Who knew Mowgli was so talented??

This just made me giggle...especially the parts I understood..."Que un par de locos! Que cancion mas tonta!"...."E aqui mesmo! Que bom!"...

Work stinks but the mangoes are juicy...

Boo-hiss:

-- For the last two weeks, my job has been made virtually intolerable by an intense and overwhelming stench. The cause? VU is asphalting around our building AND re-tarring the roof. The result? I have come to associate my job with mind-numbing headaches triggered by the ever-present burning smell. Anyone else particularly effected by smells? Which ones? I seem to be rather sensitive...

-- Since I walk the mile to and from campus along the busiest street in town, being noticed by motorists is inevitable. However, I had a recent incident in which a woman (I maintain she was high or otherwise out of her mind) insisted on yelling nasty things I won't repeat at me which I, of course ignored. She then proceeded to slow to a stop beside me and yell out the window at me to, I suppose, make sure I heard her. Never saw this person before in my life and hope I never do again. What is with some people? How is the sight of a pedestrian so offensive?

-- A second meeting with my advisor resulted in a stack of 5 books of at least 300 pgs. each that must be read (roughly) within the next month; in addition to my regular coursework....ugh....

-- A recent grad party ended badly as some of the "upperclassmen" proceeded to get extremely drunk, rude and virtually ignore all first-years. Not the best way to make a first impression...

Redemption:

--My honey came to visit me here in Nashville for Labor Day weekend. We cooked up a storm, went all over town, he sat in on some of my classes (since we had class on Labor Day, go figure) and just generally basked in the enjoyment of the other's presence. It was perfect :)

-- I received my very first stipend check Friday. CHA-CHING! My bank account is smiling.

-- I have not gotten lost around town for 7 days now!!

-- The discovery of a Latin mercado a few minutes from my house has revived my love of cooking and filled my kitchen with all kinds of wonderful things-- yucca, coconut milk, guava paste, ripe mangoes and huge avocados. Hurray for cheap imports!!

Ode to Joy

Yesterday was my first day of class here and I'm completely in love with this place. Granted, that will probably change as soon as the first round of exams and papers arrives but, for now, I'm completely infatuated. Not only is it a gorgeous campus full of trees, thousands of squirrels and flowers but, it is full of brilliant people. The morning of the first day of class was so silent it was eerie. There were hundreds of people on campus but you could hear nothing but the birds in the trees. I was shocked. At WVU on the first day, you can barely hear yourself think for all the cars, talking, laughter, music, etc. There is a sort of excitement in that, though. Here, you would think that every student is in med school or law school they are so incredibly serious.

My first class was an Iberian Empire history course. It's mainly an undergrad course but, it counts for me also (I just get a longer syllabus). What I'm used to on the first day is: hello my name is, you are, here's the syllabus, this is the book, goodbye. Oh no, we went the full time and then some discussing some erudite point of historical value relating to the status of English-speaking islands as part of Latin America. I think I was literally drooling on my desk. YES!! THIS is what I've always wanted-- to be surrounded by my people--- the nerds. In that moment I realized, I am no longer in the minority; never again will I be the ONLY person in the library on a Saturday afternoon. I was so happy, I could've cried.

Then, my second class was a cherry-on-top. Intermediate Portuguese-- I have longed to take this class for 2 years now but it never before existed in my world. Finally! The teacher is from Minas Gerais, Brazil and she's beautiful. She looks like a very classy mom-type figure (she's probably in her 40's). I was so nervous I started making really stupid grammatical mistakes that I knew were wrong but couldn't help it. I was just too excited to control myself. I could just tell that this class would challenge me and I was going to look forward to it every day.

Later, I met with my advisor which, for any grad student, is THE most important person in your world-- they make you or break you. Even parents shy in comparison to the influence of the graduate advisor. Dr. E is wonderful. He's very much a dad (literally and figuratively) so, being his advisee feels a lot like what an adopted child must feel. You feel like you don't really deserve their attention but you still enjoy it tremendously. He's so smart--- SO smart. Sometimes, when he looks at me, I think that he's envisioning me playing with Barbies and sucking my thumb because I'm so green. He's already semi-planned a trip to Brazil for me this summer, which I'm happy to go along with.

