My friend who is in the hospital is in stable (but still very serious) condition. They've upgraded his chances of survival from 20% to 50%, which is *very* good news.

Oh, I'm so happy! May he continue to improve. continued ~ma to them and to you.

Also, lending support to JZ's expression. Hope it unknots your stomach some...

I have a stupid sinus headache. I am so freaking sick of being sick all the time.

Also, I have decided not to take a grad school class this semester, to wait till September (if I get in to the program). It's just going to be too insane at work this spring, and I'd rather start my academic career, and get into the groove of it, when it's a bit quieter here. When it gets crazy next spring, I'll already have gotten a taste of acedemia and worked out logistical stuff, and figured out some study habits and stuff.

Am I a quitting quitter that always quits? I'm just not ready this semester. Also, job responsibility is on the increase, due to promotion and upcoing calendar of insanity.

Yay Jilli's friend! That is fantastic news.

(I didn't realise JZ's hair had gone so short!)

Oh, my, yes. This. It must be easy to take care of, is what I think.

Am I a quitting quitter that always quits? I'm just not ready this semester.

Hey, if you're not ready, you're not ready. It's okay. A) Job is good, it makes you money so you can pay for school. B) Starting school in September is more intuitive, and everyone else will be starting at the same time as you, so it will feel more like the beginning it really is.

I'm hungry. I need breakfast. God, ever since I started eating breakfast, my stomach's begun to expect it.

Nora, you are not a quitting quitter, you're planning long-term and that's good. Don't rush it.

Yay for Jilli's friend and more ~ma for him.

Erin, it'll wear off. You won't be a pod person forever.

Timelies. I woke up with a sinus headache and right with Nora in the tired of being sick corner.

God, ever since I started eating breakfast, my stomach's begun to expect it.

Yeah, that's the bitch of it.

The worse of winter is over for me. There's actual pink over the eastern mountains when I come in to work, and southeastern faces of the mountians are showing alpenglow. Yes, it's still dark, but it's pre-dawn dark, not "normal people are still asleep, it's the middle of the night, you idiot" dark. There is natural ambient light instead of just streetlights.

It'll be bone-achingly cold for another month and a half, but dammit I'll have light.

Yeah, that's the bitch of it.

Brown sugar and cinnamon Pop-Tart to the rescue! And mmm, milk.

God, I missed milk. That's the other thing about India: we didn't have milk for three weeks, because they can't even spell "pasteurization" and "homogenization," let alone do it.

Am I a quitting quitter that always quits?

So SO SOOOO not a quitter! You're recognizing your limits. That's actually the very opposite of a quitter. You're going to do this. I know you will. You didn't go through all of that pain with the GREs to quit. I know you better than that.

I forgot to say earlier, Jilli, that's wonderful news about your friend.

I think I'm going to procrastinate by taking down the Christmas decorations. It's January 19. They really need to come down. Plus, I'm going out to my parents' tomorrow, so I can put them back in the basement. Everyone wins.

Interesting.

I guess I never really thought about the use of cow's milk in India. Not that I've really gone beyond the "some inhabitants of the region believe the cow is sacred" level.