Prudent Choices in Ambulatory Recovery Process

Note To Self... regarding appropriate timing of crawling as a choice in ambulatory process: While 'crutching' has been proven effective yet tiresome, and 'hopping' has been proven to cause leaks, crawling has emerged as the form of transportation of choice. Having said that, there are times and situations where it may be prudent to use one of the remaining other options... such as when the UPS man delivers a package - (one must know at this point that I have a completely clear glass front door.) Never mind the embarassing encounter as the UPS guy tries to open my front door with his muscular forearm as I try to pull myself to a standing position, lose hold of the bannister and basically fall at his feet. Rather, focus solely on the fact that my son arrives home at around the same time and has this day, decided to bring with him, three of his friends, whom, upon seeing said brown shorts clad man apparently molesting his mother at the front door, run screaming adolescent obscenities at aforementioned male, who then, in self defense, turns on my pack of defenders with his apparently patented karate moves.

You can't make this shit up!

Still Recovering

When I told friends that I was having foot surgery, they all had the same reaction: 'Oh the PAIN!' When my husband brought me home and lovingly arranged me and my pillows, he also made sure I took the prescribed pills, because of the PAIN! Well, I'll tell you, the worst thing about this ordeal has NOT been the PAIN - it has been trying to get around! Yeah, I've got crutches - new fangled crutches - the stainless steel kind, with the bands for your arms instead of those armpit centered ones. But my 'good' leg gets really tired, and you can't do anything without leaning the crutches up against something to do it, and they always fall, oh, and try going to the bathroom in a small bathroom accompanied by two crutches - good luck! And you certainly can't carry anything on crutches! The other alternative is hopping. I've gotten pretty good at the hopping thing, heck I can even carry a few things (if they have lids, and if I don't have to go too far). The only drawback with the hopping thing is... well, it's the fact that I'm an almost 50 year old woman with an almost 50 year old bladder, which, when shaken, tends to leak. That's when I discovered - Crawling! It's brilliant actually. I can get anywhere, I mean look at babies! I can carry anything because I don't actually need the front two hands for abulatory purposes. I can even carry things AND push other things along in front of me. The only drawback of this method, so far, seems to be the knees. There's not much padding on the old kneecap. But then who says my soft pink padded piggy scuff slippers need to be used solely for feet?

Day Two of Recuperation

I can choose to either have my brain and pain in my foot, or take my pills and have no pain and no brain.

I dozed and watched TV all day yesterday until night time. At that point I chose to not take the pain pills and see how much my foot hurt. Surprizingly, it didn't hurt that much so I hobbled around on my crutches for a while. This only serves to make the other leg hurt.

I actually went all night without taking the pain meds and slept better than I did the night before. This morning, I got up and down a couple of times and didn't take any pain pills untill late morning. It was much nicer without the pills, since I was clear headed, but my foot started throbbing so I gave in and took two.

I'm thinking that I'll just take one from now on, because the two seems to make me feel like it's hard to breathe. Plus it takes so long to wear off. And it's not even a fun high. It does sedate me though and keeps me from trying to get up and do something, which I guess is the point.

Downtown Dad and both the kids have been just great! They are doing laundry, and making meals and they even got groceries.

Tessie has an assignment that involves making her own soundtrack for Romeo and Juliet. They just rented the 1968 version which I probably haven't seen since I was Tessie's age. She's asked me to help but, my brain is so mushy, I don't know how much help I'll be!

I'm so glad I had this done! And the timing seems to be just great for the recuperation process.

Day One of Toe Surgery Recuperation

What could be better I ask you, than doing nothing but sitting with my feet up, with my laptop, my cell phone, the TV remote and my family to wait on me?

Well, it would be better if pain wasn't involved, but then there are the drugs! And it would be better if there was a better selection of movies on TV.

Yesterday was the actual surgery. I actually don't remember much of it... again the drugs! We left at 7:30 a.m. and were done and home by 5:30 p.m. My foot was numb until about 2:30 today when I started to feel some real pain.

I can't put any weight on it at all, but so far all I've had to do is make the 5 foot journey to the bathroom.

Well, the oxycodone has taken, along with the pain, any ability to think creatively. Maybe I can think of more to write tomorrow.

Highly Recommended!

