This is a test by pair Networks support please disregard.

probably we broke them by so many awesome congratulations comments. I'm trying this just to see (hee)

OMG I love you pair lady.

I know this was actually the pair lady, but my grandpa used to be able to that sort of thing as well. Car won't start? Raise the hood, grandpa stands next to it. Turn the key. Presto! Revs to life like a lion!

btw, I've pre-ordered THE BOOK! My b-day is in October, so I'm considering this first in a collection of self-b-day presents. And I know it will be my favorite!!!

Yikes.. WELL.. at least you didn't try to LIGHT THE TOP of the stove with a match to cook something on the stove top.
HERE's how part of my day went: (sound like our days started out the same vein)
==============================================================
I just called to make a doctors appointment and the conservation went like this: (a little background- just got out of a 10 day hosptial stay for pneumonia and saw the lung specialist last week for my 2nd follow-up visit and he wanted me to see him again next WED) *However, I noticed that they had not given me a time to return. (the doctor had even asked if returning at the same time would be ok for my next appointment and I had assured him that anytime in the afternoon was fine) **THEY had also previously told me that he only sees his 'outpatient hospital patients' on WED's. SO, I decided to call and just pretend that they had forgotten to tell me the time of my appointment.. little did I know that it would soon get much more complicated!...

Me: "HI, this is______ and Dr. Park wanted to see me next WED. and could you tell me the time of my appointment?"

PERSON ON PHONE: "What time?"

ME: "Anytime after noon." (thinking I could just take a 1/2 day off from work- since, I've already missed so much work and still not able to work full time yet.)

POP: "Sorry, Dr. Park isn't available on WED."

ME: "Could you tell me what day is your first available appointment next week? MY meds will run out on WED."

POP: "How about Monday or Tuesday?"

ME: "How about Tuesday?"

POP: "What time on TUE?"

ME: "Tuesday afternoon will be fine."
Anytime is OK and if possible- anytime after noon."

POP: "I'm sorry but the Dr. isn't available on Tuesday. It is a holiday."

ME: "What other times do you have available?"

POP: "Can you come on Monday?"

ME: "Yes, what time do you have available?"

POP: "What time do you want to come by?"

ME: *listing several choices and again repeating.. it doesn't matter- anytime is fine. (thinking.. ok, I'll just take the whole day off from work! Gettting a headache and feeling feverish at this point.)

POP: "The doctor is not available on Monday."

ME: "OK, what day/time next week is the FIRST TIME that I will be able to see Dr. Park?"

POP: "Can you come on Thursday?"

ME: "Yes, I can. What time do you have available? I can come anytime and if I can get an appointment after 12 noon it would be best for me."

POP: "What time do you want to come? How about 1 o'clock?"

ME: "Yes, that will be fine."

POP: "I'm sorry but you can not come then."

ME: "Ok, what time can I come for my appointment? ANYTIME that day?"

POP: "Lists several other choices for me to select from."

ME: "OK, I will take the 2 o'clock appointment."

Sigh.. that was just too much for me.. still sick.. and now I have a headache now.. and going off to find some Tylenol to take.
**This lady actually offered me 4 or 5 different times.. all of which either: the clinic was closed, the doctor wasn't there or appointments weren't available.
THIS is a clear example of BOTH PEOPLE SPEAKING ENGLISH and only one speaking and hearing ENGLISH!

I was beginning to think that I was in a modern day Abbot and Castello comedy routine.. you know the one.. "Who's on first?"...

AND.. today as I was leaving at lunch (sick and with fever) and the sub had just came into the room- I noticed that one of my students.. was using her RULER to do her cursive downstrokes. Sigh.. (and she's in the TAG *talented and gifted class) I did ask her if she HAD EVER NOTICED ANY ADULT USING A RULER TO DO CURSIVE HANDWRITING????

I hate when the pilot light goes out--relighting it is such a pain.

Jeannie you are too funny! LOL

I discovered the comments thing last night and freaked because you know I can't fix anything. Luckily the tech support opens early in the a.m.:)

OK!! Now I have to go get dressed and go to work!!!!

I don't break things, I just forget things! And lose things. This week I lost my cell phone. Lovely. And I have CRS disease. You know, Can't Remember Sh**? That's me!

Have a lovely day! I'm off to have an EEG! My husband said, "Call me and let me know if they find anything . . . wrong." Funny, funny guy.

