….When K-FED is designated the better parent? Dope smoking, camel-toe-socks-in-sandals and braids and all. Eesh.

In other breaking news, we got a Wii. And someone keeps beating me at all the games, except maybe tanks, and for a competitive spirit, it is difficult to see my Mii over and over, dejected with her head-hanging down. I’m just saying. The boxing training sessions are going to begin soon. KaPOW!

I just thought this morning, “I have a good life.”

I know, I bitch & moan, and rail at the heavens, and shake my fist at those stupid drivers, and freak out about work, but really, if you made me put all the beans in two piles, good & bad, there’s so much more that’s good.

I had a long conversation with a friend, and partway through, even though I knew it would heighten emotions, I leaned over and put my hand on her arm and told her one of the things I admire most about her. I won’t make this into a weepy post, but you know what? We all need to hear those things. And they have to be genuine, and heartfelt, and you can’t do it every time you see them because then you’d be kind of a dork, you know, that person that gushes and makes you uncomfortable every time you’re around them, but you know, I challenge you to try it. Don’t force it, but sometime in the next week, tell someone with whom you have regular interaction something that’s great about them. You don’t even have to touch them while you do it.

See, we get going. And we catch momentum. And we forget to stop, that we have the power to stop. This world is so fast now. We make half (or more) of our decisions and conclusions in front of a glowing screen that’s not much bigger than a purse. (My purse :is: bigger. Sigh.) We read things and decide things and we don’t see the facial expressions or have the chance to know that there are 100 other things going on outside of that keyboard and screen, and we have email and websites and instant messenger and cellular telephone devices and some people even have the iPhone. Hell, we still have a fax machine at work and it’s the most antiquated tool we use. Used to be that very device revolutionized how business, and communication was done.

There is no substitute for talking to someone face to face. Seeing their face, seeing their humanity, seeing they are just like you. And me. And we need things we’ll never, ever get from a computer. But we forget it, because we get so used to the endless stream of data and information, and that is the norm and it feels strange to demand more. I was just thinking about my challenge, and had automatically started to mentally write emails to people, to tell them something great. Again. My challenge to you, and to myself, is to do it in person. In the moment. It is the purest essence of being there, and you will feel more reconnected than any of those rechargeable, wired/wireless devices could possibly do.

Let us know how it goes. (That’s all the readers here, all 14 of you, not the Royal Us.) Put it on your blog. I know there’s irony in it. Using this one-sided form of communication to challenge other people you know to stop using it – but I never said all this internet stuff was bad – it’s just different. It has changed how we process and react to things and in some ways it is phenomenal. I have a whole circle of people I like and I’ve never met (most) of you – and we only communicate through the glowing screen. But I found my mind wandering to the dream of taking a trip, so I could meet all of you. (I’d call (or email!) first, don’t worry.) Because the foundation and the solidness of our loves and friendships comes from the face time. I know I probably won’t meet everyone I like and know through the online community – but I know on some level my life would be far richer if I could.

Go do something real, live and in-person. Slap a little love on someone who needs to hear it. And if it makes you want to chuck your iPhone, send me an email, I’ll give you my mailing address. ;)

Because the mouse that has decided OUR house is much lovelier than, say, his previous home, in a thatch of grass or even hubby’s workshop, has moved IN. There’s nothing like seeing something skitter across the floor out of the corner of your eye – and knowing you weren’t hallucinating or anything. Eeeeyow. I have no idea how having my shoes on helps? But it makes me feel a little more secure. I have no desire to stomp a mouse, or even really kill one, but seriously when the chips are down, it’s him or me, and I can tell you, evolution-believer or not, I will come out on top.

Polly is not a cat. She snoozed through the entire skittering. I wish Wo and I weren’t allergic, because having a cat right now would be great, except then I think how said cat might wake us up with said dead mouse in mouth, as a joyous 2 a.m. offering, and that would be say, not so lovely.

I have been cranking – I am teaching three classes at the Studio this Fall/Winter session – Baby Surprise, the Brea Bag, and Chevron Scarf. I have Baby Surprise completely done, with buttons basted on, and the Brea bag is done – took me a frantic day to find the long-ago purchased purse handle – and while I didn’t get the lining done, the bag itself is DONE. And Chevron is going to have to wait to be finished, but I am half done, will block it tonight, and we can display it in its prettiness until it’s time to teach the class & I’ll finish that bad boy. I’m definitely going to make Polly model it, because it looks great on her!

Wow, I have a lot of work to do tomorrow, I can’t think about it or I’ll never fall asleep! Must block, then bed….

Hello! How are you? We thought you would be here by now. In fact, one of your pieces of luggage arrived a week or so ago, and we got very excited. We changed the sheets in the guest room, tidied up the clutter in bathroom & fluffed your pillow, just so sure you’d be on our doorstep at any moment, to stay for your usual duration of a few months. We even started to think about knitting on things that are larger than a loaf of bread, such was the anticipation and excitement.

Sadly, and you know you are my favorite of the seasons, so I tell you this in confidence, your idiot brother Summer showed back up, and has not only eaten all the cheese (and I mean the GOOD cheese), potato chips and popsicles, he has been sleeping on the couch, leaving the toilet seat up, not turning off the lights when he leaves a room, and in general, being a veritable nuisance. Not to mention all the sweating. It’s the end of September, he has far overstayed his welcome, and I’ve left NUMEROUS messages with his mother (Nature) and she seems to be avoiding my calls.

