Much as I love CSI, I have to admit that the recent news of Billy Peterson leaving the show makes me feel as though anything they do afterward would be a magnificent shark jump. I didn't care much when Jorja Fox decided to jump ship a while back, knowing that eventually they would pull her back in. I admit that I was pretty upset to learn that Gary Dourdan was leaving the show, but not surprised.

But how do you replace such a pivotal character as Gil Grissom? (It pains me to link to wikipedia in any shape or form, but that's a pretty comprehensive description of the character, so I suppose it can stay). Based on this report, it appears as though CBS is trying to court a 'big name' to bring the fans around (Larry Fishburne? Kurt Russell? John Malkovich? I'm glad there was a scheduling conflict to take Malkovich out of the running, because, um, ewwww there's no way), but I think that it will be a tough act to follow. I am pleased that the rest of the original cast is remaining, but Grissom leaving is taking a big chunk out of the heart of the show.

That being said I am still willing to give the show the benefit of the doubt, but I have a feeling this upcoming ninth season may just be their last.

As for recent medical insanity, I'm still not up to talking about it. Sorry.

I've been a fan of Wil Wheaton for a while, and not just because of his stellar performance in Stand By Me (which is what most people pair him with, if not Star Trek: The Next Generation). In all honesty, I've been a fan of his journalling, and more recently his books. So I yoinked this from his blog:

Classics in Lego

Actually, all of Balakov's photostream is pretty kickass, worth the viewing.

Haven't slept much in the past few days, due to general uncomfortableness (is that a word?) and the raging storms at night. Two nights in a row with severe thunderstorm/tornado warning type material. Whooboy. Welcome to summer!

I watched Bee Movie the other day with my kidlets. They had already seen it at the theatre with their grandparents but I hadn't, so I was more than happy to rent it for them. Afterward came a frank discussion on the importance of bees. The kids were receptive and K and C were pretty upset about the whole Colony Collapse Disorder thing. It's hard to explain this sort of thing to children, so I kept it as simple as possible, and left the conversation pretty open for follow-up questions (which inevitably come at night time when they are supposed to be sleeping).

S kept me up last night because he was all pumped about watching the season 5 finale of CSI. He said it was the best finale he's ever seen, which prompted a long discussion of how much of that was Tarantino's influence, and how much of it was the regular script writers. Then of course I couldn't sleep and I watched Pride & Prejudice because for whatever reason, to me it's the world's greatest sedative, and then of course S couldn't sleep. So we were grumpy at each other, and the end result was my coming downstairs and camping out on the couch watching re-runs of Holmes on Homes (thank you On Demand channel) until I passed out.

Busy week this week. Meeting with the school principal on Thursday to discuss K's educational plan for next year, something that was postponed due to my illness. I'm still not top drawer here but I can hold a conversation for a few minutes at least. Then after that I go see my family doc for my weekly review. Friday is K's school trip, which I had initially signed up for, and I am kind of wishy-washy about whether I will go or not. Friday is also my friend Hammer's birthday - hurrah!

Time to go and get whatever housework done that I can before I get a case of the fatigueishness (I know that isn't a word).

Ciao.

Update: My work has approved paid leave until July 7, in light of current circumstances. This simutaneously pleases and worries me. I don't like not working. It's an illness unto itself - I'm the type that will go mad when I retire if I don't have several time-consuming hobbies in place by then.

Update update: I also find it a hilarious form of serendipity that Mr. Wheaton's post today is about (drumroll) Stand By Me.

Happened last night.

S: (watching but not watching the television at my parents' house, while we were trying to fix mom's computer) - So wait, how long do these (US) elections go for anyway?

me: The democratic elections?

S: No I mean the one to elect the president.

me: That election isn't until November.

S: So what the hell are they doing now?

me: Determining who will represent the Democratic party.

