B es por la berenjena

It's a better day.

Our friend Rivolta has saved over $2000 by quitting her smokey habit. Let's say that again. $2000!! Oh, yeah, and her health is better too.

"Mi Tejana", on the other hand, just counted up the amount we pissed away on parking tickets in the past 3 months. (just under 85 euros) Scary. Most of these are mine, actually, as I like to stop by with the girl to visit "Le Mama" usually on Mondays before her student group meeting.

Moving right along

I have a new crush: Farai Chideya who hosts NPR's "News & Notes." I love her because she is the only media host I hear who says "race & gender" more than I do. She's smart & I really, really love smart girls. Plus, she's super cute. Look: We had problems getting to sleep last night. I mean problems.

And I know, I know that I am the problem and the best part of that is it means I am the solution. Blah, blah, blah. I find myself, again, making grand promises of consistency after this next trip. (In this case, to a sister's wedding this weekend in denver.) In my life, there is always a trip coming up. And soon.

Problems: Kicking, crying, whining, cajoling, talking, smiling, nursing, kicking, nursing, pinching, whining, nursing, sleeping, nursing, nursing, nurs. . .sleeping, KICKING.

The mommies woke up bitchy with each other and generally growly with the child. Who had the audacity to rub her eyes as if she, too, were sleepy. You don't get to be sleepy, I tell her. Then I look at my partner, "Grizzly Bear", and bitch about the sleeping arrangements that I also maniacally insist on. I know I have problems and I know that, in this case, I am the problem.

I've begun my own geoquiz. I printed off outline maps of the various continents and even of the states for me & "Carmalita" to fill out. Surprisingly, we did pretty good with the states, except for the eastern seaboard. I impressed myself with south america, was pretty good at choice regions of asia (guess which ones?) and absolutely *sucked* at countries in africa. Oh, but I forgot. No individual countries there. That's why people just talk about "going to Africa"

Ah. . . Need to get this posted & head off to work.