Hi folks. I just found out that my Uncle Ed (aka, Mom's baby bro) died about an hour ago. Any ma you could send toward my family -- especially Mom, who adored the big galoot -- would be appreciated.

Thank you for all the jobma! I just got off the phone with my recruiter; I start on the 29th, and the team is really looking forward to working with me!

meep

I just sent off letters of inquiry to Yale and Brown's PhD programs. I am incredibly nervous and jittery about this entire process.

Passing the GRE's (especially the math, considering I haven't taken a math class since 1995), getting an interview, getting the applications together in the next four weeks, and working out all of the details about whether we can afford this (especially the health insurance, since I'm sole provider) and all other kinds of PhD~ma requested, please................

meep

This afternoon I got a phone call from one of the companies at which I interviewed last summer. They may have a position for me! I'm going for another interview tomorrow afternoon. Interview-ma please!

Update #3 – now it gets interesting….

(To recap – I know some people didn’t get the first one – Update 1 – Juliana took a really nasty fall Sunday – banged up pretty bad – Update 2 – not so good trip to the ER for rehydration and sick stuff)

Now – we visited the ear nose throat specialist today who confirmed that J has a pretty bad (and somewhat visible) fracture in at least three places on her right cheek. The hard part now is – surgery.

It’s officially called an “open reduction internal fixation of right zygoma fracture” – or as J calls it, “fixing my face”. It’s a rather unpleasant sounding procedure involving plates and screws and pins (all under the skin) to fuse the skull back together. Fun stuff, huh?

The surgery is Tuesday morning, and it’s going to put her out of commission for at least another week, if not more. It probably also means back on the liquid! Diet! for a few days, which she is looking forward to, of course. We’re in the best spirits we can be, what with Thanksgiving and a show coming up and all.

Thank you all again for your well wishings, and we’ll keep you posted.

Z

Lookin' for a gig.

After being a solopreneur for 10 years, I'm seeking a 'real job' while I finish my book.

This is a ~ma request for the best gig evah! Something even greater than I can imagine. Major bonus points if it is in a dog friendly place.

I have a breakfast meeting tomorrow (9:30am EST) with an agency that tried to hire me four years ago. I'm kinda meh about it...unless it has morphed into a great opportunity.

So. Best gig evah ~ma, if you've got any to spare, please.

Tanx!

Requesting major concerted vibeage towards Redwood City, California Kaiser, starting around 11:00 a.m. Pacific time this morning. Nic's got the biggie.

I'm happy to report that the jobma was extremely effective - I was offered the job less than twenty-four hours after the interview! I'll be starting week after next. Yay team employment!

Okay, I've done it! It's time for me to request grant-ma. Our major funding foundation will be having their board meeting this Thanksgiving week. Our app was in sometime in September. We're not sure when we'll find out, but it will probably be sometime in December.

And I just submitted (with many thanks to the lovely Buffista editor corps -- Deena, deb & meara) a preliminary application to a new foundation that we've been cultivating a relationship with since our failed app with them last year. If they are interested, we'll be asked to submit a full application to them. Again, don't know the exact dates, but their board makes their final decisions in January, so I'd expect to hear if they want a full app next month as well.

Since our organization consists of just the SO and me, and although we have lots of lovely and generous individual funding, our primary source of program and operating support comes from these foundations, so the grants can make or break us.

I know we're getting into TMI here, but we have a relationship with the first org, and they were pleased with their site visit last year, so I have high hopes for it. The second org, I feel we match really well, but we're brand new to them, so it may take some time. Still, I am hopeful.

Thanks for the -ma!

Damn.

So, Nic got his preliminary bloodwork back.

Diabetes, type 2.

More as more is known. May I just say, though, that while it obviously could have been a lot worse, 2004 - like 2003 before it - can kiss my arse?