Being the gracefully limber creature that I am, I almost derailed a guy on the stairs yesterday. Do you remember what "derailing" means, fellow eighties children? It means to step on the back of someone's shoe, thereby causing the back of their foot to emerge from said shoe. It's usually either an embarrassing mistake or a roguish trick. Or sometimes both, I guess, although I'd have to consult the eighties-child handbook on that one. "Oh man!" I said to the half-de-shoed fellow. "I'm sorry."

He didn't even turn around. He just replied, in a voice as pleasant and carefree as you please, "Hey, it ain't no thing." And then I simply had to laugh, because I didn't know that phrase was still in use. Anywhere. Let alone on a random Thursday, during a semi-cloudy afternoon, in the middle of a busy campus stairwell.

So I say, let's hear it for those ain't-no-things. And for the little things too. With good humor in such rare supply these days, laughter when we least expect it ain't no little thing at all.

Mmmmmrrrgh. So, I forgot. I'm not a bear, and I'm not allowed to hibernate for months on end. Silly old me. I suppose I could scribble about the holidays (which were lazy), or resolutions for the new year (which remain unmade), or classes starting up yet again (which ought to go into forced hibernation), or the great awfulness of the natural world (which is yet another adventure in big sad reality). And as much fun as that bushel of sighs would be, the ardent fans don't read this to inquire after my health. The world is sad, and they are in search of the jollies. Jollies they need. Jollies they shall have.

ambientwhimsy: how come all them cartoon villans were so optimistic? it was always "next time" or "I'll get you yet" or "I would've gotten away with it, too!"
Sarah: you meddling kids and your dog!
ambientwhimsy: whatever happened to, "I guess crime DOESN'T pay!" or "dude, I'll NEVER catch those pesky good-doers!"
Sarah: there would be no more episodes!
Sarah: and then what would we do with our afternoons?
ambientwhimsy: oh, I don't know.
ambientwhimsy: dig ditches.
ambientwhimsy: build nuclear bomb shelters.
ambientwhimsy: play cowpersons and oppressed natives.
Sarah: lol