today I am in a very solid mood. was "solid" ever used as a synonym for cool? "hey, what do you think of my new car?" "it looks solid!" or maybe not.

i spent some time around kids last night over at kim's sister's place. i always think i'm real uncomfortable around little ones because I never know how to talk to them. i can talk to my students, but they are in their teens, not 5. but i actually enjoyed being around little sidney (?) and cameron (?). sidney is such an adorable little thing: these bright blue eyes and cute smile. i think it'd be quite hard not to love that one, but then i didn't see the bad side to her, this side the parents see, the tantrums and wailing, and fussiness. every kid gets that way at some point or another. that's what's great about visiting, you don't have to take them home with you. they belong to someone else. i was at the mall today trying to crush my remaining sanity and as i walked out of Sear's(tm) this little blonde-haired girl ran right into me and grabbed on to my leg. odd. she kept smiling up at me and wouldn't let go. i was thinking, "hmmm, does she think i'm her daddy?" so i bent down and talked to her until her mother came and got her, apologizing the entire time. why do i suddenly feel way too much like a parent? no, no, no. i repeat, no, no, no.