Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I stayed up until 3:30am last night to finish the book. It was pretty slow going at first. It starts with discussion about financial malfeasance and the first main character that gets a lot of page space is Michael Blomkvist. Um, what about the title character, Lisbeth Salander?

Well, we do meet her but the first third of the book focuses on Michael who loses a lawsuit because of slander or libel or something against a big financial corporation. As I said, slow going.

Then he gets hired to research the family history of the famous corporateVanger family but really to solve the disappearance of Harriet Vanger 40 years ago. There's lots of geneology and it's not easy to remember who's related to who, who hates who and why, and who's dead and who's not. That's the middle third. We also get more about Lisbeth, who is the most interesting character. I know Stieg Larsson wrote a sequel that focuses on Lisbeth, so I'm looking forward to reading that one. I read that Larsson wrote a draft of the sequel before he died. I wonder if the success of "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" affected how the ghostwriter or whoever finished writing the sequel.

The book gets better as the murder mystery gets going. And the last third picks up the pace when Lisbeth joins Micheal in the research and we get more about Lisbeth. The last third is what kept me up reading to the end.

The story didn't end the way I thought it would and it was rather bittersweet. Over all, I can see why the book is on the best seller lists.

Synthesia

I've started watching Heroes again. What I'm liking so far:
1. The deaf woman who starts experiencing synthesia -- when people can see colors when they hear sounds or tastes when feeling things. I think that's just cool. I'm curious about what will come from that power.
2. Samuel's character and the mystical tattoos. I like tattoos and have thought of getting one for years, but keep finding reasons not to. Not least of which is the pain factor and I have other uses for my money. Like buying yarn.
3. Claire going to college -- totally making me think of Buffy going to college. I really don't want her and Gretchen to have the relationship though. Having a relationship with your roommate?! What if it doesn't work out and then you're living with your ex? One of them could transfer out, I guess.
4. Peter -- trying so hard to be the good son in a messed up family, like Michael Bluth in Arrested Development.
5. Ando and Kimiko and Hiro -- last week, Hiro went back in time and changed things so that Kimiko doesn't hate Ando and they are now a couple. Where does that go and what happens to Hiro?

In other TV watching:
~ watched FlashForward on Hulu last night. I'm intrigued at the concept and interested in seeing how it turns out. Also, I really want to see what happens with John Cho's character. I want to see more Asian American couples where the guy is Asian American. AsAm woman, non AsAm man (usually white) is so common. I'd like to see an AsAm man in a relationship, please. Nothing against AsAm woman, White guy, considering that's the kind of relationship I'm in.
~ watched 3rd episode of Angel. Spike shows up, yay! His snark was sorely lacking. And Oz too.

Still searching for a show that I like as much as Firefly and Buffy. I'm thinking Leverage is it.

Angel -- meh

Got the first 2 discs of Angel Season One from the library. I have all the other Joss Whedon shows, so I thought I'd take a free look at Angel before deciding to buy.

So far, so meh. Granted I've only seen the first 2 episodes. I'm going to watch the other 6 episodes from the library before making a decision.

What I'm liking so far:
1. Cordelia. I love her directness.
2. Kate Lockley the police officer, played by an actress who went on to play Asst DA Serena Southerlin on Law and Order.
3. Lindsey MacDonald, smarmy lawyer. Being married to a lawyer, I like watching lawyers and lawyer shows. Husband doesn't.

I never had a thing for Angel and his broodiness, so watching a show built around him is harder for me.

Still, not giving up. I'll be watching with an eye towards how the themes compare to Buffy, Firefly, and Dollhouse. That should be a fun exercise, if nothing else.

Leverage

Ugh. Today started out okay, then there was very disappointing news today at noon. Went to the office for an event for one of our programs. Checked the mail. Found out that one of the grant proposals we submitted was not accepted. I now have a $200,000 hole in the budget to fill. Our entire operating budget is $570,000.

About one third of our expected income is not happening. Damn.

I'm also not very happy with the way I broke the news to the staff member who's most affected by this not-happening grant. Gah.

That grant would have paid for all of her salary, and percentages of other staffers' salaries, including my own. Argh.

So I came home and knit and watched an episode and a half of Leverage season one. I am quite enjoying it. I liked Ocean's Eleven and Thirteen (didn't see O12, heard it wasn't all that good) and Leverage is like that.

