I will be leaving for Atlanta on business in a couple hours. I expect to be completely dark until Thursday evening.

As I've finally been able to tell my roommate, now I get to tell y'all too!

My ex-roommate was nominated by her current roommate, and we've been plotting and scheming and secretly taping her for a good month now, for a new show on TLC (from a BBC show) "What Not To Wear". She's going to NYC next week to get a makeover and a new wardrobe! The show is going to be an hour long and it'll air sometime in March. I'll be on it too, mostly in the background going "don't hate us! don't hate us!" and turning red. But also saying things about what she wears currently. :) I'll post more info when the time comes!

My stress level is rapidly dropping, now that I no longer have to be not only keeping it a secret, but trying to get her to be in the right places at the right times so they could film her!

Whee! "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" is a critical darling!

It's "cooking" and (Pioneer Press)

"hot and resonant". (Star Tribune)

Also, the "roof is on fire" (City Pages)

and it "seethes with repressed emotion" (Talkin' Broadway)

Now we just need more audience members (more! MORE!).

I repeat my plea: If anyone in the Twin Cities area would like to come see the show, I can get you two-for-ones. We run for the next two weekends. Let me know. Profile addy is good. Thanks!

Hey all. I'm about the same. Still in pain, still exhausted. And they still don't know what is wrong with me. After twenty million tests, the best they have come up with is mild irritable bowel (which I've had for years, so no surprise there) and a slightly irregular pap smear. My doctor is starting me on some new medication today- something that is supposed to calm the IBS and treat chronic pain. Basically, from what I can gather, she has no idea what's wrong so she is throwing some drugs at me to keep me quiet. I have become completely disillisioned with the medical system, and have decided I'm just going to have to learn to live this way. Grrr.

BUT! I have cookies! And they are so super yummy that I can't help but feel happy. Thank you msbelle!!!!!!

I'm still not working full hours, and when I am online I try to focus on getting some work done before I need another nap. So don't look for me to be around so much, but know that I love you all and are wishing everyone the best holiday ever!

I'm not sure how much I'm going to be around. I may be blinking in and out.

Tonight at about 6, Mom called from Minn. She, my stepdad and stepsisters were told it was time they all came up there. LB seems to be losing his fight.

I'm pretty much staying by the phone for when mom calls, or to call her if I start to feel anxious.

I'm kinda reading and may be posting, since Buffista wit and wisdom are a source of comfort. I appreciate everyone's well wishes, prayers and vibes.

I'll be on the road and dark until the 16th. I expect to be doing much skipping and skimming upon my return.

I do not reccomend finals week to anyone. Especially when you have to move out of your dorm room by the end of finals week. It has been crazycrazy for the past two weeks, and it shows no signs of stopping.

Anyway, the long and short of it is I'm packing my ass off and I'll be going home December 13th; I should be home that evening, and if I'm not completely unconscious, I'll check in.

Jesus, we have a lot of shit.

Some good news, finally: I'm quitting my job and going back to school! Starting next month I'll be taking some catch-up science classes and then in September I start nursing school.

My immediate plan is to get RN certification the quickest and cheapest way possible--an associate's program at a local community college. I should be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensing exam in about a year and a half.

Plans after that are amorphous. I want to continue on to certification as a women's health nurse practitioner (and thus be qualified to provide primary and ob/gyn care to healthy women), but I'm not sure when or where. There are a lot of RN -> NP programs out there, so cost and location (theirs and mine!) will probably be the deciding factors.

I have a job interview next Wednesday for a part-time unit coordinator position on the labor/birth/delivery floor of a major hospital, so I can work and get a bit of experience with women's health while I'm in school.

My last day at my current job is 1/10/2003.

Full speed ahead!