The job is going well too. It's so different that what I'm used to and what I'm studying. It's nice to be back into journalism, in a way. It's an exciting field, though with lots of pressure related to time. It's the perfect job for anyone who likes gossip or "dirt"....whenever anything at all happens on campus, we are inevitably the first people to hear about it. The best part is, we are then "obligated" to record and report it. Also, the people who work there--- geez! These are Emmy Award-winning journalists and producers; it's crazy. I feel powerful to make calls and label myself "from the VU News Room". I'm not sure how long I'll be able to balance this job with my other responsibilities but, for now, I'm having a ball!

(In case anyone is wondering, that is a "Happy Scone" picture; don't get any ideas...)

I should be at a party right now...

...but I feel yucky; girl stuff-- I'll leave it at that and spare you all the details. Suffice it to say that my head is pounding and my mid-section feels like a pretzel looks. As a result, I can't sleep, which really stinks. Hopefully, the party-givers will forgive me.

Last night was a really great time, though. Our grad director invited all the newbies over to his house for a cook-out/pool party. Yes, I did say pool party--as in bearing skin and getting rather wet in front of superiors. These Southerners are VERY friendly, like I said. Luckily (and rather ironically), it was just too hot to swim and we were all too shy so, we just ate and chatted all night.

I am SOOO relieved now that I've met everyone. No weirdos, no psychos and no cling-ons. Everyone is nice, normal and a lot of fun. Not to knock my field or those who many inhabit it but, let's face it, academics (especially in the grad student gestation period) tend to be....shall we say...eccentric. Many of them seem to live in their own little world where nuclear war can be caused by incorrect margins, Communist theory is still an acceptable discussion topic at a bar and a copy of Foucalt is most likely the only thing to ever accompany them to bed. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with being passionate about what you do-- in fact, it's a very necessary component--- BUT having an active, normal social life that doesn't involve any kind of citation is too. That kind of full-time obsession only leads to isolationism, burn-outs, break-downs and far too many cats.

I was also pleased that my group of newbies represents several states and countries. We have: Miss Jamaica who is absolutely beautiful and so charming, Mr. Canada who is hilarious, Mr. Missouri who seems very sweet, Mrs. Pennsylvania who is the "baby" of the group, Mr. New York who is reserved but not anti-social, Miss Poland who seems exceptionally nice and eager to experience everything, Miss Scotland who has a lovely accent and is SO smart, and Mr. Kansas who is still adjusting to city life. There are a few others but, unfortunately, I didn't get to talk to them during the course of the night so, their stats are a bit fuzzy for me. All in all, it was a wonderful night and I look forward to getting to know everyone much better. More to come very soon...classes start on Wednesday!

Buried under boxes and melting in the heat....

...is basically how I would describe my life currently. I had the incredible luck to move into my new apartment (last Monday) on a record-setting day....for heat. The temperature reached 105F, which beat the previous record of 102 set in 1954. Global-warming? Yeah, not such a theoretical thing to me anymore...

Anyway, yes, I'm alive and well here in Nashville. I'm currently writing from the university library public-access section (since I don't have an ID card yet). Internet access around here is apparently hard to find and my DSL hasn't been set up yet so, I'm going through some serious cyber-withdrawal. Pretty much everything is out of it's prospective box and in it's rightful place in the house, which is nice, though the pile of empty boxes is still covering a corner of my dining room. It's actually an attractive place-- I think I did okay for myself. I'm enjoying living alone for the first time in my life. No offense to roomates-past but, there's something to be said for solitude, quiet, privacy and....let's face it...the fact that I can walk around naked all day long if I really want to (and the blinds are drawn)! It's rather awesome. I'm sure the loneliness bug will bite me soon but, since classes start in about a week, I'll be able to drown myself in work-- as usual.

So...the South. Well, it's a different world down here, that's for sure. People are VERY friendly...sometimes to the point of being a bit invasive and a bit more touchy-feeling than I'm used to but, I guess that's just the "Yankee bitch" in me talking, haha. Living here for 5+ years will surely be a sociological experiment. My family and friends are already taking bets on how soon I'll absorb the "southern drawl" that is oh-so-prevalent here. The answer is...NEVER! That's one accent I've never taken to...I prefer to have a boring, non-descript, news anchor kind of speech that can't really be identified with a particular region. I know, I know...very snobby of me, but I just don't enjoy the way the southern accent sounds....or any other North American accent, actually. Anyway, I'm babbling now so, I'll get off this computer and head back out onto the surface of the sun....more to come! Hope all is well with everyone! I miss you guys...

$$"Money...(ching, ching)...it's a drag..."$$

As the old (and rather cliche) saying goes, money does not grow on trees. This I know personally to be a fact. If it were true, I would definitely convert to hugging trees on a regular basis. However, like most people in this world, I have to work for a living. Even as a doctoral candidate (which comes with a stipend), I find myself running a bit short on cash. Moving to a new, bigger (& more expensive) city requires a lot of money-- rent, utilities, food, furniture, etc. So, I've decided that I'll continue to work part-time while I work on my Ph.D. (at least for the first year, since I won't be a TA).

