Oh, I forgot to share this one. A few days ago, I was complaining to my officemate about something with the class I'm teaching -- a section of the book that I'm required to cover, but I really don't see why I'm required to cover it, and I feel like it's taking time away from more important material. He asked why I'm teaching it if I don't think it's important. I said, because I'm following the way the department says I'm supposed to teach this course. He started singing "Tradition."

Okay, you know what, Hil? I'll PAY Vortex's parking ticket if she double parks and beats officemate senseless.

If I could, I would try to change to a different office, but the office that I'm in now is a four-person office, with only the two of us usually there, and all the other offices have between five and seven people, with almost all of them usually there, and I know that I can't get any work done in an office with that many people. I can say, "I'm trying to work, so I need quiet now" when there's only one other person in the office, but I really can't if there are six other people.

Yes, but think of it-- if Vortex beats officemate senseless, then you have the office all to yourself. You don't have to tell anyone. Just prop him up in a chair, ala Weekend at Bernies. Tie some strings to his hands so that he can wave occasionally as someone passes by.

I think it'll work.

Okay, you know what, Hil? I'll PAY Vortex's parking ticket if she double parks and beats officemate senseless.

Seconded.

what a wank, Hil.

t not really here

OK. Now I must go buy Passover food, deposit my paychecks and tax refund checks, and figure out where Flat Stanley should visit. (My university refuses to use direct deposit for our checks. So each month, I've got to walk over the pay office building, get my check there, and then walk over to the bank to deposit it. And of course, I never remember until it's the day my rent is due and the office is already closed for the day.)

French toast made with challah is a beautiful thing.

One of the local bakeries does a cinnamon challah on Fridays that makes the best French Toast I've ever made.

Of course, my all-time favorite local bread is the Cherry Chocolate bread from Noe Valley Bakery. Brandied cherries, big chunks of semisweet chocolate in an Italian style bread. Thick slice, run it under the broiler until the chocolate gets melty, slather with butter. Insanely good!

Well, one out of three of the tasks accomplished. I deposited my checks, but the store that I expected to have both Passover food and postcards ended up having neither.

Two guys are on a hunger strike to protest circumcision. [link]

Leading the pack are two 21-year-olds, Jason Siegel and Zachary Levi Balakoff, who are on Day 3 of a hunger strike. They say they won't eat until genital mutilation is exposed. Go ahead, ask them why. They'll tell you, for many minutes, about the "entire realms of exquisite feeling" they are missing by not having foreskins and the corresponding nerves. The "giant monstrosity" of circumcision "envelops" their entire lives.

"If we have to die, then that's what's necessary," Balakoff says. They say they'll sit in front of the Capitol until they starve.