Vacation: When I was a kid, we took vacations all the time - a big one every year (during the school year, so we could miss school for "educational reasons"), and lots of smaller ones, too. Somehow, though, somewhere around college, vacation became synonymous with heading home to Mom and Dad's house. Finally starting to break out of that mold in the last couple years, so I'm liking that.

OC: I'm headed to Ocean City on Friday for a long weekend at a condo on the beach with the family. I can't wait (especially to see Jake). My floors are being refinished while I'm gone.

Jon's card: If you know my brother, or know me well enough to have heard me talk about him, or have a younger brother of your own, you'll appreciate this - this is the card I'm giving Jon for his birthday (when I see him this weekend):