hobbitgrrl and I had been planning to go to the free TMBG concert in St Louis yesterday, but after monitoring the weather reports and seeing forecasts in the 20s with possible snow, and considering this was an outdoor show, we finally, though not without regret, came to the conclusion that this trip would be too crazy even for us. I know, right? Too crazy for us? Who knew that was possible? However, after reading the comments of some people who did go, I think we made a wise decision. There will always be another show, and I'll enjoy the next one much more not having lost any of my appendages to frostbite.

Seriously. An outdoor show in the midwest in February? Who thought that was a good idea?

So on Saturday instead of taking that road trip to hypothermia I stayed in town and went to help out at a quizbowl tournament, meaning I was surrounded by nerds of an entirely different sort. Of course the real fun came at the post-tournament gathering for NBA Jam and beverages, where the highlights were leahrosmerta's bullying of the first-years; myamphigory's demonstration of the proper usage and pronunciation of the word "yinz"; and, most of all, the smaller Seth's repeated, increasingly maudlin declarations of how horribly he misses Kannan. They have, after all, had an ocean between them for the entire school year. But then, who doesn't miss him? The answer, as was well established last night, is "nobody."

And it's now the Year of the Pig—that wonderful, magical animal. So

to everyone!