S: I thought this was the real deal here. I thought Clinton & Obama were running against each other to be the next president.

me: Uh. Sort of, but no. John McCain is representing the Republican party, it was more or less a no-brainer there, but because people are divided between Obama & Clinton, it's taking longer to determine who would best represent the Democratic party. But in the end it will probably be down to the superdelegates to determine who will win over the Dems, because the race has been so close.

S: So what you're telling me is, they are having an election to determine who they get to vote for? But the people's voices only count for so much, and in the end it won't really matter anyway?

me: That's about it, yeah.

S: That seams really, uh... stupid and wasteful? They're spending all kinds of money and time just so they can do it all again afterward?

me: I don't know, I'm not a US citizen, I barely understand it myself!

S (after a few minutes): I - I just can't believe they're wasting everyone's time and money on this.

(He spends the next few minutes talking about how he thinks Clinton is a bit too shrewish to be the president, but Obama would have more crazies trying to kill him, and that sadly he thinks all this race to be a democratic rep will be for naught because the US will fuck it up and vote McCain into power anyway).

So we're clear here - I'm not heavy into politics. I never have been. My understanding of politics outside my own country is minimal at best, so I found it really amusing that he got all up in arms about it. You can feel free to vent about whatever here, but I'll probably either not understand it, or ignore it. Just putting that out there in advance.

Ok time for a short nap before work. The pneumonia is still lingering and on top of that a bronchial infection. It's making work incredibly long and tiring, but c'est la guerre, right?

I wonder if Mike Rowe's insurance policy is just full of insane clauses etc... Considering some of the "jobs" he investigates & partakes in on his show, it would have to be.

I really love the show, and so do the kids. It also is great in that it gives me some perspective on my job, on the days when it really frustrates me.

So I have this Metisse song stuck in my head and it won't go away. The culprit behind it is watching the first season of "Dead Like Me" again. I really liked that show and I'm sorry it was cancelled - that seems to happen with shows I like so maybe I should start pretending to hate Dexter and Mad Men. Anyway, it's all I've been doing in between sleeping and semi-functioning as a mother to my kids. Stupid pneumonia/sickness/whatever just kicked me in the rear and is running amok in me. I'm on a freaking puffer for crying out loud - that's how bad the breathing has been. I have to see my doc again on Weds & see about going back to work - I'm just exhausted but I need to go back and I hope he says yes.

As a result of this pneumonia I have had to reschedule the battery of tests I was supposed to take at a hospital in another city (because it's the earliest I could go) and now I'm fucked over for another few months.

Um. What else. I'm too tired to think. That's nothing new, but I'm just putting it out there. The weather has been terrific outside and I've been too ill to enjoy it. There are flowers budding all over the place and that saucy Robin that knocks on our back window every year for crumbs should be showing up any day now. Everything is shouting "It's spring! It's spring!" and I could care less. That is probably the saddest thing I've thought in a while.

Who wants to start building me a bionic body?

S gave me my anniversary present early, in a tit-for-tat motion, since it arrived on our doorstep today. And the gift is -- all three books about Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. He knows what a massive fan of the show (confession: also find Michael C. Hall to be a total badass hottie) and I've been very curious to see if the books go in the same direction. He said he had a hell of a time trying to find hardcover versions of all three, and apologised that he had to settle for paperback for the first two. I love that he was all worried about that.

I can't tell you how glad I am that the weekend is here. Seriously.

I woke up with a horrible kink in my neck and it's all I can do not to cry when I try to move my head even a little. Our mattresses and pillows suck so bad it isn't even funny. That or I am getting old? Possibly a combination of both.

Time to go see my in-laws' new dog... they got another Chihuahua, which in my books is not a dog at all but some sort of rat-dog hybrid. The kids are beside themselves excited - S and I are feeling blase about the whole thing, and S has already said that when they breed her, under NO circumstances are we taking a puppy off their hands. Hallelujah to that. Our only counter-method to this plot the in-laws have to give us a pup is to maybe get a real dog first. I have been whispering words like "beagle" and "basset hound" but S wants something along the lines of "retriever" or "St. Bernard". Um. NO. No big dogs. Basset is as big as I'm willing to go in this house. If we had a large property I'd think "English Mastiff" but not in our house. No way.

