The Bosque

--Lose at least 50 pounds.

--Work out at least 5 days a week.

--Reduce my debt by a substantial amount: my car, my credit card and my student loan. I'd like to put a number on it, but I just did a CC consolidation and will refinance my student loan when I start paying it in March. I don't have a lot of debt minus my student loan, but enough that it's annoying to me.

--Find a real job that I like with benefits and pay commensurate with my experience and education...my current target date for this is February 29th.

--Put $500 in savings by the end of November.

That's enough for one year.

I'm going to try and be careful with what I say here. I want to be respectful of our friend, but at the same time, the story needs to be told.

Our friend got into a relationship that was not good for her, and her boyfriend turned out to be a real piece of shit. While he did not injure our friend, he seemed to be a wifebeater-in-training. They broke up recently and were planning on sharing their apartment until early January.

He got to the point of being intolerable over the weekend, and our friend was able to get out of the lease this morning...she's moving home, he's staying there. So April, Tim, myself and 6 other family members of ours and hers descended on the apartment at 10:30 this morning, packed her stuff and moved it back to her dad's house. We finished up about 5ish...and I am fucking beat. I know April is, and I'm sure Tim is too.

The ex-bf didn't cause us any problems...he's one of those guys that likes to control women, but doesn't like losing control. He disappeared shortly after we started packing and moving. Fucking punk bitch.

I don't know what points I'm trying to make here. I guess...

1) Don't stay in an unhappy relationship.

2) Reach out to your friends when you need them...a true friend will generally help you in a time of need.

3) If you ever need help with a man or woman giving you hell, just give us a call. We'll help you out any way we can: logistics, counseling, ass-whupping, etc. :)

Bellacino's is a chain of sandwich and pizza shops that exists mainly in the Midwest and the South. Their sandwiches come in two sizes: 9 inches and 18 inches.

The owner of the store by our apartment has an "honor roll" of people that have eaten an 18-inch sandwich while dining in. If you eat the whole sandwich, you get a T-shirt and a picture of yourself on a bulletin board in the store. They don't add to it all the time, and we don't eat up there a whole lot, so I have yet to have an opportunity to take the challenge.

Until last Saturday.

They were again offering the photo and T-shirt. Normally, a 9-inch sandwich would be just fine, but I wanted the photo and T-shirt. In addition, I hadn't eaten much that day, so I figured I could eat an 18-inch sandwich.

And I did...an 18-inch Bellacino's Bayou. Unfortunately, they didn't have any T-shirts, which kinda bummed me out. But hey, picture on the bulletin board...I'll take it. :)

Greetings peeps! I hope the holidays were good to you...they were for me. I got Guitar Hero! Owwwwww!

Anyway, April and I have been reviewing our finances in the last few days. And we came to the conclusion that we eat out way too fucking much for our own good. We pretty much already knew it, but when we actually looked at the numbers, it was ridiculous. And we seem to spend more money than is necessary on bullshit. I know I do. We do okay financially...we're not struggling to pay bills. But we don't save any money...and if we want to buy a house in the next year or two, we need to do some decent saving and pay down our debt.

April is a great cook, and it's generally a heck of a lot cheaper to buy food at the grocery store than eating out. We have a Wii that's less than 2 months old, a bunch of new games for it and the PS2 and movies and DVDs that we keep saying we want to watch. In addition, I have about 2 cases of beer that I have yet to drink. Good stuff, too: Stella Artois, Woodchuck, Schlafly stouts and the Michelob holiday beers. Oh, and some Captain Morgan margarita mix and a few bottles of wine. And that shit is cheaper to buy at the grocery store than it is at a bar. Our apartment is nice, easy to get to and can be cleaned up quickly for guests.

So, other than checking out local bands (whose shows are generally under $10), we're going to be staying put at the crib more over the next few months. If you want to hang out with us, you know our phone numbers or our e-mail addresses. You're welcome to bring movies over, along with food and liquor. We're not hard to please. :)

BTW...we're staying put for New Year's too. Well, sorta. I work until 1st out (7 or 8ish), then we're going over to April's mom's house to play board games and hang out. This will probably be the last year we do that, though I'm not a big New Year's Eve person anyway. I'll take a quiet night with friends over a loud party any day.

