I met N in 2007 and instantly felt a rapport.  I was staying somewhere and was completely terrified if I'm honest as I felt myself to be someone not really worth knowing.

There was a communal room where people ate, relaxed, watched tv etc etc and it was there we met and began chatting.  Not only did she take away any nerves I might have had, she made me feel like I was someone as opposed to how I've often felt, as something.

Thank you.

I won't go into all the ins and outs and the whys and wherefores of the time we've known one another, what I will say is that's she trusted and true.  I could tell her anything and, whatever her feelings were about it, she'd remain on my side.

She's totally non-judgmental, good humoured, intelligent, the list goes on really.  I'm honoured to know her and to be able to say she's a friend.  She's helped me immeasurably with my confidence and I know I wouldn't be as comfortable with myself as I am now, without her input.

Thank you N for everything you are and all that you've done, are doing and will continue to do for me and everyone else who's fortunate enough to know you.  The world is a brighter, warmer, friendlier place for having you in it.

I love ya xxxxxx

Vergeet alles waar je mee bezig bent op de ds computer of in je bed! Het spel N+ is er.

Ik speelde hem even en ik dacht weer terug aan dat te gekke spelletje op internet! Dit moet je spelen. Het is een klein spelletje (downloadbaar 5mb) maar o wat is die gameplay goed. Dit is puur zo'n spel dat alleen voor de gameplay is gemaakt.

Ook met de level-editor en de hele rits unlockables ben je zoet naast de vele chapters die er zijn uit te spelen.

Er zijn een stuk of 30 chapters en die chapters bestaan allemaal uit vier levels. Alsof dat nog niet genoeg is is er de hele gedetailleerde level editor. Dit spel is goed voor een hele dag tijdverdrijf.

Tip: Als je op de radio naar voetbal luistert zal ik eerst je eigen levels maken en die dan gaan spelen. Spelen en voetbal luisteren gaat goed samen, maar dit gaat al helemaal goed samen.

Fast forward to my purchase of Contra 4 for the DS. At the time I was coming to terms with the fact that RPGs, formerly my favorite type, were not satisfying my needs in a game anymore. It took me a while to realize the genre was becoming more of the same 30+ hour, zero difficulty drift of rehashed plot points that, upon completion, just make you happy because it's finally over (A very notable exception is Shiren the Wanderer, a personal fav of mine which has consumed well over 100 hours of my life). Contra 4 made me feel good about making progress in the face of seemingly impossible odds again. In fact, I never even finished the game on 'normal' difficulty. After I unlocked the challange mode, that's all I would play. My thumbs went raw trying to do them all and when I did, I felt like I had actually done something worthwhile, which, I don't have to tell you, is remarkable for a game to do. Something about the small scope of the individual chalenges made Contra 4 more enjoyable to me than when they were strung together in a lenghy (but slightly less difficult) sequence.

Last month, two games were released for the DS that take this series of tough rooms/challenge mode idea and boil it down to a formulaic level. Every level of N+ and Bangai-O Spirits is essentially a single room with a single goal and that's it. Both games are so formulaic that each comes with its own level editor making every element in the game besides the basic engine available to you at once. This concept of endlessly varying, bite-sized challenges really hit home for me personally and I have enjoyed both games immensely. Bangai-O Spirits, in particular, has quickly become one of my favorite games of all time. What's so frustrating is that these great games will probably fall into relative obscurity due to the fact that only a handful of people are buying them. A quick lurk over to the Gamefaqs forums shows a bunch of whiners complaining about the difficulty with the few diehard fans urging them to give the game a chance/stop being a pussy. I want to say thank you to these people right now, and urge them to keep making new levels for us play. Lastly, I want developers to know that fans of this genre are out there, whatever it is... Give me more.

He also says "ba" about almost anything and A is quick to tell him: "It's not Daddy, it's Mommy!"

I think he's also signing - today he made the sign for "all done" twice. Maybe we should teach him the sign for "sleep".

