Last weekend I realized that my older son is headed off for college in a few weeks, and we had done nothing to get ready for this. It’s not that I did not remember that he was going to college; the arrival of the tuition bill reminded me all too well of that with its eye-popping balance. It’s just that with my travels I had not whipped myself into the froth and frenzy that typically would accompany this impending move. Instead I bolted up in bed last Sunday (like Allison DuBois pops up on "Medium" when she has one of those premonition dreams of hers) completely focused on…bedding, towels, dishes...and when I talked to him he added to that list: printer, iPod player and laundry bag.

By the time we returned the rental car at Hertz last Sunday night, we had logged 1,002 miles. Every time I say 1,000, the boys say 1,002, which reminds me of when they were 6 ½ or 6 ¾ and every little fraction mattered. I keep playing the refrain of that song in my head, "99 Miles From LA." For the record, I cannot even measure how many switchbacks I drove last week. We did Lombard Street twice, but Cory literally said "ho hum" in the back of the car and this line, "This clearly is overrated!" I drove it the second time hoping he would appreciate it more. No dice. Hah, I guess the turns on Big Sur were his comparison point.

This month, Kidsreads.com is full of characters. I got to see a bunch of people dressed up as their favorite comic book characters at a conference called Comic-Con last week. It felt like Halloween! I was surprised at how amazing some of these costumes were. People captured soooo many of the details just right. Because of The Dark Knight movie, there were many "Jokers" roaming the floor. It was a lot of fun, but no, I am not planning to dress up next year!

This month, Kidsreads.com is full of characters. I got to see a bunch of people dressed up as their favorite comic book characters at a conference called Comic-Con last week. It felt like Halloween! I was surprised at how amazing some of these costumes were. People captured soooo many of the details just right. Because of The Dark Knight movie, there were many "Jokers" roaming the floor. It was a lot of fun, but no, I am not planning to dress up next year!