The full text of the following story is being posted due to the short lifespan of stories on newspaper websites and because this story appears to be one that might be updated later.

From today's Charleston (WV) Daily Mail: A Dunbar woman was charged with battery on a police officer after she allegedly wiped her nose on his shirt, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court.

Dunbar police were called Friday to a residence on Maple Street, the complaint said.

Cpl. S.E. Elliott discovered a man sitting near the front door of the home while a woman tried to slap him, according to the complaint.

Elliot said he saw the woman, identified as Georgia Ann Newman, 36, bite the man on his elbow.

The male pulled away and Newman spat in his face, according to the complaint.

She was handcuffed and escorted to a police cruiser, the complaint said.

While walking into the police station for booking, Newman leaned over and wiped her nose on the back of the officer's shirt, according to the complaint.

She was charged with domestic battery and battery on a police officer.
Battery on a police officer is defined as intentionally making any physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with an officer, according to the report.

I wonder if she was on something.

...for an MLS team. From philly.com: St. Louis has a stadium deal, but not enough wealthy investors.

Philadelphia has rich investors, but no commitment for a stadium.

That's how the competition stands as the bidding for a pro soccer expansion team enters its final weeks, with league officials expected to announce the winner in January.

How proponents in each city can enhance their plans will help determine if their city is picked to host Major League Soccer's 16th team.

It's a close call...I think St. Louis will get it, though.

Seven years ago, I was an assistant manager at the CVS at 10th and Passyunk in South Philadelphia. I had Xmas off, and worked the day shift on Xmas Eve.

About an hour before quitting time, another assistant manager busted a shoplifter...mostly cosmetics and H&B items. The amount she stole was over $100...a felony in Pennsylvania (though she insisted that we were padding the totals--apparently she was aware of the $100 line). She was apparently a crack addict, living in some dilapidated joint over in Grays Ferry (a run-down neighborhood in South Philadelphia, about a mile or so from the store).

I got picked to sit with her while waiting for the police to arrive. Though the police station was just down the street, it took them almost an hour to get there. So, I sat with the shoplifter in our break room. The store sprang for food and drink for the day, and it was all laid out back there.

We had been sitting back there for a bit, and the shoplifter asked me if she could have a sandwich...we had a bunch of mini deli sandwiches sitting on the table that we were sitting at.

I considered saying no...after all, this woman had just tried to steal $100 of merchandise from the store...why should I offer her any food? Goddamn, she was awfully greedy.

But it was Xmas Eve. It was likely that she would be in jail for at least 2 days (Xmas Eve was on a Sunday in 2000), she didn't look very healthy and it would probably be the best meal she'd have for a while. So, I fixed her a plate, and later poured her some ginger ale.

After the police picked her up, I got 50 kinds of hell from my co-workers. They were mainly giving me shit, but I think they were genuinely curious as to why I would feed someone that had just shit on us. For the most part, my reply was simple..."It's Christmas." And I think they understood.

You may not celebrate Christmas, but you can certainly be down with going out of your way to help someone during December. Think of it as a head start on good points for the New Year...or a way to catch up on the dying year. It doesn't have to be dramatic...just being nice for 5 minutes to someone you dislike will do.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. God bless.

Love,
T-$

Recently, April has been fond of making a confection that involves Rolos. Rolos are easy enough to obtain...they usually come in a roll or a larger bag. So, I should be able to go to the grocery store or Walgreens and pick up a couple of bags, right?

Oh, my peeps...if it were that easy.

I went to not one...not two...but six different stores to try and find the little fuckers! Seriously: three Walgreens and two grocery stores were completely out of them. Finally, the Shop N Save on Manchester Rd. in Maplewood saved the day.

Wow...I didn't realize that Rolos were that popular at Xmas. They're good...but not that good. But the crisis was averted, and folks at my family's Xmas gathering today will be able to feast on Rolo Pecan Caramel Candies.

