What a beautiful night for trick-or-treating. It's fifty degrees, clear and crisp. It reminds of the best costume I ever had. At that time, Mom wasn't nearly so active outside the home, and had time to sew us costumes. I had the best costume in the second grade. I was Strawberry Shortcake. I had the dress, the striped socks, the shoes, the hat, and a red yarn wig. I was so proud of that costume - it was torture to wait until two o'clock for the school party to start.

That night, it was cold. Freezing, in fact. Mom would not let me wear my beautiful costume outside, because I wouldn't be warm enough. I was so upset. I ended up having to wear what can best be described as a pillowcase with an image of Strawberry Shortcake on the front, so I could wear sweats underneath. This image was a good three feet tall - I think it was supposed to be some kind of pillow pattern from the fabric store. Emily had one, too. She was Bedtime Bear, and she was at least short enough so that Mom could cut out the face for Em's face to show through and be proportional. I could do no such thing without looking ridiculous.

I thought I looked ridiculous anyway. The disappointment almost overshadowed the entire day.

November 8th is election day. More exciting than the City Council Race, more exciting than the vote on Public Power, is the Library Vote.

Iowa City and Coralville, no longer satisfied with making the citizens of University Heights pay a yearly fee ($120 and $75, respectively), notified the City that it was too "expensive" to maintain private fee cards and that the City is either going to have to cough up a fee based on number of residents or not have library privileges at all.

"So you're telling me there's a chance..."

I might finally get library privileges using my own card! But wouldn't it be horrible to not get library privileges at all? There's a lot of kids who live in the Heights. Imagine not being able to go to the library!

Vote 'yes' on the library! (And 'no' on public power!)

"In court papers filed today, defense attorneys say Pierce understands the consequences of his actions and is taking positive steps to deal with his problems. They also say Pierce's age and potential to play basketball at the professional level warrant a sentence without jail time."

Does that sentence not scream entitlement? WTF??? He has the potential to become a professional basketball player, so he shouldn't go to jail? He should have been kicked off the team the first time he was charged. I believe in rehabilitation, but Pierce got his second chance and he blew it. He knew what could have happened to his career the first time around. He should have cleaned up his act right then and there, gone into counseling to learn how to control himself, and go on his best behavior. Instead he tries to rape another girl and trashes her apartment.

They say that he has made "positive plans to straighten his life out." Do they really think that becoming a professional athlete is rehabilitive? Look at the Vikings scandal. The professional athletic field is just like a big frat. That's no environment for a man who has proven himself unable to learn the meaning of the word 'no'.

Pierce needs to take his punishment commeasurate to the degree of his actions, so that maybe he can finally learn his lesson. He can take his free education and do something constructive with it. Just stay away from professional athletics.

What a crappy game. It wouldn't have been crappy if we won, but we blew it. They tried a "Black Out Saturday" for the football game against Michigan, which was really cool. It looked pretty intimidating with the entire stadium decked out in black. I think it was one of the loudest games I've ever been to. We stood a really good chance of winning, but didn't capitalize on a couple turnovers and we lost by four points in overtime. The entire stadium was just in shock. It was kinda weird to see 70,000 people so quiet and so still.

I tried to go out afterwards, but about 11:30, I was falling asleep over my drink. I was introduced to a new drink that I really liked, the mojito, which is basically rum and mint leaves. Very tasty. The nap in the bar was refreshing enough to get me home, but didn't stop me from passing out the moment my head hit pillow. I did not make for very interesting company that night.

I also had to go to bed last night at 8:30 because I was falling asleep. Now tell me I'm not getting old.

Is anyone else having trouble with the word verification feature? Like not being able to read the letters? Sometimes the letters look like they bleed together and make other letters. And then it takes me a couple tries to get my comments posted. Stupid spammers.

By the way, third time was the charm with my contacts. Beautiful vision! I can see street signs and leaves and even people look clearer. I didn't know my old contacts weren't quite up to snuff until I put these in. I can't believe I thought I might be able to suffer through the crappy ones. I am (somewhat) normal!

I walked/rode the bus to work today. I'm attempting to do my part to save gas and get myself some extra excercise in the process. I'm gonna try and eventually walk the entire way, since it's only like a mile, but I'm taking baby steps. It's hard enough waking up half an hour earlier.

I had tons of things I wanted to blog about, but now that I'm sitting in front of a computer and have the time, I can't think of a one. Dontcha just hate that?

I can at least do updates.

My face is falling off now. It would be really cool if today were Halloween, because I look awful.

I did win both the posters. I can't wait to find frames, so I can hang them up. Check them out. I ended up paying way too much for the one, but I guess that's what I get for not doing my research. Now to decide where to put them...

My face hurts. And if you could see it, it would hurt you, too. Every time the weather turns cool, it never occurs to me to put on sunscreen. I look like a clown. The entire bottom half of my face is burnt (thank you hat and sunglasses), and my chin and upper lip are all blistered up.

It was a really good game, though.

While the WD was down, I stalked eBay instead. I've spent entirely too much money, especially on comic books. But I got the entire run of Hellboy: Weird Tales for $12, including shipping! Deals! Collectables! I found an awesome poster and won it, and then I found it again, so I'm bidding on the second one, too, because it's two-sided, and then I can display both sides. I'm not saying what it is, in case I turn someone on to it. I don't want to be outbid if I can help it. But it's so cool!

I'm also looking for a copy of Jem, Season 3: Part 1 for less than $50. I made the mistake of not buying it right away, and it was just snapped up, and now it's going for oodles of money. I can be patient, though.

