I held out my arm And watched the needle go in I hate giving blood

I just got back from the medical lab where I went to have blood drawn for my regular -- every 2 to 3 months -- bloodwork. Problem is that I had very small veins to begin with, and what with the constant "violation", I have none left. So each time I go, there's this big involved ritual to find the proper vein(s) to give enough blood for all the test that have to be performed. What a fucking drag. But, if you're lucky, you get someone who's skilled at drawing blood so it's not so traumatic. Today I was lucky.

• PERSONALS •

This is sorta like when people who are travelling around leave messages for each other in the personals :)

Anyway, this is for "Schaumi":

I've noticed from my site tracker that you've visited my blogs (on several occasions). I tried to get to your's but it seems you've changed it to invite only ...and I didn't get mine. I'm sure it got lost in the mail :)

If you'd care to add my email address: "joshenry@earthlink.net" to your list, I'd like to stop by on occasion and visit.

In any event, I hope this finds you and yours well and prospering.

Gieau

I had a dream ...no not that dream ...but one that stuck in my memory after I'd awoken. You see, I went to look at my watch and noticed that I'd lost the crystal. Upon closer examination, I noticed that the hands and a few of the numbers were also missing. Then, I noticed that the entire watch face was missing ...it seemed the more intently I explored this, the more of the watch seemed to disappear.

Usually, when I do remember a "weird" dream, I don't try to decipher it, but this time I think the dream did have some significance. Perhaps it's my mind dealing with constant concern of the dwindling amount of time I have left ...something I keep putting on the back burner. On occasion I'll briefly entertain a select aspect of this and then dismiss it. Eventually, it'll be staring me right in the face. I so hope I'm prepared, then, for what may come, because I'm surely not prepared now.

Every since I left home at the tender age of eighteen, I've always lived in apartments. I've never wanted the responsibility of owning a home, and my lifestyle has never warranted the purchase of one.

However, every time this asshole in the adjacent apartment starts stomping around and [what seems like] moving furniture, I always wish I had investigated that possibility of home ownership ...a stand-alone house, disconnected from any neighboring edifices, with a surrounding moat ...okay, at least a lawn... so I wouldn't be subjected to the comings and goings of inconsiderate neighbors with their boisterous demeanors, loud conversations, and all the other intrusions into my otherwise quiet and serene environment.

Winston Churchill once said:

"This is not the end.
It is not the beginning of the end.
But it is perhaps the end of the beginning."

Well, I have to disagree. This is, in fact, the beginning of the end. And so it has begun.

Good news; bad news...

Amazon just informed me they're taking advanced orders for the final volume of the Harry Potter saga. I guess that's the good news. The bad news is that it's not being released until the 21st of July ...not March 31 as was first stated. Fuck, that's almost four extra months.

The way things are going with me ...the health/finance situation... four months is a significant amount of time. But in all likelihood, I will get to read the final chapter. I doubt that I'll get to see the final movie, since the fifth movie hasn't yet been released. Rowlings is milking this, marketing-wise, for everything she can get. Oh well, I don't begrudge her her due.

We're in the thick of the holiday thing and I'm not feeling any of it. I usually take the "bah humbug" approach, but that doesn't even seem necessary; there's nothing to be scroogey about. Shopping was never an issue. I haven't bought a present in years ...except maybe a little trifle for myself. I don't even bother with the cards ...and consequently, I don't receive any ...well maybe one from Ms. Nick. Hmmmmm!