Dispatches (on a rainy day)

It’s Dispatches Day! Which means this week in half over. Which means I might just survive!

If you’re just tuning in, I kind of nicknamed this week “Hell Week” (inspired by institutions like the Citadel) because of all the stuff that’s going on. None of it is bad stuff; just a lot of busyness. And while I like having stuff to do, I am also a person who cherishes time to unwind at home. And that’s proving to be few and far between this week! Anyway, on with the show.

• I baby-sat my nephew last night while J&A went to general session stuff at LNYWC. I think they appreciated being able to go sans baby (and stroller, baby bag, etc.) and I wanted time with my nephew who I’m secretly worried doesn’t know who I am because he doesn’t see me all the time. We had a good time, playing with some toys and his talking Elmo. Then he took his bottle and actually fell asleep. When I tried to lay him down, he woke up and would not be consoled. He apparently hates being “tricked” into going to sleep. After that, I had to pull out the big guns: an Elmo DVD. The kid can’t follow the plot lines, and I don’t know if it’s the voice or the music or what, but he loves him some Elmo and that calmed him right down. He does really like music, so I think it’s time for me to start his music education.

• I have to be a guest on a podcast for another resource today. This could be very, very bad! And it takes place while the Cardinals are playing and I won’t be able to listen to the whole game on XM. Sigh.

• I discovered as I was getting ready to leave today that I never locked my front door last night. Score. This is NOT good.

• Last night, for the first time in about 3 to 4 days, I slept without the aid of Advil PM. That was a good thing!

• I am supressing all of my Monica Gellar-ness and not freaking out that my brother has basically trashed my guest room. He assures me it will be straightened up before they leave. Not a big deal. What matters is they are here. (And because my brother’s definition of straightened up and mine differ greatly, I’d have to clean it up after they left anyway . . .)

• Kanye. Y’all all know what I’m talking about. His behavior at the VMAs wasn’t good. He was a jerk and what he did wasn’t cool. I think we all agree on that. I, like Taylor Swift, was a bit speechless after I heard about and watched the encounter. But then, on Monday night, I happened to watch Jay Leno’s new show on NBC (I was a bit non-plussed with the show. It’s like his late-night show lite.) and Kanye was a guest. And Leno started in talking about Kanye’s mother (who has passed away and for whom Kanye cared deeply) and says something to the effect of “What would your mother think of this behavior? Would she give you a lecture?” Kanye himself, for once, was speechless. And almost cried. And it all seemed genuine. I felt for him. Some people think Leno was great for calling Kanye out. Some think Leno was wrong for calling Kanye out. All I can say is this, as a host (not a journalist) I wouldn’t have asked that question to Kanye in that venue. I would have asked it if I were a trained counselor in a counseling setting, though.

• I ordered a new carry-on bag for some of my future travels. I need a bag that works for one-night flying trips (which we do often for the magazine) that can hold the bare minimum I’d need for such a trip and also work as a carry-all for longer trips (like October’s trip to NH, Boston, and RI).

• Since I’m going to Boston in the fall, I think I should also go to Paris in the spring. OK, so not this year, but someday!