… fortunately Nick and K’s immunizations were up to date. But as I commented in the previous post, I should’ve framed the issue as one of exposing people to your sick kids, not an immunization issue. That’s really the problem at hand: clearly sick people spreading germs. In a way, we’re lucky it was whooping cough we were exposed to, as we’re all innoculated against that – the crud or a regular old cough/cold would’ve been more dangerous for us. What a nightmare for those kids and their parents, though; that whooping cough is a nasty thing. And then to be stuck with multiple sick little children? I never miss that. Now that I’m over my irritation at the exposure, perhaps I should be more gracious and offer to help, bring over a dinner or something….

Meanwhile, perhaps karmically, one of my own kids came down with a staph infection. Ah, life. Never a dull moment. Here’s to antibiotics working quickly.

I talked to this guy yesterday about sales repping for a board company looking for someone to cover NorCal. Slightly intrigued by what I’d envisioned could be an extra money-making opportunity, I was dismayed to realize “NorCal” to someone in New York means Santa Cruz to Oregon. (He was equally dismayed when I explained I’m over five hours from San Francisco, 391 miles from Santa Cruz via the coast.) At less than 10 percent commission per board. Not a good fit. I recommended finding someone based closer to SF that could make a monthly trek north if need be.

But I need every dollar I can get – K leaves for Germany next month and hosting our (lovely) German depleted my funds more than I’d expected. All those rainy/windy days meant more movies and restaurants, and less (free) hikes and beach trips. We did get up to Ruth Lake, where some friends have a cabin and ski boat. My first time there. Warm air, icy lake, amazingly peaceful (even when dragging the kids around on the innertube at 20mph). Nick wakeboarded, managing to get up and do a couple 180s despite it being his first time. Chelsea hung on to the innertube through bumps that had her bouncing several feet in the air – she’s certainly tenacious at times! I’m looking forward to going back in the summer.

Most of K’s trip money so far has come from my freelance writing for the NCJ. Thank you, NCJ. Speaking of young women traveling to Europe, we made a bad choice in movie-watching a couple nights ago, when Nick brought home “Taken,” about a former CIA agent (Liam Neeson), whose daughter is kidnapped by sex slave traders in Paris. Fortunately the story was so completely ludicrous, no further worries about K’s travels resulted. Not that I expected the movie to make me paranoid, but certainly, I don’t need anything to push me further in that direction. Anyway, terrible movie. What a waste of time.

Good movie: “Rachel’s Getting Married.” Not light, though. Not a lot of resolution, either. I thought it would be a good addition to my pantheon of dysfunctional family movies, but ended up emotionally devastated without any redemption instead. A little too close to home, those troublesome family dynamics.

Yesterday was my half-birthday. Six months till 40. Shouldn’t I feel more grown-up by now?

Enough rambling. What is with my mind? Today it resembles a storage shed overflowing with outdated appliances and sentimental knick-knacks. I’d hoped to surf last night, but ended up homebound instead. Planned to dawn patrol, but couldn’t get enthused by the 3 at 6 swell… Here’s hoping it builds as predicted and I can squeeze in a surf after work….

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

After actor Woody Harrelson allegedly assaulted a paparazzo at New York’s La Guardia Airport, he issued a press release claiming it was an honest mistake. He had just completed filming “Zombieland,” a film in which his character had to relentlessly fight off zombies. It was understandable, he reasoned, that he mistook the pushy photographer for a zombie and naturally felt compelled to defend himself forcefully. As you shift back and forth between reality bubbles in the coming week, Scorpio, make sure you don’t make a similar error. Keep clearly in mind that the laws of nature in one bubble may be quite different from the laws in the others.

I love Rob Brezny’s horoscopes, I do. But what does that mean?!