My gas stove usually clicks after I shut off the oven. Once, it did that for days (ugh). I finally figured out that if I push the knob for the oven in once or twice, without turning it, that makes the clicking stop.

Perhaps that helps. In a helpy sort of way. :-)

the 'electric' starter on your stove might be broken, assuming you've already checked the pilot light.

Just so you know...the when an appliance is gas...and you smell gas...then the gas company will happily send out someone for free to check it out...they don't want anyone blowing up the universe when a spark ignites that flamable vapor. And if there is no problem (but the paint fumes from the other room drafted into the kitchen and settled on the burner and smell like gas when you want to cook something) then they just kindly say...don't worry about it. Really...a great wat to put your mind at ease.

It just sounds like your pilot light is out, babe.. have you ever lit one of those?

I hear that breaking your comments will bring you eleventy years of good luck...

How did you manage to break "software"????
I want to know so I can do it, ok?
please?

Don't feel bad, Laurie, my husband deleted Microsoft Word on my computer "by accident" while he was doing some "virtual" housekeeping.

No problem, I'm just a freakin WRITER, why would I need Word?

Next time he feels like cleaning stuff up, he can leave the software alone and try the bathroom.

So what yer saying is, Soba has called up the dictator kitten powers that be and is getting her revenge for not being on the cover of the book?

That cat has serious mojo.

Ooh! At least you didnt light the gas leak like my mom did! stayed that way for a couple of months too, she didnt know it was a gas leak, thought it was the piolot light, not realizing it had an electic starter.... The repair guy was floored! hehe. Oh, and congrats on the book! I can't wait to read it.

Hi Laurie! Long time reader, first time commenter. I decided I would comment here, because there are only seventeen comments here on this little post, but boodles on the others. That would make my comment here somehow...better.
Before I knew you were writing a book, I was trying to think of some way that I could procure something that would be vaguely book-like, and written by you. These weren't real thoughts, mind you, just things that would flit through my head while I was counting sheep.
Before drifting off one night, when visions of Chef Curtis Stone were dancing in my head, the thought of printing out your blog and taking it to Kinko's to get bound seemed like a great idea... Basically, I'm trying to say Thank You for writing The Book. For one thing, it would have taken me a long time to print out The Blog, for another, my printer is broken, due to Hamster-Related Difficulties.

Hi Laurie!

My comment yesterday was one of the ones that the computer ate (or at least I think it was since I can't find it...)
I can't quite remember exactly what I wrote, something along the lines of more congrats, and that I am so absolutely happy and excited for you and that I am eagerly anticipating your book!!

Hope that you got your oven working! Mine broke two weeks ago and I still haven't ordered a new heating element for it yet...

Thank you for the nice words, thank you :)

My oven is appently suffering from a broken ignitor. I would call my landlord.... but he hugs. Bad hugging. I am against his hugging.

I may wait a while. i do have a toaster oven after all ;)

How about calling the landlord.. w/ the excuse that you can be there 'only at such and such time' because you have to go somewhere else.. and make SOMEONE COME to your house at said time.. so, that the 'uncomfortable hugging' would be thwarted somewhat? *and.. then, by the time that it's repaired.. (even if you and friend have to wait awhile) it's easy to leave.. w/ your friend and ONCE AGAIN... carrying maybe a big box in front of you to your departure car??

And for heaven's sake.. have a laundry basket in front of your body when he arrives at your door.. can't do a lot of 'squeamish hugging' w/ a big barrier.

Now, don't think that the reason that I was able to come up w/ very good 'evasive' tactics.. is because I've had to avoid a creepy hugger and and there.. no sir.. not me.. *looking around the dark corners of the apt.

Ahhhh, that explains it... I had written such a nice clever response, something like "sitting still so I don't hurt myself" along with "I hate days when everything goes wrong" .... etc.

Hah! My oven did that a million years ago when I lived in Chicago, only I didn't notice until the whole apartment reeked of gas (I don't notice much when I'm reading). The gas company sent over the NICEST bunch of firemen ....

Yes, call the Gas Co., and perhaps request a youngish single repairman? Just in case you can't smell the gas leak...
So while I am here.... congratulations on your book, it just couldn't have happened to a nicer person. I immediately went to Amazon and placed my order. Never have done that, not even the Harry Potter books. Although, my 30 something dtr. did pre-order from Border/Barnes&Noble and stood in line very late at night for her last copy.
Anyhoo... do get that oven fixed, okay? You don't want to loose any brain cells at this point, you are on a roll to much bigger things!