Just a heads-up, if you are a blogger and we ever meet in Chicago, you can be assured of a few things:

• We will visit The Bean
• There will be tequila
• I will not drink any

Okay, so this time I really did drink some tequila, just not in its raw, unrefined form. In fact, no one did. We all sipped our Tequila Cosmos and Tequila Mojitos like proper ladies and gentlemen. This was a much more civilized bunch than met at TequilaCon NYC, what with the nonstop pounding of shots and relentless ridiculing of the non-shot drinkers. I WILL NOT BOW TO PEER PRESSURE! EXCEPT IN PORTLAND FOR TEQUILACON ‘07!
But enough about TequilaCons of yore and yon. This past weekend’s event was informally dubbed “Davecago” because it all began when Dave2 told Kevin and me that he was coming to Chicago on business. The boys spread the word, and suddenly there were a dozen people eating pizza and drinking pitchers of beer in Wicker Park. Bloggers and non-bloggers alike, living together in harmony.
I love hanging out with people from out of town because it forces me to approach Chicago like a tourist, and see and do new things. Like eating mashed potatoes on pizza, for example. This is not a topping I would have ever ordered, nor will I ever order it again due to the bizarre texture that was a bit like damp cornmeal, but I believe I am a better person for the experience.
This was kind of like a mystery blogger meetup, because most of the folks I met were completely new to me. But as the beer and wine flowed, we quickly fell into true bloggeek mode, with in-depth discussions on RSS feeds, blog design, how we feel about comments, and how a seemingly innocent entry put Dave on the most wanted list of every clown in the contiguous 48 states.
Our bellies loaded up with carbs, we made our way to Salud – the site of TequilaCon the First, the event that began my love affair with strangers I met on the Internet. For some reason I didn’t get the memo that we were all supposed to drink Mango Tequila Mojitos, so was clearly the odd man out with my Tequila Cosmo.

Except for RW, who was truly the outlander with his Mexican Zinfandel, but he’s a classy guy and doesn’t bow to peer pressure either.
Now, our numbers slightly smaller, we cozied up around the perfect table and discussed favorite authors, and current reads, and Mac vs. PC, and our conflicted feelings about MySpace. After a delightful evening with some genuinely interesting people, we said our farewells and boarded respective trains, planes, and automobiles.

[me, Dave, Kelly, Ariana, RW, Lynne – photo by Gary]
And that was Saturday.
On Sunday (which was, it should be noted, the second of two of the most spectacularly beautiful days we ever see in Chicago – 75˚ and cloudless, slight breeze), I met up again with Dave and Gary to see a collection of exhibits at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
After spending a long time reading through the comics/graphic novels in the Chris Ware exhibit, and admiring the Warhol retrospective (Oh look – it’s Liz Taylor! And there she is again, and again, and again…) we moved on to another featured artist – some German photographer.
Before walking in, we were met with two large signs that said, “Warning: contains some adult content. You may want to view this exhibit first before bringing young children.” In retrospect, had I written the signs, they would have said something more like, “Warning: You may want to avoid this exhibit altogether because it will dissolve the right hemisphere of your brain with its suckitude. The highlight is a photograph of a man peeing on a chair.”
Art makes me hungry, as does pretty much everything else in life, including eating, so the three of us headed to the South Loop to grab some food near our next destination – the Printer’s Row Book Fair. This would prove a mistake, since every restaurant in a 10-block radius had lines a mile long. We eventually settled on the shortest line: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and squirty tubes of blueberry yogurt off the kid’s menu at Panera. I know how to show visitors the finer side of Chicago cuisine, to be sure.
We all miraculously made it through the open-air book festival relatively unscathed, although I did have my eye on a 1950’s hygiene guide for boys.

It was clear that no matter how hard I tried, neither Gary nor Dave would get in line to pose with Curious George, so I led us onward to one of my favorite destinations – Millennium Park.
The park was absolutely packed with children playing in the Crown Fountain and adults snapping shots of Cloud Gate (aka The Bean). No matter how many times I go there, I just can’t resist a photo opportunity.




