So I've been writing for Wallet Blog for about a month, and I put up a cool article a week or so ago: basically, you can get FREE & LEGAL mp3s from Amazon.com. But you have to read my Wallet Blog story to get the link. Happy music-hunting!

So I sent an email to the editors of Playboy yesterday:

I attended a graduate-student conference at CSU-Chico the week Playboy's poll downgraded the university from number one to number two party school in the nation. Under the auspices of literary-journalism research, I pestered the cutest Chico State guy at the conference to show me what they did for fun. He was hung-over from the night before but ultimately acquiesced. Now, seven years later, we're married with kids. CSU-Chico may be out of the top ten, but I'm damn glad you downgraded it when you did back in 2002. Go Wildcats!

And today, they wrote me back:

Great story! We hope you renew his subscription every year. –The Editors

To which I responded:

Thanks, but who says it's *his* subscription??? –LBJ, 15+ year subscriber

To which they said:

You're right; our bad.

And I said:

heh heh heh. 🙂

And they said:

We hope you let him see it.

And I said:

Well, I keep him pretty busy, if you know what I mean (and I think you do). –LBJ

So tonight I had to pay up or shut up. It was a matter of principle! And of us both being well-rested for the first time in weeks. Thanks, Playboy.

Decided to go a little more upbeat today because I think we could all use it, especially what with it being Earth Day and all. I hope you like it!

Thanks for the new hot-pink iPod nano, sweetheart. I think it's pretty much the cutest thing you've given me since Babykins.

Here's what I've done since awakening at 8:15 this morning (it's now 3:16 –hi John!)

Fed babykins a million times

Put the toddler in the bathtub after he used a dry-erase marker to color himself green from his toes to mid-shin

Written a refund-request letter I've been meaning to write since November

Contacted my local copy shop about a proof

Investigated Google analytics for a client

Scrubbed a mailing-list database

Edited the introductory letter for a press release

Scheduled one press release to go out on Monday

Scheduled another press release to go out on Tuesday

Confirmed with one client he wants his PR to go out on Tuesday

Spoken with the pharmacist about the ramifications of leaving the toddler's ear-infection medicine on the counter overnight

Spoken with the health center about whether the toddler's currently explosive diarrhea is due to his ear-infection medicine

Consulted with the doctor as to whether we should change the toddler's ear-infection prescription

Futilely urged Monstro to go see Yusef Komunyakaa read at UMass tonight

Showered

Helped my best Northampton friends rid my home of all non-money recycling

Watched Susan Boyle on YouTube — justified because one of the aforementioned friends hadn't seen the clip yet

Listened to Susan Boyle sing “Cry Me A River” on a different YouTube clip

Gone to the post office to send the aforementioned refund letter certified mail with a return receipt

Gone to the bank to deposit a check and get some cash to convert into laundry quarters

Folded a bin's worth of laundry

Gone to the grocery store for $116 worth of groceries that would have cost me $160 at another store, plus I was able to buy the good local microbrew sampler at this store — those in California will laugh their butts off to learn that one cannot buy beer at all grocery stores here

Dropped off the old bottle of ear-infection medicine at the pharmacy, to get a new bottle

Gone to the pharmacy for baby supplies, cold medicine, ear-infection medicine, and birth control

Blogged

Confirmed that the press release for Tuesday will indeed go out on Tuesday

No wonder I was awake between 3:00 and 4:30 this morning, fretting about everything I needed to do today!

I'm working on a briefing book for a client who'll be at RSA next week, and found the following description of one of the journalists they'll be meeting:

“As both a manager and analyst, Steve succeeded by explaining complex technologies– such as aviation and IT — to lay audiences.”

Heh heh heh. I guess it's true: technology *is* sexy!

OK, I cheated this week — I pre-recorded this one a while ago. Nevertheless, I bet you've never heard Radiohead via ukulele!

I love animals — they're delicious. Ha ha. Anyway, the Butte Humane Society is a finalist in the Zootoo Shelter Makeover contest. You can vote up to 10 times a day. The Butte Humane Society serves Chico, which is where Monstro and I got married (in Chico, silly, not at the Humane Society), so everything around there holds a special place in my heart.

Click here to vote. You have to register with the site, which requires a birthdate (make one up) and a photo (use the one of Nora on the Fangoria post a few posts down, if you want).

Thank you! Meow! Woof woof!

Seems like a lot of crappy things have been happening in the past week, and with today being tax day, more people are likely to have to face some bummer news. So here's your reassuring thought of the day:

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Ahhhh. Nice, huh? Wish I'd read this before going to sleep last night; maybe then I would've been able to sleep after 4:00 a.m.