contextually speaking

The child's favorite thing in all the world is half a travel toothbrush case. Longtime readers will remember that he took it with him into the operating room when he went in for his dental work. He likes to stim with it, which he achieves by flicking it in front of his mouth and blowing across the top.

The spouse's favorite thing in all the world (one of them, anyway) is Messing With The Child's Brainmeats. He plays various games with the boy and has since the boy was teeny - taking the toy of the moment and playing a close-in version of keepaway with it, trying to encourage Sean to find it is a favorite one. (I personally think this contributed to Seaners' ability to locate dropped objects.)

This morning he discovered that if he takes the stim toy away from Seaners and flicks it against his mouth and blows across the top of it, Seaners will actually wait patiently for him to be done before trying to take it back. He's sharing his favorite stim toy with dad - you know, in case dad is stressed right now and feels the need for some comforting repetitive stimming?

After a few times, he actively handed Chris the toothbrush case after he was done with it.

It's interesting how your perspective changes to fit your kids. This is awesome - this is sharing and turn taking and a certain amount of focus on others. I was thinking yesterday that it really wouldn't bother me if Seaners said 'fuck' or something like, because at least it would be a word - and even better if it was in the proper context.

clickies

deyaniera does really amazing Tarot readings. She did one for me last week and it was freakishly on point. :-) Go and partake. It is worth the moneys.

This is fascinating: Why IVF embryos are more likely to develop into twins.

From the fabulous jenk: Man foils attacker with deodorant.

oh crap.

Dear Seattleites,

tallin has interview with Uncle Bill's House of Code next week, at an unknown day, but it'll be all day.

I have writing workshop Monday and Tuesday afternoon next week from 4 until 6.

Is there anyone who might be able to watch Sean during that time? (from about 3 until 7 or whenever Chris gets home, Monday afternoon 7/9 and/or Tuesday afternoon, 7/10). Will definitely pay in cookies, cash and/or good karma. Your place or ours, although I might suggest ours as his stuff is here. Bringing along other kids is totally ok.

We've got a call in to his respite people (and have since last week), but they haven't called back yet so I'm trying to set up a backup. If I absolutely have to I can miss one day if they want to interview Monday or Tuesday (it's a four day workshop but Wednesday and Thursday are covered) but I'd rather not, and it's already paid for.

EDIT: Never mind - interview's Thursday (7/11) and we already have respite for then, so we're covered.

schadenfreude: makin' me feel glad that I'm not you

Debt collector denied unemployment bennies for abusive and cruel tactics.

goddamn weasel

Bush commutes Libby's sentence.

...

I have no words, sorry.