Finally, I heard my four favorite words – “Let’s get a drink!” – so we ended our long day with beers and vodka lemonades and chips and salsa. It was a wonderful weekend with a great group of people, and contrary to what Kelly’s husband predicted, no one was murdered by psycho Internet people. So thanks to all who joined, and I look forward to adding you all to my reading lists!
Ariana
Dave
Gary
Kelly
Kevin (and Katie, Brian, and Jen)
RW (and Lynne)
Steve
Susan

Filed under: General on June 6th, 2006 | 21 Comments »

My life-energy has been sapped by long walks in the city, great art, and afternoon beers in the sun, so my full recap will have to wait a day.
However, let me just mention that I spent the weekend with another amazing group of bloggers, and finally, finally, we were able to put aside the petty differences that have divided bloggers for centuries. And this enlightenment was perfectly illustrated by a curious little primate who touched our lives, if ever so briefly. I mean, if the monkeys and rats can learn to love one another, can’t we all?
Can’t we all?

Oh, since I’m all about sharing my addictions (and to distract you from the utter lack of content in this entry), allow me to pass along another recent colossal time-waster: make your own Jackson Pollock paintings. (via boingboing)

Filed under: General on June 4th, 2006 | 10 Comments »

Hey –
Did you ever have a really great idea to go home and write a play where all the dialogue and characters were based on spam emails you’ve received, but then your friends called to invite you out to dinner at your favorite restaurant so you met up with them and drank wine and ate cheese?
And let’s say that one of the reasons this is your favorite restaurant is because they make the most unbelievably divine pasta Bolognese, but when you got to the restaurant you saw that pasta Bolognese was no longer featured on the specials board and you would cry the tears of a thousand sailors. I’m sure that the waiter would recommend some other amazing dishes like the soft shell crab special and chicken thigh stuffed with couscous and three different desserts, and you would eat them all because they were quite delicious, but still, you would lament the fact that they were not pasta Bolognese.
Maybe you would come home with every intention of writing that play, but still suffering from the disappointment of no Bolognese, and fatigued by the bottle of Spanish red you drank at your favorite restaurant and the glass of scotch you sipped while defragging your hard drive, you would find yourself distracted and unfocused. After a few failed attempts at writing something clever and interesting, maybe you would play Bejeweled for a while, eat the remaining three Oreos sitting on your kitchen counter in a plastic baggie to protect them from humidity, and then ultimately sell out by digging through your photo archives and posting a picture of your nephew holding a tiny snake.
Nah, I’m sure you would never do that.

(more…)

Filed under: General on June 1st, 2006 | 20 Comments »

Saw it in the window, and just had to have it.


It would seem that the only thing that can pull me out of this Post-TDW (three-day weekend) funk is a dress made entirely out of Marshmallow Peeps. But now the dilemma: what shoes do I wear?

Filed under: General on May 30th, 2006 | 22 Comments »

When Dean asked me if I would be interested in hosting one of his blog carnivals, I must admit that it was with some reservation that I accepted. Not because I wasn’t into the concept – I think it’s wonderful to create a forum for showcasing the work of a diverse group of bloggers – it’s just… well, the carnival thing.
I’m sure that for many people, the idea of a carnival conjures up happy Technicolor memories of cotton candy and roller coasters, corn dogs and stuffed animals. For me, when I think of carnivals, aside from flashing to scenes from this one really horrible B-movie [I think it was called The Funhouse] where a deformed man terrorized teenagers in a carnival, I am hurled into a series of painful childhood memories that I worked hard to repress:
Painful Memory #1:
I was probably five or six years old, and my parents brought my brother and me to a carnival. We spent the day happily riding the tilt-a-whirl, popping balloons, and throwing ping pong balls into goldfish bowls. As we were leaving, we walked past a sign that advertised all sorts of oddities of nature – a good old fashioned freakshow. My brother asked my mom if we could go in, and she inexplicably consented. My parents waited outside as my brother held my hand tightly and led me up the stairs.
I remember walking up to a booth with a window – it was like the ticket counter at a movie – where sitting quietly inside was a woman with what I now understand must have been a horrible skin disease. Her face, hands and arms were covered in scales, and she was billed as The Alligator Lady. I stood silently in front of her booth, and she smiled, then reached her hand toward me. I pulled back in horror, grabbed my brother’s arm, and ran outside. To this day, I still feel guilty about it.
Painful Memory #2:
I was about thirteen, and some friends and I decided to hang out at the local carnival that would miraculously appear overnight in the American Motors parking lot each summer. Somewhere halfway through that ride that spins you around really fast so you stick to the wall, I got my period. I’m not going to get into any graphic details, or discuss the mechanics of centrifugal force, but I will point out that I was wearing white shorts, and found out the hard way that carnival Port-o-Potties do not have sanitary napkin dispensers.
Painful Memory #3:
It was 1979. I was celebrating my 8th birthday. My aunt hired a clown. His name was Yummy Yummy.
So… yeah. Carnivals.
Okay – who’s ready for some Carnival of the Mundane?! Can I get a “WHOOP WHOOP?!”
[Dean is now cursing the day he ever invited me to host this…]
But really – this story has a point. And that point is this: I found it ironic that my own recollection of carnivals is one of fear and shame, and somehow, every single submission that people sent me revolved around those exact ideas. Apparently, these are the most mundane of emotions. And here, I always thought that was love.
If you don’t believe me, just read for yourself:

