Dear Diary

Face and throat getting unbearably itchy.
Must shave tomorrow.
Will be using beloved cheap American disposable razors which give a close shave and cool nourished skin. Attractive girls will appear from nowhere to kiss and caress healthy, smooth face.

Dear Diary
Dear Diary,

Read Hebba today...but no bio. Welcome! I'm one of the old Abuzz crowd. Dear Diary started on Abuzz.

Don't believe that "attractive girls" stuff.

Another day in rehab (gym)...I'm just beginning to feel refreshed after a workout, normally, I'm tired. There's lady here who, from the rear, appears to be a teenager, but from the front her face is all wrinkled.

Dear Diary,

I'm glad this thread has been revived as I am seeing some old friends. I am happy to hear of Mapleleaf's recovery and mental well-being (keep exercising!).

I feel like I am experiencing a lot of stress these days. I have completed my masters degree, gotten my license, but not yet found work for the 2008-2009 school year. The school years starts in just over one month and I am starting to panic. Also, my young cousin has developed an aggressive, but responsive form of lymphoma. She is coming through tests and radiation well and we just had her in for a wig consultation.

The tables have turned somewhat since I was a kid. Now it's my turn to worry about my parents as they traipse across the Northern Plains and the continental divide, exploring that part of our country. My emails consist of phrases that indicate that I think they should have fun, but to drive carefully and keep in touch.

Dear Diary:

To start with -- I remember from years ago, before embarking on new career and geography and all sorts of craziness, that mapleleaf, way back on abuzz, seemed an exceedingly decent sort of person, and I wish him all the best.

The marriage is at a low tide right now, where high rocks previously looked at with nothing more than mild interest -- I wonder what sort of critter might liver in ther? -- are utterly treacherous at neap. But, really, it's okay. Either the tide comes in and we sail away again, or we are beached and have to strike out to seek a new life on the strange shore of an unexplored (by us, anyway) continent. Either way, something interesting awaits, whatever the cost may be.

I'm grateful that E is around as a new friend who's been here before and who is generally good natured about this and that and the other and has enough of her own future anxiety and interest going on that we can row side by side in our own lifeboats, looking for a place to put in for another night. Thanks, E.

And hello, diary. Pretty sure that I haven't been here before, but if K and m-leaf are here, it's got to be a hospitable shore.

Cheers,
p-dawg (as others say)

Hugs to Edgar and the Dawg.

Aw, Pdawg, you two seemed so well-suited when I met you! Hope everything works out in the best possible way for both of you, what ever that might be.

Mapleleaf, I came here from Ravens Realm not long after YOU joined.
All I write about is shaving and razors in this Diary thread and I´ll try to kep it that way.
The girls always turn up in the Gillette ads.

(((dawg)))


Dear Diary,

I have been attacking the paperwork procrastination problem with some mild success.

Getting interested in doing some painting/drawing again, after too long a lull.

Need to go water my plants before they expire on me.

Good news on that front, tomatoes are actually happening...

Dear Diary
What a delicious page of soul's footprints. For some of you, your personality reaches through our last contact/sharing. Most people I interact with in my community are secrets in people's shapes. Sometimes it's me that causes the apartness...this depression deal...you know...I'd rather be alone, but I lose some of that when I'm on A2K.

hebba...you're still a mist to me.

LittleK and ossobuco have been on the Earth forever...at least it feels that way.

PatioD...you are on an energy absorbing, spirit testing ride. There often are bitter-sweet memories which attach themselves to pictures, colors, smells, sounds. For the rest of your life they float in and out of your perceptions. For me, I tend to learn something which aids me in my continuing life adventures.

Life has been peaceful today. My wife spent two hours chatting with her best friend. I chased the squirrels out-of the bird feeder, mowed the lawn, picked up some things, made the bed, soaked in the tub, read through several newspapers, followed the presidential candidates, and began viewing some Japanese videos....I'm fascinated with the character development in their animated flixs. Today I'm viewing SAMURAI 7: VOL. 1 (Search for the seven)..The Master

I wish you peace.

I dearly love Patiodog. He might be my favorite a2k person, though that is a push, given the people I care about. Not to be mushy, just to get the words out.

He's also being succinct, which I appreciate and thus will work on being quiet.


So, moving on,




Dear Diary,

I didn't water the front yard. Will do so in the morning. Will I be too late?

