I assume most are a bit more civilized (and with Buffista smokers, I'm pretty sure), but I'm always coming upon empty packs and other debris.

You should hear a civilized smoker rant on this topic. It's kind of refreshing. Until you start worrying about their blood pressure and stuff.

You should hear a civilized smoker rant on this topic. It's kind of refreshing. Until you start worrying about their blood pressure and stuff.

I imagine it's much like the responsible dog owner rant. I get SO angry at dog owners who don't clean up after their dogs, causing ME to get yelled at by my neighbors. It's SO irritating. So much so, in fact, that I often stop to clean up after the other dogs to keep my confrontations to minimum.

Oh, goodie! My voice is gone. Guess all that coughing finally caught up with me.

o_a, thanks. I can see it now. Oddly, I was lying in bed this morning and suddenly remembered that I'd asked that question yesterday and then disappeared for a full day of conferencing, getting things fixed, and... sleeping unexpectedly. Then I fell back asleep and dreamt about you posting an answer and then getting pissed at me for going away. So, uh... thanks!

vw, if I had the time, I'd totally fly up and take care of you. I'm sorry this sucks so much.

vw, if I had the time, I'd totally fly up and take care of you. I'm sorry this sucks so much.

Thanks, you. But, I probably wouldn't let you anyways. I'm so afraid of getting other people sick. sj and teacup guy were gonna come over tomorrow to help with some stuff, and I e-mailed sj yesterday and told her not to come. I don't want anyone else getting this ick. Except, apparently, my mom. But, she exposed herself to me of her own accord Thursday night, so now I figure she might as well help. Or something.

All of my doctors are through my hospital, so they all write notes in the same computer system, which means they all can access all of my records. I find it incredibly helpful, and I do think it has made coordination of care MUCH easier, which I really needed--especially when all of this started six years ago.

This is just SO sensible, and I wish it were more widely practiced. Among other things, it's got to be a big help in avoiding drug interactions among patients being treated for a variety of conditions.

ION, when I went to the doctor on Friday my pulse was down about 20 bpm from what it's been the past couple years--66 instead of 85-90--and my bp is down too, though not as dramatically. It's 130/80 now when it had been running 140/90 or even 140/100. I haven't yet made all those lifestyle choices I promised my doctor at my last physical, the things that were supposed to give me a chance to fix the issue on my own rather than put me on bp meds several years before I turn 40.

Anyway, I'm trying to decide where to place the credit. At first I thought that at the physical I was still new enough to my current job that all the stress from the old one hadn't worn off yet, because it's made a HUGE difference for me. I mean, the new place isn't perfect, but I don't dread each new day when the alarm goes off anymore, you know? But then I wondered if it's being on iron supplements, because it was the bloodwork from my physical that revealed I need them. Like, maybe part of the problem with my bp and pulse before was my heart was having to work too hard because my blood wasn't as oxygenated as it should be?

Anyway, I'm feeling newly motivated to get on that whole exercise and eat better thing. If I can just get 10 more points off each of my bp numbers, they'll be pretty good.

Good for you, Susan, whatever the reason for the improvement!

Today's my mom's birthday. Happy birthday, Mama!

Mom is putting together furniture for me (a new cabinet thingy I bought to help organize all my craft stuff), and she moved my baker's rack into the kitchen from the dining room to rearrange the dining room as more of a crafty nook. I swear, I might not recognize this place when she's done.

Timelies, Bitches.