My little sister is a mommy! The official scoop: Name: Devin Edward Avedissian Birthdate: 9:45pm September 29th, 2003 Weight: 5 pounds, 7 ounces Length: 18 inches (what size kilt is that? anyone?) A nervous throng of friends and family celebrated the arrival with cheers and hugs, waking the rest of the maternity ward. Cheers young Devin. Pictures as they come available.

Just to keep it fresh in my memory. This is my coat of arms:

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. I checked out this article in Wired, and I must say I like the idea of a loose knit organization of people who dismiss the ideas of mysticism especially in the political context, I don't know that these people are well suited to "grouping". And the name, oy. I signed up anyway, to see and support 'cause I think the idea is a good one. The Brights

Ipaulo dug up this nugget. It's a horoscope for tech workers.

Sheila had this up this morning so being fond of playing with gender roles I was curious to see this:
You're an anime corset. Colorful.

What corset are you?
brought to you by Quizilla I suppose it fits.

I love this. Caught it on CNN this morning. Can anyone read French well enough to help me order one? The Bush Regime Card Deck [R�seau Voltaire]

the goddess responds to the post below: EMilliken: ?? GoddessAEM: Post this to our site verbatim EMilliken: ok GoddessAEM: "after reading Eric's conversation per Mr. Tree Rat, I realize he got some things wrong... One: I sat for awhile holding said box with bacon and we asked the mouse/rat he said he hated peanut butter. Then Eric said he would do it, and I reluctantly agreed. I said, "Do NOT let this little fucker into my house, or I will kill you." GoddessAEM: Two: I was relaxing in the TUB not the shower readin a sci fi book and drinking tea, when I heard Eric SQUEAL like a little girl. I fought the overwhelming urge to get out, and stayed in tub listening to three adults chase a rat around the house for twenty minutes. EMilliken: hehe GoddessAEM: Three: It was so funny I had to stay in bathroom to fight another HUGE urge to say "I told you so!" GoddessAEM: POST THAT!

