The Bad News: my car, the reliable blue Honda I referred to as "Sweetpea", died suddenly a week ago. There was a short mourning period, but after I realized she's REALLY gone, not just sick, I've moved on.

The Good News: I got a new car. Not just a new-for-me car, but an honest to goodness new, 2003, car. My first! I had to stay in the Honda family, of course, so I got an orange Honda Element that we promptly nicknamed "Pumpkin." See? It kinda reminds me of those old "woodies", the cars that had wood panelling and were always driven by surfers.

The last couple of days I've noticed men staring at me as I've made the drive to work. At first I was a little creeped out, so I refused to meet their gaze. But yesterday, fed up with it, I stared down the man in the white Chevy truck next to me. After averting my gaze slightly, he finally looked at me, smiled, and mouthed, "cool." It was only then that I realized these guys have been checking out my car, and not me. I felt instantly and completely stupid, and, truth be told, a little bummed.

My work week ended with the burning of sage and some mild chanting throughout the office. Several people in our office have been noticing that for the past few months, and especially the past three, an exorbitant amount of negative things have been happening. Whether it's been work-related or regarding my co-workers' personal lives, bad thing after bad thing has been hitting. From car accidents to sick relatives to sexual harrassment to office politics -- you name it, it's happened. So tonight, some of my co-workers took what seems to be our bad office karma in their own hands and did their best to cleanse its aura. Only time will tell, I guess, the outcome of their efforts, but meanwhile, I was forced from the office through a smokey haze feeling light-headed and a little pissed that my hair got all smokey-stanky not five hours after I'd gotten it freshly colored.

Now, I'm looking forward to the weekend -- one in which we will be attending our third wedding in four weeks. Who knew there'd be a wedding boom when all our friends started hitting 30? For this weekend's affair, I'll need to get a new dress. It's "black tie preferred." I don't think I've ever received an invitation that actually stated that. I've only seen them in movies.

Here is an email I just got from my nephew, perhaps the BEST child on earth. It was recently his 12th birthday, so we sent him a belt with a wallet and chain...

Dear Jeanne & Jason,

Thank you for your cool present. It was such a surprise. Most aunts and

uncles would probably send their nephew a bunny suit for his twelfth

birthday. I like it so much I've worn the same pants two days in a row just

because I like the way the shade of blue blends with the belt.

Love, Jacob

I tell ya, that's so my sister's kid.