Happy MLK Day

We're approaching the MLK holiday in typical American fashion: doing nothing.

Naturally, I'm a big believer in everything he stood for (maybe not the womanizing, but I'm of the it's-none-of-my-business camp - same as I view Rudy Giuliani's three marriages or the Clinton's fidelity issues. It doesn't get in the way of the greater good). But I'm not sure the best way to honor him is to let kids out of school and have a white sale.

In other random bits, we:

• realized that the 10.30 p.m. movie can be tough, especially when it is a nearly three-hour movie. There Will Be Blood was OK. I think it was just too late for me. Fantastic performances by Daniel Day-Lewis and especially Paul Dano - he deserves an Academy Award nomination for his turn as the minister. Being out til nearly 2 a.m. makes getting up the next day very difficult when you're my age, let me tell you ...

• found out that not every Sunday features a good, much less great, speaker at the UU. This week was sort of a bust. He titled it "This I Believe," based on the NPR series. Sort of random, very disjointed. If his delivery was any indicator, don't listen for his to be read on air any time soon.

• turned over our kitchen to the Cy Woods German club yesterday afternoon. Those kids were LOUD. Nice group, but LOUD. Made it tough for me to relax on the sofa. But I am caught up on my Newsweeks now.

• traded one kid for a friend, so we still had three girls last night. Made pizza, watched football (glad we were at home and not in the -5 F stands - brrrr), then watched The Squid and the Whale, very underrated movie. Loved the dialogue, loved the performances by Laura Linney, Jeff Daniels, and Jesse Eisenberg. Yes, they were all a little self-absorbed, but I think that's the point. Good bit of writing. Though I'm thinking someone in that school would have recognized a song by Roger Waters - come on!

Laundry. Reading. Orthodontist. Lots of Wii action. In other words, a glamorous and fast-paced Monday. Makes you envious for life in the Northwest suburbs of Harris County, does it not?

I thought as much. Must go throw the clothes from the washer into the dryer. The excitement never ceases.