WWRLaHD?

My buddy Ray LaHood is mad, you guys. He's mad about what he calls "the worst transportation bill I've ever seen during 35 years of public service."

Ray LaHood is a Republican. (Or at least he used to be. I hope he's come to his senses.) If he thinks it's bad, you can imagine how bad it is. It's really shitty.

You can do the online-form thing here or here. Or you could just call your rep and say something like "Dude! Don't you care about ANYTHING except packing more cars onto freeways and being all socialist with your parking?"

Do it for the kids! And the old people! And the small businesses! And the poor people! And people who want to get some exercise! And the people who don't want to be killed by a car! Actually, everybody, except some idiots in Congress.

An Outing

All I want for Christmas is a high walk score.

People who live in more walkable neighborhoods are happier! And their houses are more valuable.

Six

I think I should probably be reflecting on time, and aging, and mortality. My baby girl (six!) is going to be grown and gone off to live her magical grownup life in about thirty seconds, I think. Or maybe on joy, because turning six is apparently pretty awesome.*

But instead I'm going to ask you to watch this clip. I know you're sick of hearing about how much I hate cars, and how nobody should call or text while you're driving. But if you take a second whenever you're about to make or take a call in the car, and think about a 13-year-old girl (who no doubt kicked off her sixth birthday with a face as purely delighted as my own girl's today) burning to death in a crumpled schoolbus, we'll all be better off.



*Even when your weary, cold-infested parents manage to muster up only an english muffin (with six candles jammed into it) for a celebratory breakfast.

I really mean it.

You guys. Cars are so terrible. SO terrible.

Holy shit. I know I keep piling scary, depressing stuff on you,* but my buddy Ray dedicated his blog post today to the danger of kids being left in cars in the heat, and it linked to this article, which is rivetingly terrifying and sad. I couldn't read to the end of the article, because I started to feel like I was going to throw up (right at the note about the child who pulled all her hair out before she died), but it's probably a good article for everyone to read.

I think it seems timely to me because I've been thinking about being over-multi-tasked, and distracted by technology. I lost my wallet a month ago, the first time I've ever done that. Yesterday I forgot to go to an informational interview. I can see how it would be possible for me to forget Skipper in a car.** I think it's good for all of us to note that our distractions can have really terrible outcomes - running over a pedestrian when we're talking on the phone, leaving a kid in the car when we're rushing to the next task.

Also, in News of The Sad and Scary, there's a 7-year-old kid missing in Portland, triggering the usual sorts of discussions about stranger danger and how much supervision is appropriate for kids. Dutch is very interested in the story, so we've been talking a little about it, though I'm trying to delay the Big Discussion*** until after they find the kid, which I hope will be very soon.

Anyway, maybe this will cheer you up, as it did me.



*My worried, dedicated readers. I hope you're not all getting together to organize an intervention for me (I'm okay, really). But if you are, I want cake.
** Fortunately, I have no car. Also, Skipper doesn't sleep, and hates driving, so she's hard to forget in a car.
*** With Dutch, there's ALWAYS a Big Discussion.

News Roundup

I'm at home with Skipper. This is the fifth out of the last sixteen workdays that Cook or I have had to stay home with her (and sometimes Dutch). This is a big problem with being a working parent that nobody tells you about before you have kids. They get sick a lot.

Skipper has Hand, foot, mouth disease, of course. And of course she has it so mildly that she seems to feel totally normal, and is currently tearing the room apart while I type, instead of taking lots of naps while I DO MY HOMEWORK, which is what I had planned to do this afternoon.

She was diagnosed at a "well-child" checkup this morning at which we also learned that she's not gaining weight satisfactorily. It's not a big problem at the moment, but we do have to change some things. No more nursing on demand (she demands nursing frequently, but then just snacks for a few moments before getting distracted and dashing off to her next project), mainly.

Then she and Dutch both got a bunch of shots, which bummed them both out. Dutch clenched up her whole body, and said "I hate shots I hate shots I hate shots!!!!" until the nurse said "Well, honey, I hate giving shots."

That's the news from here. In other news, I really, really love Ray LaHood and the younger Swedish princess is having a crappy day.