"A Problem Page For All!"

Zibby!

Hallo, welcome -- fuzzy cashmere hugs!!!

You know, I've been so depressed lately, too. Weird things have been getting me emotional. I watched Nathan riding away on hsi motorcycle today, in his black leather and fancy gloves, and he blew me a kiss and suddenly I felt like I was seeing him for the last time or something. I saw Fahrenheit 9/11 last night and I'm overwhelmed with things to think about. So much to know, so much information...?!

It's low and foggy and still and deathly quiet here in Point Arena, and I think it's repressing my seratonin or something. I'm gleeful to know that your letter is on the way, though! Will you answer my questions sometime, though? Pleeeeeease??? You wouldn't believe how curious I am, and how obnoxious I become if I don't get answered! But whatever -- I can't remember half the questions I asked anyway!

Guess what, you guys: my mom has mono! She finally knows what she has that's ailing her. She's so, so tired and has no energy and no immune system -- though she still can take her walks and garden -- and so we're bsaically forming our own little Happy Valley over here in California, McMurtry style. Loon, have you heard about the Happy Valley commune from Elizabeth?

Kody is blossoming into a good chef, and I'm more than happy to make dinner several nights a week. Jasper is having fun making crepes, omelettes, and salad, and Pap usually makes spaghetti with pesto or meatballs and loves making apple pancake.

Guess what! I'm being promoted at work -- sort of. I'm going to start baking there now, too, along with waitressing. I like to think I'm breathing fresh air into the recipes and what's usually made there -- the scones, the cakes, the cheesecake, and the tortes have been getting the same treatment for years. And I've been adding whole wheat and oatmeal to the scones, applesauce instead of butter to the cakes, and being daring with the cheesecake. I love it!

Oh my gosh, Friday's Child was my aunt's favorite book awhile ago! I have to read it now.

Holy crap! Cow! Lord! You really really are thinking about being president?! Zibby, I'm going to weep of happiness. Really really really?! I feel energized, renewed, wide-eyed. You're so inspiring with your ideas! You'll have to tell me more about this. I mean, if you plan on taking some home courses on politics, economics, international and domestic affairs, etc, how you'll go about getting there.

What a goal. What a great, gorgeous, big, amazing goal!

Loon, Zib, you're so good for me. Loon, you work in a hospital and know so much about medical conditions and taking care of people and you're working towards that career area (correct me if I'm wrong, OK?!); Zib, you're interested in politics and always take on these kinds of things. I feel so undecided compared to you two -- I mean, I guess I want to be a linguist/translator/whatever -- but it's great that I have you for inspiration.

For a collage of credit cards? The first thing, though not necessarily the brightest, is little bits of the cards forming the shape of a heart where one's physical heart would be -- representing that people follow their money, not their hearts.

Whoa, whoa, that is heavy. Someone you emailed to help through the grief, the realization of death, the alienation and heartbreak of it, has just died. Geez, that's weird, and crazy, and like, whoa. I don't understand death. I really don't. It's freaky.

Really! We do complain about our lives, but look at what we have -- a family. And, all our families -- mine, Zib's, Loon's -- are still together, as in, the parents are together and the kids are still in contact and haven't ran away or anything.

I have to go eat some blackberry cobbler or I'm going to salivitate all over this keybaord and break it!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!! Very, very much.