I say only 1.5 episodes because Husband came home and we went to the gym. I was reading "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" but had to put it down when I got to the point where they were trying to find an investor to keep their business from going under. A little too close to what I'm dealing with at work.

Hence, again, the escapism of shows like Buffy, Dollhouse, and Leverage. Leverage I'm getting through Netflix, and I've requested Angel from the public library. It's ready for pickup.

As loathe as I am to leave the house on Sundays (I love having a day where I don't leave the house at. all.), I may run to the library tomorrow to get Angel. And run over to Knitch to pick out a button for the sweater I finished knitting today!

I still have to wash, block, and weave in ends. And sew on the button and the label that says Hand knit by me. But I'm counting it as done.

Still have 3 works in progress on the needles, but itching to start a new blanket project. WIP run down:

1. mohair shawl on size 11 needles. It's an on again off again project. Started years ago, pulled it out of hibernation just this summer.

2. portable scarf project on size 8 needles.

3. Sunrise Circle Jacket on size 7 needles. I just started it a week ago.

I have 5 skeins of chunky Noro Furisode yarn in colorway 2 that I want to make into a garter stitch blanket. A soothing mindless knit with gorgeous yarn. Perfect for TV watching.

And movie watching. Tomorrow is Can't Stop the Serenity, the fundraiser for Equality Now that shows Serenity on the big screen. A garter stitch blanket is perfect for knitting in the dark.

Okay. Gotta go. I have a blanket to cast on for.

Travel to talk with people you already know

Just got back from a 2 night trip to Orlando, FL for a summit about the US Census. It was dissatisfying on many levels but after griping about it for 2 days, I am now resolved to let it go and move on.

What I did find really useful was the connections with other people there. And the last segment about the actual census data make the demographer in me stand up and go squee!

However, what I enjoyed most was getting to know better people I already knew from Atlanta. People who I see at collaborative meetings, people I kind of know through work. Here, as we had to find lunch and dinners on our own, were great opportunities to get to know them better. Find out how many, if any, kids they have. Where their parents live, who takes care of them, how do they navigate being bicultural people. Where are they from?

I got to know better people from Nigeria, Kenya, France, Cambodia, Bhutan, and Arkansas via Nebraska. It was nice.

I also had lunch with someone who went to Dragon*con and so we talked about scifi. He's really into Battlestar Gallactica but we both like Firefly and so we had a great discussion about Sci Fi and Bring Your Own Subtext. His is religion and mine is race and gender.

Another good thing about the summit: I got a lot of knitting done. Knitting my stockingnette/reverse stockingnette scarf got me through hours of talking heads.

Geek, Nerd, Dork or Dweeb?

here's a link to the post at The Park Bench which features a Venn Diagram to show you which one you are. Love it. I want to be a Geek, but am afraid that I come off more as a Dork.

What to watch?

So I've been in this TV watching, Sci-Fi, pop culture groove. Clearly, since that's all I've posted about the last 2 months. I've been thinking about the shows in terms of gender and race, and have started reading Racialicious, which is about the race and pop culture.

The new TV season starts this week and I've been thinking about what to watch. One think that's really bothered me about Buffy and Firefly is how absent Asian Americans are, despite being set in southern California and a future where China and American cultures meld.

So on one hand, I feel like boycotting shows set in major cities or on the West Coast that don't have at least one major character who is Asian American. However, that would preclude "V" "Burn Notice" "Leverage" and "Project Runway" from my list, shows I really enjoy. Shows that do make the list are "Dollhouse" "Heroes" "Chuck" "Stargate Universe" and "FlashForward." Hm. That's a really short list.

The flip side would be to watch shows that do cast Asian Americans as major characters. However that would include "Eastwick" which I'm not really interested in watching, and now's a bit late to join the "Lost" bandwagon. Plus I've heard "FlashForward" is the next "Lost."

So what's the answer? I'm hoping that as the season progresses, the shows without Asian Americans add them later.

How's that for a compromise? And I'll keep reading Racialicious. Because sometimes a cigar is not just a cigar, and sometimes it is.

Rainy Saturday

It's been raining all week in Atlanta, and cooler, getting down into the 70s F. I've been wearing my Hermia sweater, so that's nice.

I also have startitis. Here's a rundown on my WIPs:

1. Chunky sweater, top down, in the round. It's blocking right now, to make it easier for me to pick up and knit the buttonband shawl collar. However, given how humid it is, the drying is going very slowly.

