Hey Peeps!

I'm home and on the mend. Looks like I can cut back on the heavy drugs a bit (just not the same without the hookers anyway) and start communicating with the world at large again.

Thanks for all the good wishes!

I passed the background check! So I'll start paid training for a supermarket cashier job next Thursday.

Yeah, it's not a big YAY JOB, but it pays more than unemployment and it's close to home and school, so....

Semi-ridiculous question: Does anyone have an ivory or cream top hat (preferably vaguely Christmas caroler in style) that they don't want? If so, PLEASE email me at my profile addy.

Hey, my sister is being laid off because her Border's store is closing. She has almost 20 years experience, including managerial, at Waldenbooks/Borders, but she really wants a job in her field, Library Science.

She has her MLS and an MA in English, with a BA in History.

She's willing to relocate. If anyone has any leads, please drop me a line at my profile addy. She's a bibliophile, a geeky girl but with tons of customer relations skills and very hard-working, responsible and smart.

I know I've been super absent lately, trying to get back into a writing groove, but I'm going to shamelessly beg for some ~ma.

I found out this morning that my Father-in-law is in ICU with a strep infection that started in his elbow and has now basically attacked his whole system and gone septic. They've got him on crazy strong antibiotics and they're expecting to put him on dialysis tomorrow to give his system a kick start. I'm hoping that his overall good health will allow him to fight this off, but as Lewis' uncle who's a doctor said, expect this to be a marathon, not a sprint and my FiL's doctors have already warned my MiL that he's likely to be in the hospital for several weeks.

So yeah... any spare ~ma would be much appreciated.

A friend of mine directed a documentary called "Orgasm Inc." about how drug companies are trying to profit from "female sexual dysfunction". It's funny, provocative, yadda yadda yadda. But it's not yet on Netflix. If this sounds like a movie you'd like to see, and you have Netflix, please save it to your queue. The more people who add it, the more likely it is that Netflix will get it. [link]

t /pimpage

If anyone is interested in my blog reports on my first Mardi Gras in New Orleans, they can be found here:

My First Parade of the Season.

The Rest of Parades the First Weekend.

Babylon, Chaos, and Muses Parades the Thursday before Mardi Gras.

My Adventures at the Coronation Ball of the Krewe of Zulu.

Sunday and Lundi Gras. Also Bacchus.

Mardi Gras report.

Ash Wednesday Reflections.

Update on the FiL:

Lewis took the red eye last night and landed in Jax early this morning. After arriving at the hospital, he discovered that his dad had been improving slowly and steadily since yesterday afternoon, which is definitely huge. It's going to continue to be a marathon, but they used a drug on him for the blood pressure, which was super low and impeding the kidney and liver function, that stabilized him, he hasn't run a fever since early yesterday, and he's conscious and mostly lucid.

Lewis says he has some periods where he seems pretty out of it-- that could be because his oxygen levels have been a little wonky, although at least his lungs remain clear, or it could be the meds. Likewise, his fine motor control seems a little compromised at the moment, probably for the aforementioned reasons.

But at least no backslides, so that's good. Thanks so much for all the good thoughts and prayers everyone. I'm sure they're helping.

A few weeks ago I made a request for birthday cards for K-Bug. She turns 21 later this month and I'm putting together a "party in a box" with a bunch of things in groups of 21 plus cards from friends and family.

So many of you have read/watched her grow up. I believe she was a mere 13 at the Nilly-que. Anyway, if you would like to send her birthday wishes, send a note to my profile addy and I'll send you my snail addy. I will be sending the box to her at the end of next week. Thanks!!!

Well, the Apocalypse did indeed, arguably, come -- but my friend Yoko is alive and well and finally got internet access this morning.