8:56a - It's raining out, I'm late, and sure wish I was back in bed.

Oh, for breakfast, I had some of last nights leftover hamburger and rice, with the chili con queso and 3 eggs.

I took time at lunch today to go get Karen a birthday gift and a card (birthday, Valentine's and 'get well' combined). Nikki tells me she is having surgery on her birthday, Tuesday the 18th. I head over to Barnes & Nobles where I thought I might get her some cute trinket with the Washington University Medical School logo. I was about half way there when I had a thought. Since Karen was born at Barnes-Jewish.... why don't I get her something with a BARNES-JEWISH log?! Duh!! So I turned around and headed back in to the McMillan entrance and started looking for the gift shop. I was sure they had one, but wasn't sure where it might be. I found the gift shop and after sifting through a truck-load of Valentine's gifts, I finally found a CD case with the BJ logo engraved on it. Since Karen works in IS... that seemed appropriate... and since she was born at BJ... it seemed even more so!

So... I got her a very nice card with a fairy/goddess-like picture on the front and made an insert which basically said, "Happy Birthday - Happy Valentine's Day - and, GET WELL SOON." I hope she enjoys it. It's not much, but (for a change) a lot of thought went into it!

I brought it all back to the office and tried to get it put together to mail out to her, but the frelling phone would not stop ringing and I couldn't get it finished until after 3:00pm (after the post office closed). Oh well... will have to get it on Monday!

Diana mentioned that she went to see "Dare Devil" (starring Ben Afflick) today. Speaking of Diana, I should mention that she had paid me back ALL the money she borrow plus some I told her she did not owe me (for the pie at BB's). So... she has really won me over in the 'trust' department. That is rare. I am usually complaining about how people have screwed me over!!

9:28p - This was a rough, but short day. Laura let us go home early. However, someone still had to take care of the Help Desk, so even though I left at 4pm, I still had to check the voice mail. There was one message before I got home. I dealt with it by cell phone on the train. The I got home and prepared to relax. I checked voice mail and there were THREE messages waiting! Aargh! One was a hang up, one was a simple internal thing, and one was a PACS issue.

9:35p - I was feeling bad this evening. My throat is starting to feel slightly swollen and I felt a mild touch of fever. I was feeling kind of yucky. I decided not to have anything to drink, but it Friday and I was feeling cheated. Besides, I need liquids if I'm sick. So... I had a beer. It seemed to help, so I got some more. I hope I don't feel crappy in the morning, but I have every morning recently so why not tomorrow?!

MARTY'S WEATHER FORECAST

9:51p - Marty is on-line with me now... he says we have some cold weather conditions in store. Three inches of snow on top of ice. Or, as he says, "3" of snow isnt shit BUT on top of ice>??????? YUCK!!" It doesn't bother me... I don't have to drive in it!

10:57p - I am cooking some rice & meatballs. And getting a bit more tipsy than I thought I would on beer. Oh well....

Saturday - February 15, 2003

9:29a - I had the wildest dream last night and this morning. I was long and involved and dealt with a houseful of mutant children. There were about 200 of them living in this huge old house, and they all had mental abilities. Maybe "house" is the wrong word, since there was a giant radio-telescope on the outside of the building. Early in the dream they were still learning and not all of the children could use their abilities very well. By the end of the dream, the military had discovered the existence of the mutant children and were intent on destroying them. The house was being burned down and they were going to shoot the children. However, the children were now learning to use their abilities very quickly, out of necessity. One group of them started putting the soldiers to sleep without hurting them. Another group began using a kind of reverse-pyrokenetic ability to douse the flames, while an unlikely trio of little girls began molecular reconstruction and and repair of the house. Kira woke me up to go outside right about then. It was a very entertaining dream! That medicine I take has a very interesting side-effect!

9:48a - I need to go to Soulard Market this morning, but I would like to nap first. Diana wants to go too, but she is doing some laundry first. I will be at least an hour.

9:50 - I felt bad almost all night. I would wake up and my throat and jaw were aching. It felt much better this morning. Maybe I got enough rest; I doubt it.

Diana and I went to Soulard Market today. It was cold and getting colder. I feel a temperature drop just while we were there! I took Skip's backpack with me and filled it, plus had a lot to carry by hand. I saw Dan (former manager from Talayna's) there, but I could not get his attention. Me and Diana both were yelling at him at one point (and she doesn't even know who he is!).

It started to snow hard tonight, much to my surprise. It was making a lot of noise on the windows.

I wanted to go out tonight, but with the yucky weather and the fact that I have had a touch of fever off & on all weekend, plus a bit of glandular swelling on the right side of my throat, I decided against it. I stayed home. How boring :(

Sunday - February 16, 2003

I got up around 9-ish and took Kira out. It's snowing ... icy pelting type snow. We (she) made it quick and came right back in. No dallying in THIS weather! My first chore of the day was to cart all my pills out to a TV try and sit down to organize my pills for the week.

