where is that confounded bridge?

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last seen: horribly disfigured

20 january 1996 11:36 p.m.

My computer was still declaring spontaneous strikes, and after a couple of rotten days I admit my laziness got the best of me. Still, I've tinkered some more (thanks especially to CJ for the Mac advice), and my baby's grinding along fine now. Actually, mom has offered to help me get a new computer, if my trusty friend here gives up the ghost. I suspect knowing its days are numbered contributed to its sudden return to service. After endless gray skies, rain and bone-chilling, three-blanket cold (Kim Gennaula, KGMB weatherbunny, dressed in a ski parka for effect), we had one of the most beautiful sunny blue days of the young year today. And boy did I need it. <RANT> Things at work are descending toward an unfathomable factor of shitty. First of all, of course, I was at work four days in a row. Called in, after going through the trouble of getting myself off the schedule for the first week of school well before Christmas. And with the new month comes yet another shift in hospital policy that's pushing more psych assistants out, now leaving the ward manned by six RNs and two PAs (versus 4-4, which was already insane as far as I'm concerned). With even fewer hours, we basically have to give up our already pathetic range of choice in picking our schedules -- conflicting school committments be damned. The talk of the office is another PA who had to leave for a waitressing job at TGIF (a restaurant), and Tim is talking of quitting -- which would doubly suck because he's about the only interesting one there. Meanwhile, I'm still recovering after a three-day headache, stemming from essentially braining myself on Thursday. Topping off another stellar night at work, I was leaning against my bookshelf taking off my shoes when my box of "Fawlty Towers" videos tipped over and nearly cracked my skull open. (If you do something stupid and no one's there to laugh, can you be embarrassed?) It landed square on, and I felt like I was going to throw up. I crawled into bed pretty much convinced I was going to die. The lingering eye-crossing headache was enough to make death an attractive option. Finally, this new Hawaiian instructor is turning out to be a few thousand times tougher than my last one. After having one day's notice that we need a "workbook" (a thin, $6 packet available only at a copy shop), we've had homework every night. Every Friday we have to turn in a ten-sentence paper. The final for my 101 class was a ten-sentence paper. Hell, I know I'll learn tons more under this teacher, but it's going to be so much work... </RANT> But, for all my whining, I'm in a pretty good mood tonight. Spending a day wading around at the beach and indulging in quality Scottish cuisine (a.k.a. McDonald's) does wonders for a wounded soul. Having only a four-day week ahead doesn't hurt, either. You know you've found someone special when they develop a twisted fascination with your physical deformities. Derek discovered it last week. My flaw. And this isn't a confession that comes easily to an otherwise perfect creature such as myself. You see, for some creepy reason, there's a grain-sized notch in the cartilage of my right ear. Up at the top. And you can't see it -- only feel it. On my left ear, in the exact same spot, is a little bump. I've known about these bizzare aberrations since I was a kid. When I was nervous, I used to fidget with 'em. But since it wasn't like I had a third arm or six toes, I didn't think too much about it. But Derek found them. And in some sick way, I think it excited him. In a word, he thought it was "neat." He couldn't keep his hands off my ears. It was like he'd discovered his own bellybutton for the first time. The mutual teasing (his eyebrows are equally intriguing to me) quickly degenerated to the third-grade level. Although the intensity of the subsequent tickle fight wiped out my memory of the exact comment, he said something to the effect of: "When your time comes, they make it easier for the Allmighty to fold up your head." "Then maybe I oughtta get a hole punch and do her a favor," I said. Actually, he's the first boyfriend to notice it, despite a good number of them professing to have a thing for my ears. There's probably something very special being revealed in Derek's noticing, but frankly it's too weird for me to think about right now. Word of the Day: "work" hana (ha- na) A`ole hana kakou i keia la. "We all didn't work today." (No work we today.) Of course, never letting a friend get away with having a wholly wonderful day, Duran Duran masterfan Greg e-mailed me a somber tidbit tonight: "John Taylor announced at a Duran Duran convention in LA that he's leaving Duran Duran. He was playing a solo acoustic set when he told the audience. The split is amicable, but John won't be touring with DD in support of its new album Medazzaland, which will be released on March 25." Damn. And he was my favorite, too. Eerily enough, way back when, Greg and I argued sporadically about which of the band members was the cutest -- and this was before he came out. He had a thing for Roger (ancient history), but Warren eventually won him over. I, on the other hand, always went for the rebel. Duran Duran breaking up? The original Monkees going on tour? It must be the end of the world. Tomorrow night? The People vs. Larry Flynt. Granted, seeing Courtney Love naked isn't exactly my idea of a good time, but it looks pretty good.