A day off to a bad start

The girls dawdled this morning which meant that they missed the school bus. And so instead of following my normal routine, I had to throw on clothes quickly and drive them to school. As a result of this disruption of my normal routine:

I didn't finish putting on my makeup.
I discovered when I got to work that I had put on a blouse with a stain on the front.
I forgot to put on my pedometer.
I forgot to bring my lunch.
I didn't get to read the newspaper.

It's raining outside. I am not in the mood to appreciate it.

Bush vs. God

Gacked from klig:

Okay, the Bushies are all but saying that God is on their side. Is it true? Well, let's check out the paths of recent hurricanes through the state of Florida.

(Caveat: This is totally unfair and in bad taste, but nevertheless extremely interesting.)

Edited to add: And untrue. The map has been debunked, here. Thanks to minnehaha B for drawing it to my attention!

More politics: Kerry on Letterman

Apparently, John Kerry appeared on the Letterman Show last night. Too bad, I didn't get to see it. I like his list of Top Ten Bush Tax Proposals:

10. No estate tax for families with at least two U.S. presidents.

9. W-2 Form is now Dubya-2 Form.

8. Under the simplified tax code, your refund check goes directly to Halliburton.

7. The reduced earned income tax credit is so unfair, it just makes me want to tear out my lustrous, finely groomed hair.

6. Attorney General (John) Ashcroft gets to write off the entire U.S. Constitution.

5. Texas Rangers can take a business loss for trading Sammy Sosa.

4. Eliminate all income taxes; just ask Teresa (Heinz Kerry) to cover the whole damn thing.

3. Cheney can claim Bush as a dependent.

2. Hundred-dollar penalty if you pronounce it "nuclear" instead of "nucular."

1. George W. Bush gets a deduction for mortgaging our entire future.


See entire story of Kerry's appearance here.

Reading retreat

One of the features of the new offices of my employer is a little balcony patio just off the reception area, furnished with bistro tables and chairs and giant pots of cheerful red geraniums. For the past few months, I have been taking my book out there to read during my morning and afternoon breaks, propping my feet up on one of the little iron wrought tables, lulled by the sounds of traffic below on Washington Avenue. What has been so wonderful about it is that it has given me an opportunity to be exposed to the sun during the middle of the work day--I work in an interior corridor with no windows. I realized how much I have come to depend on that sliver of sunlight today when I looked out ruefully at the rain on the balcony, and thought of the snowy months to come when a retreat to the balcony would not longer appeal.

At home, I love to read on my front porch (which will also not be much fun during winter). I thought about it and realized I don't otherwise really have one designated reading place in my house. I'll read anywhere--stretched out on my bed, at the dining room table, in my office in the little chair now covered with a new rich red velveteen throw.

What are some of your favorite places to curl up with a good book? What makes it especially appealing to you?

Plan of action re: Ice Palace book

I brainstormed in my novel diary re: what I need to do to get the book moving again. I tried to identify what it is that is making me get stuck and think of a plan of action to address the problems.

( Points of unease: )

( Plan of action: )