Skip and I decided to go down to "Jake's Steaks" at LaClede's Landing for lunch. There were some $5-off coupons down in the lobby. We had to trudge through the sleeting, icy snow. The roads were slippery and the traffic unforgiving, but we made it safely to our destination only to find that they were closed. The wimps couldn't handle the weather apparently. Skip commented, in their defense, that we did not know why they were closed... maybe there was a death in the family. Well... I don't think so. Since they were closed, we walked over to Hannegan's to see what our Irish brethren were offering on this fine, ice-snowy day. They were open for business and took great care of us. If they had experienced a death in the family, in Irish tradition, there would have been MORE people and partying like them MEANT it!!

I had the clam chowder (which is great there), and an order of Brouschetta (my very first). Skip had a couple of orders of Bushmill straight up with a French Dip aus jus (or, a roast-beef sandwich with owl juice; that will make sense only to Skip. Or maybe another (past)-employee of Carlos'!).

We trudged home in the snow, which had not seen fit to melt as yet. It was not yet 1:00pm! I thought going out somewhere, like Union Station for a snack and/or drink. I did not want to start drinking too early, but... I was bored. I started drinking some beers. Nevertheless, and despite the beers, I worked busily through the weekend and got much of my new and revised Klingon/jubchuQun web site updated and modified. Its not open to the public yet, but it's getting there!

Nathaniel Street called me from Grand Manor (1 2 3 4) today. We all thought he was dead until recently. I am not sure why he is calling me. I don't know if he wants something from me or if he is just lonely. I can deal with lonely,but if he wants me to "help" him in some way, I will feel terrible, but there is little or nothing I can do.

I had some beers, but was not close to being "drunk." I quit drinking and left some beer in the fridge (not like me at all!). Skip went to work, and I got ready to go to bed, but then I got caught up in watching Arnold Schwarzneggar and Jamie Lee Curtis in "True Lies." As it turns out, I have seen this movie at LEAST twice, yet apparently I only saw the last 30-45 minutes of it! I got caught up in the movie of which I had not seen the first 3/4 to 2/3rd's. I did not realize I had missed so much! It was very entertaining (as I am sure you know by now), but I did not get to bed until a little after 2:30am!

Monday - February 17, 2003

I felt awful this morning! And the snow was finally through falling, though seriously piled up! I thought I would be okay last night, but I was POOPED. I was a half hour late to work. That sucked. Gary worked today for the first time on a Monday. Y'iinkth' iihe sh'aate. I was going to go to Talayna's tonight, but changed my mind at the last moment and went home. I walked Kira, the snow is still DEEP, and drank some beer. Diana gave me some of her curry potato/beef dish and I modified it to a really tasty dish. I laid out a tortilla in a pan with onion rings on it, some celery, some slices of chicken, and poured the curry stuff over it. Then I sprinkled some cashews over that. On the side, I made a salsa of onion, cilantro and tomato. It was REALLY tasty on top of the chicken/curry dish.

11:53p - All the beer is gone, the food is et, and the midnight hour approacheth! Time for bed I guess. I was going to get my Klingon photos uploaded, but I did not get to it. It's going well though.

Tuesday - February 18, 2003 I felt yucky this morning and called in sick. I slept in late and then worked on my Klingon Website for a while. Later I got in touch with Marty who reminded me that this was dart night!! I scraped up the energy at the last moment to get to the Play-offs to nigh... AND WE WON!! Next game will be the FINALS!

Wednesday - February 19, 2003

I stumbled my way to work to day. It was warmer. Not much happened today. I went to Talayna's after work; continued reading more of the book#2 of The Ellenium. I finally got a nice long email from Jack today updating me as to their situation in California. Adam has the opportunity to apply for a 2 year extension at the University. I hope the best for them!! My talking pedometer arrived at the office today.

Thursday - February 20, 2003

9:51a - I feel yucky this morning. My stomach is bothering me. I was up much of the night. I am still at home and going in to work late.

I was an hour late.

Scottie called me to day. He wants me to puppy-sit for him while his house is fumigated.

Diana called me; she had some positive feeling interviews with WU today. I hope the best for her. Iish' aalyos' aantsw' uut' arbor' ums' unmeine.

Billy also called me. I had left my darts in their car the other night.

I am tentatively planning on Spending Sunday in Orlando during my trip to Tampa next month. I am hoping all my friends can join me for dinner/lunch (depending on the hour). I am thinking we might go to Boston Lobster Feast in Altamonte Springs. I have not been there in a long time!

8:54p - I have called Scottie about the puppy-sitting request twice tonight and have not got an answer. I don't know what's going on there.

8:58p - Something is wrong with my computer... AGAIN! I can't load Norton Antivirus. I just fails for no apparent reason and no error message. My journal entry (yes, this page) is so low that I have to wait for the screen to catch up constantly just to see where I am! I am getting so sick of this.

I got the jubchuQun re-vamp finished tonight!

Friday - February 21, 2003

8:07a - It's bleak and dreary outside this morning. Such a contrast to yesterday's sparkling fantasyland scene. Hmmm...my typing entry to the page seems to have rectified itself. Weird. It's back to normal! I seemed to have a lot of energy today. It fizzled out in the afternoon, but I was sure peppy in the morning. Especially considering the yucky weather.