2. Portable scarf project.

3. Mohair shawl that I've been working off and on for years.

4. Husband's afghan from last year. I only need to knit on the last stripe.

However, I don't want to work on any of these. I want to start a new project. Another sweater for me. Something cropped. Possibilities include the Sunrise Circle Jacket or something from Fitted Knits.

A rainy afternoon is perfect for browsing through my magazines, books, Ravelry, and many, many free patterns I've printed off the net. This will be fun.

ETA: I've decided to make the Sunrise Circle Jacket by Kate Gilbert, using some Cascade 220 Heathers in Ruby. I've read that it's a pretty fast and easy knit and really clever construction. It's been on my mind for a while and now it's time.

Thoughts on Dollhouse season one

So I've caught up on the first half of Season One on DVD. I did actually see the second half on TV or Hulu. Now all I have left is Epitaph One and I'll be ready for the new season when it starts next week.

I'm enjoying it. What I'm liking:

• Eliza Dushku is not awful as Echo, as some critics are saying. In the episode where she played an art thief, I expected her to say "five by five" as Faith from Buffy would say. In fact, Television Without Pity calls one of their recaps of Dollhouse "Five by Five."
• the relationships between Sierra, Victor and Echo, as dolls. It speaks to the fundamental human need for friendships and other relationships, no matter how mentally blank you are.
• Adelle Dewitt's wardrobe. She's the head of the LA Dollhouse, the head pimp if you will, the main Big Bad other than Alpha, making the hard decisions, and she dresses in these soft dresses and blouses with ruffles. I've also written before about the shades of grey she shows, esp in the episodes "Echoes" and "Spy in the House of Love."
• One of the main characters, Sierra, is Asian American. One big complaint I have about Buffy is the lack of Asian American and any major characters of color, despite Buffy being set in California. And Firefly, which is still my favorite Whedon show, is set in a future where China and the US merge, but there are no Asian American actors or characters?!? Using Asian imagery and Chinese cursewords is tokenism, not integration. Come on! On the other hand, Sierra continues the trope of the Asian American woman having the most tragic and sexually exploitative storyline. I should see what Racialicious says about Dollhouse. They had good thoughts about Firefly.
• The engagement of the week structure works for me. We need to see what the Dolls do and see what happens to them, in order to really understand what the Dollhouse is and how it's bad. It's showing, not telling.
• Everyone is showing shades of grey. It's like watching the flip side of the Whedon characters we know and love. Topher is the smart, witty one, like this show's Xander or Wash. Xander and Wash were clearly the heart of their gangs, the nice guys. Topher on the other hand is the amoral Xander and Wash. And ChrisTopher continues the trend set by AleXander and Washburn. Adelle is like the female Mal, and in some ways Buffy from the later seasons. Aloof, trying to do her job, nasty as it is. It's like watching the Big Bad from their point of view. In which case is the Rossum Corporation Dollhouse's version of the First Evil? Or is it human nature to want, take, have? And the 20 Dollhouses is how it happens?

It's not as fun a show as Buffy or Firefly (still haven't seen Angel). It asks harder questions. But I'll keep watching.

ETA: Here's a good post on the gender issues in Dollhouse, at Asking the Wrong Answers.

Whedon-a-thon continues

Tuesday I finished Buffy Season Seven and yesterday I got my Season 8 comics. Well, the first 4 compilations anyway.



The beauty of comics is that if you can draw it, you can include it in the story. Trying to make Dawn a centaur or having the Slayers actually drop out of helicopters would have been harder to film than to draw. I'm enjoying the story and the visuals. With the comics, every frame has so much detail, and while I zipped through all 4 compilations which encompasses issues 1 through 20, in about an evening, I can go back and take time to look at the details.


I've thought off and on about writing and illustrating a graphic novel. Maybe not like Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, but maybe something more like Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (also made into a movie) or Gemma Bovary by Posy Simmonds. Gemma Bovary is mostly words, with some drawings, rather than the whole thing being drawings. As a not-so-good drawer, I like that idea best.

In other Whedon related activities, I watched Dollhouse's unaired pilot this morning. Later I'll watch the pilot episode that was aired and compare.

In other knitting news, the bulky knit sweater continues but I dream of the next project. I do that all the time. As soon as the end is in sight, I think about what I want to make next. I have a couple of blankety ideas as well as sweatery ideas. May be something from Interweave Knits or Fitted Knits...

It's getting cooler in Atlanta now and the thought of curling up on the couch with soft wool and the TV sounds sooo appealing...

