Hey Jakey,

I wish I could write more often, I really do. This has just been the week from hell. Working on the magazine, trying to do my "real" job, the truck's in the shop till Tuesday ($850, thank you very much), and taking care of you.

I had a huge scare last week. When I went to check on my truck at the dealership and to get some things out of it, my CD case wasn't there. Now this isn't just any ol' CD case, this is one of those huge 240-CD jobbers. I have thousands of CD's, but of course, these were the 240 that I actually listen to and like. And only a couple of them were Napster downloads, all the rest were 100 percent bought and paid for. You do the math, you're a smart boy. We're talking thousands of dollars. I politely, delicately, asked the service department if they knew anything, and also the tow truck company. They both treated me like I had just tracked in dog shit. I wrote an editorial piece for the paper begging for their return, offering a reward just KNOWING that some Incline kid had gotten into my truck when it was sitting there on the street in front of the mechanic's. They had left the key in the ignition and the door unlocked for days, ferchrissakes! I was lucky no one stole the damn truck itself! I actually cried at one point. Ugh. I spent hours scheming up ways to replace them.

So, cut to a couple days later. I'm cleaning the house, and there, behind the kitchen table and underneath the basket where we keep the mail (aka unopened, unpaid bills...) there was my CD case. Ack! I guess in the confusion between getting my truck towed (twice) and catching rides with people and blah and blah and blah, I had actually taken the case out of the truck, and then promptly forgot about it. Oh well. From my mouth to your ear, Jakey. No one knows about this except me, you, daddy and L. Don't tell a soul what an idiot your mother is.

This magazine is driving me crazy. Every time I tell myself that this is the very last time. Now, not only am I designing, editing, building ads (that's what T used to do before he bailed out on me), yesterday morning before you got up, I drove down to Blue Lakes and took the picture for the cover. It turned out kinda pretty, and the publisher liked it alot, but what's next? Selling advertising? Throwing bundles on people's doorsteps?

I feel soooo guilty taking the time out just to write this little bit, Jakey, but I was working on the damn thing for 22 (YES, 22!) hours yesterday. I got up at 6 am, took pictures, came home and was working on the 'puter till 4 am. Well, it kinda ruins the effect when I sleep until 11, but damn!

What are you up to lately... sitting in your bouncy/walker thingy by my desk while I work. I know, that's bad parenting, but what can I do? I bought you a San Jose Sharks outfit that came in the mail yesterday. Tres cute! Your little bald patch on the back of your head is completely obliterated now, by HAIR! You're eating like a little piggy lately. You babble your little baby babble all day now. I swear, you look like you want to say something REALLY badly, and you've got the words all formulated in your big ol' brain, it's just your damn baby vox box gets in the way, and you can't get the words out. I understand you, though. "I'm hungry, mom!" That's all you ever say.

Well, back to ignoring you in favor of work... I love you! Really, I do!