Part of this is necessity but, part of it is just who I am. I realized that I have consistently held a job (of some kind) for almost a decade now. For all you non-math majors, that means I've been working since I was about 15, which is technically illegal. However, it was only "under the table" for a few months until I turned 16. In any case, I just like working. I like feeling as though I'm accomplishing something. Plus, nothing feels better than financial independence; if I want it or need it, I can pay for myself. One of my fondest memories of high school was when I paid for my very first car in full (and in cash!) much to my parents' surprise. It made me feel like an adult for the very first time.

I also get bored VERY easily so, working has always been a way for me to keep myself occupied. It puts me into contact with lots of different kinds of people, which then gives me fodder for fiction in my writing. What can I say? I'm a workaholic in every sense of the word.

Money is also my Achille's heal, though. Nothing gets me panicky, nervous and depressed like money (mainly the lack thereof). I know it shouldn't get to me so much; it comes and goes like anything else. I shouldn't let it control me but I'm still not at a stable point in my life with a steady job and benefits so, my inability to plan ahead freaks the hell out of me.

Speaking of a steady job, I have 3 interviews for a part-time gig in Nashville. One at Morgan Stanley, one at the VU Division of Public Affairs and one at Brentwood Realty. I scheduled them all for this coming Friday so, I'll post and let everyone know how they went. Each one has it's +'s and -'s so, for me it's really a toss-up.

So, here are my questions to the peanut gallery: What is your relationship with money? Do you love it/hate it or remain apathetic? Are you a spender or saver? Do you like to work or do it just to pay the bills? If money doesn't get to you, what is your Achilles heal?

New Life

(drum roll) Introducing my newest cousin/nephew... Lucas Braden...he's such a cutie. My cousin Stephani is doing just fine and her labor went well. He was born 8/3/07 at 7.5 lbs. I'm sure they're still just in shock and awe right now....I'm really happy for them....they're going to be great parents...

Newsweek and Kaplan have spoken....

...and Vanderbilt University has been chosen as one of the 25 "New Ivies" out of all American colleges and universities. I'm so proud! I can't wait to get there and dive head-first into the library stacks....

I could sure go for a pumpkin right now...

How random is this?? Poor guy...it's funny yet so wrong...I'm sure he's wondering what the hell is going on. One thing is certain, he will have the very first squirrel hang-0ver in the history of the animal kingdom (and a bad one at that)...

"There was once an old man named Armand..."

After checking my WVU email, which I hadn't done in awhile, I learned that Dr. Armand Singer had died after a rather long struggle. He was a retired professor who enjoyed dropping in at Chitwood Hall to share stories and send emails. He was 93 years old when he passed away on July 12th but, he had the most amazing life--- traveling to every continent on earth, visiting both Poles, making it to base camp on Everest, sky-diving (as you can see), white water rafting, etc.--- and all while well past retirement age. He was a truly unique individual; always cheerful, funny, outgoing and full of crazy stories.

Though my encounters with Dr. Singer were brief, I will never forget him. He happened to attend a conference in Las Vegas, NV that I attended and he made quite a splash. He was part of the panel in a poetry reading and opted to go last. Each person that got up read some depressing, dark, angst-ridden, super-metaphoric poem that no one understood but clapped for anyway. Then it was Armand's turn. He couldn't stand but managed to demand the complete attention of the audience from his chair. He began by apologizing for any "grimaces" he might make as he read, as this was because he had broken "a rib or two" the night before and they were bothering him. Then, off he went into the material as if what he had just said were of absolutely no consequence. He proceeded to then read several selections of the dirtiest limericks in the history of the style--- while pausing only to giggle between each one. Things came out of that old man's mouth that would make a drunk frat boy blush; at first, the audience was shocked and utterly silent. Slowly, younger people began to snicker (I think I was probably the first one to laugh) and then the stuffy poets began to laugh and then the entire room erupted into uncontrolled laughter.