• N called this morning.
• I downloaded the pictures from my camera.
• I have the (partially vacuumed) house to myself.

These are the three miracles of today.

Here's a picture of N at the beach this summer. Doesn't it look cool? Her friend E is holding the blue boogie board, and it looks like N is rubbing her eyes.

It's hot here, and I've cleaned a little bit. I think I'd rather take a nap.

The good thing? N sounds okay -- she says she has things to do, and people to do them with, although it's a bit early to call them friends. While I was talking to her she was texting someone else. That seems like a good sign, no?

And classes, oh yes. Classes seem to be going okay.

But she sounded good, and like herself. So that's very good.

Here's another picture, this time of M at the beach. See the amazing gaudi-esque sand castle in the background?

Here's a better picture of it. Two people built it, and when they were finished, they took a picture and left. It was amazing.

Here it is with the tide coming in. Perhaps it's more Dali-esque. The little balls along the walls really look like the eggs along the walls on Dali's house in Port LLigat, and his museum in Figueres.

See?

Here's a picture of the infamous blue couch at my mother's house. It's said that if you sit down in it, you're there for an hour at least. I'd have to say that's true.

And here's a picture of our little sailboat. It's still in the water, but we're a little afraid of Hanna and Ike. Oh dear, oh dear. I hope it will be okay ...

Pero bien; Eh estado jugando Fly for Fun y debo decir: es genial.

Realmente siempre he pensado que los MMO’s que cobran mensualmente no lo valen, aun lo creo, ya que teniendo opciones gratis como esa, quien quiere pagar? Ahora tengo un wanna-be-Mercenary nivel 12 y una Maga nivel 31, y no me canso del jueguito este.

Luego les platicare más, ahora al plato fuerte.

Death Note es fantástico.

Apenas termine de ver el Anime, el Final no me hizo feliz del todo, y el plot twist de mitad de la serie le quito una parte importante...

----ATENCION: ACONTINUACION HAY SPOILERS SOBRE LA SERIE----
---SELECCIONA PARA LEER---

En lo personal me encantaba el personaje de L y la tensión psicológica que causaba su lucha con Kira, mas después de que murió y presentan a M y N (Mello y Near) ya no sentí la misma emoción, si, disfrute la serie hasta el final pero realmente L es insuperable.

Aun cuando Light muere consiguió su objetivo, se volvió un dios, dicen que esto queda más explicito y mejor explicado en el manga, creo que le daré una leída.

El que murieran tantos personajes me agrado debo mencionar, Rem se sacrifico, el Sr. Yagami tambien, la ex novia de Light también.

Aun así, Kira es el mejor, su manera de pensar y adelantarse a las cosas es impresionante y su falta de escrúpulos y frialdad lo hace más genial aun.

----TERMINAN SPOILERS----

Y si, recomiendo mucho la serie, luego hablare más a fondo sobre ella no se preocupen, por mientras suerte y pórtense bien, cubran sus caras y usen nombres falsos bien porque alguien puede escribir su nombre en un cuaderno negro si no lo hacen jejeje.

Todas las religiones del mundo tienen a sus fundadores en una tumba.

Todos los que comenzaron un nuevo movimiento, están hoy en un cementerio y se puede visitar sus restos.

Pero con Cristo es distinto.

Jesucristo hoy está vivo.

Él dio su vida y murió voluntariamente y porque es Dios, resucitó.

Este hecho además garantiza la veracidad de la salvación.

No es en una religión en lo que hemos creído, no es en un rito antiguo, sino en una persona.

Y que a diferencia de todos los otros líderes religiosos de otras épocas, dejó su tumba vacía.

Ninguna otra persona puede hacer esta afirmación.

La garantía absoluta de la veracidad de los dichos de Cristo, es que él mismo dijo que iba a morir e iba a volver a vivir.

Porque es Dios, tenía y tiene el poder sobre la vida y la muerte.

Él tiene el poder sobre la tumba.

Es increíble pensar que el autor de la vida, el ser que nunca había nacido porque existió siempre, porque era Dios mismo, un día dejo de vivir.

