{{{Pix, ND, and ND's mom}}}. I'm glad to hear she'll be alright, but really, so much ~ma to you. The universe really has to step off your case.

Health~ma also to Daniel, Jilli and Hil (with a healthy side of job~ma to the last).

And, ION: I'm having a it's-too-fucking-hot headache. I'm having a "seriously, Israel?" disbelief with the reactions of the Israeli public wrt Turkey. I'm crossing my fingers for Rachel Corrie. I was having a really disturbing Electra-like dream tonight. It wasn't my dad, but it was the guy my mom dated in the dream, and I'm all "ewww!" this morning. I was having a divine watermelon, but it's all over now. Booo! I need to start doing my homework, ASAP, but again - too. Fucking. Hot.

Edit: oh, joy! Israel agreed to pass the cement (don't know if the other things) that was on the flotilla to the Strip.

Now, of course, it's been detained by Hamas, which for some reason don't want it to be transferred to the civilian population of Gaza right away.

(Sorry, all of my sources about it are in Hebrew, so I can't link. Also, I can't believe that right now, I need at least three political commentary blogs just to understand the nonsense I read in the papers. Which is a big part of the answer to the question, how on earth a lot of people think this was a lynch in IDF navy commando - they simply read the newspapers alone).

Good thoughts for Pix and ND.

I'm glad ND's mom is doing better and that Pix's neck is easing up a bit. Safe travels, ND. I hope you get a chance to get home for a longer stretch soon.

It's taken two months since it was prescribed, but I finally have my new ankle brace. It fits properly! And it has a hinge, so I can move my foot up and down, but not side to side. The old one controlled the side to side motion by just being really tight, which also meant I couldn't really move my foot up and down.

I just realized that this brace will create all kinds of hassles for getting past airport security. It's got a bunch of metal pieces (the old one was entirely plastic and fabric), and it fits into my shoe in a way that makes it pretty much impossible for me to take off my shoes for the security line -- the only way to take off my shoe is the unfasten the whole brace.

On the upside, you will probably be able to bypass the waiting by using the side aisle?

And I forgot to say - ND and Pix, I am so sorry things are whack-a-doo right now. Vibing good thoughts for you two!!

And for the trifecta -

Turns out, a vintage Bloodletting t-shirt is a) really rare and b) really spendy.

It's taken two months since it was prescribed, but I finally have my new ankle brace. It fits properly! And it has a hinge, so I can move my foot up and down, but not side to side.

Woo hoooooooooooooo!

Maybe use the plastic one when you fly?

Maybe resurrect the old one only for the trip to the airport?

It was really funny seeing all the signs in the airport in Mexico: "DO NOT REMOVE YOUR SHOES (YOU STUPID AMERICANS)"

That last part may have been implied.