Molly made headlines this morning, quoted in an Omaha World-Herald article on affordable fashion trends.

Way to go, Molly!

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My job has been anything but stress free the past few months. I have discovered the calming affect baking has on my soul, especially now that fall has arrived.

Granted, I’m preparing breads, cakes and the like from pre-packaged mixes (just add eggs, oil and water). However, I find the steps easy to follow and soothing as warm tea. There’s no guesswork here. Step 1, Step 2, Step 3 and so on.

The end product is a deliciously smelling home with something that’ll stick to my ribs the next few mornings.

And best of all: I’ve trained myself not to devour the remaining batter from each recipe. My secret? Immediately fill the mixing bowl with soap and hot water. Immerse the spoon and beaters, too. I’m liable (and quite capable) of devouring any leftover batter in mere seconds.

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It seems that my days, weeks and weekends seem to literally fly by. I attempt to savor the good moments, only to find them distant memories come bedtime.

Thank goodness for bedtime, though. Those moments before falling into slumber — especially while wearing warm PJs and tucked under an electric blanket — are pure bliss.

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This is the call. Wake up and play your part. Why are you here? What did you come to do?

We have very little time in which to awaken and transform ourselves, to be able to preserve the planet, and to heal the divisions between the powerful and the powerless. Let us go forward now with firm resolve and profound dedication.

— Andrew Harvey

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From waiting in line to the mad dash through the front doors, the opening of Omaha’s first Apple Store on Sept. 23 truly was a monumental occasion for me and my fellow Apple fans.

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My hilarious friend, Melissa, sends around emails that get me laughing out loud … literally. Here’s an example of one she sent last night.

From: Melissa K
Subject: Melissa’s Thoughts…
Date: October 4, 2006 10:07:15 PM CDT

Top 10 Reasons Why I’m Single:

10. I enjoy looking in the mirror and repeating Nishnabatna.

9. Saturday night is not complete without a trip to Long John Silvers.

8. I’m obsessed with mail. I like holding it, touching it, bathing it, clipping it.

7. I only like notebooks that open from the side. Legal pads drive me crazy.

6. I’ve declared my intentions of being cast as a young Connie Sellecca in any movie. Any.

5. I continually try to cure myself of my lactose intollerance. No luck…yet.

4. Yes, my toes always look like scrunched hammers.

3. I still have an insationable desire to play hide-and-go-seek at night.

2. I once spent an entire conversation with a boy not pay any attention to what he said. Instead, I focused on how I could cross my legs under the table without being in pain.

1. I only drink Gatorade on game days.

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I still need to post photos from last weekend’s celebration of Omaha’s first Apple Store.

In the meantime, here’s a favorite photo from that monumental day, taken by the ever talented Chris Machian.

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Last week, at the beginning of a delicious three-day weekend, I came across some news that didn’t taste so well at first. For simplicity’s sake, let’s just say that a potential opportunity turned out to be anything but.

As such, my spirits were left a little worse for wear.

When God closes a door, I’m told, He also opens a window. My cynical side hoped that window was on the fourth or fifth floor, which would allow me to subsequently end my misery.

But misery is much too strong of a word here. It’s more like months and months of planning for The Sure Thing changed in an instant.

So now I begin anew, hoping that these new plans allow me to stay on course, or veer off when necessary.

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Here are some interesting Web sites to click through if you’re an Apple fan:

• http://www.greenpeace.org/apple/

• http://www.greenpeace.org/international/ {watch the spoof on Apple’s current TV ad campaign}

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I’m sitting here and I hear “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin on CD 105.9 FM, perhaps my favorite classic rock radio station of all time.

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this song, and I know it most certainly won’t be the last. If anything, CD 105.9 has probably played this song 10 or 20 times just in the past week alone.

But I don’t care. At all.

Classic rock is the only genre of music of which I never grow tired. I’m not quite sure the spell classic rock has cast on me, but it simply won’t break.

I will never, ever grow tired of classic rock.

And that’s a promise.

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