Es impensable que el creador de la vida haya muerto.

Tal era su amor por ti, que estuvo dispuesto a morir en tu lugar.

Cristo dejó la tumba vacía y nos dio la victoria de la vida.

Conquistó con su muerte al que tenía el imperio de la muerte.

Mató a la muerte y perpetuó la vida eterna.

La cruz conmueve para celebran el triunfo de Cristo.

Pero es mucho más que una emoción temporal de un hecho histórico.

La resurrección de la pascua es mucho más que una fecha en el calendario religioso.

Recordar que Jesucristo vive, es la esperanza y la garantía de vida eterna para cada cristiano.

Es tiempo de adorar a Cristo y alabarle.

De darle la gloria y la honra que él se merece.

De poner bien en alto su nombre y su obra.

Es tiempo de proclamar su grandeza y su poder, porque él está vivo.

Amén.

Dios Te Bendiga.

Cum ziceam. Deci zap- bang-zap. Rahaturi, bătări, buci, panaramă... TVR. Ăsta e un post pe care ajung rar. Că n-am de ce. Şi parchez. Festivalu' cu cerbu' cocălar. Pe scenă nişte lăţoşi şi nişte gagice se agitau în draci. Ciulesc urechea. La faza asta timpanul şi restul agregatelor intră în funcţiune. Un fel de show. Ceva cu tiribam-dili-tiribam. Una ( bunăăăăă) făcea figuri pe acolo intr-o bubuială cu note etno vag identificabile. Între două căscaturi încerca să dibuiesc dacă e rusoaică, sârboaică sau... Hopa... ucrainiancă. De pe aici. Din cartieru' de est. Pe urmă mi-a picat fisa. Ruslana. Cântăcioasa aia care şi-a tras un iurovision acu' nişte ani. Să fie sănătoasă. Am stat. M-am holbat. Am ascultat. Muzica aia nu mă interesează. Un fel de manea mai agitată. Nu e din campionatu' meu. Da' nici foarte rău nu sună. Zbânţuiala ălora nu era nici ea chiar deranjantă. Una peste alta un show acceptabil. La bani aştia... Ăia, spectatorii fericiţi. Cântăcioasa şi ea. Ei o filmau pe ea. Ea pe ei.

După nişte minute am luat iar telecomanda la pipăit. Şi mi-am amintit: băi, păi cu aştia ne  judecăm noi la Haga. Lucescu antrenează pe la ei, le ia banii şi campionatele. Mai joacă nişte mingicari de ai noştri pe acolo ( mai joacă, nu).  Ruslana cântă la Braşov...  În timpul ăsta statele noastre se judecă. Şi mi-am dat seama că nu e nimic extraordinar. E ceva aproape norma, tipic... pentru zona asta a Europei, cartierul de est. Unde lucruruile se întâlnesc în moduri atât de ciudate. Şi românii se zbânţuie la muzicile Ruslanei, iar ucrainienii fac valuri la vederea lui Lucescu. Iar restul... nişte tâmpiţi care se cred politicieni şi încurcă lucrurile.

Ei cu Bâstroe, noi cu procesele... Ca în cartieru' de est. Iar noi putem înţelege asta. Alţii, de peste mări şi ţări sigur nu. Dar vor ei să dărâme clădirile vechi din cartierul meu. Ca să construiască un mall. Şi noi îi lăsăm ?

Nobody has a body quite like you,

You body's a shrine, sparkling, it's true,

There's no space between your's and mine,

Your body's divine, I'm annointed in celestial wine.

Nobody has a body quite like your's,

I could worship ya' body, for hours and hours,

Darlin', I'm prayin' for a vision from the blue,

Whenever in our temple, dancing as angels do.

Your body is a temple,

I adore each second with you,

There's a touch of majesty,

In everything you say and do.

I'm lighting a candle to our love,

As a touch of Heaven, drops from above,

Sent, like a miracle, a white, peaceful dove,

Resting on the walls of a temple, a temple of love.