Season Seven done

Just finished watching "Chosen" the last episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The last TV episode anyway. Season eight is in comic book form and I've got volumes 1 to 4 on my way from Amazon. It'll be interesting to see how Joss Whedon continues the story in comic book form.

I'm sad that Anya died and like how both she and Spike went out in the end. Both so self-sacrificial. There was a moment when Xander asked Andrew how Anya died, and he seemed a little sad but not really. The woman he loved died and he doesn't even cry even a little? Maybe he was just relieved to be alive? I hope that gets addressed in Season 8.

I know that Spike somehow survives the apocalyse and ends up mailed to Angel. Perhaps Buffy climbs down into the crater that was Sunnydale, get the pendant that sucked in Spike, and mails it back to Angel? Again, I hope that gets addressed in Season 8.

It was interesting being so immersed in one series. I also read the snarky recaps at Television Without Pity and I have to agree with some of their complaints about how Buffy and the show was just getting stupider and annoying, that is the characters would do stupid things, like charging in without doing any recon, which pushed the drama quotient, but did they have to do so in such an annoying way?

I enjoyed the series, over all, and now I have 2 options: Go back and watch the episodes that have commentary (love those) or move on to "Dollhouse." Probably Dollhouse, since the next season starts in a few weeks. I better get caught up on that show.

Since I have all the DVDs, I guess I can take a Buffy break and come back to them later.

I may go back and rewatch the episode "Tabula Rasa" where the Scoobies lose their memories and have to refigure out their relationships with each other. Somehow, though Buffy and Dawn connect and guess that they're sisters. Willow's situation was interesting. She and Xander initially have some kind of connection but then as Willow spends a bit of time with Tara, she says "I think I'm kind of gay."

That's kind of the premise of Dollhouse. Despite being dolls with their memories wiped, Sierra and Victor have a connection, and Echo has some kind of self-awareness.

Secondly, it's a statement that sexual orientation is fundamental and fixed. Back then, about 10 years ago, the lesbian relationship and the kisses were so chaste, compared to all the hetero sex that occurred. Nowadays, Willow and Tara would have been as graphic as the hetero relationships.

I also get a kick out of how they call Xander Alex.

This episode, and the whole Buffy/Faith thing, speaks to the nature vs nurture thing. Both are Slayers (nature) but because of their upbringing and life experiences (nurture), they turned out differently.

The same with the episode "The Replacement" where Xander gets split into 2. SuaveXander got the apt and the promotion because of what Xander inherently had. But a bad homelife and supposedly being put down all the time led to him to be the goofy loser Xander.

In other knitting news, still somehow my stitch count is totally off. I'm going to thread in a life line and try to keep cranking away and fix it as I go.

Ready for Next Project

For the 4th time or so, I've had to rip back rows and rows the of the chunky sweater I'm knitting in the round. I keep forgetting to make the decreases where necessary and somewhere along the way, the number of stitches on the 2 fronts stopped matching. It's really getting on my nerves.

I'm dreaming of the next project I want to make, and this post by Jane Brocket makes me want to make a super stripy afghan.

However, the sweater is really close to being done, or would be if I had paid closer attention so wouldn't have to keep ripping back. Plus it's for someone else, so I really do need to finish it.

I'm really happy with the way the Hermia cardigan turned out . It's my 4th sweater I've knit for me and finally I have something I actually wear outside the house. So I'm psyched to make another cardigan for me to wear.

Buff-a-thon broken

Since I got my Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVDs at the end of July, I have have been watching at least one episode a day. On days when I'm home alone, waiting for the cable installer for example, I get in more, like 4 or 6. That's a lot of great knitting time too.

However, as of Thursday my Buff-a-thon's broken. Father-in-law is here and it's rather impolite to watch a show that only I am interested in, while he's visiting. Plus, I've been working everyday, including today, Saturday, and may not see him before he goes back to Wisconsin.

At least I've been able to meet Husband and Father-in-law for dinner. And Thursday we went to Georgia Tech to watch them play Clemson. That was fun, though chilly. Should have brought my sweater, the Hermia sweater I took months to make.

This coming Thursday, though, I'm going to take a day off. Guess what I'll be doing? Oh, the little things that make me happy.

Xanya over

Just watched the Storyteller episode where Andrew films all his interactions and we get his spin on things. I found the most touching parts to be the Anya and Xander parts. Across 3 scenes we see them come to the conclusion that even though they love each other, it's really over between them. Totally tugs as the heartstrings.

