Calling all pacifists... "The latest edition of Maxim magazine, in an alleged "humor" article headlined "Maxim’s Kick-Ass Workout," depicts a strapping man in a "Muscle" T-shirt beating up an image of Mahatma Gandhi. The three-page article includes 21 different scenes of the man hitting, kicking, choking and throwing Gandhi, who is named in the text, when the reader is urged to "ask Gandhi if he can see a change in your physique." (article and details at IndiaCause and more at Tolerance.org) One of my favorite Gandhi quotes is, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." I wonder what change Maxim magazine thinks they're having on the world. Go write them a letter and let them know this is unacceptable. Follow up as of 2/3: Maxim magazine gives a formal apology. 'Bout time.

(sigh) My goldfish, Archie, has passed away at the tender age of at least 12 (my mom thinks he was even older than that). We had an funeral outside; Paul dug a hole in the frozen backyard and we blew bubbles and said nice things about him. It's very, very strange to not have to feed him every morning when I've been doing it for at least the past 12 years... almost half my life. (sigh again)

Joyful things for today: Hearing the baby's heartbeat nice and loud at the doctor's office. Eating french toast with strawberries (frozen from the summer to be saved for a special occasion... which I realized was just that particular moment in time.) Realizing that the billion and one freckles on my (huge) tummy look just like cinnamon sprinkles. Clarity of thought for my art: both personal and at work. Hooray and amen for sketching. Defining my theme for 2003: HARMONY. Much more about this later.

My baby shower was this weekend! It was a lot of fun (though exhausting!) and filled with many well-wishers who happily rubbed my belly throughout the afternoon. We ate french toast (natch!) and Mom decorated the cake and little take-home bubble jars with my baby drawings, which really meant a lot to me, as I'm feeling more and more like a mini-bake oven waiting for the timer to go off, and less and less like an artist. We all played at Carolyn's wonderful home and had us a great time. I was overwhelmed with everyone's generosity and hard work... but I reminded myself that it wasn't for me, it's for the baby! Somehow, it's easier for me to accept the attention that way. A number of friends brought squares we've been working on for a Muppet Quilt... the results are just beautiful! I can't wait until we collect them all and put them together for the little one's room.

Spent the evening at Snowflake's, knitting and flipping back and forth between Gilmore Girls and American Idol and finally exchanging our Christmas presents. I look forward to every visit and social occasion I can muster up the energy for, since the clock is ticking and just sitting on her purple couch and dishing plain wore me out. (In a good way!)

I love PBS in general (hey, where else can you watch Sesame Street if you don't have cable?), and especially the whole style and design of PBS Kids. (Big surprise!) Check out Don't Buy It — making kids question advertising, TV, and the media. Very cool.

Why do I have a sinking feeling that the "new friend" is the baby and the "old routine" I'm breaking out of is this little thing called sleep? Check out this great new site: Divine Mother, Mortal Me. One woman's journey to balance her art and kids. I love where she says, "It is about finding a balance — giving myself the same gift I give my kids: the permission to become." Amen, sister.

This was an exciting weekend. Among visits and launch parties, we attended an all-day marathon birthing class at our hospital. We saw waywayWAY too many movies about the blessed event, but at least we know what's coming. Sorta. My favorite part was in one movie where the wife is doing her breathing, and her husband says, "Focus, honey! Look at the photo!" and he holds up a picture of their cat. It made for a welcome giggle in what was otherwise an overwhelming day. I'm torn between thinking this pregnancy is taking forever, and worrying that I'll have the baby in a couple of weeks. We're at 33 weeks (out of 40) so I'm not that off-base....I think.

It's the teeny little things that make my day... and for me today it was finally getting a copy of Harry Belafonte and the Muppets singing "Turn the World Around." Boy, did I ever want to just sing along, out loud, right in the office. Hmmmmm..... not sure why I didn't... the fact that people are around me has never shut me up before....

If you're a fan of the comic strip Mutts, you'll be thrilled to know that the official website is finally here (which my company and I worked on!) And if you live in a part of the country that doesn't get Mutts in their newspaper, trust me: this is a Big Thing. I quote: Mutts®, the internationally renowned comic strip featuring the humorous antics of the expressive and philosophical Mooch and Earl, unveils its official website today at www.muttscomics.com. First created in 1994 and featured in more than 500 newspapers worldwide, Mutts and its award-winning creator, Patrick McDonnell, have been hailed by Charles Schulz who called Mutts "one of the best [comic strips] of all time."

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I'm still searching for a theme for this year. Last year, my theme was to learn as much as possible. (I stopped chronicling in June, when I learned all sorts of stuff about being pregnant, but wasn't ready to share that with everyone yet. I will go back and fill in the rest of the year.) But as for this year.... I'm thinking maybe to have a theme of simplicity, which will be a real challenge with a new baby on board. Hmmmmmm...... While I saw in 2002 in a sequined evening gown, tiara, and long white gloves; 2003 arrived without me noticing, already asleep and in my pj's. The biggest thing that keeps playing over and over in my mind is that in 2003, there will soon be three of us. That's a little scary but mostly very, very exciting to me. We sang our duet in church for the 8th year in a row and spent New Year's Day getting a mattress for the crib and a little snowsuit for the baby to wear home from the hospital. (This because my mom asked what the baby was going to wear home and I completely drew a blank, since I had nothing for the baby to go outside in, and a half-finished blanket.) Of note: the new issue of Be Real Magazine is out and my artwork's on the cover! And in a couple of days, I'll be able to point to something else monumentallly creative online that I had a hand in....