Actually, one of my favorite commercials of all time involves a kid giving a Rolo to Rodin's Thinker sculpture, and the sculpture smiling back at the kid.

From KSDK-TV, St. Louis: If you're a beer drinker, Anheuser-Busch Corporate Brewmaster George Reisch and Schlafly's co-founder Dan Kopman are about to rock your world.

They both say when enjoying their products, you should pour the beer right down the middle of the glass, creating as much foam as possible. Most people pour beer down the side of the glass, in an effort to minimize the foam.

That's a beer violation.

"You want to pour straight into the glass," said Kopman. "That releases a lot of the aroma."

I never knew...I just want to get as much beer as possible to get ripped and make an ass out of myself.

Read the whole article, though...it's pretty good. Speaking of beer, I think I need to buy some more...I only have like 12 in the fridge. You can never have too much, right? Of course, I drink only once every month or two...that's what I have an alcoholic brother for. :)

Schlafly is a local brewer that makes some pretty tasty beers--my favorite is the Oatmeal Stout. They also have a seasonal Coffee Stout that is delicious, especially on tap. But my all-out favorite beer of the season is O'Fallon Pumpkin Spice Ale on tap. I first had it at Off Broadway during an Orbz show in September...damn! That is mighty good! Too bad it's not as good in a bottle.

From the BBC: The old advertising slogan "Guinness is Good for You" may be true after all, according to researchers.

A pint of the black stuff a day may work as well as an aspirin to prevent heart clots that raise the risk of heart attacks.

Oh Guinness, you beautiful elixir...how I love you so...

...Christmas Phallus!

So I have to leave in 45 minutes for a doctor's office in the western suburbs, where I will spend the night and leave at 6am tomorrow morning.

Three years ago, I had a sleep study done, and was found to have moderate sleep apnea. Since then (actually, since early 2006--long story), I've used a CPAP machine to help me sleep better at night. I think it works, though my machine is apparently outdated now, and the mask is starting to wear out.

I really don't like these studies, because they totally throw off my sleep cycle and I'll feel like hell tomorrow. Plus they connect a bunch of electrodes to you to monitor you throughout the night. But since it's all for my good health, what are you gonna do?

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to shower before going. I just got my hair cut and I'll probably start itching any time now.

Unfortunately, the St. Louis Blues are in the midst of a 4-game slide...but compared to the past couple years, they're doing pretty well.

Baseball and hockey have battled for years for my affection. I saw my first baseball game and my first hockey game just months apart, and was heavily into both sports as a child. We used to know an usher at the old Arena who used to let us into Blues games all the time in the late 80s/early 90s. And listening to Cardinals games on the radio or watching them on TV has long been a staple at home. When the football Cardinals left St. Louis, it sucked...but gave me more time to focus on other teams.

I love football, and I love the Rams. But hockey and baseball still take center stage. Since the Cardinals have been so good the past few years and the Blues so awful, baseball has been my main love. But when Sports Capital Partners purchased the Blues in early 2006, you got the sense that good things were on the horizon.

SCP has been hell-bent on bringing a Stanley Cup to town, and they've more than proven that they care about the fans: free food nights, signing big-name talent and hard core community outreach. Thus far, the Blues are 16-12-2, good for 9th in the Western Conference. However, the Blues have between two and five games in hand on the 8 teams in front of them. With the talent they have this season, I'm pretty confident that they'll be back in the playoffs this year.

I was sad to see Doug Weight traded over the weekend. I'm not all that familiar with Andy McDonald, but he seems to be a good player, and scored a goal and an assist Saturday night against Calgary. It's a good start.

The Red Wings are next on the schedule Thursday night. They're a hell of a team, but we're 1-1 against them this year...they don't seem so invincible anymore.

I don't know if we'll win the Stanley Cup this year, but I think it's coming...seriously.

We haven't gotten our official wedding photos back...we get those early next month. But we got the cameras we left at the tables at the reception developed. Truth be told, I'm not impressed with them...the lighting wasn't good, they're disposables and...well...you have random people taking pictures. There were a few gems though that I'll share with you all.

We got our first major snowfall of the season. We don't seem to see snow much these days, so I present to you...SNOW!!!