Armand finished to thunderous applause and several people stayed afterwards to talk with him--- while the other panel members looked on, rather displeased. It was wonderful! It was easily the highlight of an otherwise very calculated, self-absorbed conference. The best part was that I knew what was coming but no one else did. I was crying by the end because I couldn't laugh any harder. That is how I will always remember him--- as the giggling little old man with his lude limericks shocking the hell out of everyone. He was never a person afraid to say what he thought. And he used the guise of his age to get away with virtually everything! But he was also a very intelligent and cultured individual. Personally, I think Armand did it the right way--- life, that is. I sincerely hope that he died happily, knowing that he made the world just a little bit better with his joyful attitude and his zest for life. He was an inspiration to everyone that met him. Here's to you, Armand, we will all miss you!

Does anyone know someone like Armand?-- A person that squeezed every ounce out of life and never let anyone tell them they were "too old" to do something. How will you be when you retire? What will you have accomplished? How do you want to be remembered?

Rusty Wedding Bells

Today in History: July 18, 1981 my parents tied the knot in a little country church in central Pennsylvania (I was born roughly two years later).

So, today is my parents anniversary and, I tell ya, I couldn't be happier. They seriously have one of the best marriages I have ever seen and I'm not just saying that because they're mine. They genuinely enjoy each other, they laugh all the time, and they are clearly the best of friends; you couldn't picture one without the other. I've always looked up to the way they defined marriage. Now, as virtually every friend and acquaintance I have is getting married or engaged, it really makes me think about what marriage means.

In today's world where slightly over 1/2 of all marriages end in divorce, it seems like, somehow, most people are not going into this thing with both eyes open. I can see how it's easy to get caught up in the ceremony of it all--- the dress, the music, the flowers, the rings, the honeymoon, etc. Plus, it's seen as a status symbol to be married--- you've reached adulthood, you've settled down, you're normal. But, at the same time, all that stuff in the moment doesn't really mean anything when you have to spend every waking moment with this person for the rest of your life. Personally, I've never been one of these girls that dreams about her wedding all her life. I really couldn't care less how it happens or, honestly, if it happens. I just want to be with someone that makes me happy and I can do the same for them; that's the really important part, all the rest is just details (and very expensive ones at that).

Which is why, I suppose, I've never understood why people are so radically against same-sex marriage. Marriage is a committment of one's life to another and anyone can do that so, legally, anyone should be able to do that, in my opinion. I've met several gay/lesbian couples who have just as functional/disfunctional relationships as any other straight couple-- including when children are added into the mix. What it comes down to is that human relationships of all kinds and levels are hard work because they require a certain level of selflessness, which is rather rare in today's society. If you can find that with anyone-- regardless of gender, race, religion, etc.-- you've really discovered something great.

My question to all of you is: what is marriage? What makes it work? What causes it to end? How necessary is that "little piece of paper"? Is it a right for all or a privilege for some?

"Memories, like the corners of my mind...."

Awww....my alma mater is still going strong....congratulations to all the great teachers at HHS! You guys deserve it!

Lost in Translation

Sheesh...I'm exhausted. I had my very first full-blown, 8 hour interpretation job today. It was for an environmental engineering company (from Spain) at their plant in Northern PA. Needless to say, it was quite a commute; that alone is enough to wear a person out. In addition to that, I had to do bilingual translation (sometimes simultaneous) from English to Spanish and Spanish to English. I was REALLY nervous because it was a job that required technical language that I'm not particularly familiar with and it was my first really important translation job so, I had to prove myself in order to set myself up for future assignments.

As soon as I got there I realized it was not going to be nearly as complicated as I had imagined. For one thing, my contracting agency told me that I was going to be translating a presentation to a group of employees which would involved highly technical engineering lingo. However, it quickly became apparent that what I really had to do was simply shadow a logistics expert from Spain (who spoke no English whatsoever) as he tried to get this new branch of the company in order. At times, it was rather uncomfortable because he was basically chewing out several employees and office managers for their (to be totally frank) incompetence. These people had mis-labeled, mis-sent, and mis-counted just about everything possible in the warehouse. It was really quite ridiculous.

