How to be an Eccentric. I really like the idea of training yourself not to say “um” and “uh”, and being Super Polite Girl is probably a worthwhile aspiration. Which reminds me, I’m going to get my hair done tonight, so I have to decide whether to keep being Pink Hair Girl.

On the mend.
Stomach problems suck. Seriously. Yesterday was my worst day yet; I stayed home and basically spent the whole day on the couch in agony. I couldn’t even sleep from the pain. (Didn’t Kurt Cobain suffer from chronic stomach problems?) I went to bed expecting to feel the same today… but instead I woke up rested and nearly pain-free. I think my purple pills have finally started to kick in! I feel like I’m operating at about 90% (instead of the 50% I’ve been at for the past month). It makes such a difference.

Later: Okay, I’ve faded a bit. Maybe at 80% now. I’m really, really craving a Diet Coke but I know it’ll make it worse. (I’ve been on the wagon for 72 hours.)

We found a flier in our mailbox the other day from a person looking for a car space, and since we A) have a car space and B) don’t need it, we called him up. Turns out it’s one of our neighbours and he popped round with his partner last night to pay a deposit. And guess what? It’s the piano man! We’ve been enjoying the sounds of jazz piano every weekend for nearly three years now, and I’ve always wanted to meet the musician responsible. Maybe he’ll let me phone in requests…

Scientists are learning more about how Charlotte‘s children flew away. That’s neat.

Pop Quiz: Which American state, according to the Department of Homeland Security, has the most potential terrorist targets?Answer: Indiana. That’s so weird and incorrect. Although if the Essenhaus gets blown up, the terrorists really will have won.

The Snook likes to do crossword puzzles, and he’s long held the opinion that Sudoku is an inferior form of entertainment. Crosswords rely on knowledge and lateral thinking; Sudoku seems to just rely on logic and brute force. In fact, he’s long suspected that there’s a mechanical method or algorithm to solving Sudoku that doesn’t use any brain power at all. Turns out he was right!

Because there was some confusion at work today, let me clear this up: I do not have gastroenteritis. I (probably) have gastritis, which is something different. Gastro is a stomach flu that lasts a few days. Gastritis can be chronic and may or may not have an ulcer involved. And now you know.

Beer Bottle Bricks. Huh. These would have solved a lot of the Snook’s homebrew storage problems!

Happy birthday to my little sister, who is celebrating her 27th birthday today. It’s also the last birthday she’ll ever have without also being a Mom. (That is so weird.) I’ve arranged a little surprise for her…

Later: Success! Three half-gallons of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream were just delivered to her office… courtesy of a completely random person on the Internet. It all started last week when I decided that my sister needed something sweet for her birthday. Being thwarted in my attempts to order online, I turned to AskMetaFilter. Amongst the suggestions of (expensive) ice cream delivery companies, a lovely person called FuzzyVerde volunteered to do the delivery herself. She even got a festive cooler with ice in case Amy didn’t have freezer space at work. My sister loved it. Is this a heartwarming story or what? Thanks, FuzzyVerde!

Even later: Now I’ve got all MetaFilter talking about random acts of kindness…

Differential diagnosis… I have a suspected case of gastritis. I’ve got a prescription for super antacid and a proscription from spicy foods, ibuprofen, and alcohol. But on the upside – I’m definitely not pregnant!