Yesterday:









Last night:

I finished my grad work in June, and got my diploma in August. But last night was the big night...graduation!

Of course, what's a graduation without photos?!

Just before walking into Mabee Gymnasium:


Another shot before walking in:


Walking in:


Dr. Dennis Golden, President, greeting ushers before entering:


Dr. David Marwell, the guest speaker:


Just after receiving my diploma...look closely in the next picture:


Rock and roll!


Walking out:


My studymate Lacey (center) walking out:


My studymate Cyndi walking out:


Outside after the ceremony:


Mom & I:


Ken (my stepdad) and I:


Tim (my brother) & I:


Aunt Bette & I:


April & I:


It was a nice night. And I finally--FINALLY!--started looking for a real job this week. Wish me luck!

Whoohoo! A two-for today!

This is a delivery Tim had today at the pizza shop:

Early yesterday, there was talk of Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols being named in the Mitchell Report. Apparently, the talk stemmed from a list obtained by WNBC-TV in New York. One of our TV stations--our Fox affiliate--ran full-tilt with the information. More on that here.

Then the report was released at 1:00PM CST. And after perusing it--surprise!--no Pujols. In fact, though there were a few superstars named, most of the players seemed to be ex-players and people that no one really gives a shit about.

I think the report was important to produce, and it seems to indicate that MLB has a bit of a drug problem. But based on the people listed in the report, I think we can rest a little easier...many great players are (apparently) not doing steroids or HGH.

And I have to admit...it gave me some joy to see Roger Clemens named. That turd...

Slap-happy Ike died yesterday...woman-beaters around the world are mourning their patron saint.

Seriously, his personal life aside, Ike Turner was one of the godfathers of Rock and Roll...a living legend. "Rocket 88" (arguably) started rock and roll. Without him, Tina may have never become who she is...and rock and roll as we know it may not have become what it is.

Though they didn't grow up in St. Louis, Ike and Tina made their names here, so his death has been pretty well-covered here.

MSNBC

Rolling Stone

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Rest in peace...

On Monday, I started coming down with a sore throat. By yesterday morning, it had become a full-fledged cold, complete with stuffy nose and sneezing. But not much of a cough...that's good.

I got lucky...I got sick on one of my short shift days. If this had happened today, I'd be fucked. I feel better today...I'll chalk it up to a combination of rest, tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, OJ, Zicam, Chloraseptic and the love of my wife. Oh, and playing Madden yesterday probably helped as well. :)

I can't help but wonder if my illness is partially due to an infection I appear to have in my arm, a result of two vaccines I got last week (pneumovax and tetanus). I'll find out tomorrow when I go to the doctor.

I'd rather not work today, but since I'm off Friday for my graduation, I have to work. Hopefully it will be a steady, yet not crazy day like Monday, that allows me to relax and take my time while still making money.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to blow my nose...

...the Southside Sycamores!

*applause*



The Southside Sycamores played some great teams in The Cellar Football League this year (12 teams spread across 3 4-team divisions), but finished with a 10-4 record and somehow won the West Division. I say "somehow" because I got beat twice by my buddy Griff in the division, and he finished with same record, yet I got the division and he got the wild card. Who am I to argue with the NFL fantasy gods?

The team has been led primarily by Bengals QB Carson Palmer, Browns TE Kellen Winslow, Ravens RB Willis McGahee and my secret weapon...Patriots WR Wes Welker. That dude has been a game-saver for me at least twice, maybe three times this season.

Our playoffs start next week, and I'm up against Blue and her Central Division-winning Eagle Green squad. She sucks, and I'm going to destroy her. Then I'm going to sop her up like cheesesteak grease on an Amoroso roll. Then I'll take her down to Off Broadway here in St. Louis for a pint of O'Fallon Pumpkin Spice ale. :)

I've got a good lineup going into the playoffs. Palmer has been sucking it the past couple weeks, but I have Derek Anderson of the Browns as a weapon. Then I have Ryan Grant of the Packers and Joseph Addai of the Colts for my running game. The only two spots I'm concerned about are my kicker (currently Kris Brown of the Texans) and my defense (the Giants)...I'm trying to upgrade them. Hopefully my choices will clear waivers tomorrow morning.