Only your temple body, gives me this kinda release,

In your arms only, with your kisses, I find inner peace,

I confess, as I'm whispering into your ear,

Darlin', it's a passion, to hold and have you near.

Calmed in a temple, cooled by still water,

Baptised by your kisses,

If you drown, I'd make sure that I caught ya' !

If you're flown, it's only the thought of ya' !

Dreaming of a temple, your body in chiffon, so

revealling,

Darling, in our temple, it's a glimpse of you that I'm

stealing ... (repeat to fade)

© Jacqueline Richards 2008

నేననీ నీవనీ వేరుగా లేమనీ
చెప్పినా వినరా ఒకరైనా
నేను నీ నీడని నువ్వు నా నిజమని
ఒప్పుకోగలరా ఎపుడైనా ఆ..
రెప్ప వెనకాల స్వప్నం
ఎప్పుడెదురయ్యే సత్యం తెలిస్తే..
అడ్డుకోగలదా వేగం
కొత్త బంగారు లోకం  పిలిస్తే..

మొదటి సారి మదిని చేరి
నిదర లేపిన ఉదయమా
వయసులోని పసితనాన్ని
పలకరించిన ప్రణయమా
మరీ కొత్తగా మరో పుట్టుక
అనేటట్టుగా ఇది నీ..మా..యే..నా..

నేననీ నీవనీ వేరుగా లేమనీ
చెప్పినా వినరా ఒకరైనా
నేను నీ నీడని నువ్వు నా నిజమని
ఒప్పుకోగలరా ఎపుడైనా ఆ..
రెప్ప వెనకాల స్వప్నం
ఎప్పుడెదురయ్యే సత్యం తెలిస్తే..
అడ్డుకోగలదా వేగం
కొత్త బంగారు లోకం  పిలిస్తే..

పదము నాది పరుగు నీది
రధమువైరా ప్రియతమా
తగువు నాది తెగువ నీది
గెలుచుకో పురుషంకమా
నువ్వే దారిగా నేనే చేరగా
ఎటూ చూడక వెనువెంటే రానా

నేననీ నీవనీ వేరుగా లేమనీ
చెప్పినా వినరా ఒకరైనా
నేను నీ నీడని నువ్వు నా నిజమని
ఒప్పుకోగలరా ఎపుడైనా ఆ..
రెప్ప వెనకాల స్వప్నం
ఎప్పుడెదురయ్యే సత్యం తెలిస్తే..
అడ్డుకోగలదా వేగం
కొత్త బంగారు లోకం  పిలిస్తే..

నిజంగా నేనేనా ఇలా
నీజతలో ఉన్నా
ఇదంతా ప్రేమేనా
ఎన్నో వింతలు చూస్తున్నా
ఎదలో ఎవరో చేరి
అన్నీ చేస్తున్నారా
వెనకే వెనకె ఉంటూ
నీపై నన్నే తోస్తున్నారా
హరే హరే హరే హరే హరే రామా
మరీ ఇలా ఎలా వచ్చేసింది ధీమా
ఎంతో హుషారుగా ఉన్నాదేలోనా
ప్రేమా
హరే హరే హరే హరే హరే రామా
మరీ ఇలా ఎలా వచ్చేసింది ధీమా
ఎంతో హుషారుగా ఉన్నదేలోనా
ప్రేమా

నిజంగా నేనేనా ఇలా
నీజతలో ఉన్నా
ఇదంతా ప్రేమేనా
ఎన్నో వింతలు చూస్తున్నా

ఈ వయస్సులో ఒకో క్షణం ఒక్కో వసంతం
నా మనస్సుకి ప్రతి క్షణం నువ్వే ప్రపంచం
ఓ సముద్రమై అనుక్షణం పొంగే సంతోషం
అడుగులలోనా అడుగులు వేస్తూ
నడిచిన దూరం ఎంతో ఉన్నా
అలసట రాదు గడిచిన కాలం
వింతని నమ్మనుగా

