No West Nile. (YAY!)
They also tested me for some cancer baddies. That test was also negative (YAY!)
No infections present (YAY!)
No idea WTF is wrong with my stupid, feverish ass. Maybe I'm just HOT. 
I can't tell you how happy I am to be in the clear. Thank you so much for all the amazing wishes and mojo!
I've sent out 11 submissions of my stories for lit-mags around the country (one in Britain).
I have two: Chance's Flaws (sci-fi), and Pine Box (mainstream lit). Both are flash fiction pieces under 1000 words.
Chance is going out to 3 magazines and Pine to 8.
Yes, I'm being naughty and submitting simultaneously. Most lit mags have to allow it these days.
I'll keep you all updated.
In the past, publishing has kind of fallen in my lap. Now that I'm hungry and actively pursuing it, I have no idea what to expect. This is more of a testing-the-waters type of activity. We'll see how these are received.
I am being tested for West Nile. My doc just wants to make sure. Lots of ongoing symptoms over the last few weeks point to a possibility. I, personally, think it's so incredibly messed up. Who gets West Nile? Seriously.
If I have it, there's little they do except for deal with symptoms and keep an eagle's eye on your health.
There's less than a 1% chance it might lead to meningitis or encephilitis. I'm usually right in the middle with "the odds" so I'm not worried about that crap. Hell, I don't even think I have it.
I just think it's funny that I might have this weirdo "traveling" disease (or at least it began as such) and I never, ever travel. I'm a total homebody! That's kind of ironic, ya know?
In other news . . .
I got a flu shot and I feel like crap now.
I am working out like a madwoman and am SORE (but it's such a goood sore).
I've lost 12 lb. Yay! I want to lose another few for my first big goal.
E is great. She's into this phase:
Yay! (twirls finger in air!)
Later all
E was watching the Disney Channel the other day and the Jonas Brothers' show came on. And ya know what? It was kinda funny. I feel like a dirty ole cougar for saying it, but yeah . . . it was entertaining. And they were cuties. I can see the appeal now.
Now, if only Miley Cyrus would go away . . .
I have facilitated two undergraduate workshops now as a teaching assistant. This is an upper classman creative writing class, one of two advanced workshops that only English majors are able to sign up for. If you're in this class, you're an English major and most students are serious about writing.
The First Workshop
Story 1 was a mess. It was unorganized, cliche, melodramatic. It had so many grammatical errors in it that I wondered if the student's first language was not English. But, despite the mess, there was a plot there. There was an attempt. The author was excited to put all the critique to use in his revisions.
Story 2 was less of a mess. There was some moments of melodrama, some cliche characters, but it was a solid story: beginning to end. It had a narrative arc. Good job. The guy also took in the critique eagerly and you could tell this was someone who loved writing--loved to play with words, etc.
All in all. Good, solid workshop. Good vibes. Good feeling.
The Second Workshop
Story 1 was one of the most hideous pieces of writing I have ever seen in my entire life. The guy apparently had a hard on for Ayn Rand because he was doing all he could to emulate her writing--and doing a poor job of it. So, you take one of the shittiest writers on the face of the planet (sorry Ayn Rand fans) and a budding writer who desperately wants to become Ayn Rand, and you have a disaster in the making. It took me 4 hours to get through the story, analyze it and make notes for the workshop. The student listened and was patient and quiet. But, he didn't take a single note. He pretty much just sat there with his legs stretched out and arms crossed. Apparently everything WE all had to say just wasn't good enough? Who knows.
Story 2 was your typical, "my boyfriend and girlfriend, like oh my GAWD, I'm writing what I hope would really happen to ME someday" story. I wrote those in what . . . 6th grade? Many writers go through that phase. But. Hi, you're a college student now. Furthermore, she also didn't write a single thing down or take notes or really even look up at the students. The clincher for me was when I asked her "how did you get the idea for this story?" she shrugged and said, "I just needed crap to put on the paper for workshop." Gee! Thanks.
I hope it gets better from here. This is draining. I guess I need to learn not to let shitty attitudes from college kids get to me.
I'm sore! I hit the gym hard yesterday, lifted some weights. Yow!
I took E with me (they have daycare) and it was her first time being left alone with people she didn't know. She did so well! She did not want to leave. I'm very happy about this. It means more options for me for getting my workouts in.
When Miss Cleo went to the happy catnip garden in the sky, I told the doctor that I wanted her body used in medical research. We use the university's animal clinic at CSU (one of the best vet schools in the nation). So, they did a full autopsy on her (and will study her organs, etc before they cremate the remains).
She had massive inflammation of the kidneys, pancreas, liver and urinary tract caused by kidney failure. Things were just shutting down one at a time. The doctor said if I hadn't brought her in, she would have likely passed within a few days and been in an extreme amount of pain.
There is always a certain amount of guilt associated with putting an animal to sleep. Am I doing the right thing? Who am I to "play God" and take another life, even if I think I'm doing the right thing? Did I make the right choice?
With all of this information, I know I made the right choice.
Linxi (our youngest cat) was extremely aggressive toward Cleo toward the end. She would intentionally pick on her, start fights. The vet said that happens sometimes when the lower cat on the totem pole senses weakness in the "queen bee" cat (which Cleo definitely was) and they try to "remove them from the back." So, everything kind of came together for me today on this. I feel like I can put it at rest.
I think what is a bit sad for me is that the nurse who assisted . . . well, it was her first euthanasia. She was pretty upset by the whole thing. I wonder if she'll remember us down the road and how it all went down in that office. I wonder if veterinarians remember their first like that? It was just a thought I had.
Anyway, thanks for reading.
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