- the kid started third grade on monday, i picked her up from school today and took her out to dinner. she had a fix for in and out, i did not.

- during the 4 years that i worked at the 6 in burbank, i got tired of in and out very quickly, but never got tired of baja fresh. loved that place. baja shrimp tacos or a steak baja burrito, i was good. so today i picked up some baja for me, and the kid had in and out. the birds had chunks of french fries that we threw at them.

- don't know how the kid's food turned out, but mine was total crap. very disappointing. baja shrimp tacos aren't even on the menu anymore, the carnitas tacos that i go were pretty weak. as far as the burrito was concerned, the steak was overcooked gristle, the quacamole more more plain avocado than quacamole, and it was drowning in too much pico de gallo. half my food went right in the trash. it's a good thing i don't work there anymore, i'd starve.

- well, there's always hooters, so maybe not.

- dinner with the kid was nice. i never know when she's gonna be talkative or when she's gonna clam up, but she was chatty today. it's always reassuring when she is, i get nervous when she's silent that it's a function of the distant parent equation. but today was good, so that dark cloud remains off on the horizon.