Smoking!

My schedule is crazy this semester--a preposterous thing I never would have chosen, a thing that was basically mandated by the dean after my chair threw me to the wolves. On the days I teach (for basically 5 hours straight), my brain is mush.

In any case, I have two important things I must report before I pass out:

#1 My two best friends, one long-distance and one in-town, are dirty traitors in that they are smoking cigarettes--cigarettes that they, like me, "gave up" months ago. Tonight, I was talking to Coco on the phone and I heard an unmistakable inhale. I have not had a cigarette in over nine months! Goddammit! I need a cigarette! I somehow knew it that moment that Paloma had also started smoking again, so when she called later in the evening, I answered with, "Did you start smoking again?" It was true! Each admitted to have started smoking again within the past few weeks! Traitors! And they lie and say they are not enjoying the cigarettes and say that they feel guilty and that they envy me in my cigaretteless freedom! Lies upon lies!

#2 Strangely, I am now part of the Avian flu blogging community. Of course, as you know, I have been concerned about H5N1 for some time. But I do feel a certain amount of pressure. I do have many, many pictures of Butch, the West Coast Gull, whom I hung out with and photographed for an entire afternoon last month, so perhaps posting some of them (with commentary) will keep me current.

OK, folks, g'night. Hope to post this weekend, even though my evil chair is determined to run me into the ground (yes, even on Saturdays).