Overall, I really liked this episode, more so than the others in like, oh, the last season and a half. We don't get as much of Buffy's speechifying, the tension between Principal Wood and Spike is ratcheting up, and I like how Andrew's use of the camera and fantasizing to rationalize his actions is called out and he does come through in the end.

Okay, I only have 6 episodes before the end. Looking forward to how all the Potentials are converted into actual Slayers and the Watchers Council are kicked out. Also, my Buffy Season 8 comix should be coming to me next week.

In the meantime, I will plug away at work. Got a grant proposal deadline I'm trying to meet by COB tomorrow, instead of Tuesday next week. Was hoping to take tomorrow off since I have a work thing on Saturday, but looks like I'll have to work Friday. Suppose if I turn off all distractions, I could get it done. Might actually still could. And despite that last sentence, yes, I do write for a living (partially).

Father in law is in town for a visit. His health is not good. He had a stroke and aneurysm decades ago and his left half is pretty much paralyzed and he walks with a cane. Yesterday we walked a block up a slight hill to dinner. He's walking much slower now. By the end, he could barely stay upright, his good arm and leg shaking and literally collapsed into his chair at the table. Good thing we've rented a scooter for him to use.

Potential

Ah, the Buffy fest continues. It being Labor Day (happy Labor Day), I'm not at work. But I did bring work home to do -- a grant proposal due on Sept 15. I woke up thinking about it, ready to go.

I also dreamt last night that I was some kick-ass fighter. Very strange, that it would be now, after oh, 100+ hours of watching Buffy fight every. single. episode, that I have the violent dreams. I guess it's because I always fast forward through the fights.

Anyway, this morning I watched the episodes where the potential slayers come to town and Buffy starts training them. And just finished Potential, where Dawn thinks she's a potential slayer too but isn't and Xander tells her she's extraordinary, because it's hard to be so close to the spotlight and never be able to be in it, and yet there she is, still in struggle.

I know that the show is going for the whole "there's only one Slayer, one person who stands between Evil and the rest of the world." But come on, Buffy couldn't have gotten this far without the support and skills of a lot of people. As a social activist, I *know* that anything worth doing is a group effort. However, it's easier storytelling, fact or fiction, to have the One Great Hero, whether it's MLK, Jr, Gandhi, or whoever. Much easier that having a huge list of names and people to remember, and give credit to.

Anyway, back to Potential. The ending was such a sweet moment between them. Apparently in Buffy season 8 #28 there's the possibility that Xander hooks up with either Buffy or Dawn.

Part of me wants Dawn, because of this scene, where the 2 of them can be the Zoe and Wash, two adults who have a healthy relationship with each other, and Buffy can be the Mal, the one person they each have a strong relationship with. Or wait, it was Wash and Mal who each had their strong relationship with Zoe. Still, it could be away for both Xander and Dawn to let go of their competitiveness with Buffy and build a whole part of their life that *doesn't* revolve around Buffy.

Another part of me wants Buffy, for her to finally see what a great guy Xander is, and for Xander to finally have his relationship with her, after so many years of loving her.

And then they realize it isn't the right relationship for them and Xander goes to Dawn. It'll be like Harry and Ginny.

Okay, thinking too much about fictional characters when I should be working on my real life, my real job and my real future.

On the other hand, making huge progress in my current sweater. Knitting with size 10 / 6.5mm needles goes so much faster than with size 8/5mm needles. Millimeters are very small (yes, I am Captain Obvious) but those couple of mm takes you from worsted to bulky and means fast, fast knitting. I'm about halfway done on a bottom up, V neck, raglan cardigan and have joined the sleeves and body. With the v-neck, each row gets shorter and faster. The last part is picking up all along the front for the shawl collar. Which means incredibly long rows, but on the 6.5 mms, I should be done with the sweater by the end of the month.

Dragoncon 2009

Husband and I walked 4 blocks up the street to watch the Dragon*con parade. I'm sure there's a ton of pics on line of the parade. There were the usual costumes: from the Star Wars and Star Trek worlds, Dr. Who, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica (recent), pirates, steam punks, World of Warcraft, Mad Max and many others that I didn't recognize. There was even a guy dressed as Wikus from District 9 with the arm and everything. Very, very cool.



