So very cool:

[link]

Save the stump!

I have this reputation as an organized person, but I actually veer between order and chaos. I'll get my bookshelves all in order, or I'll make a to-do list and stick by it, but then I'll fall off the wagon and the whole system goes to hell. Then, once the clutter and chaos and things left undone get out of hand and start stressing me out, I make lists and sort objects again...until the effort gets overwhelming and it all falls apart.

I really wish I could find the happy medium, because I'm not fond of that particular roller-coaster.

The one set of objects that STAYS organized is the Precioussss, I mean my research collections, all my beautiful books about Wellington and Napoleon and Jane Austen and riflemen and Waterloo and other such delightful things. They're lovingly alphabetized, and whenever I go to get a book from that shelf, I spend an extra 15 minutes or so admiring my beautiful, beautiful books. And the one thing I consistently find the time to do no matter what is write. I wish I could apply the same relentless focus to the rest of my life, but for me I think focus requires passion.

Yes, it's a pretty good drug. Very low side effects, and definitely lowers your cholesterol. There's some question, however, whether that is REALLLY going to make you less likely to die, but they do help. However, it's probably still a good plan.

Ah, hmm. See I don't know how I feel about that, isn't the point to lower the likelihood of heart attack & stroke? Certainly for me that'd be an important reason to want to take it.

Sorry, see my edits, Burrell--it does help. They're generally considered EXTREMELY helpful for "high risk" patients. (I feel I should insert a "IANAD" here). And they're safe enough that they've been considered for possible over the counter status on the idea that they might be helpful for everyone. But the thing is, for "low risk" patients is where the debate on actual helpfulness in reducing mortality (though they still lower cholesterol) comes in. As to whether you are a "high risk" patient, or whether you are low risk but might still benefit...well, that's the "I am not a doctor" part of it. :)

I have to be up in four and a half hours to go to the airport. Why can I not sleep?

Okay, thanks meara, that helps a lot.

{{{{{SEANk}}}}}

Sorry I missed your call. Even sadder that your layover isn't long enough. Although, at that hour, I wouldn't be able to visit anyway, so, prob for the best.

Since there was a lot of lament earlier about visiting and missing, let it be known, I very much miss all my LAista peeps! very very much.

Today, I was very much twarted by a lil 3" cd. Yup. A USB -> 232 adapter had it's drivers on a lil 3" cd. So small, that it will not (or not supposed to try to) load into a slot drive, like the one in my fancy schmancy MacBook. So, I go to the old office, and boot the crappy computer. It has THREE cd drives. Of course, the first two didn't work. Hours. HOURS. Which meant I wasn't reading my bitches all day. :: sigh :: So, hair pats and hugs all around.

I HATE those little CDs. I have a reference book that came with one several years ago (nursing drug guide) that I was never able to install on my home laptop because it was a powerbook before it was my current macbook.

Deena is RIGHT THERE

(I ran away. But I came back.)

Thanks, meara, you made me smile. Which is good because I watched SYTYCD with a migraine. Not a good idea when it came to the rabbit dance, but I couldn't wait to find out who won.

I'm trying to reorganize my life a little. Mostly, I work. What with the whole working from home thing, I work from the time I get up until I go to bed. I've added back in a little bit of television, and now I'm going to try to hang out here a little more. I'm kind of tired of working all the time.

eta: And having said all that, now I'm going to go to bed.

Burrell, meara said everything that I was going to say. (I went to bed about 3 hours ago, and woke up about 10 minutes ago and realized that I needed -- NEEDED, I say! -- pistachios.)

Lipitor lowers cholesterol *extremely* well. However, like meara said, for patients whose cholesterol is in the close-to-normal range of "high," there's a lot of question lately about whether lowering one's cholesterol is helpful. Cholesterol levels could just be a marker, not a cause of heart attack, etc.

That said, for patients like my dad -- who is an EXTREME case of established heart disease and veins-of-Velveeta levels of cholesterol -- it can be helpful.

As to whether you are a "high risk" patient, or whether you are low risk but might still benefit...well, that's the "I am not a doctor" part of it.

And there's the catch.

I'll put it this way: my dad has had 5 heart attacks in addition to quadruple bypass surgery and literally 10+ balloon angioplasties. Therefore, I obviously have a significant family history of heart disease. My cholesterol, last time it was checked is in the 210-220 range. Personally, I have NO intention of taking Lipitor or a similar drug, as all my other heart disease parameters are very good (although I could stand to exercise a little more).

And actually, what's considered "high" cholesterol has been moved downward in the past 10 years (it used to be 265 mg/dL and above; now it's 200 mg/dL and above). Has that lowered heart disease-related mortality? Probably not. But it *has* increased the number of prescriptions for Lipitor and similar drugs. (Not to sound cynical, or anything....)

Steph: Huh. I remember that *I* had a complete psychotic break at the SF2F Prom (and I'm only slightly kidding about that, but it is the biggest factor in my non-attendance at subsequent F2Fs), but you seemed totally fine. Go team Xanax!

Aims: You were the one Kristin checked with before giving it to me cause I was on the Lamictal and I was fall.ing. apart in Amyth, Kate P, smonster, and juliana's room.

What was it about the SF2F? I went freakin' crazy and have avoided you all ever since.

Eh, for me, it was just the realization that I truly am an introvert -- as in the *true* definition that groups of people exhaust me, NOT in the (misinterpreted and incorrect) definition of "shy repressed walllower" -- and, as much as I love my Buffistas, and love seeing you guys, I pay too huge of a price in terms of my emotional resources.

Basically, I can't be around large groups of people for more than a couple of hours (and even that is very taxing). And it's NOT just you guys; it's *any* large group. What sucks heavily is that I *want* to be around Buffistas; other groups, NSM.

But wanting it doesn't overcome my introversion. The SF2F made me realize that I'm too old to force myself to ignore my needs, and/or too old to force myself to change.

Would that it were different.

Smaller groups are fine. But my (admittedly vague) guideline is that 10 (ish) is really my upper limit, especially for prolonged periods of time, like a weekend.

I actually had to deal with this recently, when going to a mingle-y dinner type thing of about 25 people made me VERY stressed out, in the fight-or-flight way. When I explained to a handful of the people there why I was stressed out, one dude told me that I was "making it up" and using it as an excuse to be a homebody and that I should get over it.

I told him that obviously I *wasn't* using it as an excuse to be a homebody, since I was standing right the fuck there in the restaurant talking to him and NOT at home. And then I walked away, lest I stab him in the forehead with a fork.

What I am is what I am, and if you [by "you," I mean that dude, NOT anyone here, although I *would* mean it if anyone here copped that attitude with me] think so little of me that you don't respect that I've spent a lot of time thinking this through, then you can fuck right the hell off. It's NOT an excuse to *not* engage; it's simply knowing my limits and my needs and then (continued...)