Going darkish for the weekend, as I head over to MeagaCon. I'll try to report on what I hear in Spoilers Lite or Jossverse In Other Media.

If'n I *ever* go dark on you (again) without warning it may well be due to These Guys

Please feel free to drop them a line, I'm sure they'd love to read your input.

Much better news about my grandmother, who we feared was becoming demented.

Late last week the doctors discovered a previously-undiagnosed hairline fracture in her pelvis. (This all began when she took a bad fall two weeks ago.) After the doctors started medicating her transdermally for the pelvic pain, she became much more responsive to her surroundings: saying "thank you" to the nurses, feeding herself, and so on. It looks like she's going to be fine. Basically, she had been in too much pain to deal with the outside world.

I'm off to a job interview, and I could use whatever spare vibes y'all might happen to have lying around. Thanks....

I’m home! Out of 23,647 runners, walkers and wheelchair participants in yesterday’s LA marathon I FINISHED 16,855th. Yay me!

It took me a full 2 hours longer than my previous marathons due to knee pain from jogging way too much in the first 10 miles. At the 10K point I was under a 15 minute mile, which is good for me, but I finished in 8:43:31 which is a pitiful 20 minute mile overall.

I am very sunburned and rather ouchy today, but I have a really cool medal. I met and shared the hours with quite a few LA locals and will post pictures and stories tomorrow when I hope to be less delirious than I am at the moment. DH probably walked 10 miles taking pictures and encouraging me and others to finish through the pain. He was unbelievably helpful.

Thanks so much to Kat, Lori, Perkins, and ita for meeting me for carbo-loading Saturday night. I was so very weary from the long travel day and meeting all of you was just what I needed. More later.

Well, my baby brother, a Tech Sergeant in the Air Force Reserve, has been Activated. The Force basically owns his ass for two years.

Now, it's not as scary as it sounds, because a) he already works on the base, in uniform, as an electrician on the giant C5 cargo planes; b) he gets nearly $1,000 more per month now; c) chances are just as good he'll be sent to central Massachusetts or Dover AFB in Delaware or even better, Germany, Turkey, or Spain, or maybe he'll stay put right here at Stewart AFB in NY, instead of Kuwait or Qatar; d) at any rate, even though he's got his gas mask and all he'll never be in or near combat unless Saddam really gets lucky.

It was interesting to hear him talk about his training for germ and chemical warfare, and how the airmen really don't want the war but are prepared to do their duty and are bitterly angry at Saddam for not complying with the UN or going into exile like a sane person, and the careful precautions the pilots are going to take to minimize civilian casualties. He never expected to become the vet of a shooting war when he joined 10 years ago but he's upbeat and ready for anything. Aw, he'll be fine, I'm sure.

But ya know--witnessing your baby brother's will and signing the power of attorney papers? Sucks.

Pictures! Lots of pictures, 7 pages of marathon pictures and commentary. 26.2 miles of LA streets. Alas, I didn't bring my camera to the LAista carbo-loading dinner.

Enjoy!

Michiganistas -

I'm going to be in Ann Arbor on Saturday night. My sister and I will be going to see Willy Porter at the Ark at 8pm. If anyone can join us, please do! Willy is great (and a friend of my sister's) and I'd love to see/meet any of you who can come out.

My profile addy is good if you want to make arrangements. Otherwise, think blond, and my sister and I won't be hard to spot.

My mom called late last night to tell me that my grampa passed away.

I don't know when, but I'll be going dark for a few days so I can get back East.

Thanks to everyone who called and emailed and posted support for me and my family.

This is just a drive-by post to thank y'all for the jobma the other day -- it apparently worked, and I have another longish-term temp job at the looniversity starting on Monday.

As always, any jobma I didn't use up is available to the next Buffista who needs it.