If you say that last paragraph quickly, it�ll give you a better feeling of how my weekend went.

I was initially concerned with driving that much after having not driven consistently in about a year and a half. But after five minutes on the road, I called someone a jackass and knew all would be just fine. (He was going 40 mph on the highway, so he indeed deserved a fist-shaking.) I used my turn signals appropriately, used my mirrors, stayed out of people�s blind spots, and drove at about the speed limit the whole way. It�s amazing how much some skills stay with ya, despite how long they�ve not been used.

Visiting the family was nice. Soon after I arrived, my sister and nephew showed up. That baby. [sigh] He�s awesome. He makes me want to have ten of them. (...in about ten years, of course.) There�s something about a small human who looks so much like those in your family and has their mannerisms too.

He has this thing with swinging his leg whenever he knows he�s being busted for doing something he knows is wrong, and he flails it when he gets upset.

My brother was the king of the flailing leg when he was younger, and this weekend we remembered an incident that involved that.

Kyle had to have been under two years old at the time, and my dad was trying to get him up the stairs for bed. He refused my dad�s request and defiantly stomped his foot on the ground. My dad boldly returned the stomp, enraging my brother into more one-legged stomping. My dad unflinchingly stomped back until my brother couldn�t take it anymore. Like a billy goat -- at full speed and with his head forward -- my brother tried to ram my dad. I almost peed when I watched the exchange, and I again almost peed when I remembered this.

All right. Enough embarrassing my brother. I couldn�t handle him trying to head-butt me at full speed, so I shouldn�t provoke him.

The entire family went to the hospital to visit with MawMaw. To give you an indication of the improvement made since my mom last went to visit, MawMaw had on a Halloween headband with shiny bats attached to springs. And despite being given spaghetti for dinner, she was in good spirits, surprised to see me, and looked to be doing well. My mom and dad were both shocked at her progress. It looks like she�s better than just hanging in there and that she�ll stick around for a bit longer. *crossing fingers*

After the hospital, my brother and I went Halloween costume shopping. He didn�t fit the costumes they had there, so we improvised with a Superman/Clark Kent combo that looks quite dashing. I got a blonde wig and a mic to go with some slutty clothes I already own so I could be Britney Spears. However, I left the wig and mic in Houston and will have to improvise with something else this weekend. Argh.

I also got some black fishnet hose with red rhinestones while I was standing in line at the costume shop anyway. Hubba-hubba... However, I also left those in Houston. Please double the arghs.

Anyway, that was my weekend: A quickie trip to Texas and all my meals from Taco Bell.

Last night I met Benito�s dad. The three of us went out for dinner at one of my favorite restaurants.

Things seemed to go pretty well: By the end of the night, he was teasing me about ordering mushrooms at a steakhouse.

So now my mom is the only one who�s been left out of Benito and Jo meetings. I�m sure we�ll add her to the club over the Xmas holiday when we�re all in Houston.

I don�t know if I mentioned it yet, but Benito had this idea to run a race on Halloween. I was all up for it (despite the lack of training) since I talked him down to a 5k, but it doesn�t look like I�ll be running with him.

The tonsilloliths again appeared this weekend, making me gag and sputter like you wouldn�t believe. And since the last time I had them, a dime-sizer ripped out part of my tonsil, it appears that they�re now quite sensitive.

I now have an angry spot on my left tonsil that I�m battling with Listerine. It feels like a walnut is stuck up there.

No running for me. Bleck!

I stole this idea from Saru-san: I�m going to join NaNoWriMo and see what I can produce in 30 days.

Seeing that I shit out over 1000 words per entry here, I should certainly be able to write 50,000 words.

Not this year (since I already have an idea for a book), but perhaps next year I�ll tackle this differently and will throw up a poll each turn in the story, asking you guys to vote on what happens next.

That, or I�ll write my dad�s biography. �Lessons from a Suburban Mad Man�.

My sister�s little girl will be born soon-soon-soon! Jenna was carrying her quite low, meaning that the baby�s ready to go. She had her final sonogram on Saturday morning, so I got to see those pictures.

She�s not due until November 29th, but I�ll still keep an eye on her. Since my mom popped out kids progressively faster each time (getting her last one out in a mere 55 minutes) and Jenna had her first in only three hours, I�m expecting this one to be born with rocket skates strapped on her little feet!

Oh yeah. She�s still nameless. Apparently Hannah Alizabeth Keena (yes, with an A instead of an E) didn�t stick. I say, screw it and just name the baby Jo! You know you want to...

I was asked earlier for idea on what colleges forget to teach about entering the corporate world, and the following was my list:

Deadlines don't get extended. This also goes for budgets increasing.

There will always be someone in the group (must like your group projects) who won't get their stuff done and will make you do everything.

Office Space is pretty close to the truth with the office stereotypes.

No, you're not special.

Save all work-related IMs and emails. You never know when you'll need them to CYA.

Ask for more money than they initially offer you. They're almost always holding out at least a bit.

When did I become such a poopy-pants pessimist.

All right. It�s sufficiently late, and I still have work to do. Please excuse any lapses in entries this week. It�s a busy one at work.

There will likely be more tomorrow, but for now I�ve got an outline to write for NaNoWriMo and some work-related graphics to finish. �