annoyatron, sweet home chicago, HCR

so maybe a co-worker bought some of these. and maybe hid them in impossible to find places in another co-workers' cube? it may lead to said co-worker obsessively re-starting his computer. asking everyone within range if they hear a noise. everyone responding "no" as if he's out of his mind. then a few weeks later we move to another room. people admit they hear the beeping. he diagnoses himself, and everyone else, with tinnitus. they stick one in a crevice in his bag. he starts hearing the noise at home. he and a friend go through and unplug all his electronics at home. he starts slowly losing his mind. starts talking constantly about going to see a doctor. how they shoot steroids into your ear. he starts hanging out in the bathroom just because it's a place where he CAN'T hear the noise. someone is over his shoulder as he goes to google something and his list of recent searches include: "i hear ringing in my ears" needless to say, when said annoyatron was revealed to him on the last day of the case he was less than pleased. there may have been numerous threats of bodily harm. but, in all, totally awesome and worth $20.

had a perfectly cozy night with alex on sunday. we listened to christmas music, had the yule log on, made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, had homemade tomato soup (which was super easy to make and just as good as the stuff at blue ribbon bakery, which is DAMN good, btw) with grilled cheese and chatted for a long while, catching each other up. she's always been such a centered, grounded, presence in my life and i couldn't be more grateful for the stability she provides. hanging out with her always feels like coming home or just being in a safe place.

cute piece on norad's santa tracker.

oy, i love isabel toledo SO MUCH.

erika sent me this: priceless.

we traded melky, which means my boyfriend robinson cano will need a shoulder to cry on. excuse me wile i go comfort my man...

arrived into chicago on time! a christmas miracle! and now i'm sitting with the puppies watching "millionaire matchmaker" which is a ridiculously guilty indulgence for me (the guys are AWFUL narcissistic d-bags. and some of these women are totally gorgeous and put-together). and OMG, sue sylvester is in an xbox commercial! YES. and WHOA, those sarah mclaughlin ASPCA commercials are just murdering me. like, i can't keep donating every 15 minutes this commercial comes on but i'm such a sucker for charity outreach. i pretty much never say no when people ask. my heartstrings are easily tugged. people, this is the reason i don't have cable myself and that my television isn't currently plugged in and why my digital converter (YES, i was totally using bunny ears) is still in the box with cellophane. i don't need that crap in my life. (kate and ant, for all their crap television viewing, also do NOT watch jersey shore, so i'm spared, thank GOD.) i spent about an hour with my hand on kate's tummy feeling the baby kick and shuffle. i think she's running a fetus marathon or something. kate's already a centimeter dilated and having mini contractions which isn't a good thing at only 23 weeks. she's pretty much on bed rest so we'll have lots of couch time. that means plenty of time to see all 500 of my kenya/tanzania photos! and plenty of time to read all those project syndicate posts i've had starred in my reader.

the dogs have been barking all day at the invisible mailman. the mailman just came by and neither dog flinched. of course.

i was sad to miss this morning's senate heath care reform vote. poor senator byrd, wheeled onto the floor to say his vote was for his friend ted kennedy, brought tears to my eyes. the congressional bill is better but we've come far and i'm pretty proud of the democratic caucus (and harry reid) for pulling it together.