Within the span of ten minutes I went from being extremely worried to profoundly relieved. Yesterday afternoon I received good news about not one, but two troubling issues. My brain had been in worst case scenario mode - which it automatically switches over to whenever anything serious comes up - so I’m still trying to process this new, positive data.

1. My Dad is OK. Recently he’d had some bloodwork done that was red-flagged. A biopsy had been scheduled but further lab work indicates that everything is just fine and there is no need for it. Phew.
2. A couple of months ago I learned that the little man’s school had lost their lease. They need to move in June and the new school year begins in July (it is a year-round program). Yesterday we finally found out where the new school site will be and, thankfully, it’s one I’m super stoked about. So much so I’m taking it as a sign that I should finally put my house up for sale.

This will be tough, not just because the housing market stinks, but also because there’s so much prep-work to be done before I can even put this house on the market. But if it managed to sell I could buy another house. One in the same neighborhood as my son’s school. A neighborhood that is charming, within easy biking distance of most of my friends, and not too far from where I work. Life could be so much easier. Especially after the new 35W Bridge opens.

I was nearly paralyzed by Saturday’s cold weather. Waking up and seeing snow on the new green grass threatened to knock me back into hibernation. The arctic gusts helped that along. Still, I somehow managed to make it out to the State Fair Grounds - with friends - for the Craftstravaganza. But we all froze our tails off in the drafty old Fine Arts Building. I came away with the cutest plush octopus from Critterbee and a horrible need for hot beverages. By afternoon too much coffee and tea had me over-caffeinated and queasy, and the lack of heat in my house made me want to cry (a new boiler is going to run me about $5000). The little man and I wound up crashing at J’s for the night.

Yesterday wasn’t significantly warmer. The lad and I spent several hours at the YWCA. I worked out, we played in the pool, I had some hot-tub time. And I made sure our hair was completely dry before we went back out into the cold. We immediately ducked into The Riverview Theater, to catch a showing of The Spiderwick Chronicles…for the second time. We’ve read the books since the movie first came out, and I caught myself groaning at all of the deviations from the original story line. Afterwards it was straight home - skipping MicroCon - because the thought of a second day at the freezing cold State Fair Grounds did not appeal.

Trying to force myself out into it this morning for our usual Monday work/school routine (31°? Really?) and wondering whether I can tough it out tonight for BlöödHag or if I’ll be all about bed bed bed.

Bonus: My old pal Chuck Olsen was interviewed by NPR for their Sunday Soapbox feature.
Plus: A friend just introduced me to Brian Posehn and his stand up routine. Pretty funny stuff.
And: Trying to get my Radical Sabbatical Book Club off the ground. Obviously I am a big fan of escapist fiction, but I am in need of suggestions for engaging/engrossing non-fiction titles. Bring it! Please?

Just now the little man was stomping around shouting “Resprect[sic] the Pouch!” What pouch? How do I resprect it? Bizarre. After bathtime the other night I worked some Aveda Elixir into the boy’s matted hair, in an effort to comb out all the knots. He gave me attitude. Telling me he wanted his hair UP. Not down. Who does he think he is, an eight year-old Robert Smith? If he keeps this up I will say goodbye to his moptop and bring back the buzzcut.

Five good things:

• The season of Pizza road trips officially began on Tuesday night. We had a lovely evening but it will be even better when Spring really-and-for-truly starts (more snow tomorrow?!) but before mosquito season kicks in.
• BlöödHag returns! I saw them years ago, at the Maplewood Public Library of all places. Monday night I will be seeing them at a much “hipper” venue, a venue so hip it shall not be named! Silliness really. Hopefully I’ll get some more books thrown at me.
• My friend’s record label, Modern Radio, will be having a 9th Anniversary extravaganza week(plus)long celebration thingie. I need to pull together some photos for the art opening next month at First Amendment.
• The next show at Fox Tax looks freaking awesome! I dreamed I dream opens on May 17th.
• The line-up for All Tomorrow’s Parties in New York? Not to be missed (thankfully I don’t think I will be missing it).

Bonus: The geekiest pants ever. I’m not sure if you could play TypeRacer in those pants. It might get a little too…intense.
Plus: Have you seen the Eee PC? Teeny-tiny!
And: It seems that, whenever I’m lounging at my ex’s place (like I am now), he’s often playing some Nina Simone. So it was fitting that I read this beautiful ode to her, from The Fabulist, while her music played.

Been feeling sort of low energy and useless lately. I haven’t had the focus to finish up some projects, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking about them. Which only gets me more wound up and feeling overwhelmed. Trying to turn that around, to look at what I have accomplished and to chop up the To Do list into manageable, bite-sized pieces.

