Riddle me this: What is the allure of the poncho this fall? I see them in all the stores, hanging off racks like miniature blankets with fringe. And I have yet to see a woman who looks attractive (and not simply hidden) wearing one. I’m all for expressing who you are through fashion; I certainly do it myself. But can someone please share with me how a poncho makes someone look good? It merely looks like you’re wearing a blanket with a hole cut in the middle.

Thanks for your sweet words about the kitty, but I decided late last night to return him/her to the original owner. Last night was a little rough. The kitty didn’t really come near me until Matthew got home. It didn’t eat. It didn’t use its litter box. And, the more I thought about it, a 3-month-old kitten needs much more attention and care (at first) than what I can provide right now, which would be an hour in the morning and three or four hours in the evening. I work on the weekends, too, so that rules out the majority of Saturday and Sunday.

I know I made the right decision. I wouldn’t rule out having an older cat down the road, especially at a time when I will have more free time in my schedule. I’d rather the kitty be properly cared for now.

Even when the kitten left, Matthew reminded him/her that its name would forever be Tolkien :-)

Wendy Townley: this cat doesn’t want to come near me

Tony Dreibus: yeah give her a few days. don’t mess with her, just feed her and give her a place to crap and she’ll be out in a few days.

I picked up my new (very little) friend today. I brought the 3-month-old kitten home in a kennel, and it seemed to take the car ride OK. The owner doesn’t know the sex of the kitten; nor do I. I imagine a trip to the vet will answer that question, at which time I’ll name my new furry friend.

My boyfriend wants to name the cat Tolkien, but I’m not 100 percent sold on that idea. Regardless of what I name him/her, Matthew says he’ll still call the cat Tolkien :-)

Here are a few photos from its first day on N Street. Enjoy :-)

I have to send a personal thank-you out to Matthew, who turned me on to Hershey’s Milk Shakes. I just had my first, a vanilla cream. It’s DELICIOUS. I can’t wait to try the other flavors, including cookies and cream, and chocolate. They’re a great snack, when I’m craving something sweet. And who can argue with a glass of milk? Certainly not I.

Last night’s loss for the Iowa Hawkeyes was hard to believe, even harder to watch. Matthew, Jason and I watched the first half at a local sports bar. When the score at halftime was 27-0, we had to go. As Jason said, it wasn’t worth being sleepy today for such a bad game. Ouch. Let’s hope our beloved Hawks do better next time.

Time for yet another layout for my blog. It’s more girly, I agree. Enjoy it while it’s around.

So I’m thinking of getting a cat. I know, I know; I’ve never been considered much of an “animal person,” but it’s something I’ve been thinking of for a few months. My cousin, Shannon, has owned her cat for a number of years and has always said I’d enjoy having a cat.

Now that I’m a homeowner and have the space, I may take the plunge. A co-worker’s sister has a number of kittens I could pick from. She wants to find good homes for all the kittens, so this could be a sign :-)

We’ll see what happens. I’ll keep you posted!

Laurie Notaro may not be new to you, but she’s new to me. I plucked her title from my local Sam’s Club a few weeks ago, primarily because I liked the cover photo. I flipped over to the back cover and discovered that “I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies): True Tales of a Loudmouth Girl” is about Notaro’s life as a writer. So far, I can’t put the book down. She’s hilarious. I’m afraid Don DeLillo’s “Underworld” has been temporarily shelved. (Sorry, Don.) But the more I think about it, the more comfortable I’m with curling up with an 800-plus page book in Nebraska’s colder months.

OK, so it wasn’t completely hellish, but I could see how bad it could be. Let me explain. For next week’s issue of the Leader, I’m writing a feature “A Day in the Life of a High School Freshman.” On Wednesday, I was the shadow of a 14-year-old cheerleader at Bryan High School. From roughly 7:30 to 3, I tracked her every step. The idea was to get inside the life of a high school freshman in 2004. I remember my freshman year, and it wasn’t the greatest. I’m hoping this feature will remind those far removed from their high school days how much has changed, but much has also stayed the same. Our photog, Tony, got some great photos of our subject and her friends. I’m looking forward to receiving any feedback on this one.