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Michael's Lambie - Because of yesterday's school delays cancelling Michelle's morning step class, Michelle volunteered to substitute for an opening at 5:30 p.m. When I joined her after work to help her get the kids home, Michael was so obsessed with the toy he was currently holding that he completely forgot about his famous lamb. He forgot, of course, until he was home. Usually he's better about this and at least remembers when he gets into the van in the parking lot.

All day he was a bit on the anxious side and he didn't nap this afternoon. I swung back by the YMCA after work today and picked the lamb up. When I came through the door holding his lamb, he had a big smile. Even Daniel seemed happy for Michael. Today Michelle and I noticed that he won't suck his thumb unless he's holding his lamb. One begets the other.

Kick up the geek meter - I've mentioned before that we have a TiVo in the house and Michelle loves it. It gives her the ability to schedule the kids favorite programs for when it's convenient for her rather than trying to remind the kids when their shows are on.

One of the things about a TiVo is that it needs to know the current program data. The default way it does this is by using your phone line to make a nightly data call for TV schedule updates. Each call refreshes the TiVo's database to know the next two weeks of programming.

Unfortunately we don't have a phone line near my TV. So ever since we've owned it, I've manually strung phone cord across the room every 10-14 days and performed a manual dialup. While it's not required too often, it is nonetheless an inconvenience -- especially when the networks do last minute lineup changes.

This morning I plugged an inexpensive Linksys wireless adaptor into the back of the TiVo and configured it for our home network. Now it can get schedule updates whenever it wants by downloading the information wirelessly from the broadband connection. No more stringing phone cable. Sync'ing TiVo program info via a wireless broadband connection. Geeky!

Jokes around the office - As I mentioned a couple of days ago, my face got bruised after wiping out sledding down the hill. I knew I would get quite a few "what on earth happened to you!?" questions at work. I asked some co-workers what would be a better response than a sledding accident. Tom said, "You should see the other guy!" The best response came from Russell who said, "I take it you asked Michelle if now was a good time for a sixth child?"

Honda repairs - I took my Accord into Honda to take care of the emissions control problem. I also asked them to clean or replace the battery connection since the terminals were completely covered in corrosion. As is common with Honda service, it later became "we couldn't help but notice you need..." By the end of the day I had a 45K service (oil, brakes, radiator...) and a tire alignment and balancing. Cha-ching! They also gave me an estimate for getting my roof repainted since there are some significant peeling problems.

Humor - My friend, Stu, sent along the following humorous points to ponder:

1. Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
2. Marriage changes passion. Suddenly you're in bed with a relative.
3. I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with "Guess" on it. So I said "Implants?" She hit me.
4. I don't do drugs. I get the same effect just standing up fast.
5. Sign in a Chinese Pet Store: "Buy one dog, get one flea..."
6. I live in my own little world. But it's OK. They know me here.
7. I got a sweater for Christmas. I really wanted a screamer or a moaner.
8. If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
9. I don't approve of political jokes. I've seen too many of them get elected.
10. There are two sides to every divorce: Yours and sh*thead's.
11. I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.
12. I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.
13. Everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've stayed alive.
14. How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
15. Isn't having a smoking section in a restaurant like having a peeing section in a swimming pool?
16. Why is it that most nudists are people you don't want to see naked?
17. Snowmen fall from Heaven unassembled.
18. Every time I walk into a singles bar I can hear Mom's wise words: "Don't pick that up, you don't know where it's been!"

Staying home when sick - I was reading the WSJ when I came across an article advocating staying home when sick and not "toughing it out". While it's somewhat obvious that you don't want to infect co-workers, the explanation took an interesting track, a Darwinian model:

“Typically, disease organisms compete against each other. The aim of their game is to use a person to replicate themselves but not to lay that person so low that he or she can't parade around the office and infect us. Some pathogens may produce trillions of offspring, but if the viral baby boom makes a person too sick to stand up and, say, cough on other people, the virus's spread could be stopped dead in its tracks.
And that's Prof. Ewald's point. By staying home, you aren't simply catching up on daytime soaps. You are mounting a Darwinian counterattack against wicked strains of the flu and other maladies by stranding them on the Kleenex in your bedroom wastebasket. Meanwhile, as milder strains make the office rounds, they trigger immune-system responses that will defend against stronger strains. It is "like getting a free live vaccine," Prof. Ewald says.”