Today is my very good friend Stephanie’s birthday. I am so glad she was born and that I get to be her friend. She is a blessing to me, and I couldn’t imagine my life without her in it.

Thanks for being my friend, dude! Have an awesome birthday!

My first official blog entry composed on my trusty Moto Q. Once I scrolled past my 275 categories, it works just fine!. I’m getting highlights put in my hair right now - and since I only approve of time wasting in front of the TV or on the internet, I figured this was a good time as any to blog. Technology is so cool.

So is anyone watching The Singing Bee? Here’s what it reminds me of. Remember that episode of Friends where Joey was auditioning for the really elaborate game show, and him and Chandler spent all day learning the rules and pretend playing so he’d be ready for the audition? I think there were golden monkeys or something? Well, that’s what The Singing Bee reminds me of. What’s with the round with the floating words? And the scantily clad dancers? They crack me up. Anyway, it’s entertaining.

Headed for the dryers…wish me luck!

We went to a lovely dinner party last night - hosted by good friends. They had just purchased new, beautiful furniture, and they wanted to show it off a little. First let me say that I was crazily jealous of this new furniture. I’ve mentioned my five cats before, and the uselessness of getting new furniture, but still…when I saw their awesome leather couches and beautifully matched yellow chairs, I was sooo jealous.

Our cats would ruin that stuff in one day.

Anyway, I got over it, and sat down. Meanwhile, my cute kid was driving his trucks all over their living room.

There were eight adults total at the dinner party, and exactly one 18-month old. I was nervous about this. Luckily, my kid is really, surprisingly well behaved. I’d love to take credit for this, but sadly, I am positive I’ve had very little to do with his happy-go-lucky personality.

The moral here is that we stayed two hours past his bedtime, and he was a perfect angel the whole time. He even provided a bit of entertainment. And I got to enjoy a nice evening with adults - very interesting, funny, smart adults. I think that was the first gathering I’ve attended since becoming a mom where I didn’t “hide” behind my kid. I mean, I used to be really outgoing - able to strike up a conversation with anyone. But once I had my son, I noticed that people only asked me about him, not about me, and I would just fade into the background. But not last night. I had real conversations with people about all kinds of things - hardly any of them being diapers, milestones, or new teeth!

I may be getting the hang of this “being my own person while raising a person” thing.

Roman Mysteries #7, The Enemies of Jupiter by Caroline Lawrence. Man, oh man. This was a page-turner. That crazy Jonathan and his hubris.

As always, I love the calm of Mordecai and Nubia. Flavia shows uncharacteristic restraint in this book, but mainly because she isn’t the focus.

I’m intrigued by the Emperor Titus. I know these books are factually based…I wonder if he really tried, as Ms. Lawrence portrays, to be a better man. An excellent chapter in the Roman Mysteries series. I can’t wait to see what happens in book #8.

(I think this was the first real cliff-hanger…the lack of resolution in this one made it all the better for me.)


Roman Mysteries #4, The Assassins of Rome by Caroline Lawrence. I truly love this series. The characters become richer and more interesting with each installment. This story focuses on Jonathan, whose assassin-uncle shows up and is wanted by Roman authorities. Adventure and intrigue take the four kids plus the handsome Aristo all the way to Rome to the Imperial Palace. More of Jonathan and Miriam’s backgrounds are revealed.

This is your warning - soapbox moment fast approaching! My mother was really involved in Greenpeace for most of my childhood. She was always fighting a cause, but whales were her passion. There were always pictures of humpbacks and seals on our walls, and whale and dolphin songs on the record player. She wrote “Save the Whales” on every letter she ever wrote. I’m picking up my mother’s “sword”, and I hope you’ll join me. It really doesn’t take much time or effort to help.

Why this weekend?
This weekend, April 28th and 29th, are National Days of Action for whale lovers and Earth lovers. Why? Because in May, the International Whaling Commission will meet on US soil to discuss current whaling practices. We want our government to know that US citizens are against commercial whaling, against the killing of whales for scientific purposes (as is currently done by Japan, who then sells the meat in markets across their country). There is a global moratorium on commercial whaling, and all but three countries abide by it: Japan, Norway and Iceland. Their goal this year is to end the moratorium. The US has to stand up for the whales, or those countries will get their way and there won’t be any whales left.

Take Action
Bake sales to save the whales will be held all over the country. Want to help? Here’s how:

  • Stop by and buy a cookie to support Greenpeace’s efforts to stop commercial whaling. Give a $1, sign a petition, make a friend!
  • Want to do more? Volunteer to help at a bake sale. Just choose the sale most convenient for you and RSVP.
  • Can’t attend a bake sale this weekend? Make a phone call to ask the Bush Administration to do everything in their power to defend the whales:

President Bush, White House: (202) 456-1414
Secretary Rice, State Department: (202) 647-4000
Secretary Gutierrez, Commerce Department: (202) 482-2000

  • Want to do more? Visit the Whale Defender website at www.whales.greenpeace.org/us. Download the whale activist toolkit, and join thousands of folks from around the world who are taking action to defend the whales. You’ll find fact sheets, petitions, sample letters, and other materials to help you make a difference.
  • Want to donate? Become a Greenpeace Supporter at www.greenpeaceusa.org

Lots of ways to help - which one will you choose?

I found a long lost friend from college the other night. It turns out she’s making quite a name for herself as a musician! We used to sing dorky Disney songs together, and now she’s a guitar-playing bad ass. Check out her website, Gabrielamusic.com and her CD, In the Interim!

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