Laura, that is absolutely awful. I just don't get it, at all. What a terrible waste.

Sometimes, Karl, I think it's senseless. Sometimes I think it's part of a very deliberate strategy. I don't know which makes me wanna holler more.

Also, what erika said.

My new job will not offer health insurance. The company owner himself doesn't have health insurance. My mom is flipping out and is probably going to insist on paying for my COBRA as long as it will last. I really, really, really don't want to accept that assistance, but I don't want to go without health insurance, either. I've still got a list of doctor visits piling up since October 2010 (vision, retinal specialist, dermatologist, dentist...).

In happier news, my first half day of work went well and then my boss bought me lunch! Whee!! I helped paint a big accent wall today (20' x 13') and will start the window stuff after my parents leave.

Speaking of, parents have landed. They are settled in their hotel (very nice) and we had dinner at a wee Italian cafe near the hotel. Then I showed them my house, and we did conference calls with each of my siblings (I don't get why we did that, but whatever), and then I took them back to the hotel.

My dad's hearing problems have definitely gotten worse (get. a. damn. hearing aid.) and my mom's fussiness is going to tax my zen severely, but it's good to see them. I should starting taking bets on how many times they are going to be taken aback/horrified/scandalized here - it's already happened once (we walked by this place - [link] - and a helpful security guard across the street explained what it was.

I haven't gotten much sleep the last couple of nights, so I think I'm going to crash early.

say yes to help smonster -- it will let you move forward more easily

I'm sorry laura

smonster, are they staying downtown or in the GD?

I’m so sorry, Laura.

In other fuck cancer news, I found out today that my head of school (who is 45) learned during spring break that her husband has an aggressive, stage 4 cancer and a very poor prognosis. He is also in his 40s. They have two daughters.

Thinking of you, Ginger.

Went to Israel for Passover, which was nice. And I got to see Shir, who once again crossed half the country so that we could talk sociology for hours and hours. She's fab.

I was mostly absent yesterday due to feeling like crap and having a headache. Then I got home from work and had a pink letter from my doctor's office. Opened it up: they want me to get an mri on my left breast. Called right away and I have to see a surgeon to get referred to the mri. (I need an mri on my kidney already so I made an appt with the same surgeon as before - I figure he'll know what's up.) Anyway, there were lots of cysts in both breasts and they couldn't see if they were solid or filled with liquid or what.

Made a crappy day even crappier. But, I got a call from a good friend and we talked and talked the evening away. . . had an excellent night's sleep and feel so much better today.

Surgeon: next Tuesday.

Lots of comfort to Laura and Bobby. . .such a horrible thing to happen.

And continued ~ma for Ginger.

Lots of ~ma to you, sumi!!

Nora, they are at the Avenue Inn on St. Charles. Very nice. They greeted us with fresh cookies! And we ate at Il Posto.

Hi Seska!

Tons of ~ma, sumi!

Seska! It's good to see you here.

sending mucho ~ma your way, sumi!