I think we need to buy a new dryer soon. I’ve noticed in the past few weeks that my clothes aren’t getting as dry as they used to, even when I set the machine to high heat. I usually just put the clothes in there for 35 minutes on medium heat to try to save a bit of energy, and that used to do the trick. But now my clothes are still damp when they come out, so this could be pointing to a problem.

I did a quick search on common dryer problems and found that dirty lint traps is a big one. I always clean mine off before each load, so I know that’s not the cause here. But then I read that lint can even work its way into the exhaust vent and hose — and that’s something I never guard against. I’m going to try to pick up one of those lint b gone brushes this weekend to see if that helps matters. Obviously, I’d much rather spend ten bucks to try to get my dryer working right again than have to shell out a few hundred for a brand new machine!

Do you have a favorite book, now out of print, that you would like to see become available again?

I can’t think of any “favorite” books that are out of print. I usually just read the classics or popular stuff that isn’t likely to go out of print, so I’ve never run into this problem. Yes, I’ve often had trouble finding books at local bookstores, but Amazon.com or electronic sources usually solved my dilemma. In fact, I can’t really imagine that out-of-print books would even be a problem anymore these days — between Google and P2P, electronic copies are readily available!

The Bears are making a rare primetime appearance tonight in a matchup against the Redskins. My husband has already said that he can come home from work early, so if I can get my mom to babysit, we might be able to head out to an eatery or pub to watch the game. We haven’t done that yet this season, which means it’s definitely time.

There’s nothing like watching a football game on huge projection televisions, with a pitcher of beer and a rowdy home crowd cheering on the Bears! Of course, both teams are fighting for their playoff lives, so the atmosphere should be pretty lively anyway.

I hope we can make it out there!

The finalists for the 2007 Heisman Trophy were named yesterday. They are: Darren McFadden, a junior running back from Arkansas; Tim Tebow, a sophomore quarterback from Florida; Colt Brennan, a senior quarterback from Hawaii; and Chase Daniel, a junior quarterback from Missouri.

I didn’t really follow college football all that closely this year because I was bummed about how bad the Notre Dame team was, so I really have no idea how this year’s vote is projected to go. If I had to guess, I’d say that Darren McFadden (last year’s runner-up) and Tim Tebow are the frontrunners, with Tebow having a slight edge because of his 20 rushing TDs and 20 passing TDs during the season — a feat that had never been accomplished before.

Brennan certainly has the numbers for the award, and he even led his team to the only undefeated season among major colleges. But because he plays at Hawaii, which is not considered an elite football school, he definitely loses major points to the competition.

Anyway, the trophy presentation will be this Saturday in New York, and will be shown on one of the ESPN channels, I’m sure. I might check it out if I have nothing else going on!