The whole family has post play depression! Just So was a fabulous success! Maybe it was because we were all involved in some way from me sewing costumes, and carpooling, to Tessie being a backstage assistant, to Downtown Dad building sets - and Bearly's singing and dancing debut as Rhino, but it was a great way to spend those winter doldrums!

Just So, is Rudyard Kipling's take on how all of the animals in the jungle got their unique shapes and colors after starting out all the same. It starts with all of the animals being fed up with the giant crab who rules the tides, alternately causing droughts and flooding. The Eldest magician, meets an elephants child, who ceaselessly asks questions. The magician pairs him up with a flightless kolokolo bird who knows everything. After learning that the giant crab favors the mouth of the great gray green greasy limpopo river as his feeding spot, the magician sends the two sailing off to politely ask the crab to stop playing with the sea. Along the way, they meet several animals who are in the process of becoming themselves. A giraffe and zebra, are tired of living with boring wildebeasts and running from a lascivious Leopard and Jaguire, who just want to take the ladies out to dinner. The girls pick up their hooves and trot from the high velt to the jungle, and in the process the jungle light changes their skin so they can better blend in. Unfortunately, the Leopard and Jaguire follow them and their skin is also changed, so the chase continues. In their travels, the Elephant's Child, who does not yet have a trunk, and the flightless Kolokolo Bird, who has not yet learned to fly, come upon a deserted island, inhabited by a reclusive Parsee Man and his beloved Cooking Stove. The Parsee man is sad because due to the unpredictable tides, he has no ingredients with which to bake a cake in his marvelous cooking stove. Also on this deserted island lives a very bad mannered Rhino who's skin, while thick, is very smooth. Rhino, a combination of Elvis and Jackie Gleason, accompanied by his posse of birds wonders if anyone can think of something nice that they can say about a Rhino. While fully aware of his lack of manners, he is very proud of his thick skin. He laments the lack of cakes, and the Parsee Man's stingy nature. The Koloko Bird and the Elephant's Child pursuade the Parsee Man to bake one of his world famous cakes using his emergency rations. The rations sing and dance as the Parsee Man teaches everyone to walk the Parsee cake cake walk walk. In the midst of this, the Rhino smells a cake being baked and returns. Just as the cake is finished baking - he steals it - thus angering the Parsee Man. Another creature they encounter is the Kangaroo who tells them both the story of how he once had a shape like all the other animals until two yellow dingo dogs chased him all over Austrailia, causing his legs to grow in leaps and bounds. The journey progresses, and the Kolokolo bird tires of the Elephant Child's questions, so she goes off on her own, only to be taken captive by the Jaguire and the Leopard. The Elephant's Child saves her, but again she runs off. This time she sees other birds flying and we learn that behind her know-it-all attitude, she is very afraid - mostly of flying. While she is away from the Elephant's Child, he again encounters the Parsee Man, The Cooking Stove and the Rhino who are still fighting. Now the Rhino's smooth skin is baggy and wrinkled. The Elephant's Child being curious, asks how that happened. The Rhino tearfully relates the story of how on one fearsome hot day he took off his skin to take a dip in the river. As he was cooling off, The Parsee Man, filled the Rhino's empty skin with cake crumbs, all that was left of the cake that was stolen - so that when he put his skin back on it tickled and itched so that he stretched and scratched and pulled his beautiful skin all out of shape. Despite this tragedy, the Elephant's Child and the Cooking Stove are able to mediate a truce between the Parsee Man and Rhino and they become best friends. The Elephant Child realizes that he has found the great gray green greasy limpopo river at last! He asks the first creature he sees to help him find the crab. That creature is a giant crocodile who tries to eat the Elephant's child. His head stuck in the crocodile's jaws, the Elephant's Child cries out for the Kolokolo Bird to help him. The Kolokolo Bird, having at last learned how to fly swoops in and pulls the Elephant's child out of the Crocodile's mouth, stretching his nose into a trunk.

All of the animals gather and help the Elephant's Child convince the crab - who is not giant after all - to quit playing with the sea, and everyone lives happily ever after.

COLD

60 Degrees Above Zero

• Californians turn on the heat.
• People in North Dakota plant gardens.

50 Degrees Above Zero

• Californians shiver uncontrollably.
• People in Fargo sunbathe.

40 Degrees Above Zero

• Italian and English made cars won't start.
• People in Minnesota drive with the windows down.

