Didja Miss Me?

No? Didn't think so.

It's not that I haven't had anything to write about - I have. I've just been too tired to sit down and write at night. So instead, I'll take a short break here and there during the day and do it.

Let's see...I wish I could say that I'm too tired to blog because I have been working on The Great American Novel, but the truth of the matter is that I haven't. I've handwritten about 4 new pages, most of which I'll probably end up scrapping. I've been too tired to do that lately as well. I will work on it, however, even if it kills me.

Work is...work. It's part of the reason I'm so tired. I'm under a lot of pressure with a new technology we are rolling out, added to my normal responsibilities. Add to that some other issues which I'm choosing not to write about on the off chance someone happens to find this blog, and I'm just going through a down point work wise.

There is an issue I will write about, however, because it is general enough to be anonymous. I am now the only person in our office who doesn't smoke. Now, you are saying to yourself, "That's a good thing. They will all die horrible deaths at an early age, and Sheryl will live a long and healthy life knitting hats for the fish she considers her children (dog and cat allergy, you know)." That's true, and it wasn't a big deal when only two people in the department smoked. They'd take five minutes a few times a day, go have their cigarette, and that would be that. But now that my boss and other two coworkers smoke, those smoke breaks turn in to 15 or 20 minutes three or four times a day. And I'm left in the office, all alone.

I feel exactly like Rachel in that episode of "Friends" where exactly the same thing happens (would that I looked like Jennifer Anniston, though!). They talk about stuff out there and make decisions, and I'm left out of it all. I don't like that, but what can I do about it? I'm not about to take up smoking, nor am I going to subject myself to the second hand stuff. Sigh. I guess I'll have to just grin and bear it. Either that or I can finish The Great American Novel, it can become a multi-national best seller, I can quit my job, go on an international book tour, and live off my residuals until I finish my next novel.

I can also travel to the fantastical land of Boboville where the rivers run with white chocolate and teem with Swedish Fish, and everything you need is provided for you by squirrels wearing colorful sweaters.

Yeah.

Anyway...

I don't think I ever said what the ENT told me. My glands are fine, in general, though he said there was some swelling in one of the parietal glands, but he wasn't concerned. He did a laryngiscope, though, and apparently I have ulcerated vocal cords. He said it's most likely from reflux, but I don't feel like I have reflux that badly. So I have to take another medication for that and go back to see him next month. He was also of the opinion that my thyroid would probably have to come out in the next year or so. Yipee.

I suppose it's for the best, since it seems the medication isn't working anyway. I'm more tired than I was before I started taking it, and my last test results showed that I actually got worse instead of better. I'll know more when I get blood drawn in a couple weeks, or when I see my doctor again in April.

What else...The new members class at church is going well. I'm learning a lot, and my decision to become Lutheran is being affirmed. Part of me, the part that was still raised with fear-based Catholicism, is still having reservations, but even that part is coming around. I just wish that making this choice didn't cost me some of my friends.

Umm...The Superbowl party was fun, even if the game was a little boring. The couple who hosted had an absolutely adorable, teeny, tiny dachshound. Of course, I had to play with it. Of course, I'm allergic. Of course, I got hives. But it was worth it.

Oh, and the Steelers won. YIPPEE!

Well, I have work to get done, so I guess I should get back to it. Tomorrow, expect a deep and profound entry about why fish need hats in the first place. Or something like that.