Prizes!

This week's exciting prizes are brought to you by the Committee to Abolish That Thing That's Going Around, and the National Cluestick Caucus. Please help yourselves to the complimentary hugs, chocolate, tissues, pain reliever of choice or margaritas, oxygen, bath oil, and flaming batons, as needed!

First things first -- Congratulations to Turtlebella! Many pixie good wishes for you and the baboo-to-be.

Hugs for Jenr, who is swelling up like a Macy's Parade balloon, and a visit from the precision cluestick drill team for her boss. Seriously, she doesn't even get a snow day until she is actually in labor?? For Jenr's baboo, the Olly-Olly-Oxen-Free Award so graciously nominated by Liz. Let's all sing it: "come out, come out, where ever you are!" (But don't sing it so loud that Uccellina's baboos hear! They need to hibernate a few more weeks.)

Andy, a previous winner in the Elevated Risk of Mullet category, appears to be competing in a different category this time: he wins the previously undiscovered Seventies Sitcom Award, featuring a Most Likely to be a Lesbian Homewrecker medal.

Turtlebella gets several pounds of the gourmet ice cream of her choice for her eloquent response to Andy's lament: "oh my, oh my. that's one not-so-good sitch there, andy." But Miranda made me laugh too loud for polite company with her award suggestion for Andy: "Not Sure If Bringing the Bodily Fluids Is A Good Idea" award, which is definitely in Mullet territory.

Moving right along, we have two winners of the Freaking Magic Schoolbus Award: Klee, with the horrifying combination of a bus driver from Mars and a field trip from hell, and Madeleine, whose entire school board is so in need of powerful therapeutic interventions that it cancels busses for snow, while keeping the actual schools open.

Lot of competition in the This Week Is Kicking My Butt category, so let's kiss the woes of the week goodbye: political angst and stupid politicians; having to make nice, now with extra head-banging; tiredness and/or sleep deprivation; workouts; kids with stuff to do; jealousy; crabbiness; achiness; any dealings whatsover with state agencies; doctor appointments; headaches; waiting lists; the existence of evil in the world; viruses; teething; cold sores; snow, too much damned snow; irritating bosses and/or employees and/or co-workers, especially the ones who will not shut up already; bad maternity leave policies; babies not sleeping through the night; spousal awols; speeding tickets; expensive books; asthma; divorce; grad program worries; irritable uterus; fevers; fluid behind eardrums; and anticipatory chocolate withdrawal. I'm pretty sure I left out a few items. May the afflicted find relief, especially Sue and Margalit.

And finally, one Free Pass to Whine Anony-mouse-ly to Redzils, who could only say: "I cant do my own whining or I will have to just Quit Everything. I cant afford that, so must drag grimly on and not think about the details..." Heck of a world, when it comes to that.

Thanks for playing this week! See you next week, when Liz is the hostess with the mostest.