Cut it out! Better yet, don't cut it at all.

I know that it's too early in the season for me to have maxed out my ability to tolerate the excessive noise from lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and weed whackers, but seriously, I'm already sick of it.

Free Kitten and Islands reviews

This week I reviewed the new record by Islands, which I highly recommend, for Venus. I also reviewed, and did not particularly enjoy, the new Free Kitten for Donnybrook.

It's probably from the TV, but it's still funny

1. This morning at breakfast Henry was reading all of the bullet points from the box of Fruity Cheerios. After he read "25% less sugar than the leading fruity cereal," he explained to me, "the leading fruity cereal, that would be Fruit Loops."

He has never even eaten Fruit Loops.

2. Lucy and I were waiting in line at the grocery store. The woman behind us was visibly pregnant and purchasing chips, chocolate, and candy. Lucy turned to me and said in a stage whisper, "that lady is buying junk food."

I also doubt I have ever used the word "junk food" with Lucy.



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Now playing: Ladytron - Ghosts (Cassette Jam mix)

Governor Patterson's Migraines

WWW wrong here, summarizing the best of the NYT's headache coverage:
The Governor has a headache. Many people needed to comment on this story, and most of them are assholes.

It could have been a lot worse.

Last night we were eating in a Mediterranean restaurant. After about the third bite of my grape leaf wrap there was something really hard in my mouth. It was a staple.

Bad Mama Files 3

It's been awhile since I had something to post related to my questionable mothering skills.

1. Recently I've been feeding Lucy pumpernickel bagels at lunch. She thinks they are chocolate bagels. I don't correct her.

2. I let her play in the bath unsupervised as the water was draining. I came back to find her sitting in a bathtub covered with every letter from our foam alphabet. She was quite pleased with herself.

3. I've been forcing Cary to take Henry to soccer because Henry's clueless behavior at games and practices reduces me to a puddle.

More reviews

I've got a review of Kassin+2 up at Donnybrook -- here. Plus a review of Nik Freitas at Venus here.

I hope I can stay this busy and balance the writing with Lucy's demands to ride her bike to the bus stop to greet Henry. She demands to do this at all hours of the day, even when the bus isn't coming any time soon. For his part Henry hasn't been demanding that much but all that will change once he completes all the pages in his Transformers Magic Ink Activity book.

Books, bubbles, and a headache

1. For whatever reason I woke up at 3 a.m. and could not go back to sleep for two hours. Now I have a migraine. Grr.

2. On the bright side my kids have been entertaining themselves. Yesterday it was "a bubble extravaganza," to quote Henry. Parents, do yourselves a favor and buy a large hoop for bubble blowing and a tray to dip it in. My kids were making these huge bubbles, squealing with delight, and not spilling the containers of bubble stuff everywhere. Now, if I could just bring myself to throw out the rest of the scented bubbles, we would be all set.

3. Anyone been to a Scholastic Customer Appreciation sale? I highly recommend it. Most of the stuff is 50% off. Lucy and I dropped by the one near us today and now my kids are busy with all of the cheap crap I bought them (it's not all books they have craft kits and a few toys too).

Things are going well; I am very afraid.

1. Cary and I met with Henry's principal about getting him an appropriate teacher for next year. She said absolutely everything that I wanted to hear. I am cautiously optimistic.

2. I've got two new reviews for perusal. Birds of Avalon -- Outer Upper Inner at Venus and Shy Child -- Noise Won't Stop at Donnybrook.

P4k gets one right

Never mind that I gave the New Bloods record a stellar review in the current print issue of VenusZine, some P4k love will help get this band the attention they deserve.

Spring has finally reached us

1. The first Oriole returned to my yard yesterday. On the same exact day as in 2007. I checked.
2. I let the kids have at their new stash of bubbles and wound up with strawberry-scented bubble solution in my hair. (This was not purchased by me). That stuff is nasty and should be banned.
3. I've got a very Spring-y staff fave up at Venus today, sharing my love of Shinzi Katoh. Check it.

Update: I saw the first hummingbird this morning too! Now I'm just waiting for the arrival of the rose-breasted grossbeaks.
Additional Update: The first grossbeak showed up this afternoon, but two days later than last year.

Lucy is going to lose it

When she sees The Shins on Yo Gabba Gabba



Too bad the song is pretty weak.