Odd. I just noticed that I started spelling "baby" like "babby" at the end of my last post. All this time away from working is making me soft in the head, I guess.

The weather is absolutely nuts here right now. For example, this morning, the sun was shining. Then, it started snowing really really hard. Now, the sun is shining again and all the snow is gone. Cuh-razy.

Did you know every country using the Euro issues their own coins? I didn't. But just moments ago, M showed me his coin collection. Yes, he's actually collecting them and he still needs some very rare ones from Finland and a few from Ireland. Geeeeeeeekkkkkkyyyyyyy, but cute.

Then he asked me if I ever collected anything when I was a kid. I thought and thought... hmmm... not much (except for a mean stuffed animal collection at one point) ... but the pondering did remind me that in elementary school, I had to put together a bug collection. This assignment required that I go out, find the bugs, then gas the poor little suckers in a jar. M looked at me in horror. And, well, he's right. Ewwwww... this is pretty cruel. Do schools still do this?

Speaking of death, his father (who's a doctor) was telling me this past Saturday about euthanasia in this country. It's pretty shocking stuff for an American to hear... even though I totally agree with the concept. So, apparently, there are two ways you can end your life here:

1) Active euthanasia -- First, you must meet two requirements -- there must be unbearable suffering and no chance of recovery from your disease. If you meet these requirements, your doctor will give you a shot or a drink that will end your life very quickly -- usually within 10 minutes.

2) Terminal sedation -- or you can have your doctor "put you to sleep." No, this isn't like when you had to put Fluffy down, but literally your doctor sedates you so you can sleep peacefully. Sometimes, just being sedated will end your life, but oftentimes, you die -- say after a week or so -- from a lack of food and water. (Also, you can be pulled out of this sedation at any time.) I get the impression that this is the choice for people who are in horrible pain, but do not want to commit suicide because of religious reasons.

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia#The_Netherlands