What am I saying? I don't want a dog!!!! See what is happening to me? This crazy family is pushing me over the edge, I tells ya...

Why am I the bestest wife ever? Because I gave S his anniversary gift a couple of months early - the Heroes season 1 DVD box set. That's right, suckas. Totally surprised him and scored bonus points for me.

(Yes, I'm aware our anniversary isn't until Oc-freaking-tober. Pshaw to that. I wasn't going to chance him buying it first.)

We went to King Buffet last night at S's insistence - he had a hankering for buffet food and the kids were right on board with that one. K loves that he can fill his own plate with whatever he chooses, C loves that there's a large variety, they both love the desserts, and I love that we don't have 20 minutes of the kids going "I'm hunnnnnnnnnnngry" and "when's the food coming?" and "moooooom, he's coloring on my side of the table" or whatever-have-you. I'm not a big buffet eater, but they did expand their seafood selection, so I was happy as well.

This weekend S & I are going to Medieval Times through one of his work's social club functions. I am looking forward to it, but I'm also tired, so I'm thinking I'll need a power-nap tomorrow morning at some point. I just feel so drained. I think it's because I've spent the past month healing, and getting a bad infection, and healing some more, all the while choking down emotional issues because I am a wife a mother an employee and don't have time to digest that stuff. I know it's going to catch up to me; I know I know I know. You don't have to tell me. I know. But for now I'm content with choking it down and shoving it deep undercover and not thinking about it. For now.

In more superficial news, what the hell America? Voting someone who can actually sing off American Idol and allowing people who have the talent and charm of dry toast is just mind-boggling to me. You know what I'm talking about.

Is it sad that I'm tempted to try Americone Dream? Truthiness of taste aside, the flavor combination is a good one. We'll see.

You know what I love? SPRING. You know what else? It's practically here!!! March came in like a den of half-starved lions; here's hoping the adage is somewhat correct, and it will leave like roasted lambs on spits. Mmm. Lamb on a spit.

On that note, time to put in the last day of the work week.

So in comparison to my last post about trips to Toronto and train madness, the week was pretty boring by comparison. The kids got a couple of play dates in for their holiday and that's about it.

On Wednesday night everyone and their brother called me, which was pretty funny actually because usually I never get phone calls. One call was with regards to one of my friends getting married to that Portuguese lad- they asked me to be the MC. It only makes sense in the grand scheme of things - I'm the only one of their mutual friends that actually knows them both from external sources as opposed to meeting one through the other. I'm actually looking forward to this though I'm going to have to track down the Groom's brother for dirt, and his brother lives in Geneva I think? Somewhere over the pond. I'm sure he has email or something.

Went out with folks from work to Molly Bloom's on Thursday, Friday I did nothing things with S which was kind of nice. We ordered in chicken wings and watched mostly either the Discovery channel or Food network - S thinks Ace of Cakes is just the cat's ass and I stalwartly maintain allegiance to Iron Chef: America even if it is inferior to its Eastern counterpart - I wish they'd show re-runs of that.

Friday I got a text from S telling me that M's water broke (she's only 33 weeks so that's pretty damn early) and got shipped to Victoria hospital. They managed to keep her from going into labor but now she's pretty much stuck in that damn hospital for the next two weeks - the waters only dribbled, they managed to keep that at bay, but if she goes into labor within that timeframe they'd rather have her right there than have to ship her again. If she makes it the two weeks, they'll send her back here, where apparently it'll be ok to have the baby here. She'll still be stuck in hospital until that time comes, which totally sucks for her.

J is beside himself not knowing what to do. It's his first child and then add to that the fact that he's now had the care and feeding of 4 strapping young lads thrust upon him - well, we're hoping their Dad will pitch in somehow, especially since he's not even working at the moment. This just adds stress to M but what can you do right?

