Tales from the Steppes

2004-04-22

2:46 p.m.
another boring day (or is that boring another day)

I have a new vice. No, nothing I picked up at the lingerie and toy party. I have started reading a series of books about Anita Blake, vampire hunter. I think these books definitely qualify as braincandy - nothing intellectually nutritious about them. And I am enjoying that. If I drop one in the bathtub, who cares? Doubtful that I will ever read them more than once so it won't be a big loss.

I've never really gotten into that whole vampire thing myself. I read a couple of Anne Rice's books but they seemd so formulaic that I just didn't want to make the time investment. Not that the vampire hunter series isn't a bit repetitious - they are just really quick reads.

I have also gotten hooked on a tv series - Firefly, but I don't consider that junk. I got to see the first three episodes Tuesday night and now cannot wait to see the rest. Very sad. I rarely watch tv and seldom get hooked on any show. It's not that I don't like tv or anything. It's more that it is seldom worth arranging my time around. I actually ordered a complete set of the dvds from Amazon and speed shipped them. Addictions are a sad thing.

Today is "Take your child to work" day. Perhaps it should be renamed "Make certain your child does not want to do the same thing you do" day. I would not mind spending a day teaching kids about what I do and urban design in general. But a day at the office is just boring. So far EM has been well-behaved and read her book, talked on my cell phone, and finished some homework. At least it gives me a reaon to leave early.

MM pitched a total fit this morning because he wanted to come too. It didn't matter how many times I explained that I could only take one child and that I didn't take EM when she was in first grade. Major naked fit. Wouldn't get dressed. I threatened to take him to school naked. No dice. Finally, I threatened him with calling the police. Since he is 7 years old, it is illegal for him to stay home alone. Fortunately he did not work the logic out that it would be me they arrested, not him.

Today's bit of backtalk was "Your job is to take care of us, not tell us what to do." I think I like it better than his last one "You don't contribute anything to this family anyway. Daddy said he made lots more money than you do." Or the perennial favorite "You're not the boss of me!" Seems to me that I have a problem.