There were definitely moments where there was the need for a specific, technical term but I managed to be able to talk around pretty much everything I didn't know how to say (i.e. When would I ever encounter/need/use the word "skid"--as in a pallet-- in Spanish??) So, overall, I think I did great given my lack of a mechanical vocabulary. I really enjoyed working with the logistics expert (named Emilio) and I think that the company itself is excellent; I would be over-joyed to get the opportunity to work with them again either here or in Spain (especially there). Who knows, maybe I can maintain some connections?

I still can't get over the fact that I'm getting paid (REALLY well this time) for just talking. It honestly blows my mind sometimes. It really makes me think---- communication is so incredibly complicated and, therefore, so important in every aspect of life. Not being able to communicate properly because of language barriers, cultural differences, education level, etc. is not only vital to the essence of who we are, but also how others perceive us. What do you tell people about you based on the way you speak? The words you choose? The things you like or don't like to talk about? Is the old adage wrong--- are we not what we eat but, rather, what we say?

"She works (too) hard for the money..."

Something has recently come to my attention that is rather disappointing. I have been working at my current 40hr/wk summer job for about 2 months now. When I arrived, my boss seemed really enthusiastic to make a positive change in the workplace and I appeared to be an integral part of that. However, as time has gone on, I've been told several times that I "work too fast". This means that I complete assignments faster than my boss expects or would like. I never thought of it as a negative thing, really--- it's just who I am. Tell me what to do and I will get it done-- period. No messing around, just do it.

Unfortunately, every time I enter into the workforce I am told the same thing. I have come to realize that my bosses don't ACTUALLY want me to finish what I'm doing-- especially not in record time. The more I do, the more they need to do to keep me occupied. I've talked to a few people about this; in particular, my Dad, who is a supervising manager for a local manufacturing company. His take on it was this, "I'd like all my employees to work like that but, the fact is, none do. And when they do, co-workers give them such a hard time for "making everyone else look bad" that they eventually learn to play the game too." And what is this "game"? It is pretending to work and be busy when you are really just wasting time and milking a job for all it's worth. The longer you take, the less people expect of you and if no one expects anything of you, you don't get asked to do much. It really is the perfect strategy.

So, what should I do about this? Well, I guess I'll just go to the bathroom a lot, take longer lunches, take smoke breaks (even though I don't smoke) and play card games on my computer all day long because, frankly, I don't want to lose my job. If I keep the pace I've had, I'll finish my job before I'm actually scheduled to leave. It makes me sad to learn that being a part of the "adult", working world translates to such little actual productivity.

Anyone else encountered this phenomena? How do you deal with it? How much should we all just "go with the flow"?

Top 10

Ok, well, I've tried to avoid it for a bit but, I've been tagged by my buddy Ryan to list the "Top 10" things that most people don't know about me. So, here it goes....

1) As a kid, I had really severe ear problems and could've gone deaf had I not undergone surgery.

2) I hate cleaning kitchens...with a passion. I would MUCH rather clean a bathroom (including toilets) than do dishes; for me, rotting food is the ultimate in grossness.

3) I'm a musical freak. I am constantly humming, singing or whistling. I wake up every morning with a song stuck in my head for no apparent reason.

4) I have a talent for remembering names and numbers. If I met you once 8 years ago and you told me your name, I'll still know it (though I probably won't recognize your face). I can read a phone number once and remember it for days...not sure why.

5) I spent my childhood in rural PA; so rural, in fact, that practically all our neighbors owned farms and were Mennonite. As a result, I was brought up in the Mennonite church (complete with hair to my knees).

6) I have been tested at a 132 IQ ("gifted") but failed the test for the gifted program in WV schools in 6th grade (though I had passed in PA) because I was extremely nervous and my tester was so eccentric it actually distracted me.

7) I distinctly remember (on more than one occasion) having dreamt in color and, a few times, in Spanish though they say it is not possible.

8) I cannot give blood because I don't weigh enough.

9) I missed being in the "Top 10" of my graduating class in high school by .01 points--- damn calculus.

10) I have only ever broken one bone--- my tailbone, which is the one bone that cannot be re-aligned. Ironic, huh?

I now tag: Amber, Alison, Rose, Daniel, Erica, Alyssa, and Becky....

Babies, babies everywhere...