The baby is doing well though, which is a relief.

Saturday S and C worked on the electrical wiring downstairs, while I shopped for SH's baby shower. Came home to be attacked - the boys wanting my feedback on how things were to be laid out. S initially didn't want it but C convinced him it was a good idea, since chances are I'll be cranky at the way something was done otherwise. C was right, and as a result S got some more ideas for the basement - our basement. We're taking our time with this project because we want it done right. S initially wanted it done quickly but now he's seeing this as a long-run type thing. Do it right the first time so there's no repeats of labor-intensive work/change.

Yesterday was baby shower day. It was ok and there was tons of people, half of whom were pregnant or trying, and I got to hold more than a few babies too, and take in their warmth and new baby smell; then I came home and cried. S was pretty good about it and did all the nice things that make me feel better.

And now I'm off to get the kids ready for their first day back from March Break. Hallelujah.

I'm not much one to watch reality shows, but I must confess I have been watching American Idol. Here's the thing. I really love Simon. Why? Because he's honest. If he says you suck, chances are you probably do.

Blake Lewis the beatbox dude covered Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" the other night and I have to say I was pretty impressed. Out of all the male performances that night his was the only one that made me think "wow, that guy's pretty good". Chris Sligh is pretty good but he has to learn to not sing ahead of the music. The female performances the next night knocked the boys out of the park. Seriously. Lakisha Jones could be the next Aretha. Melinda Doolittle is also pretty awesome, ditto Gina Glockson.

Maybe I like American Idol because I love music. I tend to not watch it until the preliminaries are done though. It is troublesome to me, the way they parade people who can't sing and are being earnest in front of the 3 judges who then dissect and make fun of them. I realize that the show is pandering to the wishes of the American public, and that is something that is even more troublesome when you think on it.

The other show I really love is Hell's Kitchen. Chef Gordon Ramsay is such a cheeky blighter, and his challenges can be pretty intense. I've been watching reruns of the last season on the "uncensored" version which is pretty damn funny. Luckily it's on after the kids are in bed, or they'd have a pretty colorful vocabulary paraded before them.

I've had a doozy of a cold this week, which culminated in my being off work yesterday. I still feel like hell today but am going to be stupid and drag myself in, even if I get sent home later at least they'll see I tried. I know that's pretty ridiculous thinking but intent is a powerful thing and as I've missed a lot of work recently due to, um, medical procedures, I'd rather not push my luck.

Ok, time to go take a mini-nap before dragging myself in. Later taters.

I have had a very hard, very hurtful, very sad few days. I really, really want to get it all out but putting it down here just seems ridiculous. I already open up about just so much and this is still too raw and personal for me. Not to mention the details can be quite icky.

Without being too enigmatic hopefully, I can say that after so many doctor visits, and needle jabbings, and machine xray takings, and sufferings, I think I've had enough for the year. Any further medical interruptions would make me go over quota, to be sure.

The lady who takes lunch orders for the school came by today with a card and some flowers. She called earlier in the day, ended up on the tail end of a crying jag on my part, got what was going on out of me, and came over to see if I needed anything and if I was okay. It was so damn nice that I started to cry again - heh. She understood completely having gone through some similar things, and being a nurse to boot she knew what was going on without my having to explain myself.

The small surprising kindnesses that are bestowed upon a person when they least expect it and certainly need it most just reaffirms my belief in angels and higher powers sending you what you need, even if you don't know you need it yet.

On the bright side I can now see why I was going through such emotional rollercoaster over the past little while. If any of you were subjected to my wild mood swings or general crabbiness and complaints about things that normally would not bother me (I swear), please accept my heartfelt apologies - you know who you are.

Ok. Time to go lay down and watch something mind-numbing. Hopefully that decorating show with the two gay lads from the UK is on - they just crack me up.