My mother, who I am almost completely certain has never seen an episode of Chappelle's Show in her life, was really excited about it for some reason.

I've been listening to a lot of what helped me towards the end of two bouts of depression. Indigo Girls, which was a big part of my college listening — lots of Galileo and Closer to Fine on repeat. Also the Sufjan Stevens Christmas music. It's the perfect blend of joy and melancholy for me.

Absolutely. We have a Book folder. And an Insane folder. But that's just to remind ourselves that it can always be worse.

We have lots in our family. Fortunately gatherings are large enough that as soon as talk turns to politics I leave the room. I finish my drink, drop my napkin or fork, suddenly need more potatoes, etc. It's worked fairly well. I think I'll be employing it a lot this year which will result in lots of drinks and lots of…

Oddly, I too have this weird feeling that I need to get into shape. Like I need to prepare for something. Or perhaps like I'm in jail and am just going to work out to pass the time for the next four years.

Last night I had some brie and some artichoke dip made with mozzarella and parm. I made a quesadilla with chihuahua the other evening. Added some pepperjack to my eggs Sunday. Nothing fancy. If it melts, it's happening.

I was singing that all night last night. Then I'd get to the "battle's done and we kind of won" part and get teary, because it isn't and we didn't.

Cheese. All I've wanted to do is melt cheese on things and eat it. Tonight I want cheesy potatoes.

He's not a businessman, he's a business, man.

Could you say something about trying to plan Thanksgiving travel and wondering if it would interfere? I'd agree that "In November" is a pretty long timeframe.

I work in the kind of place that would revolt at a potluck like that. Which is a real bummer because I think it all sounds amazing.

I'm getting close to finished. I have both parents' birthdays in December as well, so my balance likes it way more if I spread the purchasing throughout the year. I think I have ideas for everyone I have left to purchase for, so I am relaxing.

I had the tv on the other morning while I was getting ready and could only hear it, not see it. The political ads were like listening to a bickering couple. It doesn't help that I'm near a state line and get double the candidates' ads.

I had my first election panic this morning. A friend talked me down from it though and I'm restricting myself to music only in the car for the next week.

I'm only 37 and I am already waking up at 5 every morning. I used to love waking up in the middle of the night because then I could go back to sleep and it was like I was getting two sleeps. Now I consider waking at 5 a triumph because at least it isn't 3.

Or do, because you'll probably make bank on it.

Is that the one with the ghost child by the pool who left wet footprints? I watched Unsolved Mysteries every week with my grandfather and I couldn't sleep for weeks after that one. We had wood floors that showed footprints really clearly and I was terrified that I would see wet footprints in the house.

There was a UB40 song on the Sliver soundtrack and they played the video a lot on either VH1 or MTV. I recall really enjoying Billy Baldwin in the snippets of Sliver I got to see, because there was no way my mom was ever renting it for me.

I think while it was happening it felt like it was traumatizing, but since I repeated the behavior I obv didn't let it change me too much. I'm definitely still a weirdo and happier for it.

I don't know how big a supreme roll is, but is that that good a deal on the toilet paper?