32 Degrees Above Zero

• Distilled water freezes.
• The water in Fargo/Moorhead gets thicker.

20 Degrees Above Zero

• Californians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, and wool hats.
• People in Minnesota throw on a flannel shirt.

15 Degrees Above Zero

• New York landlords finally turn up the heat.
• People in North Dakota have the last cookout before it gets cold.

Zero

• People in Miami all die.
• Iowans close the windows.

5 Degrees BELOW Zero

• Californians fly away to Mexico.
• People in Minnesota get out their winter coats.

10 Degrees BELOW Zero

• Hollywood disintegrates.
• The Girl Scouts in North Dakota are selling cookies door to door.

20 Degrees BELOW Zero

• Washington DC runs out of hot air.
• People in Minnesota let the dogs sleep indoors.

30 Degrees BELOW Zero

• Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
• People in Fargo get upset because they can't start the minivan.

40 Degrees BELOW Zero

• Atomic motion slows down.
• People in Fargo/Moorhead start saying "So, is it cold enough for ya?"

50 Degrees BELOW... (Bee FREAKIN' LOW) ZERO!

• Hell freezes over.
• Fargo Public Schools open 2 hours late. (maybe)

Farewell to the Fishes

The fish project is finally finished, and I had to send my four fishy friends off to "school."

They are just costumes, hats really, and only for four non-speaking roles, but to me they are stars! The level of patience it took to re-learn how to sew on a machine I'd never even used before was good lesson in slowing down and focusing.

Ask Me About My Neighborhood

We're - we're FAMOUS! In a good way this time! I turned on my computer this morning and the first thing I see is this:

Way to go Fargo!

Not only is the unemployment rate a mere 1.5% here, and the annual mean income is 32K, but you can also buy a home - a real home - not a 'fixer-upper' for an average mean price of $165,000!

OK, sure, it gets cold here; and it's flatter than a pancake...er, lefsa; and ya shure -we do talk funny sometimes; but jeez it's nice. Its nice to have great neighbors, that talk to you (ok that can be a good thing or a bad thing); schools where your kids don't have to fear gangs (except the occasional roving Lutherans pushing their lutefisk); and I don't care who you are - you gotta love an average commute time of 20 minutes - and that's during rush hour!

I grew up in sunny Southern California nestled at the feet of the Sierra Madres and a stone's throw from sparkling beaches. I transplanted to the midwest over 15 years ago, and I've lived in the Red River Valley for 7. I consider myself a 'transplant survivor.' The way I see it, you can take a vacation to get warmer or see palm trees, and you can drive less than an hour east and practically get a nosebleed from the elevation changes, and if the locals start to bug ya... well, you cover your mouth and snicker politely to yourself... and, if you look around, you might just see one or two other transplant survivors snickering too.... one of them can even sell you a house!

Deja Vu Meme

I saw this Deja Vu Meme on Meeta's site saying she'd assign a letter to whoever wanted to play and since I apparently have nothing better to write about, I asked for a letter. She gave me the letter T.

Here’s how it works: Write ten words that start with the letter you are assigned and a brief description of why you chose that particular word.

If you too have writer's block and want to play along just say so in the comments. I’ll assign you a letter in my comments and there ya go!

The letter T

1. Thomas. Which is my maiden name - a pretty common one - especially when paired with my first name Linda. I'm married to a Dave and we know another Linda and Dave couple - turns out the other Linda's maiden name is Thomas too. Weird.
2. Train-wreck. Which is probably what this post will turn into.
3. Telepathy. The ability to tell what someone else is feeling or thinking. I totally believe in this, especially between people who care about each other.
4. Taboo. Off limits, or forbidden. Also a fun game to test your vocabulary skills. This used to be a very popular perfume, of course they misspelled it TABU. Why would you want a perfume name that meant off limits?
5. Technorati Tags. A clever way to boost hits on your site.
6. Tape. One of the two things in our house that will disappear if not hidden from the kids. The other being scissors.
7. Tara. The hill of kings in Ireland, but perhaps a better description would be Gerald O'Hara's words from Gone With The Wind: "Do you mean to tell me, Katie Scarlett O'Hara, that Tara, that land doesn't mean anything to you? Why, land is the only thing in the world worth workin' for, worth fightin' for, worth dyin' for, because it's the only thing that lasts."
8. Thrifty. Not the cheap, frugal, stingy kind of thrifty - I'm talking Thrify Drug Stores which always brings to mind the one in my home town of Goleta where a dime could get you two scoops of cylindrically shaped ice cream stacked on top of each other.
9. Tigger. "Tee-eye-double-guh-RRRR" My absolute favorite cartoon character, voiced by the very cool Paul Winchell, who also was the voice of the Scrubbing Bubbles.
10. Through. Done. Complete. Finished. Ta Dah!
    

