Some things I know (right now)

1. The recent recurrence of my age-old insomnia issue is not awesome. Not awesome at all.

2. Magnum Minis are going to be the death of my waistline. And thighs. And other stuff that has the potential to become jiggly.

3. The reason I am not officially tied to either political party is because I don't feel like I fit into either party's "box." It's strangely liberating and frustrating all at once.

4. Speaking of the dreaded "p" word, why all the negativity and vitriol this election season? Can't we all (try) to get along? Or at the very least, "agree to disagree?" Think about it people: if I can be friends with Red Sox fans, anything is possible. (Please note the humor that has been injected to lighten the mood. Giggles regarding the aforementioned humor-injection are also appreciated.)

5. Motherhood has severely inhibited my vocabulary (not to mention my ability to pronounce said vocabulary). Unless it's Sesame Street's "word on the street," it's probably no longer in my purview. (Not that I let my child watch mind-numbing TV or anything...)

6. I really enjoy freelancing. And I'm really glad that I have been provided the opportunity to do so.

7. College doesn't seem that long ago. But it was.

8. It both terrifies and intrigues me that my daughter is exhibiting my stubborn streak. It's like she's one going on sixteen. Yeah.

9. Season 4 of "So You Think You Can Dance?" was the best season. Hands down. They probably should have just stopped at that point. But I'm kind of (sort of glad) they didn't.  

10. I am still convinced that the camper parked outside of my building is a moving meth lab (sans Walt and Jesse, I'm afraid). And I'm 99.9% sure that its tenant used our bushes for some bathroom time the other day. Which maybe means that I'm (almost) ready to move back to the 'burbs. Almost.  

Yeah, that isn't creepy at all...

The husb and I live on a quiet little street, just slightly east of downtown. So when we look outside our window (to the east, that is... the view to the west is definitely less pleasurable and may or may not involve a decrepit building that may or may not double as a meth lab... ok I'm kidding about the meth lab part... maybe) we see a lovely street with mature trees and manicured park strips. Upon closer inspection, however, the block needs a little TLC. There are a couple of beautifully updated homes and condominiums (like the building we live in), but most of the street is comprised of rental properties.

And admittedly, some of these said rentals are a bit... "shady," shall we say. Littered with smashed cans of Paps Blue Ribbon and used condoms kind of shady. With a pit bull or two thrown into the mix. Which is a shame, really, since most of the homes on the block are at least 100 years old and have a lot of charm. Keeping all of the aforementioned in mind, I think the most creeptastic fixture on our block is undoubtedly this:

A school bus, circa 1977. With all the windows blocked out with various tie-dyed "curtains." We're 99.99% sure that people live in there. I snapped this photo whilst loudly feigning interest in a nearby flowering tree. (Well, it was a lovely tree... and strategically placed, as luck would have it.) Because I think you have to see it to believe it.