This from a chat: EntropyHed:: oh i have a mildly amusing story... Oren Grudgebearer:: I liked Bonanza ipaulo:: me too. nothing wrong with Bonanza EntropyHed:: adrienne and I were sitting in the kitchen friday night after spending a couple hours starting to get ready for my sisters baby shower we were hosting EntropyHed:: we both noticed that our cats were staring ears forward at the cabinet beneath our kitchen sink EntropyHed:: so... ipaulo:: uh oh EntropyHed:: (a little lighter and bold will help) EntropyHed:: i crouch down and listen and...nothing...at first EntropyHed:: then i here that tell tale crunching sound EntropyHed:: i grab a flashlight and slowly open the cupboard EntropyHed:: adrienne is peering over my shoulder and i notice a hole in the back left on a board that seperates the sink from the dishwasher Urda:: haus maus EntropyHed:: about that time a grey tree rat pokes his head out of the hole EntropyHed:: notices he has a crowd and disappears back inside ipaulo:: KILL IT. ipaulo:: darn. got away EntropyHed:: (he was really cute BTW) ipaulo:: they spread disease. and little tiny poops too. Urda:: i have chewed too far today EntropyHed:: so i take off the bottom of the dishwasher and notice just in time his feet disappear EntropyHed:: so.... EntropyHed:: this is 12:00 at night now EntropyHed:: i disconnect the dishwasher and slowly pull it out, tense...waiting Urda:: turtle! kermie! earn your keep! EntropyHed:: ...nothing...but lots of...um...rat scat Urda:: nice EntropyHed:: when i finally get it most of the way out i notice another hole...this one disappearing into the wall EntropyHed:: again...a little peek by our rat and a disappearing act EntropyHed:: so... EntropyHed:: i look at adrienne...she looks at me Urda:: and you name it fred EntropyHed:: "i can't kill it" ( i release spiders to the wild for crissakes) EntropyHed:: "me either" Oren Grudgebearer:: what was that movie that came out awhile ago? Mouse Hunt? Where they destroyed the house trying to get the mouse EntropyHed:: "well we can't just let is wander around" EntropyHed:: so using cardboard aluminum coookie sheet we cover up the holes EntropyHed:: there are 3 total EntropyHed:: and resolve to deal with it in the morning EntropyHed:: we turn out the lights to the sounds of little feet and teeth on aluminum EntropyHed:: next morning EntropyHed:: we are trying to figure out what to do... EntropyHed:: first we go through a massive cleanup EntropyHed:: we write off the dishwasher (even though it works fine) EntropyHed:: it's outside as we speak Oren Grudgebearer:: lol EntropyHed:: i can't hear anything so start to remove the temporary anti rat measures Oren Grudgebearer:: he got into the dishwasher? EntropyHed:: not inside the cleaning part...but up all around the electrical and motor Oren Grudgebearer:: ahh, don't want to take the chance of an electrical fire EntropyHed:: i remove the last "patch" and... EntropyHed:: [nope] EntropyHed:: ...peek.. EntropyHed:: find out later...he's in a dead end ipaulo:: they have traps that are nonlethal Oren Grudgebearer:: yeah, my parents had one EntropyHed:: we walled it in last night like some old wine cellar story ipaulo:: you can take him on a hike in the little trap and drop off near a snake hole. Oren Grudgebearer:: has a spring door type of thing that flips the mouse into a holding box EntropyHed:: i slam the cooke sheet back in place and we brainstoem for bit Oren Grudgebearer:: fire always works /wink EntropyHed:: adrienne get a smallish cardboard box and cuts a cartoon-like mouse hole in one side ipaulo:: this is going to get ugly i fear ipaulo:: EntropyHed:: we put some bacon in it and I hold it against the hole Oren Grudgebearer:: bacon, you need to use peanut butter EntropyHed:: adrienne has an appointment and goes to take a shower... Oren Grudgebearer:: hehe EntropyHed:: so I'm waiting now by myself holding a cardboard box against the wall...frozen...waiting waiting wating... EntropyHed:: and i wait some more ipaulo:: RUN AWAY! EntropyHed:: my muscles are cramping now EntropyHed:: and i hear some noises EntropyHed:: and some scratching in the box ipaulo:: watch out! It's a Witch-Mouse EntropyHed:: then EntropyHed:: i feel the whole weight og the mouse EntropyHed:: quickly i try to move the box so it can't get out EntropyHed:: but it's too smart EntropyHed:: i trap it halfway in the box and the wall Oren Grudgebearer:: ewww EntropyHed:: my resolve weakens as i hear it struggle and i pull the box away EntropyHed:: so it runs back in the hole EntropyHed:: *sigh* EntropyHed:: i refresh the bait and do it again... EntropyHed:: s l o w l y EntropyHed:: i hear scratching again EntropyHed:: then in the box EntropyHed:: i move it quickly ipaulo:: really stupid mouse EntropyHed:: ...nothing... ipaulo:: but fast.. EntropyHed:: i shake the box EntropyHed:: ...nothing... ipaulo:: and fed.. EntropyHed:: i pull it away from the wall and look inside Oren Grudgebearer:: you put your eye to the hole ? EntropyHed:: like some posessed jack in the box this rat springs from the box Oren Grudgebearer:: Lol ipaulo:: it likes bacon. You thy enemy and the battle is almost yours. ipaulo:: it had huge fangs! ipaulo:: get the holy handgrenade Urda:: the holy handgrenade of antioch! Oren Grudgebearer joined EntropyHed:: I'm sitting crosslegged by the cupboard and it has no where to go since in my panic i dropped the box and it falls in front of it's exit ipaulo:: Good thing adrienne is in the shower Urda:: well e...it is a tree rat Oren Grudgebearer:: doh, I was disconnected... what I miss EntropyHed:: after noticing this...it doubles back... EntropyHed:: runs along the top of my left leg (I'm wearing shorts) Urda:: bah...just grab the tail and fling it out the window EntropyHed:: [it's