I am *now* (after I am done taking the pills!) manifesting an allergic reaction to one of the meds I was given for the staph infection.

Hello red blotches, itching, did I mention itching, and oh, yet, don't forget the itching. Not to mention a med not covered by my health care plan and $69 for the formulary. ($30 for the OTC isn't much better, but is manageable.)

I am ready to be done now.

Lab results are in - mostly good news. It *is* staph, but a "mild" form, and responsive to the two antibiotics I am on. Not to mention the two injections I received of two *other* antibiotics. The giant (quarter size) operation site on the side of my leg is healing less well; the dime-sized incision above my knee is progressing nicely.

If that "allergic reaction" isn't itching . . . .

Go in to the doctor. Even if you have to go to Urgent Care.

The verdict was "Suspect staph infection." Vicodin and two antibiotics, not to mention at least 3 syringes of lidocaine later, I am off work for two or three days, and "get" repeat visits to Urgent Care to have them change the dressings.

Yes, it will suck if it is only an allergic reaction to something. But it will suck more if it is not.

On the other hand, I get an extra 20 hours for working on my novel.

Being able to share good deeds done by others.

Birthday greetings to Alail!

So what do you do when a co-worker gives you too much credit for your part in a job?

Finally bit the bullet - not least because facebook has a straight to blackberry feature. I am now facebook enabled.

Since articulating what you want is the first part of getting it, I want: 1) walls that are not white and 2) enough fiscal liquidity and job security that I can spontaneously take off for two to seven days and have it be okay.

Sometimes, the peace of having just 15 minutes extra in the morning really is worth it.  This morning was much calmer, somehow, for all that I cut my stretches short, skipped the a.m. shower and left the house 15 minutes later than usual. 

(more later)

duchessletitia set the example, so here goes:

Happy Things:

1.  My job.  I have one, and it doesn't even drive me crazy yet.  I have a lot of support and positive feedback from the attorneys I work with/for.  I also have the proper tools to do my job, and minimal interference in doing it.  

2.  Cultural enrichment:  I had to give up Ballet San Jose for a couple of years, but this year I have gone to the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit at the Tech, the Getty Center, and the DeYoung for the King Tut exhibit.  I have also enjoyed some *really* good food and dining locations. 

3.  My housemates:  Giving up living on my own was rough, but there have been some awesome trade-offs.  Chief among them:  when possible, we gather together at the table for dinner.  I really appreciate that time. 

4.  Friends who sew:  I love wearing clothes that look good on me, and my skills (and current circumstances, certainly) are not conducive to managing that on my own.  I am profoundly grateful to those who have made clothes for me.  

Those are at the top of the list at the moment. 

As a note, some of us have one particular type of performance we want to see. 

That I  want to see, for example, Eddie Izzard, and he happens to be performing at ORACLE arena, should in no way suggest that I want to see KISS.  While unlikely, it could be argued that I might be interested in seeing another comedian, but to assume I might be interested in every performance simply because it occurs at the ORACLE Arena is, frankly, unreasonable.

You might consider using a bit of discretion, instead of just sending mass marketing to every single attendee. 

(Yes, I'm grumpy, and yes, I will probably send it once I refine it further.)

Birthday wishes to jupiterorbit

To the lovely Miss Etaiine (etaine_pommier )

Best wishes for an awesome day!

Small things, but they make me happy:

I have the best roommate ever.   I make the cookie dough; she makes the cookies.  

Getting mail out to my pen pals, and looking forward to wrapping the "cheer mail" packages that were suggested a few weeks ago and sending those as well. 

Knowing I can sleep in on Sunday - until 7:30, at least!  

My office has less drama than most. 

Remembering that I want to get a gift card for somebody in my office.  For the most part, I have awesome co-workers.

Finding out that the scope of a project which *can* be really tough is about 1/10th what it might be. 

I have ideas for a story for this year's Novel Write in November.

More for my stepmother and my family than myself, I am staying for the funeral. I do not expect the funeral service or the burial to be cathartic for me. My grieving and healing will be in other ways.

It *appears* that US Air will waive the change fee on my ticket if I provide the name of the funeral home, with address and phone number, and the name of the funeral director. One agent said she didn't have the authority to waive the fee at all; another agent said they could if I gave that information. I just have to wait for my stepmother to call so I can get the information. I am not going to call my stepmother - if she is asleep, she needs the rest. This two weeks has been rough on her.

