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Have you heard about TSA’s Diamond Self-Select Program? I hadn’t until I saw this picture (from Midway Airport) in the newspaper yesterday.

The program splits TSA checkpoints into three lanes - expert, for business travelers; casual, for less frequent travelers; and family/special assistance, for families, elderly passengers, and passengers who need special help.

The idea is that splitting people into separate lanes, based on their TSA protocol comfort, will speed up inspection times.

I’m super quick in the TSA inspection line. I wear shoes that slip off, skip wearing a belt, and throw my laptop out of its bag at lighting speed.

It seems like I am always behind some slowpoke.

If this program actually works, and they bring it to O’Hare, I’ll be psyched. Can I go through the expert lane though, even though I am not always a “business” traveler?

Has anyone used it yet? They already have it in Denver and Cincinnati.

If your parents were in a movie, who’d play them?

I am going to answer based on personality, not looks.

I would cast Harrison Ford as my father, because he seems a little rough, and is a smart-ass, and a bit of a recluse. My dad is 14 years younger than Harrison Ford, but Ford’s still got it. Duh! Who else plays action figures at age 66?

And for my mother, hmm… I need to think of an actor who is a bit crazy, but super nice… maybe Didi Conn who played Frenchy in Grease? Ha ha, I haven’t seen her in anything recently! But she seems excited, and sincere, like my mother.

I have a little problem – I can’t keep up with google reader.

I keep adding more blogs, but finding less and less time to read them.

Right now, I am subscribed to 72 blogs… and have 73 unread items! I’ve ended up being that person who has to catch up on the weekend, and is leaving comments on posts that are days old, after the conversation has died out.

My question is this – how do you keep up with reading all the blogs you like?

My ideal solution (are you reading, Steven?) is to buy a small $600-or-so computer that I can throw in my purse and use on the way to and from work. That’s almost 3 hours of time! I could catch up with a lot of internet “things” then too (I didn’t even mention how far behind I get on personal emails) and spend more quality time with the “boys” at home!

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Today’s Idiom: stock in trade – the goods, tools, and other requisites of a profession

The Architect’s stock in trade seems to be a cocky attitude, coffee-addiction, and an affinity for wearing dark colors.

The highlight of my day was seeing these baby goslings.

This goose has been nesting in front of the job site I visit every Wednesday in the suburbs. She sits right near the entrance, and hisses at me every time I walk by.

Yes, I realize it is sad that this was today’s highlight. What was yours?

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Today’s Idiom: to rule the roost - to be in charge, to be master

Data rules the roost in the Skaff household.

Now that it’s been mentioned in both the June issue of Glamour and Marie Claire, I have to say something about it.

Open Marriage.

Jenny Block (not to be confused with “Jenny from the Block”) had an affair with a woman three years into her marriage. Instead of divorce, Block and her husband decided to have an open marriage – staying together, but also dating other people. She recently wrote a book about it – Open: Love, Sex, and Life in an Open Marriage.

I don’t think this is completely ludicrous or unreasonable. It may actually solve (or cover up) some issues that married couples have.

But I know this is not for me. And probably never will be.

I’m not possessive and I’m not jealous, but I don’t like to share… my husband anyway!

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Today’s Idiom: Hobson’s choice - no choice at all

We’re given Hobson’s choice when we go out to eat with Steven’s grandma - there is only one restaurant she will go to.

Today marks one year since I’ve graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Architecture.

Woo-hoo!

I hate to admit it, but I am curious as to what my classmates are doing. I wonder who’s working, who’s not, who hates their job, and who loves it.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how much more I like work than school. School is good for learning to be creative and think conceptually… but it is so much neater to see something you design being built. In real life.

A few weeks ago a client called me and rattled on and on about how much the staff loves the new space we designed for them, and all the details and thought that went into it. That made me feel good.

(The next week the client called and told me the staff was complaining and nitpicking. Hey, I had my moment while it lasted).

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Today’s Idiom: feeling no pain - drunk

After a couple of glasses of wine, I was feeling no pain and ready to meet up with the in-laws. What can I say? I’m a light-weight.

(Just kidding!)

Ooo… I can’t wait to see what it looks like fully grown!

Steven has a green thumb. I kill plants. Data does too (although we have different methods - I don’t chew on them).

I’ll just add “taking care of houseplants” to my list of domestic skills that I stink at. Also on the list:

• cooking
• sweeping
• mopping (Thanks for the correction, Nilsa S.!)
• making the bed (I do it, it just looks awful)
• putting the dishes into the dishwasher
• closing the shower curtain after showering
• wiping my feet off so the floor doesn’t get all wet after showering
• vacuuming
• dusting
• patching walls
• painting
• hanging frames
• leaving my clothes on the drying rack for too long
• stacking things up on the floor and not putting them away
• sewing buttons
• okay, sewing at ALL

And to be fair, a few things I am good at:

• sending out birthday cards, anniversary cards, thinking of you cards
• taking the trash out
• bringing in the newspaper
• baking banana bread
• protecting the car
• finding “Infiniti-approved” parking spots (used to be “Saab-approved”)
• getting the mail on Saturdays
• feeding Data on Saturday and Sunday mornings so he’ll STFU and let us sleep
• changing Data’s litter
• putting groceries away
• opening new DVDs
• getting my clothes out of the dryer in less than 2 days
• cutting up lettuce, cauliflower, carrots, celery, and strawberries
• pushing very heavy things up the stairs

Ha. I’m good at all the things that really matter.

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Today’s Idiom: to throw down the gauntlet - to challenge someone

Steven thought he was better at Xbox Tetris than me, so I had to throw down the gauntlet, and show off my mad Tetris skills.

PETA has announced a $1 Million Reward for the first scientist to produce and market in vitro meat.

“In vitro meat production would use animal stem cells that would be placed in a medium to grow and reproduce. The result would mimic flesh and could be cooked and eaten.”

Would you eat it?

PETA’s argument for in vitro meat is that it would stop animal suffering, and lessen the affect that harvesting animals has on our environment. They also added as a disclaimer - “Of course, humans don’t need to eat meat at all… But as many people continue to refuse to kick their meat addictions, PETA is willing to help them gain access to flesh that doesn’t cause suffering and death.”

I think this is a very interesting idea. But besides all the political BS that it incurs, I wonder, would carnivorous humans go for this? If it cost the same, and tasted the same, looked the same…

Would you eat it?

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Today’s Idiom: to go up in smoke - to come to no practical result

My plan to exercise 3 days a week went up in smoke when I kept getting home late from work. But I’m going to figure out a way to work exercise into my schedule. I have to.

Can you guess which score is mine, and which is Steven’s?

You know how I can tell I’m getting better at bowling? I get pissed off when I throw a bad ball. Before I would just laugh about it.

Of course, I don’t get as “frustrated” as Steven does when he is doing poorly, but I’m working on it.

Have you ever seen a cooler USB Flash Drive? I think not.

Yesterday I picked up an issue of Star Wars Insider to read on the train ride home. I actually used to subscribe to this magazine, when I was in high school, but haven’t since.

So I’m reading this article “100 Best Things About Star Wars… Ever!” and when I get to the end of it, the next page is an advertisement from titan magazines for Heroes magazine, Star Trek magazine, Smallville magazine, Lost magazine… you get the idea.

I’m thinking, “What a bunch of worthless magazines! Who would want to read that?!”

As I sit on the train. With a copy of the Star Wars Insider.

Hmm. Time for a reality check, Kim.