My reliable, I am going to fall apart now movie is, no surprise, Big Fish.

I have been wanting to watch it since Mom passed, but haven't let myself. Maybe I should.

I think that is a beautiful idea, Jilli. I wish I could hold your hand...or you know...pass the tissues, while you do.

The thing is, Big Fish wrecks me during times when there ISN'T huge emotional stress going on. I'm a little afraid of what it would do to me now. But it's such a wonderful movie.

(Needless to say, Mirrormask, with it's plot point of a hospitalized mom, is RIGHT off my list of movies at the moment.)

Erin, so much ~ma for your friends. That is beyond imagining.

I'm going in people...wish me luck.

I'm right behind you, bonny. This thing that I have been saying for several days is just allergies has become a cough. No matter whether the cause of the cough is viral or allergenic, it's a sit up and take notice symptom that I have to keep a close eye on, so it doesn't develop a secondary bacterial infection in the old airways.

Okay, going in for deep periodontal cleaning in 75% of my mouth. LOTS of novocaine.

I'm being a big baby and whining.

Much, much ~ma for your friends, Erin.

I hope her dad is able to come to the wedding. It's coming up soon, right?

Thanks. Yes, just a couple of months! (We were silly enough to choose a wedding blog site with a countdown on it. The Girl regularly shouts a random number of days at me. "57 days!" She needs external motivators, or there won't be any catering and we'll be standing in the middle of a field going "Wasn't there supposed to be a marquee here?")

Thanks for the ~ma, all. The Girl says her dad is doing a bit better today. Hopefully she'll be able to come home by the weekend.

{{{Barb}}} Minimal pain~ma.

I am asking this as a serious question and not trying to be snarky or whiny, but when does working out start to give you energy rather than just making you want to go to bed?

I've noticed that I feel slightly more energized after the gym than when I go in. It's not made any huge difference in day to day life, but there is a difference.

Also, my butt has bits that curve in, now, instead of everything curving out.

It's like the fetal is there as your reset. USE IT.

Yup.

Bywater is part of the Ninth Ward (it's technically the Upper Ninth).

Argh, typing quickly on iphone while distracted. Meant to say: I believe the UPPER NINTH Ward is subdivided into Bywater (the L strip along river and Industrial Canal) and St. Claude. And Nora, you'll be amused to know that Smitty referred to Holy Cross as a "fictional neighborhood" last time I was down there. Yowza.

Lots of ~ma to your friends, Erin. How awful.

Best of luck, Barb!

Ack, Barb. I have something like that in my future. Take a handful of advil before you go.

I just found out that one of my friends from grad school is going to be working at my university next year. That'll be great, if I'm still working here next year. (Latest word is that we'll know by the end of the month.)