FAST] Dyrk:: Ahhhh! Urda:: hehe EntropyHed:: banks across my midsection and down my other leg EntropyHed:: then... EntropyHed:: I'm squeaking like a girl Dyrk:: Lol! EntropyHed:: it realizes it's still trapped and heads back at me EntropyHed:: runs up my chest and over my left shoulder into the greater house Dyrk:: Run away!!! Urda:: Dyrk:: And the cats at this point? Urda:: EntropyHed:: [the cats are locked up] ipaulo:: WOAH! It ran up your body?! KILL IT!!! ipaulo:: release the cats! Urda:: rat cooties! Dyrk:: Unleash the hounds! Err. Cats! ipaulo:: right away! My god! EntropyHed:: it's now under our sofa looking terrified and turbo charged Urda:: turtle! kermie! earn your keep! EntropyHed:: so i open the front door hoping it will run out on it's own Oren Grudgebearer:: thats why you have cats EntropyHed:: nothing Dyrk:: To crawl back under the house then gnaw through your wall again... Oren Grudgebearer:: let the cats chase it out... ewww, it touched you..... Urda:: eric has rat cooties EntropyHed:: so i take my son's toy fishing pole and laying down prod it ipaulo:: have you burned your clothes at this point yet to get rid of the aforementioned rat cooties? EntropyHed:: nothing EntropyHed:: tap it again and it runs toward the door ipaulo:: more bacon must be the answer at this point Dyrk:: Gloves are good. EntropyHed:: SALVATION! EntropyHed:: ...nope... EntropyHed:: runs right by the door under the kitchen table ipaulo:: bacon ON the fishing pole? EntropyHed:: grrrr Urda:: ROFL Dyrk:: Stupid rodent. Urda:: bacon on the cat on the fishing pole Oren Grudgebearer:: ok, I am still laughing out loud... Dyrk:: (Rat fishing?) ipaulo:: ROFL EntropyHed:: i end up chasing it back under the sofa EntropyHed:: [by the door again] Urda:: Dyrk:: (But you shouldda seen the one that got away!) EntropyHed:: more prodding this time goes and runs under the entertainment center Dyrk:: Oy. Urda:: ick! ipaulo:: NOT THE TV! EntropyHed:: i call in the troops Urda:: that's a beyotch EntropyHed:: mom! dad! Dyrk:: Hahaha. EntropyHed:: i need your help Urda:: rat! out! now! EntropyHed:: so they come over ipaulo:: Can I have your TV? Rat poop and all. (like your dishwasher) ipaulo:: electrical fires and all. Dyrk:: Need to be safe, after all. EntropyHed:: i give my mom two long peices of plywood and my dad lays down chairs Urda:: mom! got bacon? EntropyHed:: we now have a narrow raceway leading outside Urda:: no bacon? EntropyHed:: so i start prodding the thing again and it runs... Dyrk:: Where he will go under the house and gnaw his way through the wall to look for more bacon... :) ) EntropyHed:: up into the entertainment center Oren Grudgebearer:: speaking of TV's... ours stopped working today... looks like Daddy is going to get a big screen Dyrk:: Woo hoo! Urda:: because that's where the bacon is EntropyHed:: it's hiding under the tv Dyrk:: I holding out for plasma... Dyrk:: The 5 -year plan has been reset... ipaulo:: stay on target@! Urda:: so you put bacon in the tv EntropyHed:: so i stick it somemore witht he fishing pole starting to think i need some #10 hooks Dyrk:: Heheh. Dyrk:: Ewww. ipaulo:: is adrienne at the store now getting bacon? Urda:: oh god Urda:: my sides EntropyHed:: when it runs out of the entertainment center and does this half kangaroo hopping thing out the front door... Oren Grudgebearer:: treble hooks EntropyHed:: *whew* Urda:: and then runs back in for more bacon ipaulo:: but wait... ipaulo:: ipaulo:: there must be more!? ipaulo:: invent something. Urda:: bacon maus EntropyHed:: "I" run to hope depot pick up a huge box of rat poison a sheet of half inch plywood and drywall screws ipaulo:: and more bacon. Urda:: rofl Oren Grudgebearer:: with #10 hooks Urda:: i'm crying i'm laughing so hard Dyrk:: The rat-trap of eternal perrrril. ipaulo:: lol EntropyHed:: proceed to cram the poison into every orifice EntropyHed:: and screw the plywood over the holes Oren Grudgebearer:: you could bathe instead Urda:: mmmm cooties EntropyHed:: then...I take a shower Oren Grudgebearer:: burn the clothes EntropyHed:: that's my story ipaulo:: yuck. you didn't shower and change before going out for more bacon? That's gross! Oren Grudgebearer:: must say, that was entertaining ipaulo:: and unproductive! EntropyHed:: i had a pretty good laugh too...afterwards ipaulo:: i like that you called your parents. ipaulo:: that's sweet EntropyHed:: they live next door ipaulo:: oh. Oren Grudgebearer:: classic ipaulo:: Oren Grudgebearer:: Paul, you must brighten your text... i'm getting eye strain EntropyHed:: the funniest part Oren Grudgebearer:: EntropyHed:: is adrienne is in the shower and she can hear the whole thing EntropyHed:: did she come out? nope EntropyHed:: her parting words to me before going into the shower were "Don't let get into the house" ipaulo:: how's this O? EntropyHed:: go bold ipaulo:: better? EntropyHed:: there ya go Oren Grudgebearer:: ahh, mucho mejor ipaulo:: boy, after that, I want to go home and play SWG. Not sure why. Oren Grudgebearer:: /grin ipaulo:: and check the apartment for bacon. ipaulo:: er... rats Oren Grudgebearer:: still think peanut butter works better ipaulo:: THAT'S IT E! If you'd just used peanut butter ipaulo:: then, when it was in the box, it would have been too busy doing that roof-of-mouth licking thing dogs do when they eat pb. it couldn't have run away EntropyHed:: lol EntropyHed:: yeah you're probably right ipaulo:: next time. EntropyHed:: no next time EntropyHed:: i put a lifetimes supply of rat poison under, above, in the house walls EntropyHed:: my house will have the toxic halflife of a nevada desert Urda:: ah yes...the foothil tree rat

Flea turned me on to this site yesterday and it had me laughing out loud. Demotivators, Increasing success by lowering expectations at Despair, Inc. :-(