I get nothing (that I know of) if I win the Cellar Bowl...except bragging rights. And that's good enough for me...though I have been rather analytical each week with my team, it's all for fun. Although, maybe I should get in a big pool next year...or start one on Cellar.

From today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The Atlanta Board of Education is cracking down on extra-large, underwear-baring jeans popular with many teenagers. Monday, the board is expected to ban "sagging" pants from all of the system's public schools.

Board member Brenda Muhammad brought up the issue after working with a community task force started by Atlanta City Councilman Clarence "C.T." Martin, who proposed a law this summer against exposing underpinnings in public.

"A lot of people have different opinions about it," Muhammad acknowledged. "But in the school system ... we're trying to get kids ready for the work world."

Martin created an uproar when he suggested expanding the city's indecency ordinance to include publicly visible undergarments, such as boxer tops and bra straps.

The City of Pine Lawn (a suburb on the northwestern border of St. Louis) just enacted a law a couple of weeks ago banning undergarments from being shown in public...I believe a couple of other suburbs are talking about doing so as well.

I wear my pants at my waist...and I don't care if people think that's retarded or not. Besides, that's the only way my pants stay on me due to the fact that I barely have an ass. No one except my wife needs to see my ass anyway.

Is it really such a big deal to have your ass hanging out or your bra strap showing? Plus, this could become a slippery slope. And aren't there more important things to worry about?

Personally, I think showing your shit makes you look retarded, but it's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. On the other hand, such laws could force people to stop wearing clothing they have no business wearing...less visual pollution. :)

These "facts" about John McCain are courtesy of Drew Cline of the New Hampshire Union Leader:

1. Dick Cheney’s “secret, undisclosed location”? Crouching behind John McCain.

2. North Korea’s nuke program began afer Kim Jong-Il bought one of John McCain’s toenail clippings on eBay and accidentally dropped it into a nuclear reactor.

3. Nostradamus tried to predict the rise of John McCain, but the thought alone killed him.

4. Teddy Roosevelt actually said, “Speak softly and carry picture of John McCain.”

5. Rudy Giuliani once invited John McCain to New York City, and all crime instantly ceased.

6. Chuck Norris is John McCain’s decoy.

7. Mitt Romney’s secret of success: On day one, warn all managers: “Perform, or I’ll give you to John McCain.”

8. The original pirate flag was a drawing of John McCain’s face, but it was so terrifying the crew lept overboard every time it was raised. The skull and crossbones was created as a less frightening alternative.

9. Hillary Clinton’s opposition research paper on John McCain is only five words long: “If he is nominated, quit.”

10. John McCain was once bitten by a cobra. It died instantly.

11. Ninjas wear black so John McCain won’t see them.

12. Women wear pink so he will.

13. Santa Claus has three lists: Naugty. Nice. John McCain.

14. The Vietnamese word for “tough” is “McCain.”

15. John McCain’s plan for U.S. energy independence is to plug himself into the power grid for one minute a day.

16. Jefferson’s original draft of the Declaration of Independence read, “. . . all men are created equal, except John McCain.”

17. The commander of the U.S.S. Intrepid’s plan in case his ship ran out of ammo was to put John McCain in a cannon and fire him at the enemy.

18. The devil went down to Georgia because John McCain was in Arizona.

19. Nails think of themselves as “tough as John McCain.”

20. Instead of waterboarding terror suspects, John McCain plans to stare at them until they talk.

21. John Edwards brushes his hair each morning so he’ll look great in case he runs into John McCain.

22. When John McCain was a baby, he dug a hole in his backyard. Today we call it the Panama Canal.

23. Aircraft carriers are so big because they need to be able to carry John McCain.

24. Ken Burns was going to make a film about John McCain’s life, but he realized the story was so incredible no one would believe it.

25. If John McCain thinks about you, you’ll experience total happiness all day long.

Ha! I love 'em!