• First, a certain Mr. Faltenin from Dreamwalkers fills us all with the fear of letting love slip away.
• Then we have Leesepea from But Wait! There’s More… who now has a fear of sitting next to her grandmother in the hair salon.
• Next up is Tracy from Kaply, Inc. Based on this story, Tracy should actually work on developing a greater fear of neighbors. Hell… I’m scared to death of her neighbor now!
• At Time’s Fool, Mata H. helps us understand how to overcome our fear of loneliness.
• Ever the problem solver, Kevin from Kapgar.com proposes a few ideas to resolve our fear of missing the all-important season finales.
• Brandon at GT seems to have a fear of not being funny. Don’t we all?
• Over at Frugal Wisdom, Wenchypoo shares her fear of losing her star standing in the Clean Plate Club.
• What do I even say about Jillifer at egg in spoon? I mean, sometimes you think you know someone, until you find out they’re terrified of baby T’s. How am I supposed to deal with that?
• At Nature’s Aria, Sunny comes home with a vengeance as she shares a deep fear of mine: running out of ink. That’s why I bring no less than three pens to every meeting.
• I wasn’t aware that they had opened up a McDonald’s in The People’s Republic of Seabrook, but apparently they have, because Jack is really afraid of it.
• Recently-published famous author Cheryl Klein from Bread and Bread opens up about her fear of becoming a glamour girl.
• What’s this? Another person who’s afraid of the Golden Arches? Poor Sandra at Internal Monoblog – she’s got that Hamburglar Monkey on her back.
• I actually just diagnosed myself with the same phobia that Graig at Geekent has: fear of finishing a book.
• Wee little Shari from Eclectic. She’s so, so afraid of receiving toxic mail. Oh, and she’s also horrified at the thought of being called cruel, which is how I tricked her into submitting an entry.
• Aw, now come on, Ms. Sizzle. Your story just scared the shit out of me!
• Marisa from Apartment 2024 for some reason isn’t afraid of a Philly cheesesteak, but I tried one on my only visit to Philadelphia, and let me tell you, those things are nasty. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
• Rennratt of Rennratt, descended from the Mayflower Rennratts, discusses her fear of public name-calling.
• Over at Hyperion Chronicles, Hyperion is terrified by unexpected dinner guests.
• The gentle pirate, Lady Jane Scarlett, scares the bejeezus out of some peacock mantis shrimp, and tries to confuse me by saying things like, “proteomics” and “ligand-target interactions” and “egad.”
• Sween. Sweeney. The Sweenadian. He shares the horrific tale of when wild beasts attacked, leaving a trail of meat and mustard in their path.
• Dean Abbott, also known as “The Wizard,” makes us all wish that some people were more afraid of acting like complete asses in public.
• Ben from History Toaster explains why he has recurring nightmares about burnt toast. :::shudder:::
• Rick from Rick Sincere News and Thoughts has a dream of a world without the fear of bad plumbing.
• Oh, Fitèna of C’est La Vie! Life. Est-ce qu’elle a peur aussi? Mais bien sur! She is afraid, as we all should be, of deep frying a chicken too long.
• And then there’s Colorado Katie. Why is she so haunted by CornNuts? Is it the sound? The smell? We may never know.
• The proprietor of Sucky Blog, Jack, gets night terrors when he thinks of eating health bars. He also coins my new favorite phrase with, “ShitKat.”
• Oh, Postmodern Sass. Will she ever come to America? Maybe, but she’s terrified of having to give up her crusty buns.
• Josh at Multiple Mentality has my full support in his fear of censorship. Fight the power, my brother! If the government wants to censor what I have [edited for content] they can just [edited for content] my [edited for content].
• Beej over at Kiss My Sass lies awake at night, afraid of never finding true fortune.
• Muse from Me-ander worries that she may never satisfy her sweet tooth.
• Kim at Life in a Shoe tries desperately to cover up her fear of over-exposure. Apparently band-aids help.
• And last, but oh man, certainly not least, is Kevin. Kevin fears the ‘fro, yet embraces it all at once. But then he betrays us all.

