I wanted it.

And we got it. He's in!!!!!!

I'm really thrilled for him (and relieved, for me).