I took these pictures Thursday as I was leaving my doctor's office...it had just started snowing. They're from the 14th floor of the Center for Advanced Medicine in the city's Central West End. It was the first snow of the season in St. Louis, though it didn't amount to much. Still, the atmosphere just before a snowfall is both exciting and peaceful to me...especially when your vantage point is 150 feet up in the air.

This report by the Brookings Institution caught my eye earlier this week. It ranks metro areas in terms of walkability. DC was first, Philly was 13th and St. Louis 16th.

I'm surprised that NYC didn't come in first, but DC is a good choice. I didn't drive a whole lot when I lived there...didn't need to. There was a shopping center with everything we needed just up the street from us, and the West Hyattsville Metro was a 4-block walk.

I'm surprised that Philly is down at 13, but the study looks at the suburbs too, so yeah...maybe not surprising. The inner DC suburbs are walkable and accessible by Metrorail or Metrobus...not so much in Philly.

Everything I needed in Philly was pretty close by as well, especially after I moved to Germantown, where things were literally right behind our apartment complex. And once I got sick, I practically walked everywhere. One day, after visiting some friends at work, I walked from work (16th and Market) up to Strawberry Mansion (33rd and Ridge). I then took the 61 bus up Ridge to School House Lane, where I then proceeded to walk up that 10% grade hill back to my apartment...because I am a fucking beast. :)

St. Louis...my beloved hometown...I find it interesting that we came in that high. The City of St. Louis is totally walkable. From our apartment, I'm a short walk from grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. But other than a handful of burbs (Maplewood, University City, old St. Charles), we are a car-driven metropolitan area. And the population in the City of St. Louis is only 1/5 the size of Philly, our metro area less than half the size of Philly.

Still, it's cool to get props like that. Our city is slowly climbing its way back to awesomeness.

The full text of the following story is being posted due to the short lifespan of stories on newspaper websites and because this story appears to be one that might be updated during the day.

From today's Post-Dispatch: Embattled Metro transit chief Larry Salci is out today, a source has told the Post-Dispatch.

Salci, 61, has been president and chief executive officer of Metro since 2002.

St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley is expected to attend a 2 p.m. press conference to discuss Salci, who drew fire last month for disparaging remarks he made about St. Louis and a local television reporter.

Then, last week, a civil jury in St. Louis County rejected the public transportation agency's argument that the original designers and construction managers were largely responsible for delays and overruns on the Shrewsbury MetroLink extension. The jurors found in favor of the Cross County Collaborative, awarding the joint venture $2.56 million in damages and rejecting Metro's $81 million claim.

Observers predicted the courtroom loss would make it difficult for Salci to keep his job.

The disparaging remarks Salci made last month were aimed at local KTVI (Channel 2) reporter Elliott Davis. He said Davis "fits right into St. Louis. He's a (expletive) clown."

Salci apologized, saying the remark was aimed at the local media and not St. Louis residents. Still, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said he was "surprised and angry" at the remarks.

Metro St. Louis is nowhere near the clusterfuck that SEPTA is, but Larry Salci has pretty much been a love him or hate him guy as long as I've been back home...while I respect a guy that has the balls to tell me to fuck off, it doesn't make for good public relations.

And after Metro lost the lawsuit last week, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before he got the boot. That lawsuit is going to seriously hurt Metro, cost the participating governments money via a bailout or both.

I don't take Metro anymore, but I did as a kid and as a college student. It's important to the area, especially in the City and for those that take MetroLink (our light rail system). And with Interstate 64 shutting down in January, Metro is going to be vital for people that need to get to and from the Central County corridor. Salci deserves props for getting Metro's budget in check and avoiding a fare increase this year...but it's time to go. So get the fuck out!

...but I don't anymore. From today's Post-Dispatch: The Cardinals depart Opryland this afternoon with Scott Rolen still their third baseman. If that represents a problem, it belongs only to Rolen, according to his manager.

Speaking at length about a topic that has preoccupied the club this week, Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa on Wednesday laid responsibility for an ongoing impasse between him and the Gold Glove infielder squarely on Rolen’s shoulders, insisting that the club should not craft a trade merely to placate Rolen.

