spring break!

This break has been wonderful! First of all, it was sunny and in the 70s on Friday - Sunday, and that alone would make the break fantastic in my book. But then, I also got to do a lot of fun stuff with great people!

However, it seems I was having too much fun, and yesterday afternoon brought a cold to slow me down. I'm trusting that prayers and lots of medications and some rest will make me feel better so I can still enjoy myself for the rest of the break.

Am I in a movie?

This morning, when I came into my office, I looked up at the window and saw what looked like fur... Turns out, there was a kitten outside my window! Then, after the kitten ran away (apparently I'm scary) there was a rabbit just beyond it! Plus, on my walk in, I saw the tiniest chipmunk I've ever seen. I felt like I was in a movie for 2 year olds - here are the baby animals of the world... Yay for furry creatures outside my window :).

How to deal?

Today's been one of those days full of questions about my latest health issues... Since Sunday, I've been sleepy and weak (like taking notes in a 50 minute class took 6-7 pep talks), and I'm not over it yet. The problem is: I don't know what to do to get better. With the celiac, it was straightforward (not easy). Eat gluten-free food, feel better. If I felt ill, I could wait it out, rest, eat "sick" foods, and feel better in a few days. It wasn't easy, but I knew what to do. With all of this now, there's so many questions... Do I rest? How long do I rest? How much do I push myself to do schoolwork? How much do I push myself to exercise? When all I want to do is curl up in a ball and go to sleep, how much caffeine do I drink? If I push myself, will it catch up with me later? How much longer is this going to last? Am I doing too much, or was it walking too far and messing up the sleep schedule? How do I realistically go to bed between 9 and 10 at night, when all the fun stuff usually happens after 8? What should be the priority things I do around the house?

So many questions, so few people to answer them. Do I find a specialist somewhere? What if that specialist is only questionably legitimate? I am seeing a rheumatologist on Monday, but there are limits to what he'll be able to offer me. (More prescription drugs - mixed feelings about that, given to what some of the recent ones have done to me - NOT FUN.)

On an odd note - it seems the Story of the Day from storypeople.com now has 5-6 days in a 24 hour period, so I get many emails a day instead of just one. It's on the verge of becoming annoying, but not quite there yet.

I've been loving the sunshine and "warmth" of the past 5 days though. Yesterday, I sat on a park bench in the sunshine and pretended to be a sponge, soaking up every last bit that I could. Everyone else was out enjoying the sun too - it's like hibernation is finally over :). Only a month-ish left of possible wintry weather, and I'm excited.

Wow...

It's a scary world out there to try to get a job as a math professor... I was looking into universities in the places I want to live, and let me tell you, there aren't many. Fortunately, I have two more years!