can we all just agree that it is a little unsettling to see construction guys with tiny, handheld signs standing by the gates of a railroad crossing?

because, although i realize that a certain amount of human error is involved even with the normal gates-lower-lights-flash-bells-clang method of warning drivers that a train is approaching, it just seems safer and more authoritative than two guys standing beside the crossing, holding those little slow/stop signs and smoking cigarettes or gazing off into space or abandoning their position to go stand by the other guy and chat.

update: or, you know, talking on their mobile telephones or listening to their ipods or just plain turned around facing the other way. PROTECT ME FROM TRAINS, PEOPLE!

it's been like this for days. sheesh.

can we all just agree that the "life timer" on my mobile telephone is an excellent idea?

because today, on the one year anniversary of my obtaining a mobile telephone of my own, i can do a little bit of math and figure out that during the ~48 weeks of the past year in which i was within reception range, i talked on the telephone an average of 8.63 hours per week. wow.

can we all just agree that the itunes option to share playlists with folks in your geographical area is awesome?

because if you are in a crowded, itunes-using laptop owner-intensive area like a university cafe or library, it can help you get through thesis-induced dark nights of the soul by allowing you to take study breaks with hilariously trashy music, like baby bash's "sugar," or the catchy catchy song that you heard on the radio but don't own yet, like "rebellion (lies)" by the arcade fire.

and if you happen to live in my neighborhood, from time to time you are treated to confusing but funny situations like the one that happened to me tonight when i found that there was a playlist labelled "meow meow's music," where meow=a common and not amusing male name, and meow=a last name befitting a saturday night live character. meow meow's playlist contained only a few songs, all of them by guns n roses, except the ones that were guns n roses collaborating with other artists. like tom petty's free fallin', sung by tom petty himself and sounding pretty much like a live version of free fallin', except for the axl rose wailing on the chorus and starting things off with "FREE FALLIN'!" oh and also, one of the guns n roses collaborations was with elton john. this is overwhelming; i need a waffle.

can we all just agree that having conversations like this is awesome?

[cute kid and i are hanging out in a play yard that includes a pretty stinky chicken coop]

me: whoa, it really smells like chicken over here!

cute kid [looking pretty apologetic]: well, it's probably me. i had four pieces of chicken for dinner.

can we all just agree that life would be much better for everyone if people would use their turn signals?

seriously.

can we all just agree that about half the time, djs play "jesus of suburbia" so that they can poop while on the clock?*

because at 9:08, what else are they going to do? i mean, it's a great song and everything, but i feel like i hear it WAY more often than any other song even approaching that long. just sayin'.

*i am not necessarily opposed to pooping while on the clock.

update: the other night when i was listening to the radio, the dj began to play "jesus of suburbia," then commented, "this is a great song, because it gives me time to go to the bathroom and get a snack." agreed!

can we all just agree that it sucks when eyelashes get all crazy?

because seriously, when they start turning around and poking you in the eye, and twisting themselves up with one another, it really kind of cramps my style.

can we all just agree that head rubs are a fantastic way to end a too-long day of work?

because i don't really think anything beats lying on the couch and having someone who cares about you pet your hair and play you funny country songs and make wry observations about toby keith, such as, "to be fair, if i were dating toby keith, i wouldn't want to talk about him either."

amen.

can we all just agree that "car" by built to spill is one of the best songs ever?

because, seriously, i can listen to it forever. both the version from "the normal years" and the slightly tinnier version from "there's nothing wrong with love." and also, who wouldn't want to see movies of their dre-e-e-e-e-eams?

can we all just agree that the promise of the future is kind of breath-taking sometimes?

because when i think about things continuing to be interesting and fun and above all, comfortable and right—and even becoming more interesting and more fun and more comfortable and more right—it's kind of amazing.

can we all just agree that the nonexistance of teleportation technology is wholly unacceptable?

because sometimes, when you're talking to your best friend on the telephone, and she is doubting that she is fabulous and amazing and wonderful and incredible, all you want to do more than anything else is give her a hug.

but you can't. because of geography. ugh.

can we all just agree that enormous cats are wonderful?

because cats are great. but enormous cats, cats who are larger than basketballs when carried in the curved spine/back feet in the air fashion, enormous cats are fantastic.

update: if you got here because you are searching for excellent pictures of enormous cats, try looking here, or here, or here, or here:

i hope you like them.