Thanks for participating everyone!

Filed under: General on May 26th, 2006 | 14 Comments »

The Event:
So the torch has been passed. This Friday, May 26, at long last, I get my opportunity to host the Carnival of the Mundane!
The Background:
Several months ago, Dean Abbott over at Inspired by a True Story came up with the idea to create a forum for the regular blogfolk to showcase what they do best – talk about the day-to-day stuff in an interesting and creative way. Hence, the Carnival of the Mundane.
To quote Mr. Abbott: “A blog carnival is a post published by a single blogger (whoever is hosting that edition) and consists of a collection of links to other posts that have been emailed to the host. The host then tries to present the links to those posts in single post of his or her own with a little context, maybe even some clever commentary. I’m thinking of a carnival for those of us whose material is everyday stuff, a showcase for those dedicated to drawing out the humor or insight from the humdrum.”
Writing about the humdrum? That’s right up my alley! I mean, let’s face it – no one’s asking me for reviews of the latest tech gadgets, or my political perspective, or snarky critiques of Hollywood fashion. It would appear that there are a couple of other blogs out there that do a pretty good job covering those areas. But Dean and Postmodern Sass have been doing their best to keep the dream alive for those of us who don’t really understand what Web 2.0 is, or who get confused by phrases like “electoral college”, or who think it’s still okay to wear pants whose waistband falls just slightly above the ribcage. (What? They were a gift – cut me some slack!)
The Call to Action:
If you would like to be a part of this week’s Carnival, just email your name and the link to your most exquisitely mundane post to jenny@runjenrun.com by this Thursday. And fear not – this doesn’t need to be a new entry. Feel free to sift through the archives.
Thanks, and hope to see you at the Carnival!

Filed under: General on May 21st, 2006 | 7 Comments »

I once knew someone who said that she didn’t believe in fate, only in synchronicity. Whatever the label, I absolutely believe that at times, seemingly random events converge for reasons greater than simple coincidence.
Case in point:
Important Event A:
As I was sorting through the box of memorabilia my mother gave me a few weeks ago, I came across a certificate from elementary school that acknowledged my outstanding achievement in the area of breakdancing.

It’s true, what they say, about never appreciating what we have until it’s gone. I mean, I went to a school that not only allowed breakdancing, but actually encouraged and rewarded it?! Did I also walk to school along a gumdrop path, past the chocolate river, shaded by the cotton candy clouds? How did I never realize my obscenely good fortune, scholastically speaking, until just now?
And on a bit of an aside, I remember now that elementary school was the last time I was able to do the worm, before puberty hit and I grew hips and boobs. [Okay, fine – hips.]
Important Event B:
Email exchange between Natasha and me this Monday afternoon.
To: Natasha
From: Jenny
Subject: Classes
Hey Nat –
I just missed the most recent sign-up for classes, but I think I’m going to take something fun next session. Any interest in one of these?
1. Blues harmonica
2. Banjo
3. Hip hop/Funk dance
4. Tap
I’m leaning toward a dance class since that will also count as exercise. Let me know!
– Jen
***********************************
To: Jenny
From: Natasha
Subject: RE: Classes
Jen –
You are not taking banjo or harmonica! Those are instruments of the hateful Jug Band! Resist! Haven’t you been hurt enough?
Hip hop/funk dance is your calling… look into your heart. Krump Jen Krump!
– Nat
Insanely Important Event C:
Monday night, as I was taking my ritual stroll down the information superhighway, a curious email popped into my inbox. It was from someone called boogalooshrimp2001. I smiled and clicked on the email, which was actually a comment on an older entry where I referenced two of my all-time favorite dance movies – Breakin’ and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo.
The comment was signed: Boogaloo Shrimp, aka Turbo.
I immediately grabbed the phone and called Natasha.
BRRRRIIING! (let’s pretend we all still have phones that make this sound)
Nat: “Hello?”
Me: “OHMIGOD I THINK BOOGALOO SHRIMP JUST COMMENTED ON MY SITE! HOLY CRAP BOOGALOO FRICKIN’ SHRIMP FOUND MY SITE AND POSTED A COMMENT!”
Nat: “What the hell are you talking about?”
Me: [breathing] “Okay, I know you’ve never seen Breakin’ or Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo and HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE but he’s one of the main characters from that movie. Michael Chambers, aka Boogaloo Shrimp, aka Turbo. He left a comment on my site. At least I think he did. What if it was a joke? Who would do such a mean thing? Do you think it was a joke?”
Nat: “Well, I-“
Me: “I mean, that would be really cruel if someone pretended to be him, and left a comment to get me excited and then it turned out to be a trick. But it has to be him! I think it was him! FRICKIN’ BOOGALOO FRICKIN’ SHRIMP!”
Nat: “Yeah, I guess I should Netflix that movie at some point.”
Me: “Um, yeah you should! I just can’t believe you’ve made it this far in life without having seen either of those movies. I gotta go. I need to talk to someone who understands me. I’m calling Dr. Greene.”

