First, thanks for the birthday wishes. I haven't thanked a lot of people individually yet because I've had a really busy week, although in general a good one.

It just got a bit better. I opened the mail and found a letter from the state department of revenue, the income tax people. It seems they disagreed with my calculation of deductions for the 2008 tax year and sent me a nice refund. It's not enormous, but it will almost pay the cost of bringing M:TNG-1 home for Thanksgiving.

My FL is full of Torchwood squee and I have not seen the episodes, so I will babble.

M:TNG-2 is having friends over to watch movies, so I cleared out of the living room and settled down with my computer. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and I realized there was only silence and the smell of popcorn in the house. I let in a friend of hers, but the crowd that had been there earlier had vanished. The house had a vaguely Mary Celeste air, with the most eerie touch the bag of fully-popped corn sitting in the open microwave, untouched. Yes, teenagers popped corn and failed to eat it. And the friend said he had only a text telling him to meet them there, with no mention of an excursion.

Before I could call the ghosthunters or some other psychic service, they all reappeared with some explanation I cannot follow. Now, whenever there is a pause in the giggling emanating from the living room, I stop typing and listen to make sure they haven't been wafted off again.

Stuff is happening to me, but it's all boring, so I will link to various things on tabs open on my browser.



( Fish and flush )
( possibly the worst commercial Photoshop ever )
( but let's not mock the Poles )
( I knew it was just a matter of time before Iowa got blamed for Swine Flu )