My favorites, though were from the Firefly 'verse, of course. There were many Kaylees and Jaynes -- mostly Jayne hats -- and I also saw an Inara and browncoat t-shirt wearers. The best though, were the costumes up top: two by two, hands of blue. How inventive is that?



I was least impressed by the military costumes because all that took was going to the army surplus store.



I was happily surprised to see a friend who was there with his two sons, who were in costume. It turns out that his wife was going to march with the Browncoats as Zoe! How cool! I would totally go as Zoe and Husband can be Wash.

We were going to get one-day passes for today, but the line to buy tickets went around the block. So we hung out at one of the hotels, over by the Trojan Rabbit, from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Perfect location for people watching.

I really wanted to see the 11:30am panel with Ianto Jones, I mean Gareth David Lloyd, from Torchwood. But maybe if I get up early enough tomorrow, I'll catch him then. Or, on YouTube eventually.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

I have a grant proposal due in 10 days. However with the long weekend looming, I have very little urge to get started with the writing.

I am very tempted to take stuff home with me and write from home. And finish watching the last 3 episodes of Buffy Season 6. Warren's just shot Tara and Buffy. Tara dies but not Buffy. She's like Captain Jack, never staying dead. I know that in the next episodes, Willow goes back to bad, kills Warren, tries to end the entire world, and Xander stops her by telling her how much he loves her.

And of course there are the special features to watch.

I think I may do that. Go home at lunch. I need to leave the office to get lunch anyway, I can just drive right on home. I generally write out the first draft by hand anyway. And I will be coming in on Monday when everyone's gone to finish up the first draft.

See how I just talked myself into playing hooky?

Wait. I can't. I told one of my board members that I'd be in today, to talk about advocacy issues. But I have her phone number and it's reasonable to talk from home....

We'll see how I do at lunch. Oh, wait. It's practically lunchtime now.

No, I'm staying at the office. There's only one other person here and if I, the boss, leaves here here alone, what kind of message is that sending?

Sigh, staying it is.... But I'm leaving at 4pm!

Looking forward to the weekend

Ah, it's Thursday! Weekend is so close!

Work continues to be a mixed bag. The staff are stressed because all our funds run out at the end of the month and we don't know what new money is coming in. Got word that a grant proposal we submitted has been declined. Personalities are clashing more. The organization's got an advocacy agenda now but the staff don't like it. I'm feeling tired of it all but don't want to cut and run. And where would I find another job in the nonprofit sector now anyway? We're all in the same boat. I so feel like Captain Mal. Wish I had a Zoe, though. Hell, wish I was the Zoe. Strong, self-confident, and *don't* have the responsibility to take care of the whole team.

On the other hand, we have been invited by a funder to reapply, when we thought that funder was going to cut us off. So that's great news. The proposal's due in 2 weeks, no problem. The problem of course is that we had a brain storming meeting yesterday, personalities clashed, I got criticized (indirectly) about not providing enough managemetn and they also argued that they didn't like the advocacy agenda. Ah, I guess it's still more bad than good.

However, still employed, so that's more than others can say. After all, Brother Two is leaving the country to find a job.

Um, I started this post with the intent to write something uplifting and now I can't remember.

Anyway, still on the Buffy kick. And this morning on TNT I caught the end of a Angel episode where Spike shows up. I hadn't planned on watching Angel, but may Netflix it.

And here's an article I identify with. My situation isn't quite as severe as Jamie Tarabay's but the underlying impulse, I think is the same.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer saved the world and the sanity of NPR's Jamie Tarabay while she was in Baghdad. Tarabay explores why she needed the slayer during her time in Iraq.

eta: Had lunch with a friend who used to work at my org, before I got here. She gave me some good suggestions and helped put things in perspective. It's really good to have a listening ear as I just let all this stuff out. And it helped that she ended it by saying that I have good intuition and should go with what I think is right. Which is good because that's what I was going to do anyway. Still, nice to have confirmation.

Card-a-palooza

Most of the time with the Brothers was fun. We spent most of the time we spent together was just hanging out, mostly talking, playing Scrabble and cards -- euchre or gin rummy, and eating. Brother Two just wanted a mellow vacation and that's what he got.

Brothers stayed up late and slept in late, but I kept to my usual schedule. So I got a lot of Buffy watching in. Now I'm up to season six and have seen Once More with Feeling, the musical episode. Xander and Anya are so cute. At Dragoncon they'll be showing it twice for the sing along. Husband and I are going to Dragoncon for the first time this year. This'll be fun.