BRRRRIIING!
Voicemail: “Hi, this is Dr. Greene. Leave a message and I’ll call you back. Thanks!”
Me: “Why isn’t anyone who understands me answering my calls? I need to talk to someone who can relate to this, and I think you have seen Breakin’ and Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo. Well, if you’ve seen them, then you know that one of the main characters is Turbo aka Boogaloo Shrimp. So get this: HOLY CRAP BOOGALOO SHRIMP JUST LEFT A COMMENT ON MY SITE! Boogaloo Frickin’ Shrimp! Do you even understand how happy that makes me? Wait… you didn’t leave that comment on my site as a joke did you? Because if you did, that would be the cruelest thing ever, and you and I can no longer speak to each other. Except this Wednesday when we recap America’s Next Top Model. But never again after that. You didn’t trick me, did you? No, I think it was really the real Boogaloo Shri- “
BEEP!
BRRRRIIING!
Dee-Dee: “Hey Jen! What’s up?”
Me: “Hey – you’ve seen Breakin’ and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, right?”
Dee-Dee: “Of course. Why?”
Me: “THANK GOD! Okay, so remember when I wrote about how I was trying to download Din Da Da as my ringtone?”
Dee-Dee: “No.”
Me: “Well, I did. Anyway, I think Turbo from Breakin’ just commented on that entry.”
Dee-Dee: “No way!”
Me: “Seriously! BOOGALOO FRICKIN’ SHRIMP!”
Dee-Dee: “Are you sure someone wasn’t playing a joke on you? It sounds like something Dr. Greene would do.”
Me: “NOOO!! Don’t even say that! I just left him a message, so we’ll see when he calls me back. Oh wait – hey, I gotta go! I’ve got another call coming in – this might be Dr. Greene.”
CLICK.
Me: “Hello?”
Vivian: “Hey, it’s me. I got your message – what the heck are you talking about?”
Me: “Okay, Viv. I know you’re anti-pop culture and all, but I think the coolest thing just happened. I think Boogaloo Shrimp from Breakin’ and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo just commented on my site. But Dee-Dee thinks it’s a joke.”
Vivian: “Hmm. Was it on an old post?”
Me: “Yeah, pretty old.”
Vivian: “All right, I say it’s totally him. No one would put a joke comment on a two-month old post. It’s him.”
Me: “You’re always the voice of reason. I’m emailing him back right now!”
An email response from one Mr. Michael Chambers confirmed that my commentator was not an imposter. Call it fate, call it synchronicity, call it happenstance – but the bottom line is that BOOGALOO FRICKIN’ SHRIMP COMMENTED ON MY SITE!
So what does it all mean, these apparently random events coming together at the same time? I once clung to the idea that I, too, could be just like Kelly from the movies Breakin’ and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo – a rich, white, classically trained dancer who ultimately became a competitive breakdancer. Sure, I was neither rich nor classically trained, but that never stopped me from hoping. Then later, I dreamed of becoming a Fly Girl, just like Jennifer Lopez before anyone knew who she was. So today, at 35, and sorely out of shape, is it too late to pursue a career as a hip-hop dancer? Perhaps. But now, thanks to an unexpected comment from a stranger, I get to hold onto that dream for just a while longer.
And for the unfortunate souls among you who have never experienced the sheer joy that is poppin’ and lockin’, I give you the often imitated but never duplicated BOOGALOO SHRIMP!