I swear, there must be something in the water in my family. Everyone is getting pregnant and having babies! My cousin, Stephani (a CPA), and her husband, Brad (an engineer), live in Ohio and are expecting their first--- a baby boy (as yet unnamed)-- very, very soon. My grandmother keeps teasing me that I'm next (Steph is the oldest cousin and I'm the 2nd oldest) but I'm certainly in no hurry....

Hahahaha....

Yup, we're about 2 years old when we're together...he's just too cute...this is what a simple walk in the woods turned into last weekend....

¿Hablas español?

I was officially hired yesterday for my second job!!! I will be working for this summer (at least)as an independent contractor for translating and interpreting. I will do: Spanish to English, English to Spanish, English to Portuguese and Portuguese to English. Yeah!!!!! I'm really excited and rather nervous. This will be my first experience doing this kind of work professionally. The money isn't bad at all and I can do a lot of it from home, which means I can continue even after I move to Nashville-- very nice. The company I'm working for is Spanish Translation and it is owned by Charlotte Hernandez, with whom I had a really great interview yesterday afternoon. She's great. If anyone out there needs this kind of work in the Eastern Panhandle/Tri-State area, she's the one you should call. I hope to become certified through the ATA (American Translators Association) soon.

I've also been trying to write some this summer and get some work sent out--- which I'm failing miserably at. I'm just so tired at the end of the day. It's all I can do to eat, work out and get enough sleep to do it all the next day. I haven't written a story in months, despite a lovely postcard of encouragement from one of my favorite writer-gals, Sara Pritchard. (Which consequently I lost somewhere in all the boxes that now contain my life so, I don't have her address to write back and thank her; if anyone has it let me know, or if she is reading this blog, THANK YOU!). So, in lieu of my failed attempts at being an on-the-side writer, I have a question to all the writer-people out there: How do you stay motivated and inspired? What do you do to "get the juices flowing", so to speak? Any suggestions?

Babies and Puppies...

...who can resist them? Happily for me, I have actually had something of a life in the past few days. My family had a high school graduation party for my cousin, Kara. While there, I got to meet my new cousin/niece (my cousin Amanda's new daughter), Emmalyn. I must say, she's pretty dern cute for something that poops and cries so much. My family also welcomed the newest set of chihuahua puppies (courtesy of my cousin, Matt). Again, lots of pooping and crying but oh so adorable.



Saturday night was spent at another Roma Renegade concert with my favorite accordianist and gypsy-swinger, Gabby & Co. Not really any pooping or crying going on, but still lots of fun. Marian and I are obsessive picture-takers so, here are just a few...



...the night would not have been complete without the midnight run to Wal-Mart and the trying on of the elephant-sized ugly-pants!


...and the cheap-ass breakfast at Wafflehouse at 12:30, which is what all established musicians do after a show--- eat crappy food and look cool. And, in case you can't tell from the photos, I got a hair-cut, which I desperately needed for oh, 6 months now.

Two Giant Scoops of Nuthin'

I'm blogging out of the sheer annoyance that I have nothing remotely interesting to blog about. How crummy is that? Basically, my life at this moment consists of:

1) Work from 8am to whenever I'm done (usually almost 5pm)
2) Eating-- trying to get 3 square ones a day, sometimes at the desk
3) Sleeping-- cannot seem to catch up; I'm sleepy at 7pm but then can't actually get to sleep until after 11pm and must wake up at 6:30AM
4) Driving-- my family and I have been driving back and forth from Philly almost every weekend so, my Saturdays are completely spent within an SUV
5) Planning-- got my fall classes picked out, trying to develop an interior design scheme for my new apartment (on a miniscule budget), dreaming about where I'll be next summer (I'm thinkin' Spain and Portugual)

The only wild thing that has happened lately didn't even actually happen to me-- it happened to my boss. She got a wicked case of poison ivy over Memorial Day weekend and, since then, has been highly medicated. Nothing seemed to be working so, her doctor gave her a steroid shot. She had a severely allergic reaction to this shot (while at work with me), broke out into hives, started throwing up and ran a tremendously high fever. Her husband took her to the ER where they promptly diagnosed her and gave her MORE drugs to knock her out and let her body fix itself. That said, she has been working 1/2 days for most of this week which really sucks for me because--- without a boss I have no work to do; thus, I've been working 1/2 days, which I really can't afford right now. Major bummer all around but, luckily, she's doing much better now. Hopefully, next week will be a full-time week.