How Fast Can Jen Run?

Hi guys. Just time for a quick post. I've got a chocolate cake in the oven for a colleague's birthday tomorrow and "Idol" is DVR'ing!

It was a good day today. :) Lots of reading and researching! I am learning a lot, and that's good. And the people I am working with seem very nice and we laugh a lot, so that's good. You guys were right. Be positive, give it a shot, and be open to the experience. And so I am opened.

(And I've also got another fun and exciting delegated examining trivia fact for you! Did you know that the Luevano Consent Decree sets no time limit after graduation for Outstanding Scholars? It also allows for an individual to receive an unlimited number of Outstanding Scholar appointments in his or her lifetime! Who knew?!)

There's not really much else new to share with all of you. After the hulla-ba-loo of the last several days, it's actually nice just to have it peaceful and quiet. It appears that a strike has been avoided at NameOfCompanyWhereCurtWorksDeleted and he won't have to go out of town after all. We are both so, so happy about that. Erin's happy and well, and enjoying school. She and her classmates have "jobs" at school, and they are so, so important to them. For example, feeding the class fish. Or being the line leader. Or getting and serving the milk. Or (here's one I don't get) being the blue bag holder at recess. (Um, ok! Is it Prada? Louis Vuitton?) The little ones all rotate jobs and share the work, and there aren't enough jobs for each kiddo to have one every day. The first day Erin didn't have a job, ohmygoodness she was unhappy. She cried! Now she chalks those up as "days off" (i.e., "I had the day off Momma!") Lucky you. I wish MOMMA had the day off, too! :)

"Idol" was disappointing last night. As you know, my heart is SO wrapped around Taylor Hicks (and check out my Bo Bice there last night representin' his Alabama brother Taylor, yo!) (nothing is more urban and hip than a fat, white, mid-30s woman saying "representin'" and "yo"...but I digress!) What a snooze fest. Although it absolutely kills me to say this to you, Taylor's performance was just lackluster. I'd much rather see him do something up-tempo and peppy...getting people up to dance and really enjoy themselves. It was just a bad song choice and Taylor worked too, too hard at being stellar that his amazingly wonderful side was overshadowed. God, it hurt to type that. Chris was just amazing. He's hard not to root for. Elliott and Gedeon were great as well. You know how I feel about Bucky (so many words rhyme with his name...yucky...sucky...fu....don't go there, Jen). God bless little Kevin (Chicken Little). Will was good, David was much improved over last week, and Ace is just delicious (but his performance was just awful). Sway was, eh, OK. Taylor is still my favorite in my heart. He's amazing, he's full of joy and charisma, and it's impossible to watch him and NOT feel good. I can't tell you how many times I've watched and watched again his initial audition, his harmonica walk, and his "Leavon" performance. I smile from ear-to-ear every time. He's just a class act through and through. My picks for vote-off tonight are Kevin and Sway. Although Ace or David could go, too. Oh, and someone please tell Gedeon to sing some deeeeeep SOUL. I heard Jeffrey Osborne's "Baby Stay With Me Tonight" on XMRadio on the drive in to work this morning and I thought, DAMN Gedeon could do this so well. Of course, that song's waaay too adult for the family "Idol" broadcast, but still. Someone give this boy a Jeffrey (or a Johnny Gill) CD! Please!

I'm off to check on the cake and watch "Idol." Have a great night, everyone. Oh, in closing, please keep Gil Rumsey and his family in your prayers. A horrible fire destroyed their gallery in the classic oldtowne part of Overland Park yesterday afternoon, and it's my understanding that firefighters were still working on the blaze as late as rush-hour this morning. A young sorority sister of mine is Gil's niece and she told me today that their entire family is just crushed. So, so sad. The gallery was close to the Yarn Shop and More and I called there today to make sure that they were all OK. They are, but the store has suffered some smoke damage. So, so sad, and lots of prayers are undoubtedly needed. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but still.

OK - my timer's beepin'. Cake's done!