Dear Diary,

BigDice is home - I picked him up last night. We had a look at the building site of the future restaurant. Went home to the cats who are happy that he's back. Had pizza at the restaurant where he used to work and had a very nice evening with people we haven't seen for a while. Then we went on to our favourite bar for a couple of drinks and more fun people.

Now we just got back from grocery shopping. So different! Until now, I just had to buy stuff for me since he was mostly eating at the restaurant. But now he is home for two weeks. And suddenly I am really married with a husband at home in the evenings. But just for two weeks. We will see...

Dear Diary
Dear Diary,
Tell Patiod that sometimes I say too much...hope I wasn't a pain. I'm beginning to feel the creative surges working again...words are falling in place...my vocab had sunk to the elementary level.

Urs, sometimes I just feel so helpless...I haven't been able to travel and my wife is afraid something will happen to me...ANYWAY, I think about you and BigDice...and the whole happiness bit. Boy, I hope the Subway deal gives you guys some good days and some long evenings together

Urs, by the way, what are you doing now workwise?

Mapleleaf, I still work at the dialyzer company. 50%, I am working as an assistant in the research department and the other 50% I am working with our patent attorney in the patent department - which is just me and her in Germany. The people are great, my bosses are the best I ever had and I really enjoy work.

The Subway place will be in the same town where I work. So I can send all my colleagues and drop in easily to check if he is doing a good job - which he will be!

Neat, neat, neat!

Re: Dear Diary


Elementary vocabulary, indeed!

Yes - I'd quibble the elementary vocabulary bit, as well.

Thoughts
Dear Diary,

After six months of rehab, after a session, I'm beginning to feel refreshed as opposed to tired. My mind is clearer. I'm more comfortable with driving...just the basics.

For those of you who remember my daughter-in-law, who, while pregnant, was being treated for cancer ...the child is now six, very sharp, hyper (whatever that means these days).

My daughter, in Cincinnati, now 37, is in remission from MS.

Today in NW Georgia, we checked out the messes created by the swirling winds of yesterday. Trees appeared to twist during the storm. Later that day we noted a 45 foot tree had fallen away from the house...I still enjoy experiencing fierce weather...but I'll never been injured...too me it's a sympathy piece.

Maple

Dear Diary
Dear Diary,

My workouts at the Rehab center continue to enhance my strength and endurance. I'm beginning to be able to wear sandals while shopping at Krogers (supermarket-concrete floor). This may appear trivial, but it is another part of my life that has returned.

If the truth be known, some years back I had set myself on track to die. Not that I'm brave enough to do it in one quick bang; but depression, simply not caring what happens to oneself, can take one down that road.

So, for the moment, the scheduled trips to the vitality Center are helping me to refocus.

I have this feeling that I have chased patiodog away from Dear Diary. I hope not!

Glad to hear the rehab is helping you out so much! Don't worry about pdawg, he always disappears only to return some weeks or months later.

Dear Diary,

Last night I spent some time with my brother and a life-long friend of ours. I found out that he had broken up with his partner - a month ago! And that the friend of ours knew before I did (by weeks). I also found out that he has a teaching job set for this fall. He hadn't wanted to tell me because I don't have a teaching job as of yet. So, he told me at the start of a night out - bad timing. I have completed my Masters, including an unpaid 15 week practicum and spent 2 years doing low-paid work in the same school district. He is getting paid for his practicum and has a teaching job BEFORE completing his Masters. The circumstances are different - he has been at his school for 10 years, having started in their cafeteria. And, he is getting his degree in a highly specialized field. Still, the news was depressing. I haven't had a single invitation to interview. I've applied to 7 school districts (with around 35 elementary schools), including the town I grew up in. My references are stellar, my GPA is good. I just don't understand why I am not even getting interviews.

LittleK
Now you are in my area of expertise...well, before 1999.

local politics are always a possibility, but sometimes there is a reason. And nobody wants to be the bad guy and tell you. And sometimes it's not a good reason...just a note in your file or comment by someone in the chain of command.

If there is something in your paper work that will follow you around, you should be able to challenge it...to bring it out in the open.

Are there any administrative personnel whom you are comfortable in approaching...informally?

Are you part of a professional association? They will do this with you.

A personal lawyer, or someone in the local government who represents your area.