Hopefully Spring Fever won’t distract too much. The season is really kicking in. I can tell because my head feels like it’s gonna asplode (stoopid allergies), but it’s the price I will gladly pay for decent weather. We kicked things off nicely on Sunday, with a picnic in 70+ degree weather. And last night’s thunderstorm was refreshing.

Other signs of Spring?

• At work we’re splitting five CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares, from The Women’s Environmental Institute. I’m excited about it, except for the prospect of green bell peppers coming my way. Blech.
• My neighborhood’s Cinco de Mayo Festival is coming up.
• Heart of the Beast’s May Day festitivies are just around the corner too.
• Road trips are being planned. To pizza farms (I know of two of them now!) in Southwestern Wisconsin, and to Gigglebees, in Sioux Falls.
• The Minnesota Museum of American Art will be kicking off their Patio Nights series in June. The lineups haven’t been officially announced yet, but I do know that friends’ bands, His Mischief and STNNNG, are playing there together on June 26th (the day after my birthday).

Bonus: I was honored when Nicool/Nicole suggested I submit one of my high school photos for the book she’s putting together, Awkweirds. I was most definitely awkweird back in the day (and maybe I still am). Now I just need to find the hi-res scan.
Plus: Ridiculously excited about seeing Flight of the Conchords next month, at the Orpheum Theatre. Haven’t been there in quite a while, but I would go just about anywhere to see my FoTC boys.
And: St. Paul’s annual rogue art and craft sale, the Craftstravaganza, is happening this Saturday at the state fair grounds.
Random: My old friend Michelle, at last weekend’s New York Comic Con. So jealous.

It’s been a rough week for me and mine, causing me to retreat into escapist-mode. Now it is the weekend, at last, but there are an overwhelming number of activities happening - some simultaneously. I’ve opted to partake in almost none due to time/money/energy constraints. While I am sad to be missing out on so many top notch shows (Man Man, Saul Williams, Kraftwerk, Knife World, The Plastic Constellations) I will be socializing/sharing several meals with many people and that pleases me greatly.

Five other good things:

• Hezbollah Tofu, a Bourdain veganizing collective. Yes!
• Blik wall decals now come in Threadless designs. I want the Octopus, of course (thanks for the heads up Mary).
• This handmade Wonder Woman sweater is super ultra amazing.
• Artist and acquaintance John Grider was interviewed at The Walker.
• Listening to good music, new and old, courtesy of friends. Like New Bloods and Tittsworth, and Unrest.

Bonus: Also this weekend? The opening of the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Fest. And the Not Enough Love bachelor/ette auction at the 331 Club. And the perverted film night at the Belfry.
Plus: The little man told me I should change my name to Sharyn B. Morrow. The B is for bitchin’ - sure, he stole that from an episode of Home Movies, but it was still pretty damned awesome.
And: There’s a Princess Bride game now. Huh.

This week has been full of minor nuisances. Insignificant in the big picture, but they add up. Like a thousand tiny paper cuts. I thought the weekend ought to offer some reprieve, but not so much. Last night I had an impromptu gathering at my house. It ended with carbon monoxide poisoning. We noticed a strange odor coming from the basement. A brave friend went down to check. The boiler’s pilot light was still on. I called Xcel and they dispatched a technician who turned the boiler off, helped me air out the house and didn’t leave until the numbers had dropped to safe levels. I am happy the little man and I are alive and relatively unharmed, but now my house is cold and my nerves are shot.

Five items of interest:

• Thursday the Minneapolis Fire Department evacuated my office. It was minor, thankfully, but stinky. After we were allowed back in a co-worker came up with a fire playlist.
• This article, Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone, was a fascinating read. And sure, it made me a little uneasy, but I totally see the author’s point. And she has a neurotypical child. The little man? I don’t even let him cross the street alone yet, because of his poor impulse control. The new psychologist correctly characterized him as “naive and vulnerable” - which makes me sad, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
• Wired’s night photo contest. Neat stuff.
• Tonight I finally get to see Caribou, at the Triple Rock.
• I hope people think of more than just (wo)man bites dog when they think of local artist Amy Rice. Her artwork is amazing! And she’s having an art reception tomorrow, at Barbette.

OMG OMG tomorrow tickets go on sale for Flight of the Conchords! They’ll be at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. Their show is the same night as M.I.A., but she’s playing out in the burbs at the creepy Myth Nightclub, so no thank you. I’ll see my beautiful kiwi boys instead.

