I suppose I should have said something about why I went four months or so without a journal entry. But what can I say? In many ways, things are very difficult right now, and I'm facing new challenges I don't know how to respond to. This tends to leave me a little down, and I decided I didn't want to write a long succession of depressing journal entries... so I didn't.

But today I have something good to write about. Something that makes me very happy.

Well, room 209 is sure different from room 131!

209 is on the second floor, which isn't really surprising. Since I brought about twice as much crap as last time, it was really almost inevitable that I'd have to drag it all across the parking lot and up a flight of stairs. 131 was on the first floor, and the whole time I was there, I managed to park less than six feet from my car.

The hotel supposedly has wireless internet access, but in practice, it only works with the screen of my iBook pressed flat against the window, held chest-high. It's rather hard to type that way. And the signal is so weak, it really is a little like trying to communicate with the Voyager space probe.

If I had a 10baseT cable, I could plug into the wired network jack instead. "Gee, Sarah, do you have a 10baseT cable with you?" Do I? What do you think, hmm?

Sorry, these are all little snippets; I'm trying to do Real Work in another window.

I'm stuck at work despite the fact that everyone else left early. I had to go to the doctor at lunchtime and traffic was a nightmare, so I'm staying put for another couple hours. Maybe it will be a little better then. Maybe.

Did I mention one of my other motivations for my recent surgery?

Her name was Vanessa Facen.

Authorities say transsexual woman who died had fought with deputies

Sheriff deputies' use of force contributes to death of transgender person

My brain still isn't quite recalibrated from my little adventure; I went to bed at 10pm last night, then woke up at 2am and never really got back to sleep. I hate it when that happens.

[April 26]

Well, it appears that I've survived my "little" surgery.

It felt really weird wearing sweatpants to work, but they had said to wear loose clothing, and the friend who was going to take me there works across the hall from me, and since we didn't have to be there until 11, it made sense for her to just pick me up early in the morning and go hang out at the office until it was time to leave.

I'm way overdue for an update here... I've actually tried to write a bunch of different times, but somehow, I just haven't been able to do it. Then last weekend, I finally did write a very nice journal entry. It was about Easter baskets. It was pretty cool. But I thought it sounded too much like one of those things that would get me more advice than I know what to do with, and maybe make people angry too, so I don't know if I'll ever post it.

Hi everybody!

Sorry I haven't written... I was sick for a while... then real life was busy... etc... sigh.

Three Quick things:

First, thank you all very much for the comments, both privately, and in email. Though I haven't always been able to respond, I always appreciate the support... and yes, the help, too. I even made banana bread!

Okay, this time we're going to try a little experiment.

So, today, I went to get my first oil change *ever*. I drove up to the oil-change place, and sat in my car looking confused until an attendant came. I explained to him that this was the first time I had ever had my oil changed and that I didn't really know what to do. To make a long story short, everybody was really nice to me, and I got my oil changed, plus a rather expensive cabin air filter...

Well, this is going to be a short one... I spent a bunch of time tonight writing to people... cried and sent apologies to one person who misunderstood, sent an explanation to another person... got unfriended by someone I have a great deal of respect for... and sent out another explanation to someone in an entirely non-Slashdot context. Three email messages... three hours.