i've been dark because i've had no internet time at work and it is where i did most of my buffista lurking/posting. *sigh* maybe one of these years i'll stay caught up.

until then, profile addy is good if you need to get in touch with me. i check that several times a day.

I'd like to ask for some get better right NOW ~ma for the husband of a friend of mine; he's in the ICU with a whole host of life-threatening problems, and apparently has been given a 20% chance of survival. He's a sweetheart, and I *really* don't want to have a good friend of mine become a widow before her first wedding anniversary.

Um, yeah. So any ~ma Seattle-wards would be appreciated.

My friend who went to Thailand over Christmas and who fell out of contact after planning to "go to the beach" has reappeared, complete with wife and children, safe and sound and not understanding why everybody was so worried.

Thanks for the ~ma.

Audit~ma would be greatly appreciated tomorrow at 6 am board time (9 am EST). The IRS has graciously given me the opportunity to kick off the new year with heartburn, a sour stomach, and heart palpitations.

It's scheduled to last 2 hours, but an update probably won't happen 'til late afternoon. I have a feeling I'll need vodka with lunch, or vodka FOR lunch, depending on the outcome.

A little health-ma for my Mom would be appreciated. She was at my aunt's house and had chest pains severe enough for them to call the ambulance. My twin sister is on the way to the hospital at the moment and will call me when she finds out if everything is ok.

A little calm-ma for me wouldn't hurt, either.

Mom's in ICU for observation and more tests. She's resting comfortably. I'm somewhat calmer but pissed off to learn she's not testing her blood sugar and taking her insulin regularly (she just takes a shot when she "feels" bad). Grrrrrr.

Thanks for the ma.

Here's the first batch of pictures from the makeover. Note Betsy and JZ, among others, looking alert and chipper and stuff!

If anyone would like a paperback copy of Revelation Space, email me at my profile addy and it's yours.

[eta: The book has been claimed]

It looks like I'll be going dark grey for a while. Work access is limited right now, and I just don't have time to do much on the computer at home, with a dial-up connection and work on conference getting fast and furious. I'll pop by when I can. Conference is early March, so I hope to be by more after that. My profile addy is still good, and I check it pretty regularly.

A quick update on my friend: he's off the respirator and breathing on his own, he's been taken off the sedatives, and can now nod or shake his head appropriately when his wife asks him yes/no questions.

A direct quote from one of the people who are part of the front-line support for him and his wife: Whatever songs y'all are singing, candles you're lighting, prayers your repeating, trees you're talking to, or powers-that-be you're arguing with, it's working better and better all the time.