My grandmother has been diagnosed with malignant skin cancer (no, I don't have anything more specific than that); surgery is scheduled for the 27th, but may be moved up if a slot becomes available.

My younger sister has been having seizures and vision problems; she has recently been diagnosed with a brain tumor. "Recently" in this case being the beginning of December: my father informed me of it this evening. Health~ma for them, if you would, and keep-from-killing-them-for-letting-me-find-out-like-this~ma for me. Thanks.

My brother leaves for New Zealand later tonight (he's in LA right now) and I'm asking for a little travel-ma for him.

He's going to NZ to go to school.

He's been told that he'll have more hoops to jump through in regards to security because he's travelling with a one way ticket. Also when he gets to NZ he's student visa isn't finalized, although the university he'll be at said there wouldn't be a problem once he's there.

Upon the occasion of his Brother John's recent heart surgery, my Uncle Carl booked a visit with a cardiologist.

Tuesday was the office vist. Yesterday they did tests and immediatly admitted him. This morning he had a quadruple bypass.

He's ok. There was some difficulty cracking his chest, however, so he's looking at a rough recovery. Prayers, true love and ~ma much appreciated.

I am back safe from London and looking gratefully and longingly at my bed. Full report later.

Requesting some health-ma for my mom. She's having surgery on her tongue tomorrow. So some vibes for quick healing and no recurring problems would be appreciated.

I'm in the midst of moving and have no internet access, except at work where I am being trained and have no time to hang out. See you all in a week or so from sunny Burbank!

Requesting interview-ma for 4 p.m. CDT (2 p.m. board time). This is for a job that I can do well and will have fun doing it. I really want out of here....

Thanks!

ATTENTION ALL BUFFISTAS!

After a year and some of hogging more than my fair share of the jobma, I am now re-releasing it into the wild, slightly used, but proven to work.

That's right. Got the job. Woo-Hoo!

Dear all,

Am not dead, but due to (insert worst expletives you can imagine) incompetence of employers, the telephone in my company-owned flat has now been cut off. Thus my delirious re-entry into the world of the 'net-having has been summarily curtailed.

I am very, very, very very angry about this.Very angry. Right now I could really do with talking to people, and I'm buggered.

I hate my employers. Lots. Although I'm still enjoying the job v. much.

Anyway - not dead. Would appreciate any 'net-having-ma y'all can spare.

So, it's an idea that's been cavorting in my brainstem for a while: check out the old company I left due to the laying off the sales staff, see if they're still around, see if it's something I might want to go back to. Well, they're still around and thriving, still run by the same man who is apparently doing something right despite having great cluelessness about the functioning of the world outside Utah. Today being my day off, I thought, "Go in, Connie, see if they're hiring. See what they're paying, check the benefits, all they can say is, 'Sorry, we're full up, but check back in a few months.'"

In I walk. The receptionist says "We're going to be hiring in a few weeks, I know. Starting wage is $8.00 an hour." Damn, I think to myself, I cannot afford another dollar-an-hour paycut, oh well--then what do I see to my left but John, the president of the company, who's looking at me like, "It's Connie--isn't it? Could it be?" And the first words out of his mouth are "Are you thinking of coming back?" I admit the thought is crossing my mind. We chat, and someone else I remember comes over. John says, "Trevor, look who's here, it's Connie." Trevor: "Is she going to come back?"

Yes, not unlike the Prodigal Son, the idea of my returning to the fold made them smile. Trevor, being in charge of hiring, sat down with me to go over the details. "You were making, what, ten something an hour when you left?" Me, thinking of the $9.14 an hour I'm pulling in, says, "Something like that." "We could start you at $10 an hour, if that's OK." Me: "I think that would work." "When can you start?"

So, yes, my brethren and sistren, I am the possessor of a brand new job, which doesn't involve phones and angry people but the card catalogs of prestigious international research libraries. Intricate subject headings spanning centuries and continents, in unknown languages, covering obscure subjects. Yes, once again, my knowledge of minor saints, the parts of armor, and the names of cities as they were known in the 12th century will be useful, as well as my knowledge of the guts of computers. And not one telephone headset will be involved!

The catch (you knew there was one): Health insurance will not kick in until three months after hire. They have lots of turn-over (people think that because it's data entry it must be work where you can coast your brain), and John hates setting up people with insurance only to have to un-set them. If I go for more than sixty days without insurance, everything Hubby's been going through will be ruled pre-existing and not be covered for two and a half years. So I need to find something supplementary for one month that won't bankrupt us. Or, maybe (please, goddess) the new company will make an exception. It's a small company, and I was with them for ten years, multiple corporate structures, and two near-goings-out-of-business. It's a thought I shall drop in their ears tomorrow when I call them up and say, "Yes, I want that job."

Gosh.