7:31p - Diana is over checking her e-mail and I just finished up mine. I am trying to figure out where I am going to go for the evening. (Skip just got up to get a drink). I am bouncing back & forth between going to Hooters or JJ's. <sigh> decisions...

7:33p - Y'ondl' iith' unmeine~ uute Diana uutede. Y'op' iish' etzg' iith' obje~ iishe sh' aitreingy' uute t'ge.

I went to Hooters tonight... or at least I headed in that direction. I changed my mind at the last moment and went to The Complex instead. Boring.

Saturday - February 22, 2003 Skip and I went down to try "Jake's Steaks" again today and this time they were open. We both got a big ol' Ribeye steak and it was delicious! We stayed and had a few beer. I read my book and he doodled in his notepad. I went home and worked on my website, had more beers and that was about all I got accomplished for the day! This picture was taken from my living room window at Gentry's Landing using my HP C200 1Mp digital camara, which would later become known as "ButterCam".

Sunday - February 23, 2003

5:03p - I did not get up until after 10:00a this morning, but once I got up I got busy. I got two loads of clothes washed, dried, folded or hung; two loads of dishes washed; the kitchen cleaned (except for mopping & waxing; I went to Walgreens and the convenience store next door; I vacuumed, dusted and straighten and got some garbage taken out. That makes up a little for yesterday's laziness!

5:07p - Now I think I may take a shower and go down to Hooter's with my book and relax a while. I've turned the TV off... it's boring me.

9:42p - I went to Calico's for a while. Had some beers & chips. Read my book. It was pleasant.

Monday - February 24, 2003

12:37a- I am still up. Need to hit the rack though!

1:03a - Okay... I got the cilantro pureéd and put into an ice tray. One more domestic chore down! If I did not have so much beer, I could probably still tackle waxing the kitchen... but I had better get my butt in bed! (Oh...it's snowing still).

I ended up getting back up and 2:00a and waxing the kitchen & foyer floors.

7:23a - I'm up a bit early. It's all White outside again.

9:47p - I has been a cold but sunny day. I just finished ordering my prescriptions on-line (I hope/think). The myuhc site is NOT very user friendly. I managed to stumble my way through it, but they sure could use me as a technical advisor!! SHEESH... that sucked. Not only did I have to deal with all that, I had to spend $190 to do so! I am not happy about it... but I am actually saving money, so I will chomp on the bullet.

9:51p - I also got the AT&T bill pay, Skip updated on his part of it, All email answered (or deleted, or stored, as appropriate).

Tuesday - February 25, 2003

It was a mostly boring day. We played the FINALS in the dart league tonight. We lost. JR was out sick, and he's our top player. Bill Grant, our most elder player (89) was started feeling bad half way through he games. We were doing good, but the tides turned and we lost. At least we won the Divisionals!

I started reading "Belgarath" today.

I made up my mind today... I am going to DragonCon in Atlanta on Labor Day Weekend!

I seem to have lost my pager tonight. I am not sure what happened. It was clipped to my satchel, but Billy gave me a ride home and I could not find it when I arrived home.

Wednesday - February 26, 2003 I went to work 2 hours late today (charged to vacation). I was just too tired. I went to Talayna's after work. I took Tina some more of the Banquet room printouts (she took a pitcher of beer off my tab again... bless her heart!). She finally provided me with the wine list for me to put together for her. 10:32p - Okay... I am waiting for Skip to get up. I am a bit drunk, stuffed and ready for bed!

Thursday - February 27, 2003
En Memoriam: Mable Helen Florence (Dabbs) Watts
better known to us as "Néhna" or "Texas"
April 21, 1918 - February 27, 2000

This was a long day. I didn't feel like being at work. So... re the trip... it's starting to look like Ruby Tuesdays, Billy Wong's (on 3/16) for lunch.

It snowed most of the day. Thick and fluffy stuff. Laura let people go home early (except me, since I am safe and ride the train).

I still have not found my pager! I was so careful... I don't know how I lost it.

10:19p - Skip will be getting up soon. I am eating some soup at the moment (off & on). I will go to bed when he gets up I think.

Friday - February 28, 2003

I paid my registration for DragonCon today. I am definitely doing this!

I decided to go down to Hooter's after work for some beer & wings with my book. Not very exciting, but a pleasant time alone. However, I sat for 15-20 minutes and no one ever waiting on me! I got angry and left, but not before commenting to some young man who may have been the manager. I told him that I had to admit that I did not get bad service.... since I got no service at all! I went downstairs to Key West where I know Tracy will take care of me, but she was in Florida! I still got decent service anyway. I order some "Shark Bites" for my supper. I was disgusted with Hooters, especially considering that I am a card-carrying regular.

I got in touch with some old KLAW buddies, Kazzan and K'Orvette today. I chatted with Kazzan on-line, but just sent email to K'Orvette. I haven't got a response back from him yet.