I dunno...I liked Scott Rolen in Philly. And I thought folks there were pretty rough on him. He seemed overly sensitive, but would you have wanted to sign that big contract he was offered by the Phillies in 2002? They sucked, and it didn't look like they were going anywhere.

We've loved him here, but he was hurt in '05 and this year, and he got weird when he was benched at one point in the '06 World Series. At the time, he wasn't doing well, so La Russa sat him down. And things have been weird ever since.

You can only do so much to make someone feel wanted. Cardinal Nation only tolerates so much retardation before we turn on you. And I think it's starting to turn on Rolen.

The full text of the following story is being posted due to the short lifespan of stories on newspaper websites and because this story appears to be one that might be updated during the day.

From today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The lawyer for the woman linked to the suicide of a teenaged girl told the 'Today' show this morning that the woman "absolutely, 100 percent" did not know that Internet messages to the girl had taken a nasty turn.

Jim Briscoe, the lawyer representing Lori Drew, also said that Drew did not write any of the MySpace messages that eventually helped lead to Megan Meier, 13, killing herself in October 2006.

Megan hanged herself after receiving a message on her MySpace page from a teenaged boy who told her the world would be better off without her. Several weeks after her suicide, her parents, Tina and Ron Meier, learned that the boy was really a hoax created by Drew, an 18-year-old employee of Drew's, and Drew's teenaged daughter. Drew's daughter and Megan had been friends, but their relationship had soured in recent months.

Briscoe said this morning that Lori Drew has had to close her advertising business and her daughter has dropped out of school in the wake of the publicity and criminal investigation of the cyberspace bullying. Briscoe also said it was not clear if the Drews would be able to continue living in their Dardenne Prairie neighborhood, four doors down from the Meier house.

Ron and Tina Meier also appeared on 'Today' this morning. Ron Meier claimed that Lori Drew has changed her story since a year ago, and he still believes "it was instigated by her, in my mind."

More from NBC's Today website.

I kinda feel sorry for the Drews' daughter, but it sounds like she was in on the joke too. Then again, she's only following the example of her parents.

The original story printed in the St. Louis Suburban Journals sounded pretty clear, especially when they quoted the police report:

(She) stated in the months leading up Meier's daughter's suicide, she instigated and monitored a 'my space' account which was created for the sole purpose of communicating with Meier's daughter.

(She) said she, with the help of temporary employee named ------ constructed a profile of 'good looking' male on 'my space' in order to 'find out what Megan (Meier's daughter) was saying on-line' about her daughter. (She) explained the communication between the fake male profile and Megan was aimed at gaining Megan's confidence and finding out what Megan felt about her daughter and other people.

(She) stated she, her daughter and (the temporary employee) all typed, read and monitored the communication between the fake male profile and Megan …..

According to (her) 'somehow' other 'my space' users were able to access the fake male profile and Megan found out she had been duped. (She) stated she knew 'arguments' had broken out between Megan and others on 'my space.' (She) felt this incident contributed to Megan's suicide, but she did not feel 'as guilty' because at the funeral she found out 'Megan had tried to commit suicide before.'

It sounds like the mother can't handle the guilt, so she's passing the buck to her teenage daughter and an 18-year-old now under psychiatric care.

Fucking idiot.

Hey folks!

I've been laying low the past couple of weeks...been in a bit of a funk. Probably a combination of another car no-deal, the fact that I still don't have a real job, the fact that I've been incredibly lazy in trying to find a real job and the "nothing to do but lots to do" conundrum.

I'm finally coming out of it though. I'll buy a new car eventually...the one I have is still decent. My resume is updated and I'm filling out an application to teach at one of the local community colleges. And I got a lot of stuff done this weekend.

Our tree is probably half-done. It's up, and has lights and garland on it. Now we just need to shape it out a bit more and put the ornaments on it. I put lights up in front window, and I'll probably put garland around those tonight or tomorrow. I need to rewire the computer area too...wires everywhere. I redid the TV and related media area last week and I must say, I'm quite impressed with it.

Besides...I can't be bummed out this time of year...it's Christmas!