So, dear, please get here as soon as you can, because we are anxious for the autumnal color show you put on, and the crisp evenings and the soup-making. Summer has got to go! Anything you can do to speed that up would be greeeeeat.

Much love,
Jennifer

My friend Beth asked me what shows might be worth watching, and my email to her was so long, I decided it could also be a good blog post! I’m going to edit it for a slightly better sentence structure, and we’ll see how many shows I decide to actually link to. (I just wrote the whole thing? The answer is NONE. Sorry. It’d take me an hour.)

As I say at home, partially to remind hubs why the DVR is squeaking and dual-recording things and cock-blocking him from watching something else, this is my bidness. I love all forms of media, by & large, and the new fall season of TV is like getting a big catalog of fun in the mail. You peruse & look and sometimes even laugh & point at things that will never, ever make it.

Do you wonder how I figure out what I can realistically watch? I take a highlighter to a new season schedule & I’m still going to have to juggle some cable shows for a few weeks to keep the DVR from exploding. Thank goodness those cable shows do immediate repeats. And we do have an extra DVR, and it’s moving down to the treadmill shortly. Might as well get some walking in while watching!

So here we go! Remember, everyone’s tastes vary, which explains why Smith was yanked after three episodes, but ER continues to live on…and on…. and on.

Honestly, and despite all the brouhaha, I think Kid Nation looks good. I doubt I will add it to the lineup, but Kristin thinks she might watch it. The extended clip we saw from the station really shows a wider breadth of experiences, and the society these kids build. It could also be heart wrenching.

I’m going to give Cane a go, on CBS, Tuesday nights, 9p. Jimmy Smits, good eye candy, heavy production budget, it looks like the first mainstream tv show that also will speak to Hispanics. I feel like this is a Smith Risk, because it could also be so expensive that CBS decides it’s not worth the bucks for the eyeballs they get. They’ve certainly marketed the hell out of it!

I’ve already added K-ville, a cop/crime drama on Fox (Mon, 8p), and it’s done very well in the ratings; I haven’t watched it yet, though.

Reaper on the CW, Tues. 8p, looks hilarious. It’s directed by Kevin Smith of Clerks.

Big Bang Theory, 1/2 hour sitcom on CBS, Mon, 7:30 is also going onto the DVR. The clip was hilarious and I love geeks & nerds.

I’m going to give Private Practice (Kate Walsh/Grey’s Anatomy spin-off) a go, though I’m reserving judgment. It could really tank. Same goes for Dirty Sexy Money, and 90% of why I’ve got that one marked to watch is because it has Peter Krause in it, and it does look pretty entertaining. Those are on ABC, Wed, 8p & 9p respectively.

I’m also going to watch Women’s Murder Club on ABC; Fridays at 8, but that doesn’t premiere until mid-Oct.

Shows getting buzz that I’m not going to watch? Gossip Girl (CW, Wed, 8p), Bionic Woman (NBC, Wed, 8p) and Chuck (NBC, Mon, 7p). Back to You, with Kelsey Grammar (Fox, Wed, 7p), also looks pretty funny – I’m just not a sitcom gal and Big Bang looked funnier.

Cavemen & Carpoolers are on the short list for who’ll get canceled first. Viva Laughlin? The CBS show with drama, singing & Melanie Griffith? Gets my first-to-get-the-axe vote, but because it doesn’t premiere until 10/21, something else will die first. But hands-down, that show will perhaps air once, maybe twice. We’ve obviously learned nothing from Cop Rock. I wish CBS would just give me half the money they spent on that damn thing so I could tell them to keep the other half & we’d both be happy. They have overestimated the star power of Hugh Jackman, too. If America wants a sing-along, they have Singing Bee and Don’t Forget the Lyrics.

Despite this list, looking at my highlighted stuff – of all the new shows, I’m not watching many of them. My tried-and-true line up includes Prison Break, CSI & CSI Miami, Law & Order (all of ’em), Criminal Minds, Survivor, Without A Trace, Grey’s, Earl & Office. Plus Damages (Fx), which has about five episodes left.

And if ever there was a time to have Showtime, it’s now. I’m hooked on Weeds & Brotherhood, and the new season of Dexter premieres in a week. There’s still time to watch the first season on-Demand. My god, what a great show. Michael C. Hall has outdone himself and his tightly wound performance as a serial killer (but for all the right reasons!) containing his demons while living a “normal” life nearly rivals the still-reigning king of my heart, Vic Mackey, of The Shield (Fx, final season starts sometime in ’08).

I love the telebision. I get lots of knitting done on the weekends when JWo has gone hunting, and having shows to watch while treadmilling will be good. Most industry predictions are that ABC will have the best fall, in part because their new shows are good (except Cavemen/Carpoolers) and are of course sandwiched among their many #1 shows. NBC continues to flounder to find an identity, but may break through on Bionic Woman. CBS will stay middle-of-the-road and pray that people don’t get tired of crime dramas and all their other dramas that keep them afloat. We’ll see if that inexplicable viewership of Ghost Whisperer really wants to stick around for a series about a vampire (Moonlight). Fox just waits for January and the cash register to start ringing like mad for American Idol, and My TV learned the hard way last year that telenovellas are NOT sweepin’ the nation in a tv sensation. The CW has gotten spunky & should do pretty well with younger viewers – and even me for Reaper.