Do you know how to survive on the moon?

(I freely admit that I only scored a 36%... but I did get the top two!)

The scene: our bathroom.

Me: Wow, what a pee! I don't know if you'd have been able to hold that much longer! Good job, honey.

Penny: Mommy? That's Gramma Jill's favorite color.

Me: ...Yes. Yes, it is, sweetie.

Penny: Why are you laughing, Mommy?

Yes, I know, I haven't written over here in like a zillion years. Or months, anyway.

Anyway, I'm pregnant again. ("Again," I say, like this will be my 4th or 5th.) Did the confirmation checkup at the OB's today, and they gave me the requisite stack of reading material. I got home a bit ago, got dinner started, and decided to start flipping through the Pregnancy & Newborn magazine, just to see if there's anything useful in there.

I dunno about useful, but... the page after the contents says, "Who's your daddy?" and has a... display of pacifiers. Not just any pacifiers, but pacifiers in bright colors with GLITTER AND SPARKLE DESIGNS on them. Including one of a skull and crossbones.

I thought it was a joke. A gimmick, to get people to look at the ad a second time, you know? But then I read the small print, and then I blinked and loaded up the webpage, and... Nope. They're real. Introducing the Bling pacifier, from Munchkin.

I, um.

Wow.

Subject (aka "Penny") woke this morning with a dry diaper. Subject denied need for toilet. Subject selected a movie and watched it, and then consented to sit on the toilet. Full night's sleep, +2hrs waking: dry diaper, copious pee. Researchers conferred, and agreed to attempt the next phase of the experiment.

9:15am: Project Put-Her-In-Panties-And-See-What-Happens commences.

The panties have been applied. The Rules have been explained, several times, in several phraseologies, by Researcher M. Researchers have made plans for contingencies. Plans for the day are minimal and close to home, to simplify cleanup, should containment failure occur. Project to be aborted and re-scheduled after 2nd containment failure.

Subject is enthusiastic. Reaction: "I got Cinderella panties! I gotta go show Daddy!"

Researchers are guardedly optimistic. Reaction: "Wish us luck. Where did we put that towel?"

9:30am: First containment breach. Panties and clothing replaced, Rules re-explained by Researcher M. Subject is coaxed to restate rules, to ensure clarity.

Subject is mildly distressed. Reaction: "I need new panties, Mommy."

Researchers are disappointed, but pushing forward. Reaction: "Maybe we'll wait until after lunch to go to the store."

9:45am: Second containment breach. Subject warned Researcher D of imminent breach, but was unable to "hold it" on short trip to toilet. Researcher D called a halt to the experiment. Subject cleaned and returned to diaper; clean clothes applied.

Experiment phase on-hold for the time being. Will re-evaluate in a few weeks.

I went out at lunch to get candy and stuff for my neighborhood Boo'ing, and while I was at the store I saw a pack of little tiny pumpkins and I thought, hey, I could do this at work, too!

The little pumpkins didn't hold much. Three pieces of candy and a sticker and the note explaining the deal. Most of the rest of the candy and stickers got divided into the bigger Boo buckets for the neighborhood deal. But there were a few odd pieces of candy left over. So, obviously, I decided to eat them.

After I ate the single miniature packet of chocoate, I had four little 2-packs of Starburst. Now, my favorite flavor -- by far and away -- is strawberry. I am such a dork that I will save out all the strawberry Starburst until the end, so I can savor them.

So I was very pleased when I opened a Starburst pack and found one strawberry and one cherry. I set the strawberry aside, popped the cherry into my mouth, and opened the next packet.

Two strawberries. How cool is that?!

I set them aside, and opened the third packet. Two more strawberries. Simply amazing!

I opened the last packet, and there were.... two more strawberries.

Four potential flavors, and seven of the eight pieces is my favorite. I am too lazy to work out the odds on that, but they have to be pretty high.

It's like the universe decided to lean down and give me a pat on the head for doing something spontaneously nice.