Delurking Week

I admit it, I am a lurker myself. I click on the comments of the blogs I regularly check in on and then I click on the link to the commenter's blog. You can really find some amazing personalities this way! I laugh, or I cry, or I agree, or shake my head in absolute disbelief, and sometimes I add them to my favorites, but most times I don't comment. I guess I let my insecurity get the best of me - figuring 'they don't know me' or 'other's have already commented better than I could' or worse yet - 'they don't care what I have to say.' But that is totally wrong! I know I'd love to know who the hundred and some people are who've clicked here since I put in the counter! I'd love to know where you clicked from, and why!

I'm commenting on every blog I read today - if only to say hi. Will you?

Bio-Freakin'-Identicals Baby!

Ok, so there's a link on the homepage of MSN today to an article on Hormone Replacement Therapy. I read it, and even now, in my bioidentical hormonally induced state of perfectness, I got steamed! There are so many of us smart and savvy 50-something women out there, who will click on that article hoping to find some insight into our symptoms - only to find what turns out to be a reprint of an article from May of 2006!

In my humble opinion, this was a poorly researched article in the first place, if only for the reason that it never even mentions bioidenticals. Not to mention that it reads like a dashed off rephrasing of the AP news articles of a couple of weeks ago.

The callus attitude of that article is, if not the main reason, at least one of the reasons why I started this blog. I felt myself descending into some alien world of sleeplessness, crankyness, and worst of all what I thought was creeping insanity. Flashes of paranoia, tempered by brazen bitchiness, confusion, lethargy - oh and not to mention the hot flashes. I went to the doctor for some of the symptoms, but fretted and fumed over the ones I thought were a slow progression to the funny farm. All the while of course, tending to my family, doing my job and - as women do - making sure everyone else felt good, even if I didn't. And worst of all, I felt like I was all alone.

There is a lot of information out there - lots of blogs, lots of websites, all claiming to know what's right. I do not claim to have the answer for everyone. Its just that once I started reading about other women who were experiencing the same things I was, and when I started researching the many ways they dealt with it - I felt better. At least, even if I was going insane, I wasn't the only one.

The thing is, I wasn't going insane. I was just experiencing a very normal phase of life, but in an age where everything is talked about more, and information shared more freely, I found out I didn't have to suffer in silence like my mother and older sisters. I read about alternatives, I went to my doctor and even asked her to refer me to a specialist. After what turned into about a year of trial and error, and more error, and friends trying to be helpful, I returned to my female nurse practitioner whom I trust, and who will work with me to make me and keep me healthy. She prescribed bioidentical (plant based) progesterone capsules, taken once at night 6 days a week. The difference is nothing short of amazing. I've been taking them for a little more than a month now, and what I notice most is that I'm more energetic and less bitchy. I still get a couple of hot flashes a day and I still wake at 3 a.m., but I'm just happier about it now.

My hope is that if just one person reads this and because of it, can look at this stage of life a little differently, then I've made a difference.

To Do List for tomorrow...

1. Be at the office no later than 7:30 a.m.; Bring the following...
a. Bearly's waders and wear his ripped jeans,
b. Hat and bandana
c. Crisco - in case Randy forgets to deliver the beard
d. Pie pans
e. Shovel and axe (if I can find it)

2. 9:30 a.m. Perform skit to 'kick-off' Education Committee's Prospecting Contest

3. 10:05 a.m. Resign from Education Committee

4. 11:30 a.m. Meet girls at Seasons, order tee martoonies - drink, rinse, repeat.

I believe in magic

Sometimes magic comes in the form of luck, sometimes as a result of hard work and perserverance. Sometimes, magic is just a state of mind - or a great sewing machine.

