OK. I have a phone interview tomorrow with a place that seems to really want to hire me and where I'm pretty sure I would like to work, and it's definitely an area where I'd be much happier living than west Georgia. (No offense to Georgians -- I just know that I'm not comfortable living someplace that far from a Jewish community.) I know I'm one of the top few candidates at another school, where I'm also pretty sure I'd like to work, and which is in a totally different location that also looks like someplace I could happily live.

Just need to remember to breathe. I know that I'm going to calm way down once this is settled.

And now I'm getting heartburn. I know I've got some Tums around here somewhere. Just have no idea where. t edit: the Tums were behind the TV. Also found some behind the bookcase. No clue why.

I totes would be the first line of defense in our house

It would be very difficult for someone to get into my house unnoticed. And then? I keep a very heavy hammer and a Kellite by my bed.

One of the few beneficial things my psychopathic father taught me was 'go for the eyes.' And, punch the throat. He 'demonstrated' for my own good. I will never, ever forget that pain. Trying to hit the head makes no sense, you'll break your hand before making a dent. The throat, however, is pretty incapacitating.

t /scary wee woman

I'm an trach-cruncher, too! MA SISTER!

haHA! I raise my hammer in salute!

(No offense to Georgians -- I just know that I'm not comfortable living someplace that far from a Jewish community.)

I think you'd be comfortable in metro Atlanta, but I'd agree that west Georgia is not the best fit. You could probably cope fine for a year or so, because you could drive into Atlanta, but it's not a good long-term fit.

Okay, I'm working myself into a state. Girly TMI and request for advice:

Has anyone ever had prolonged bleeding after a pap smear? It was very uncomfortable and took the woman a while to find a position where she could actually do the smear. A week later, I'm still bleeding as if I'm on my period -- not heavily, not painfully. I had cramps for the first couple of days, but again, not debilitating.

I know I should call the doctor, but I'm being avoidant and hoping it just goes away.

A smear, or did they do that pinch off a bit of your cervix thing?

And it's been a week? Call yout gyno. It probably no biggie, but better to know.

I assume it was the usual, with the brush and the scraping, but I wasn't exactly in a state to ask for details.

Dana, I bled (more like heavy spotting) for a while after my last pap -- the IUD strings tend to mean a more irritable cervix.

I'm guessing your cervix got pinched or nicked.

I wouldn't be especially freaked, but I'd call your gyno tomorrow.