నిజంగా నేనేనా ఇలా
నీజతలో ఉన్నా
ఇదంతా ప్రేమేనా
ఎన్నో వింతలు చూస్తున్నా

నా కలే ఇలా నిజాలుగా నిలుస్తు ఉంటే
నా గతాలనే కవ్వింతలై పిలుస్తు ఉంటే
ఈ  వరాలుగా ఉల్లాసమే కురుస్తు ఉంటే
పెదవికి చెంప తగిలిన చోట
పరవసమేదో తోడవుతుంటే
పగలే తీరా గగనంలోనా
తారలు చేరెనుగా

నిజంగా నేనేనా ఇలా
నీజతలో ఉన్నా
ఇదంతా ప్రేమేనా
ఎన్నో వింతలు చూస్తున్నా
ఎదలో ఎవరో చేరి
అన్నీ చేస్తున్నారా
వెనకే వెనకె ఉంటూ
నీపై నన్నే తోస్తున్నారా
హరే హరే హరే హరే హరే రామా
మరీ ఇలా ఎలా వచ్చేసింది ధీమా
ఎంతో హుషారుగా ఉన్నాదేలోనా
ప్రేమా
హరే హరే హరే హరే హరే రామా
మరీ ఇలా ఎలా వచ్చేసింది ధీమా
ఎంతో హుషారుగా ఉన్నదేలోనా
ప్రేమా

N+ just came out last week on the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable (PSP). It sells for around $20 and can be found at most retail stores.

N+ is a really fun game. It's basically a platformer in which you play a ninja (N) that has to avoid killer lasers, attack drones, exploding mines, and other nasty surprises all while collecting gold coins (and staying alive) in order to proceed to the next level. It has simple but crisp graphics, nice music, and cool physics. It's addictive and well suited for handheld game devices. There are hundreds of different levels so one is sure to enjoy hours of gameplay.

I'd like to thank everyone at Silverbirch Studios for letting me contribute to N+, and to Metanet for their original concept.

CanDevs

See you later -- assuming I don't melt.

A little after eight Chuck finished dinner and asked if I'd like to watch the first disc of The Iceman Cometh, which I got from a library the day before. What a bleak, lush movie.

Nasehat yang baik, nasehat yang buruk bukan tergantung pada siapa yang menyampaikan tapi bagaimana kita menerima dan memahaminya.

“You have to see the new Batman movie when it comes in the theatre”, gushes a friend of mine over the phone. She’s been living in New York City for the past few years and recently got to watch the much-hyped, ‘The Dark Knight’.
“It was brilliant”, she gushes again followed by a generous sprinkle of expletives and additional approving remarks.
“The lines here were insane! There were people waiting to buy tickets dressed up as The Joker and Batman!”

Before you judge the film as ‘just another comic-book inspired flick’, think again. Ripe with political undertones and breaking multiple box office records just days after its release, ‘The Dark Knight’ (TDK) is a fantastically thrilling, dark, intense and psychological movie, with a reel spanning over two hours!

But what’s more, Heath Ledger’s tragic death on the 22nd of January (this year) due to a drug overdose may have - in some morbid way – raised the popularity scales for TDK.
Interestingly, to train for his role as The Joker, Ledger lived in solitude for a month (in an apartment) in New York.

With a diary at bay – to jot down reflections and feelings that The Joker may have thought and felt, Ledger dove straight into the “psychopathic, mass murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy” (as Ledger described the character)…not knowing what it would cost him. And cost him it did – Ledger’s life. At twenty-eight. 

Ask yourself: could there have been any linkage to Ledger’s prescription drug overdose (which resulted in his death) and his heavy-duty involvement in the character Ledger was meant to portray?

It is speculated that the young actor had trouble sleeping, and the sleeping pills discovered at his bed could have pointed towards an overdose. But why would Ledger overdose on sleeping pills?

Was it a planned suicide? Or was it simply a horrible accident gone wrong? Amidst the questions; only one thing remains crystal-clear; and that is that Ledger may have gotten far too involved in his role as The Joker.