The four fish costumes I've been sewing are just about done. Every time I or my family look at the finished product we are amazed - it's like magic! I would place this effort in the 'hard work' magic category, since I've been laboring on this for the entire Christmas break. But still, I have always thought of sewing as a state of mind too - a sort of zen meditation. You pin and you cut, and you sew, and you rip out, and you pin and you cut and so on and ...sew on. The time my family has given me to pursue this project has been priceless and...yes, magic. Especially in the eyes of my sometimes jaded teenagers. I must be a magician if I can take that pile of material in varying shades of grey, and some spools of thread and a sack of some notions from the fabric store and turn them into four gleaming personality filled piscaforms - I think they must believe in magic too!

Once I actually got frustrated enough to take the time to focus and read the instructions for the machine, which by the way, are in German, French, Italian and English - I finally figured out how to adjust the tension in the thread and the presser foot! Turns out this "fancy schmancy Pfaff" has adjustments for just about anything - including sewing through two layers of foam, two layers of slippery shiny material, and two layers of lining. Knowing how to use the said 'fancy schmancy' equipment in the right way, makes a lot of difference in the ease of having a 'fancy schmancy' - dare I say magic... outcome.

It reminds me of the wizards of old, practicing incatations or healing with herbs. Over and over again, they must have tried and failed tried and improved and finally, after reading the directions, or focusing their concentration, come up with something that actually worked - something that looked like magic!

Happy New Year!

This album is powered by
BubbleShare
- Add to my blog

Here are Downtown Dad and me celebrating 2007 at Monte's Downtown. It was a lovely evening just the two of us amongst a throng of revelers and a 3 person jazz combo. We had a fabulous dinner that was elegantly presented and timed perfectly to the 10 second countdown. It was a culinary adventure for both of us, as we had to sneak peeks at other diners to see how, and many times, what to eat on our plates! The 5 courses included:

Eggplant battered shrimp with caper berry relish with 3 aioli blend red pepper black pepper and lemon thyme - served with a small pour Fume Blanc. Osetra Caviar stuffed quail eggs - served with a shot of Stoli. Carpaccio of Kobe beef with seared fois gras - with a lovely Syrah followed by a palate cleansing Champagne sorbet.

We chose to have 1 of each and share the entrees which were: Filet Mignon with roasted garlic cream and pomegranate demi-glaze with a cabernet; and Cold Water Lobster Tail with artichoke heart and pancetta stuffing with a dijon-tarragon vinaigrette and proscuitto wrapped asparagus and a glass of chardonnay. For dessert there was black forest cake served with a chocolate infused port.

And last of all - a glass of champagne to toast the new year! Pretty darn uptown spiffy for downtown Fargo!

Sewing Fish

Most of this peaceful day was spent constructing this fish - modeled here by Tessie. One down, three more to go....

Happy

Snow is softly falling as the eastern sky brightens. About an inch so far, upholsters the bare surfaces in my back yard. This is the reason I fell in love with this house.

I'm so darn happy and thankful lately. It's weird. Maybe it's the 'bioidentical hormones,' maybe my horoscope is right - I'm just going to have to get used to this silly grin - I'm going to have a good year.

Progress and Projects

The day has begun, finally. I'm starting to see orange tinted light peek up over the horizon. I've been up for a couple of hours - writing. Nothing cohesive, or even useful - yet - just setting out some words and stacking them, turning them, seeing what they will turn into. It's good to get up early - before the light. I always feel like I've accomplished more if I get it done before everyone else is awake. I'm accomplishing so much these past couple of days, and with at least two pretty big projects that need to be finished before the first week in January, the progress is welcome!

I accepted a part time position as Campaign Coordinator for the Plains Art Museum starting January 3. This will be in addition to my Realtor work. As Downtown Dad says, real estate is the best part time job I've ever had. I'm still not used to the commissioned aspect of sales though, and I am fiscally very happy to fill in 20 hours a week by doing something that I'll actually get paid for!

I also volunteered to sew costumes for the Middle School play. I got my first project last week. Four fish costumes. It's embarrassing how excited I am about this project! I cleared off two tables in the 'craft room' part of the basement and dragged out the sewing machine that Tessie brought home from grandma's last summer. After setting it up and reading the booklet - I realized this isn't some cast off sewing machine - this is a fancy schmancy Pfaff! It does embroidery, and fancy stitches! It has extra feet for things like button holes and zippers! It has adjustable tensions and needle heights! It does everything but cut out the material for you - which is what I spent the better part of yesterday doing.

