Hi. I'm back from California. I have discovered that I have the Best. Tenants. EVER, as they (or at least Ann's mother) redid the back yard while I was gone. There's now grass, and no weeds, and the plants are perky and pruned, and it's gorgeous. Ann's mother can stay here any time. In fact, she was apparently fantastic all around -- even Bug got snuggley with her, and Bug is pretty skittish around strangers. She must have been ladling up the catnip. Whatever she did, Bug is surprisingly laid-back, and hasn't indulged in any retaliatory puking. It's amazing.

So I'm watching the Olympics. I HATE the commentators. More so than usual. Is there a way to mute just them? Please? I'll pay money....God, I SO miss living in Hong Kong, where I could watch the Olympics on the BBC. British commentators just shut up and let the action speak for itself. Why can't the Americans do that? Instead, it's all "Oh, his dreams are dashed! Oh, no one could have predicted that! Oh, the humanity!" Yeah, we can see that. Let us have our own reactions, schmuckboys.

Does anyone else think that the men's tumbling looks funny without music? I think they should either ditch the music on women's, or make the men perform to music too.

Gah! They were doing so well, just letting the Korean gymnast do his floor routine, when non-gymnast commentator has to say "This is pretty good, right?" Shut. UP!

"the ancient Greeks had a god for everything and it's like the god of drama is working here." Oh, lord. SHUT UP announcer guy.

"From the attic of a barn in Wisconsin to the birthplace of gymnastics!" Gymnastics was born in Greece? Really? Oh, wait, I forgot -- SHUT THE HELL UP.

Congratulations to Paul Hamm. That was an amazing comeback. NBC, on the other hand, must be destroyed.

Honey, I just want you to consider how unbelievably pointless it is for you to say "I am absolutely speechless." It's like "this page intentionally left blank."

"Oh, the air... came out of the balloon. And with those mighty lungs from America's Midwest, Paul Hamm filled it up, and gave himself belief that this was possible, and it was! And it is." What....what does that even mean? Do you have any idea what you're saying? No? Then SHUT THE FUCK UP!

OK, Paul Hamm sounds like he's been breathing helium. Weird.

Dear US Women's Swimming relay team: I don't think you're supposed to treat the laurel wreaths like a hat. You can leave them on during the anthem. Hell, I dunno. Whatever. Nice race, though.

Dear Men's Olympic swimmers: Call me. Any and/or all of you. Yowza.

Dear Bob Costas: Shut up.

Dear NBC: If I hadn't already despised you, the "Olympic moments rock montage" at the end of night would have converted me. You suck.

Argh. OK. Anyway.

I'm considering switching to DSL. Anyone had any experience with SBC DSL? Any suggestions?