Living alone in an apartment in Manhattan for a month, without any contact with the outside world – and at the same time practicing how to look, sound, think, feel and live like the crazed character of The Joker, surely must have affected Ledger on a deeply emotional and even physical level.

Oddly, TDK’s famous ‘Why so serious?’ tagline couldn’t be more ironic.

This is because while Ledger dove straight into the seriously psychotic and deeply troubled role of The Joker, The Joker’s mocking tagline coupled with his contorted, gleeful expression, seems to sinisterly ridicule Ledger’s mysterious death.

And that’s not all. Regarding TDK’s political undertones, a journalist for ‘The Wall Street Journal’ wrote that Batman plays the role of Bush and that on a certain level the movie is “a paean of praise to the fortitude and moral courage that has been shown by George W. Bush in this time of terror and war”.

While the aforementioned journalist’s stance on the rather asinine notion that both Bush and Batman’s characters can be juxtaposed, the threat of terrorism regarding both Gotham City and America does seem more or less, the same. However, as another foreign writer intelligently puts it: “The difference between Batman and the Bush Administration is motive. Batman is just trying to do the right thing, period. But the Bush Administartion’s version of the ‘right thing’ is weighed down by ornaments of self interest, corporate interest, and shady dealings. The difference between Batman and George W. Bush is that one is The Dark Knight and the other is The Greedy King.”

Whether or not TDK’s director Chris Nolan was trying to spark debate by including heavy political undertones and/or subliminally eulogize Dubya and his Administration’s policies regarding the ‘war on terror’, is highly debatable.
Yet, if you look into the script and storyline of TDK a little deeper, you will realize that it “weighs in strongly on the side of the Bush administration” (as stated by Spencer Ackerman – a writer for ‘The Washington Independent’).

Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time Hollywood has roped together current political fiascos with men in shiny leather suits, all the while stirring up baseless propaganda and provoking mind-numbing, and thought-bending mass outlooks.

But the political undertones (or rather, overtones) and character linkages to politicians in the real world aside, TDK is a must-see for anyone looking for solid thrills…especially after Angelina Jolie’s over-the-top ‘Wanted’ (also released this year).

A writer for the Rolling Stones sums up TDK quite brilliantly, he states: “The haunting and visionary The Dark Knight soars on the wings of untamed imagination. It's full of surprises you don't see coming. And just try to get it out of your dreams.”

Instep, The News International

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You were the best friend who lived in her neighborhood. I was the best friend from birth, because our parents were close friends.

I admit to being jealous of you over the years. I was a selfish friend, and I wanted her all to myself, especially when we were all girls.

I know very little of your life as an adult, but N remained a close and true friend to you, as she did to me. I know you faced difficult decisions and a serious illness.

You don't need me to tell you this, but you did the right thing. You were braver than I could be. You were braver than I was. Stronger and more true.

As you know, N is moving, going to Palo Alto. In theory, as we haven't seen much of each other since marrying and starting our families, you may think this is no big deal. But knowing she has been in Columbus or Chautauqua has been comforting. It was easy to think, "Well, I can just get in a car and see her" even if it only happened a handful of times. But now she's going clear across the country, which means plane tickets and plane rides and 3000 miles instead of 300.

You have taken a much longer journey, have left N and all of your friends and family much, much further behind than a mere cross-country uprooting could encompass or compare to.

N misses you, of course. And part of what she misses of you is the "other-side" that you played to our coin -- the coin that was you and me. We were the "best friends for life" that N always had in her pocket.

I didn't know you well, but I will miss you too. Miss you for your son. Miss you for our best friend.

I hope you found peace while you were still here. I hope you find rest.

"For one human being to love another; that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation."
-- Rainer Maria Rilke

I originally posted this over at my blog, Simply Drew. I figured I'd post it here as well since it certainly pertains to TMFB's topic matter.

I'm sure some of you have heard of the plight of Brandon Sugden by now.

