Happy Halloween!

(More pics at the twins' blog.)

It takes a lot of nerve.

This was going to be a rant about the bill I received from the hospital today (see above). However, when I called the hospital's billing department to rant and rave and threaten legal action, I was denied delivery of my carefully scripted tirade. (Imagine it: "You don't really want me calling every local news station in town and telling them about how you endangered my adorable, photogenic two-year-old's life, do you?") The helpful and friendly woman on the other end of the line insisted that no, no, this account has a $0 balance, no balance due, nothing to pay. And she would not elaborate further. Huh. I guess the hospital is smarter than I thought.

Free Rice

I've killed far too much time on this site today. Go. Check it out. Improve your vocabulary and save the world. Oh, and if you're up for a bit of competition, we can discuss vocabulary levels in the comments. (I'm shaking out to be a solid 43.)

News?

The question: Are these reporters extremely credulous? Or are they just hoping that we are?

Cow-eating trees

Dolphins used to look like humans and lived in Atlantis

Thanks to Fark for the links.

An Open Letter to L'Oreal Paris

Dear L'Oreal Paris,

I purchased your L'Oreal Superior Preference Fade-Defying Color & Shine System in 8G Golden Blonde, looking forward to the promised eight weeks of true color. However, use of your product resulted in something less like 8G Golden Blonde and more like 75R Raggedy Ann. Thus, I'm wondering just how iron-clad this eight-week promise is. Can we negotiate? Because, really, I'm willing to let you out of your contract early.

Sincerely,
Kelly

Rainbow Books

I can't get over how beautiful these pictures are. If ever I have a home where I have room to actually display my books, this is what I'm going to do. Dewey decimal be damned.

Right vs. Left

Here's a fun link. Check it out and determine whether you're more of a left-brain or right-brain thinker.

According to the link, I'm a right-brain type, which surprises me. I've always thought of myself as a left-brain thinker, seeing as I value logic, words, and language so highly. And one of the traits for right-brain thinkers is "believes" -- uh, not so much.

How about you? Clockwise or counterclockwise?

Thanks for the link, Airan!

Sometimes a wand is just a wand.

According to J.K. Rowling, Albus Dumbledore is gay. Admit it: You've wondered. The flowing robes, the attention to personal appearance, the lilting way he sashays through Hogwarts -- all the signs were there.

Kidding aside, I have to say this seems perfectly consistent with the books, and I love that Rowling has now outed Dumbledore, although I'm also glad that it didn't come up in the books. The Harry Potter books are all about tolerance and acceptance, so Dumbledore's orientation should rightly be of no consequence. Well done, J.K.

Now all those Harry Potter haters will have a whole new round of ammunition.

Public Service Announcement

Food poisoning sucks.

What's going on?

My life has been a bit of a blur lately. Just to keep you all in the know on the minutia of my life (because that's what you come here for, right?), here's an update.

• Evelyn is recovering nicely. She's back to her old self, other than being even more pale than she was to start with. This will pass. Still no word on whether the hospital will be sending us a bill for their "services."
  
  
• My bottom right eyelid has been twitching for six days.
  
  
• We got a new used minivan, and it is a thing of beauty. It is also a behemoth, but I guess that's par for the course.
  
  
• We had our last Game Night with Julie before she moves to St. Paul. She'll be back in town for next month's Game Night, but it still feels like the end of an era. I blame Tomkin.
  
  
• Fall is well and truly here in the Windy City, and I love it. Good riddance, summer!
  

How are you?