Dunno what JBelle/The 'Kan EWA was shooting here. Pine cones? But it's pretty -- and, therefore, heads the parade of today's Best of the Friends Blogs.

*In "Existentialist Crisis," Toad/Synaptic Disunion begins: "He wakes at 5am, and washes his face and hands in a ritualistic manner. Donning his work clothes, and walking out of the house every day as he does, and down to the little shop on the corner has become his daily religion. People aren't surprised at his punctuality, or his regularity, and everybody knows his shaggy gray head, his mackintosh , and mud sodden wellies, when he walks down the foggy, early morning treeless village. He is as regular as the spring rain, as dependable as the winter winds, and as ever present as the moist sea air" here.

*Tom Forbes & Co. at Palousitics debated which state has the better business climate: Washington or Idaho. One's in the top 10 among the United States. The other is in the bottom 10. You can see which is which here.

*Bearable Bob has hit a lull in blog traffic and wonders if he's gotten too self-indulgent and melancholy in recent posts, as he considers jamming Pilot G2 Gel pens (my favorites) into his eyes here.

*'Tis the season for job hunting for law students, and Idawa/Word Forge is approaching the prospect with fear and trembling here.

*Nathan Empsall/The Wayward Episcopalian reports "The Truth About John Edwards and New Orleans" here.

*Looks like Idaho Escapee/Atmospheric Ruminations is fighting Google, and Google's winning here.

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