Beautiful

Yaya went a lil' crazy with the Thanksgiving selfies :)

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Ferguson

Listening to Ferguson area law enforcement on Scanner Radio. Here's hoping and praying for their safety as they deal with the mis-named "protestors" seeking to profit from tragedy.

What a Weekend

It's been a rough weekend of law school. First I plowed through 24 chapters of an online course that is required *within* a class I'm already taking this semester. Then at the end I had to take an online assessment and pass with a 90% or better; so far, I've failed to reach that after SEVEN exams, reaching as high as 89% and as low as 80%. I'm ready to toss my laptop out the window.

St Vincent

If you can, go see "St. Vincent" starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, and Naomi Watts. It's low key, but funny and sweet, and you'll probably wipe a tear or two from your eye.

LuLu and the Sculptor

Watching. The Arts Page on PBS. This episode centers on the hyper-realism of sculptor Marc Sijan. A few years ago he saw LuLu at a hair salon and approached us to have her model for him; unfortunately she turned out to be a few inches taller than needed for the project and it didn't work out. She should be proud to have inspired such a great artist. :)

A Glum Development

I took the day off of work to attend a pro boxing tournament with Smiley, but post-Disney the cost was prohibitive. I then got a line on some cheap tickets from Craigslist, but the guy sold them right before I texted. I've got a wanted post on the site and there's a faint chance of success . . . But I'll probably have to settle for using the night to finish the online testing for legal writing. #tryingtputagoodspinontgings

Rockerfeller

I've finally finished the 800 page biography of Nelson Rockefeller I started on our vacation. I disagree with some of Rockefeller's positions, but applaud his activism and mourn the loss of the (relative) liberal wing of the GOP he represented. A party is stronger when there is room for dissenting views.

Sweet Revenge

While the boss was volunteering I took the #Centerpieces to dance class. Lulu  had been a disrespectful bear for most of the afternoon, and by the time we left I'd had enough. My punishment was brutal and effective. For the entire half hour ride the radio was tuned to church hymns. Not Gospel mind you, but earnest Protestant pleas to the Lord, interrupted only be the recitation of Psalms. I think their ears were bleeding by the time we arrived. #thatllshowthem

My Bookends Are Dressed for the Winter

The Soup Kitchen

Lisa and Junie, volunteering at the soup kitchen with the Girl Scouts

Pirate Night!

Pirates night is taken seriously on a Disney Cruise. I’d forgotten all about it in the years since our first visit (just like I’d forgotten about the tradition of decorating your stateroom door), but it all came back in a hurry. People – children, adults, the elderly – walk around in full pirate get-up, and a rash of “Rrrrrr’s” echo around the ship. 

If it wasn’t so much  fun, it’d be crazy. 

We all went for dinner and had a great time. The night before Junie had talked the ears off an elderly gentleman at the table next to us, and so I’d moved her over a seat that night. The elderly man was disappointed, saying he enjoyed her company and that she reminded him of the mischievous character “Eloise”. 

After dinner we dispersed as normal. Say it with me: Smiley to the club, YaYa and LuLu to The Edge, Lisa, Junie and I to the nightly musical. Only that night it wasn’t a musical, but a comedy performance by juggler Max Winfrey. It’s not normally my cup of tea but the guy was HILARIOUS and I’d love to see him again. We had good seats too, sneaking our way down into sole possession of the box seats in the balcony. 

Before the show we’d spent some time on Deck 4 enjoying the sights and sounds of the ocean as Lauren played on the deck. Even by then it was obvious LK was pooped, and by the time the comedy show was over our plans to put her in The Club and go out for some adult time were zapped by the zzz’s of our littlest Slap. 

Meanwhile, Lisa had earlier located the launderette, and so around 11 I picked Smiley up as usual from the club and enlisted his help in doing nearly a weeks worth of dirty, stinking underwear and socks for Team Slap We also took our WDW mugs up to the 11th deck to fill them with soda, which is where I found a midnight showing of Pirates of the Caribbean on the big screen by the pool.  Smiley and I took a seat in some lounge chairs and lo and behold, here came my two oldest and some of their friends to occupy the rest of the row.

 Eventually YaYa signed off and went to bed, then Smiley petered out and I took him to the stateroom. OJ and I stayed until the end of the movie, then headed back down to bed. 

What a great, great day! Top 100, easy!

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Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B

Just finished watching "Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B". It's not anywhere near as bad as social media indicates; it was actually pretty entertaining.