The other project looming over my head is a Prospecting Contest that I, as part of the Education Committee came up with. Darn my creativity :). It's a really cool idea though; we are comparing modern day prospecting for clients to the 1849ers prospecting for gold. OK, so growing up in California, gold rush history is ingrained in my psyche... not so much for these upper Midwesterners. Turns out I needed to write a skit giving a background of the California gold rush while explaining the relationship between a grungy old gold miner and a modern day Realtor. I did it though, and if I do say so myself - it's brilliant! I still have to make a couple of the props before our meeting tomorrow, but I think that's doable!

So, now that the sun has asserted its presence and the rest of the family will be rising, I should get on to accomplishing other tasks. In addition to the rest of the tasks, I am still determined to write and BLOG! I'm not putting any horrible 'resolution' type demands on it, but my aim is to get to it every day. Hopefully it will become easier, and more habit than horrible.

Sisters

An older sister helps one remain half child, half woman. ~Author Unknown

In the flickering recesses of my memory, back when I was an 8mm black and white four year old, I fell in love with my big sisters. Both of them, tall and movie-star glamorous, Channel #5 styled and sprayed, with smiling red lips, and high heels. They were nearly 20 years old when I came into their world, yet they graciously accepted me and took me with them to movies, and out for ice cream cones. What little girl wouldn’t feel special and lucky just to be around them?

We grew up separated by distance as well as age, so those early perceptions of my sisters never got the chance to ripen in the day to day details of tearful midnight talks or giggled whispers. They remained static icons of perfection, and became two pillars in the foundation of what I envisioned would someday be the grownup me.

One sisterly pillar, so traditional, so devoutly determined and scripturally secure in her one and only marriage with six children. She was always there with a sorghum sweetened “bless your heart” regardless if it was fabulous news or a heart wrenching failure. The second, standing just as staunchly, almost the antithesis of the other - a divorced career woman with an only child, headstrong and strong willed, with the audacity to rebel against the traditional. Her car, as she urgently whispered to me, was at the ready in the church parking lot, in case I decided to take her advice and flee the altar.

Though we are still twenty some years apart in age, we are much closer in life experience, but I must admit I still harbor a little hero-worship for these amazing women. Now though, those feelings are based on a very real respect for the lives they have led, the battles they have fought, and the impact that they as real people have had on me. In my sisters’ eyes, I will probably always be a black and white four year old, but that just gives me the freedom to fall in love with them all over again.

The Year Ahead

According to my horoscope, I have just entered the first month of the luckiest year of my life! The endeavors I have been working on will all come to fruition... Sounds cool! Especially the fact that I can use endeavors, and fruition in the same sentence!

My endeavors have been all pointed to clearing the decks in my personal space so I can spend time writing - trying to write, and trying to rewrite. As of today, I actually accomplished part of that - not the writing part, but the deck clearing part was a real milestone. Laundry done. Dishes done. Vacuuming and dusting done. Groceries for the week pretty much done. Tasks that have been floating around on my daily task list for weeks, nay months - done! YAY.

So, that would mean I would have time for that writing thing then, right? Oy! I guess that would be right. Now I have no excuses. No tasks to putter at. No impending deadline to take my eye off of the goal. So did I write today? You're looking at it. Actually, the deck clearing part did take me until late afternoon, when I had to make dinner for the family and do the dishes, and watch a little bit of a movie... but here I am writing.

The thing is that while I didn't get the plot line down for the great American novel today - I might tomorrow. And while I didn't finish the writing assignment for the online class I'm taking - I might tomorrow. What I mean is in a sense, that horoscope thing just might be true. I've been aiming at getting all of this stuff in line and I did it. I've been aiming at getting a part time job, and last week I got a call out of the blue from a friend who referred me to someone looking for what I do. (OK, not writing) I'm interviewing tomorrow. Things is beginnin' to look up!

Writing Sucks

I hate the way my writing sounds lately.

There was a time when I could spend an hour or two on a paragraph, a story, or poem or something; then give up for a while, but I always saved it. That way in case I had more inspiration a little later I could finish it. Not lately. I spent two hours this afternoon on a 'short creative piece' that was an assignment for an online class I'm taking. I reread it and then promptly hit delete and shut down the program.

I think my muse is pissed at me. Since I've been making an effort to drink less alcohol and more water, I'm guessing she is going through withdrawals.