rainy days and mondays

Today was the first rainy day we've had in a very long time. The change in weather made me (MADE me, you hear?) do weird things, like ask 'why don't students actually seem to do homework, like, ever?', or forget to pick up some needed software on the way home, or like crashing so hard this afternoon that I woke up thinking it was the next morning and I'd overslept and missed my 9:05 teaching duty. Grad student anxiety and/or sleep-dep episode. Also, it was too wet outside for nordic walking so I went to the pool for a spell. Fear not, I have not become some raging, possessed exercise maven, but I do try to do a little somethin-somthin every day. Makes me feel better. Besides, nothing like submerging in water after being soggy all day. Just thought I'd share.

OK. So it's a diversion from actual academic research. But my brain has reached critical reading mass for the night so I turn to the kind of news I'm REALLY interested in these days. Now that I'm back on the cable (at least while the four-month introductory/cheap monthy rate applies), I deem myself quite informed on all things showbiz.

It has newly come to my attention that Ashton & Demi have tied the knot.

My initial reaction involved shuddering, I believe. But then (pause...reflect...) why not? I salute Demi in her (a) going for the younger guy, it's just a good move, as many of us girls know, unless he's not mature enough to handle so much woman; and also (b) Ashton for being set for life. I'm a tad creeped out that he's only ten years older than her oldest daughter, but, whatever makes the boat float. By the way, I am not ashamed to say that I think he is a pretty good actor and will get as better and better. Once the "Punk'd" and "That 70's Show" youth veneer fades. At any rate, assuming it lasts, she'll always have a smile on her face and he'll never need Viagra. Everyone's a winner!

Godspeed, Kaballah Kids Demi and Ashton, may you live long and well, stay together longer than Kenny & Renee, and bestow your children with really unique first names, foregoing any postpartum depression criticism from Tom Cruise. Oh, and on Oprah, Brooke Shields says she's ready to have another baby.

Speaking of babies, "Flightplan" was a fun thriller. Woman checks on to a plane she engineered. Daughter goes missing. Is found nowhere. Flight crew members offer comforting words like "ma'am, we show no record of your daughter ever having boarded". Woman kicks maternal instinct into turbo overdrive, is taken for a loonie. International mystery ensues.

A lot of unanswered plot items, which I'm sure the general public will trash the film for, but I actually found the red herrings and incongruencies refreshing. It left much more to my imagination. Plus Ms. Jodie Foster has a line in German. She's bionic!

Isn't the world MARVELOUS? We can pretend it all MATTERS so much!