Between that and looking for Angel and Buffy comics, I've just been a bidding fool. I have 10 hours to decide if I want to pay $9 for one comic. But this particular comic is from Angel Vol. 2, and Vol. 2 stuff is hard to find. I usually try to hit the lots, since they tend to be much cheaper that way. Combining shipping is huge. I think it would help if I'd get my act together and resell some of the stuff I don't need. Since I pick up lots, sometimes I get duplicates or the photo covers - I much prefer the art covers. Selling that stuff would fund my habit.

There's something that annoyed me about President Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers. It was the comment he made: "I've known her long enough to know she's not going to change, that 20 years from now she will be the same person with the same judicial philosophy she has today." The first thing that pops into my head is that, "How does he know she's not going to change? People change all the time."

Now, all this rigamarole over neither side being pleased with her nomination actually kinda pleases me, because if she pleases neither side, it means she's a compromise candidate, and compromise is always something I like to see when it comes to government. But if you're going to compromise, do it. Don't do it and say appeasing things to your party like, "She's not going to change."

And besides, isn't a judge supposed to be open to change? Shouldn't the job of a judge be to weigh both sides of the argument, and decide based on the merits of the case, rather than the way it's always been done? There's a role for precedent, a very important one. There's a joke in the accounting world based on the fact that one of the first questions we ask about a tax return or an audit is, "What did we do last year?" But we also know that what was done last year might not be right. Sometimes we keep doing something a certain way, even if it wouldn't be what we would decide to do if this was the first year. But sometimes it's prudent to change, and it might behoove the President to remember that.

I feel like I've had the flu for three days. I had a marathon migraine yesterday. I had it when I woke up at 9:30, and it went away sometime between 3 and 5 that afternoon. I "slept" the entire day away, moving my head the least amount possible, and thanking the heavens that my tenant was gone all day.

It didn't feel like it was spine-alignment related, but I haven't needed to go the the chiro for a couple months, so maybe it is. I'll be going, just in case. I can't deal with many days like that one. Some people have them much worse and more often than I do, and I have much sympathy for them.

So that's it. I'm the last cousin of marriagable age to be single. My cousin Rachael got married today. Shawn took her last name. As I understand it, he's had several last names now, and the one he has now doesn't mean so much to him. Rachael's last name had more meaning to him, so he's changing his name to hers. I like that.

Cassie, well-meaning as she is, kept trying to point out single guys to me. I love her to death, but the first thing you do if you want to upset me is to try and force me into something. I know I'm single, and right now, I like it that way. I asked her, "What, don't you think I'm happy?" Which I'm not, but that's a whole other kettle of wax, and besides, she doesn't know that. That made her think twice.

I made a comment in passing last night at the rehearsal dinner when the boys were running around and screaming in an enclosed space and the girls were crying for one reason or another - "Man, I'm glad I don't have kids." Lew said, "Mom isn't." What? This is news to me. Mom has never mentioned this to me, which is a good thing, because see above, but it upsets me all the same. I don't know if I want kids, and for sure I don't want one now. The thought has crossed my mind, what it would be like if I wanted to adopt or an alternative. But single parenthood is definitely not in the cards for me, and definitely not what Mom is thinking, either.

I just need them to leave me alone about this. I can't give them a reason. How does one explain that you've given your heart away to someone who doesn't know he has it, and you don't know how to get it back?

I love new clothes. When it got really cold that one day a couple weeks ago, I pulled out my winter clothes, and there was nothing in those tubs. I think I wore a lot of sweaters last year. I had to get a wedding present for Rachael and Shawn anyway, so I made a trip to Target.

I am so in love with Target! I bought two entire outfits for $80. I wore one yesterday, and the other today. I am wearing plaids with stipes, which, you know you are told never, ever to mix. If my dad ever tried to pull off this outfit, I would not be willing to be seen in public with him. But I like it. I feel bold and stylish. It's like something Carrie Bradshaw would wear.

Wearing new clothes just make you feel good. Waiting two weeks to wear them, knowing they're there and you'll get to wear them sometime soon, is even better.

Haircut! I haven't had my hair cut since we visited Emily's salon at the beginning of August. My bangs were driving me nuts. I was resorting to bobby pins to hold it off to the side of my face. They were fancy bobby pins, so I looked cute, but definitely not worth the hassle. I got more layers this time, so it will stick out more when I curl it up and out. I like it!

No pictures! [raspberry]

I requested information from Pella windows over the internet about replacement windows. I got a call a few days later from a representative, asking if I would like him to come out and do a bid for me. It was free, so I said, "Why not?"

"Why not" indeed. Now I want new windows. Especially since my current windows are virtual sieves and heating prices are supposed to skyrocket this winter. I've fallen in love with the 9-Lite Prairie Style (pictured to the left there), which is relatively expensive, since each of those panes is a seperate pane of glass. I could save a couple thousand by having snap-out grilles, but I think that looks tacky. I'm of the philosophy that if I'm going to do something, I might as well do it the way I want it.

So I have a couple options. I can do it all now and take advantage of their financing plan, or I can do half now and the other half when I actually have the money. I'll have to run some numbers.

I saw it twice. It was so wonderful, and just as good, if not better, than I expected. The only thing I could think of that would be better is if the show had stayed on the air, and we could have seen the storyline unfold over the course of a season or four. I laughed, I cried, I loved seeing more of some of my favorite characters. I hope, I hope, I hope it does well enough that we'll see more incarnations. I would love to see an ongoing comic book. The one they did has been topping sales charts and has gone into it's third printing. So maybe, if they can find someone to take it on.

Randal printed off a mini-poster from the internet called "Firefly Life Lessons" in thanks for letting me borrow the comics. I'm gonna have to find a frame - it's great.