gl.

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Sunday, February 22, 2009

 
10:31 PM: just when you think it's over [#] [11]

more death news:
* i took kamron to lunch so she could notarize the "renunciation" form for my aunt to be the personal representative for the estate. i never expected anything from my mother, but it's still hard to give up all hope so tangibly. i also requested a copy of the death certificate.

* sven’s grandfather died: food poisoning from a crab enchilada, they think. sven and the other grandchildren (from canada & india) gathered in tucson to pay their respects, though the actual memorial service won't be until july in wisconsin.

* we discovered michaelmas' friend bryan died a few weeks ago, too. bryan helped michaelmas move into 1010 before i arrived and into 306 after i left. we helped him move from an apartment into a house. my first thanksgiving in portland included bryan and we watched a few geek movies together. but my favorite memory of bryan was when he took us to the airport when i came to visit michaelmas -- upon discovering i had lost my wallet, he urged michaelmas to give me some money for the trip home. i was touched at his thoughtfulness.

in medical news:
* i went to the dentist. ouch. i've had trouble with one of my back teeth because it's difficult to clean since getting my wisdom teeth out several years ago.

* i'll be attending the NAF conference in april since it will be in portland. according to the washington post, med students sometimes practice abortions on papayas, so i tried it, too. though i don't have the tools, i only missed a couple of embedded seeds. whether i did it gracefully or painlessly is another matter, of course. it was interesting to review the procedure i've now seen dozens of times as a patient advocate from a different perspective. it was definitely a different mindset and it makes me even more grateful that ppcw has a patient advocate program, someone who's totally focused on the patient.

* i was a standardized patient at ohsu again (abormal pap smear again). i really love doing these roleplays: in addition to being a whole lot of fun, they feed you lunch and pay you. i hope i'm not -always- the abnormal pap smear, but so far it's been incredibly interesting to witness the range of responses to the same scenario.

in other news:
* michaelmas took me to dinner at 23 hoyt for a belated valentine's day meal (thanks, michaelmas!).

* i applied for an "original practice" shakespeare performance here in portland over the summer. OP means they do it the way they did it in shakespeare's time: without rehearsals. instead, each actor is given just their own lines on a scroll they carry with them on the stage, and each show rotates the cast members for each performance, so each show is unique. wish me luck!

* venus reached her peak brightness this week. she'll still be brilliant for a while, but she's on her way to becoming the morning star again. alas, i haven't managed to see comet lulin yet. assuming it's not too cloudy, this should be a good week for it! *crossing fingers*

Comments:

This run of deaths and sadnesses feels impossible and wrong, gretchin. If you think of anything I can do to help, please let me know. (itype)

# posted by  Carl Caputo : Mon Feb 23, 05:08:00 AM PST

 

thanks, carl. believe it or not, just reading & responding is very helpful. silence is a spiral.

you could also help me get a good look at comet lulin. :)

# posted by  gl. : Mon Feb 23, 08:10:00 PM PST

 

Staying up WAY past normal bedtimes is one of my small superpowers. If you want late-night comet-hunting company, I'm available.

# posted by  Carl Caputo : Tue Feb 24, 03:59:00 PM PST

 

i need some help with the weather, actually. can you conjure up a clear night and dark skies for me, please? and maybe shoot out a couple of street lights? ;)

# posted by  gl. : Tue Feb 24, 11:51:00 PM PST

 

Best I can do right now looks like a partly cloudy Friday. As for streetlights, can you climb the Butte for light-free areas? I guess it'd be tricky going in the dark, but if you went early enough and stayed long enough, you'd have very dark conditions on the ground, at least.

# posted by  Carl Caputo : Wed Feb 25, 09:13:00 AM PST

 

i can't believe this week is so rainy & cloudy! friday, especially, is a good night for comet lulin, but there's also a good chance to see venus in the -daylight-, and venus will be crowning the young crescent moon, which should be beautiful. so yes, please use your mojo on friday, and i'll walk to the darkest area in our neighborhood, which is an abandoned subdevelopment on a hill. :)

# posted by  gl. : Wed Feb 25, 12:49:00 PM PST

 

Sadly, Friday and Saturday nights are the only nights I can't watch for comets or bright planets, due to working a graveyard shift. But I'll put in a word with the Cloud People.

# posted by  Carl Caputo : Wed Feb 25, 02:42:00 PM PST

 

Ouch. 2009 has been a rough year for you. You & Sven are in my thoughts. *hug*

# posted by  aworkinprogress : Fri Feb 27, 09:28:00 PM PST

 

thanks, colleen. it really hasn't been right since mid-september, when joe died and lane committed suicide. :(

# posted by  gl. : Fri Feb 27, 09:45:00 PM PST

 

Sorry about everything, Gretchin (and Sven). This sounds kind of corny or zen-like or something, but my advice: Take some time to hold onto somebody and just feel time go by. Or focus your attention on trees, seagulls, and other bits of nature that don't have any answers for you except what you may or may not read into them.

# posted by  Anonymous : Sat Feb 28, 12:17:00 PM PST

 

thanks, dang. i've been working on that. i've really pulled back from a lot of things this year.

# posted by  gl. : Sat Feb 28, 09:36:00 PM PST

 

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