Flotsam and Jetsam

Recent thoughts floating about my head. Not necessarily in order of importance.

1. Son the Younger is now almost 100% potty trained and I can't believe it. The diapers are thirsty in the drawer, the wipes are drying out. But there is a catch (there would be): he won't wear underpants. Yup, my little man, going commando all the day long. This is partially because I trained him by letting him go naked waist-down, so wearing shorts is progress, but I didn't expect that he'd like it so much. Every day I tell him about the cool array of (hand-me-down) underwear he might want to try and every day he says "NO!" I am sorry, future daughter-in-law.

2. I had a bad dream the other night that Son the Older got bitten on the calf by a black rattlesnake that came out of a hole in the wooden floor of a cabin I dreamed we were living in in Seattle, WA. Um, detailed and random I know, but yikes! In the dream, Hubby and I argued about what to do (Hubby insisting that it wasn't serious and my dream-muddled brain trying to recall why he might be wrong -- um, rattlesnake venom maybe?!) then fumbled to call an emergency number. Anyway, my question is, what does this mean? Is there something a black snake bite symbolizes? I hate bad dreams.

3. I was listening to Janet Jackson's Design of a Decade album today and "Control" came on. I.O., it reminded me how that song always makes me think of YOU in high school! Remember how you could dance just like Miss J. back then? And you had the naturally curly long hair to boot (though yours is red). And you used to looove to sing that song. I think I believed you could BE the next Miss Jackson If You're Nasty phenomenon. I used to be so jealous that I was just the geeky brainiac and you were the One Who Could Dance in the family. Anyway, just sayin'.

4. Katrina. Yikes. I get all my news from CNN International here and I think they don't show all the heart-wrenching images domestic tv does (judging from what people are saying they saw on other blog sites), but I'm still feeling the collective shock and sadness. I just have to say that, all issues of blame aside, it still makes me embarrassed that it happened in America. It just shouldn't have. America is not a third-world country and Katrina wasn't a sudden, unforeseen tsunami. That is just neglect and blatant disregard. It's so wonderful that people are stepping up now and pitching in, but it seems like a bad sign when private citizens are now filling in the hole when the U.S. has a half-dozen Federal entities whose job description it is to plan for, prevent and cope with the aftermath of these types of calamities. And there is this, too (e-mailed by a friend). 'Nuff said. May God be with them.