Five good things:

• It’s been one year since I took in little miss Olive! Her first few months with us were blissful. She seemed so relaxed and happy. And then I had to eff things up by taking in Freddy. Sigh.
• I would love to play with Casio’s new Exilim EX-F1 camera - c’mon, 60 shots per second? Motion sensor activated? Cool! But at $1000 I probably won’t be picking one up any time soon.
• Two friends have started new blogs, Gwen with a photography blog and Shane’s with his Vegan Caliente.
• A friend bought a block of Teese Cheese from Chicago Soy Dairy and turned it into all sorts of interesting looking things. I’m not a huge fan of vegan cheese, but I’d like to try it sometime. Apparently it melts.
• Not sure how I feel about flickr video just yet, but when I was reading about it on the flickr blog I noticed some of the upcoming community events. The all night photo shoot in Paris sounds awesome!

Bonus: Planet B-Boy, a documentary about the evolution of breakdancing, is opening at the Landmark Theaters. Yet another movie I can take the little man to see!
Plus: Thao Nguyen will be featured on Morning Becomes Eclectic today.
And: At the library yesterday I could not resist picking up the most ridiculous-looking DVD ever. An 80s movie called Sword of the Valiant, featuring Sean Connery strutting about in a shiny green costume complete with glitter paint and a metallic codpiece, with his furry belly exposed. Wowza.

Before our vacation I’d been feeling overwhelmed, in general, and had been worrying about the little man in particular. But I took advantage of our new health insurance to make an appointment with an in-network pediatric psychologist. This morning was our getting-to-know-you session. She was incredibly reassuring, offering up a fresh perspective and some sound suggestions. When discussing my son’s coordination problems - he often trips over his own feet and falls down - she observed that it seems like he just needs to slow down. If he were more deliberate it might alleviate a lot of problems. Advice that applies to my own life just as much.

Bonus: Oh what a tease the Oktapodi site is! There’s a bit more up at cartoon brew, but I want to see the entire animated short.
Plus: This week is pretty quiet, thankfully, but soon there will be a slew of good shows happening. Next week Caribou is playing at the Triple Rock. Then the Varsity Theater will be hosting Man Man one night and Saul Williams the next. And A Silver Mt. Zion a few weeks after that.
And: The other day J was over. I was sitting on my favorite piece of furniture, which he called my “chouch” - like a combo chair/couch. Perhaps the term chaise is unknown to him, but chouch is still making me giggle. He also pointed out this video clip of a Home Made DS. Neat.

Ack, I have no motivation today and reality will soon be encroaching on my fun. It’s nearly 2pm and I haven’t showered yet (let alone gone to the gym) and I have a packet of paperwork to fill out for tomorrow’s appointment at the Children’s Hospital. But right now I’m zoning out so that means it’s time for five good things:

• Wayne Coyne’s science fiction feature film, Christmas on Mars, is finally being released.
• Last night was Emily and Taylor’s MEGA BIRTHDAY RARTY. I stayed out a little too late but it was totally worth it.
• Vegan grocery shopping at the 99 cent store? I’d hit that.
• My Dad now has limited internet access and has been playing with google maps, watching Crazy Frog clips, and video footage of the MN Rollergirls. I need to take him to the next bout.
• The morning after we returned from vacation the little man woke me up by handing me a note. It read “no more donuts” (more or less) and then he suggested we return to Portland immediately, to get a fresh batch.

Bonus: The Brooklyn Flea Market is today. I sure don’t need any more stuff, but it would be fun to check it all out.
Plus: A co-worker friend has been contributing to the Read Comics blog and has invited me to do so as well. I need to get on that.
And: Last night I missed “a poster party for bike people” because I totally spaced it. Doh.

I have such a crush on Portland. It was hard to leave. I feel like we just barely scratched the surface. Both the little man and I would like to go back again to really delve into it. Or just chill out at the Kennedy School some more.

Today, though, was spent recovering from our redeye flight. And then delivering doughnuts to fellow vegans. Tomorrow will be a much busier day. Planning to stop by the police station to say hi to my pops, then get my car cleaned out at the Downtowner Car Wash, and visit Sheela, and take the lad to see Run Fat Boy Run (fingers crossed that he’ll like it) and then head to Clockwork for another installment of board game night. Saturday I will catch up on some boring house stuff, but that night is my friends’ joint birthday party. Though a bunch of our peeps will be missing it - caravaning down to Chicago instead to see STNNNG play with Pissed Jeans and The Catburglars at the Empty Bottle.

Sunday and Monday are booked as well, some of it with less fun stuff…like an appointment with a new psychologist at Children’s Hospital. That’s when Spring Break really ends and it’s back to reality.

Bonus: “Carbon-Based Lifeforms Detected” - a wacky USB pregnancy test.
Plus: The trailer for The Pineapple Express had me LOLing obnoxiously. But anyone else notice this new trend of offering “restricted” trailers, for those over the age of 18?
And: How Many Five Year Olds Could You Take in a Fight? (which I first read as “on a flight” because I was at the airport at the time)