The new flight is a comparable cost, so there is no adjustment for that.

Three additional nights in the hotel, I can absorb.

If Cynthia can Fedex my black suit, I will even have that covered.

My biggest worry (and I know it's not a rational one) is how my boss will react. What's he going to do? Fire me? Interviews after that will be easy - why did you leave your last position? I was fired because I was gone for three days for my father's funeral. I suspect that's a red herring of a worry. I do need to draft the email letting them know, however. :(

And have somebody advise on whether I have said enough/too much. Not the sort of notice I am accustomed to giving.

edited to add: Still haven't told my boss. US Air did waive the fees; I fly back Wednesday leaving at omg early but get in to SFO at 10:ish on Wednesday. I will have the rest of Wednesday to sleep/grieve then back to work on Thursday. Still sorting out where I want to stay - there is a trade-off between privacy and isolation. :-/

Less than a week after his 65th birthday, George Leonard Draper departed this earth.

The last several months of his life, he battled pancreatic cancer; in the end it was hoped he had beaten the cancer, but if he had, the treatments had beaten him.

I regret that I was not able to get here in time to say good-bye; I hope he knew I was trying to get here.

I am conflicted about remaining for the funeral; my grandparents have all died, and I attended only one of those funerals. The funeral will not ease his passing for me; I do not expect it to be a catharsis for my mourning - much of that will be done in other ways.

Periwinkle blue, for stomach cancer (my maternal grandfather), gray for brain cancer (my paternal grandfather) and purple for pancreatic cancer (my father).

My stepmom showed me a picture of my dad taken when he had newly arrived to Montana; in the photo he is sitting on a mule, carrying a bible, a fishing rod, and a rifle. His instructor at the seminary often said the holy spirit gives one all the tools one needs - for my dad, that picture epitomized the statement.

I do not know yet whether I will change my plans to stay for the funeral; it is not where I will get my own easing. Attending my grandfather's funeral was for my father more than for myself.

A sad ribbon, but I think I will make a braid of the colors noted above. Wearing that will be a part of my mourning.

Okay, it's not like my luggage was lost or wantonly destroyed or anything.

But you do not win friends and influence people by subcontracting flights from another carrier, never telling the passenger who the actual carrier will be.

First, no web check-in, because it's not actually a US Err flight.

Then - off to SFO. Have friends drop me off with my carry on and personal item at the US Err section.

Go in to check in - and I have to go to the United area. In another freaking terminal. Schlepping my crap when I might have just driven to the right place to begin with.

Color me profoundly not impressed.

Yes, I was lucky - I spent the $20 on the Disney rolling duffel on my last trip there, so I had luggage with wheels, and I packed comparatively lightly and wisely to begin with.

It will be a while before I am not cranky about this cluster, though. :(

From one of the associates this morning:

Andrea, you do a great job, I appreciate you thinking one step ahead.

I really like getting e-mails like that. :)

I *tried* to protect my co-worker, for whom I have no respect and who I think will crash and burn in her job. I did. Truly. But there is only so much I can do if she sets herself up and acts unwisely.

She was told to do a project, or to do it with my help.

She asked me to do the project.

My job has frequent periods of quietude, and I am more adept at the project than she is.

That said, she does need to learn to do the project herself.

Because she had additional tasking, and because I was not busy, I did as she asked, and did the project myself, rather than offering to "help" her with it.

Then - I kind of set her up. At 11:50 a.m. Friday, I e-mailed the completed project to her, with a note that said I would show her some tips and tricks, and a question for her to ask the person who assigned her the project.

This morning, at 10:00, she e-mails me and asks if I sent the project on to the person who assigned it to her.

Well, no - because then he would know I did the project instead of you. I tried to keep from rubbing his nose in that fact. But if you didn't ask the question - sheesh! And then, this morning, *she forwarded to him* the email I sent her, with the completed project, the question, and the offer to teach.

Eventually he is going to have to face the fact she is unwilling to learn, to the extent of ignoring my offer to teach!

R is going to be a thorn in my side until she crashes and burns, because she is unlikely to ever impress me with her professionalism. Or even common sense.