For those who haven't, his story puts yet another bad spotlight on hockey and makes me want to lash out against the NHL even more than I already have.

Brandon is a career minor league enforcer. He played his last AHL game in the 2006-07 season, announcing it as a "retirement." He chose to move on to the semi-pro LNAH in Quebec for part of that season and the 2007-08 season.

Recently, Brandon found out that his father has been diagnosed with cancer. He has less than one year to live. He decided he would try one final time to make it so his dad could see him skate in an NHL game before he dies. Brandon was even lucky enough to gain a tryout this year in the New York Islanders' camp.

But, a roadblock has been put in place. Because of his retirement, then his jump to another pro league, Sugden needed the approval of all 30 NHL teams to come back, or else play one more season on an AHL-only contract, or the LNAH, or some other minor pro league. By the time that timeframe passes, his father will likely end up dying. When it was put to a vote, three teams rejected his desire to attempt to return to the NHL, thus ending his hopes of coming back this season.

These three teams have remained anonymous and have given no reason as to why they have voted against him. Granted, Sugden has had some problems in his past, including at one point a lifetime ban from the ECHL for throwing his stick into the crowd due to a fan verbally abusing him about his past problems with drugs and alcohol. He has turned his life around and had a moderately successful career in the AHL and has been a major fan favorite in Syracuse where he played from 2003-2006.

Why should three of thirty teams be allowed to mess with this man's livelihood in such a way? 90% of the NHL approves of his return. Why should only 10% decide his fate? Why not put it up to those who will have to play with and against him and let the players decide? Why should he not have a final chance? Marty McSorley got another chance. So did Todd Bertuzzi, Brad May, Chris Simon (two extra chances for him), Jesse Boulerice (another with two shots, if you include his lifetime OHL ban), Gordie Dwyer, Dale Hunter, Steve Downie, and Tom Lysiak.

Why not Brandon Sugden?

If you are as sick of this as I am, I would encourage you to sign this petition. The group wants to get 2,000 signatures on it as soon as possible. While online petitions often don't mean a thing, it's better than just sitting back and letting it happen.

This isn't just something for fans of tough hockey. It's not even for hockey fans alone. This is for ANYONE who has ever had a dream and worked their tail off to try to achieve it.

Help the man achieve his dream. Go to this link, and add your name to the petition and show your support.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/let-brandon-sugden-play

For one thing, M is being obstreperous. I think she is missing N, and it's not so fun to be the only kid at home. Well, when you're used to having an ally.

Although I think often N was my ally, and M thought we were trying to make her do things she didn't want to.

Anyway. I walked with M to school today, which I think she viewed as terribly embarrassing. I had to go to the post office, though, which is right next door.

Anyway, I enjoyed it. She may not have.

And of course, I am worrying about her schedule, which, as is normal at LUPS, is completely screwed up. Actually, she likes many of her teachers, and only her science and art teachers are complete disasters. That's actually pretty good for LUPS.

But I'm worried about N. Will she make friends? Will she begin to do fun things? Will her classes be good? Will she overcome her native shyness and talk to her professors? ??? Will she hide in her room and gain 50 pounds? Probably not.

I miss her, but I would miss her less if I knew she was okay.

I mailed her her glasses this morning.

If you knew how much I hate to go to the post office (and Lass, I did not mail your book, but maybe I will tomorrow!) you would know how much I miss her.

Anyway. There it is. I'm going home now to see what's up with M.

See ya --

Hey -- this Alaska thing. I think it has to be her poor daughter's kid. It just doesn't make sense otherwise, and the only reason I can imagine that she didn't disguise it a little bit better is that she had no notion she was going to be running for vice president. But you know -- I'm all in favor of women doing anything, really I am -- but don't you think if your 17 year old daughter was pregnant for the second time in 2 years, and had an infant with Down's syndrome, don't you think you might think twice about accepting the nomination for VP?

Unless, you know, it all seemed okay to you -- in which case, you should just come out with it and not hide it.

Maybe I'm wrong -- but the whole thing is just so odd otherwise.