I think it's also useful not to think of writing as some magical thing that very few people can do, or that requires a special muse or whatever. It's a job. Some days you call out sick. Some days you don't do your best. But if you keep showing up, you can get it done.

So, so true. And something I need to remember. Allyson, don't beat yourself up!

I love being a "regular" at places, and I love friendly service. There's a charity shop near my house where the volunteer staff of little old ladies used to set aside all the black velvety or lacy things for me to go through.

Bookmarking Ginger's post.

At my coffee shop, my coffee comes to me before I order - breakfast varies. I have other places where I am a regular, but I want to eat and drink my way through the menu-- so there is no regular dish

I don't really think of writing like it's my job. It's just an opportunity to be funny and have people pay me compliments.

I'm not dedicated enough to be the sort of writer who can blog consistently or be a regular columnist somewhere. I write every day, but so do all of you, right here.

I'm having a hard time processing people going onto a message board and posting that prolonged breast feeding is child abuse. That just falls too far outside my usual experience. I assume it's living where I do, but many of the moms breast feed until the child is in kindergarten. In fact, I usually bump into the other assholic extreme of people who get all judgey about bottle or formula feeding.

because the real antifeminist thing here is being a smug jerkhead about a woman's feeding choices

because yeah! Is the kid fed, loved, and happy? Then back off!

When the Night Kitchen was still around, the staff stopped giving me a menu, because they knew that no matter what else I might have looked at, I was going to order the poutine. I am a creature of habit and comfort food.

I'm having a hard time processing people going onto a message board and posting that prolonged breast feeding is child abuse.

I just don't get at all how you can call it abuse. Unless the kid is four and you don't feed her anything else, I guess, but who does that?

The Thai restaurant near me in Michigan used to apologise to me when I came in the door if they were out of duck. I think I was really boring in Michigan.

So, I was reading headlines and I came across this:

Van Susteren under fire for not disclosing Cain connection

I got up from my computer and walked around the house for a few minutes before clicking the link. I was CERTAIN that what was being discussed is that Greta had a sexual relationship with Cain and I wasn't certain if I was prepared to read about it.

Thankfully, the text of the connection is far less salacious than my imagination:

As host of Fox News' prime time show "On the Record," Van Susteren has talked about Herman Cain's presidential candidacy at length. But she has failed to disclose the role of her husband, prominent Washington lawyer John Coale, as an advisor to the candidate.

I don't get it either, Amy. But people are judgey.