Filed under: General on May 10th, 2006 | 41 Comments »

“You smell like shooting stars,” she said, smiling, as she released me from a tight embrace.
It wasn’t until years later that I discovered she meant the flower.

Filed under: General on May 8th, 2006 | 18 Comments »

I must confess that I am prone to impulse purchases. I get this from my father, I think. He and I, when we decide we want something, we need to have it immediately. Sometimes this leaves me with a $400 camera, other times with a $15 Scott Baio t-shirt. This past weekend, upon returning from a little Greek fruit and vegetable stand, I found myself unpacking a small clear plastic box containing a honeycomb.

What does one do with a honeycomb, I wondered? I picked up the box which was wedged in between fancy jars of clover honey and apple butter. Seeing that it was $5.89, I set it down, then picked it back up again and turned it over. Perfect hexagons. I have never had a honeycomb. I need this honeycomb. I need it now. But what will I do with it?

It will sit on top of my microwave, until tonight. I have a craving for sweets, and yogurt covered raisins sound too much like vegetables, so I snap open the lid. I’m not sure how to get the honey out, so first I flip the box over, thinking the whole comb might plop out into my hand, and I can eat it like a bear. Of course, it doesn’t move.
I take a butter knife and press gently into one corner. The honey is thick, and the comb collapses a bit as I carefully try to pull out a small square. Checking the cube for bee parts (Don’t bees lay their eggs inside the comb? What if I find a bee leg? Why do they make honey, anyway? How come I don’t know anything?), I lick my fingers, testing it out before committing to a full bite. It tastes just like regular honey. But… better.

I bite off a corner and press it against the roof of my mouth with my tongue. The honey oozes out, leaving flattened cylinders of gummy wax, which I chew into a little ball. It reminds me of those wax candies with the sugary juice inside. Do bears just eat the wax? Probably.
I discover that I like this honeycomb. I like it a lot. And then it hits me: I want to meet a beekeeper. Now.

Filed under: General on May 5th, 2006 | 26 Comments »

I decided to set aside the traumatizing photos from my youth for a while and instead, share a story about my little friend Chloe. Chloe is the gorgeous 2 ½ year old daughter of my friends, Tim and Debbie, and she was recently diagnosed with autism. Her whole family is rallying together to participate in a 5k Walk on May 21st to raise funds for the Cure Autism Now Foundation.
This seems to be the time of year for really great causes, because I’ve read about some of the wonderful things many of you are doing to support various organizations this year. But this one hits close to home for me since I’m pretty sure at one time or another, Chloe has thrown up on me. Where I come from, you can’t get much closer than that… at least that’s what I would always tell my college roommates while they were holding my hair.
Besides, can you even handle these photos? Hey! What’s that red, pulpy thing on the floor over there? Oh, I’m sorry. That’s my heart, which just EXPLODED OUT OF MY BODY when I looked at this picture!

[“It is futile to resist my adorableness”]

[“Wait… you’re not still trying to resist, are you?”]

[“Hank Hill” and the little fairy princess]
If you would like to learn more about Chloe, and make a donation to support Team Chloe Pants, please visit Walk Now Chicago – Team Chloe. Click on the team member of your choice on the right hand side to make a donation (so far Chloe is smoking the rest of her family in terms of individual donations… it’s those hypnotic eyes, I think).
Now, I haven’t even shared this news with Tim and Debbie yet, but I’m actually working on a second fundraiser of my own for Chloe, called the “Help Fund Chloe’s First Perm” campaign. Since I don’t have children of my own, I have decided to devote my time and energy toward making everyone else’s children look like they could be mine. I’m also getting Chloe fitted for green contact lenses, but that’s Phase II. The optometrist said something stupid about “her eyes still growing” and “severe infection.” That’s $99 he’ll never see again.

[She’s sad, because her hair isn’t curly. Yet.]
Thanks everyone for reading, and I hope you enjoy the insanely adorable pictures. This is an important cause that will help fund research into a disorder which is still very much misunderstood, so any support makes a difference. And ladies, please collect your exploded uteruses (uteri?) on the way out. I like to keep a tidy blog. Thank you!
[Click below for one super bonus photo]

(more…)

Filed under: General on May 3rd, 2006 | 22 Comments »