Aha! I am back. My computer is hooked up to the internet, finally, though I have an excruciatingly slow connection (and a Pentium 133, to make matters worse). It's been difficult to get things done.

Anyway, my father came through his surgery just fine, though they did have to take out almost his entire right tricep. The scar starts at his elbow and loops around his armpit (apparently to help with flexibility), and was originally held together with several dozen staples. He looked a bit like Frankenstein, which was scary. But he didn't take any of the prescribed Percocet, and is returning to work next Wednesday, only about three weeks after the surgery. He's not sure how much he can do yet--he's not supposed to lift more than 15 pounds with his right arm--but is very happy about getting back to work.

I, on the other hand, have spent the last two weeks on my ass. Watching Buffy reruns, mind you, but still not doing much of anything. I am in a very precarious financial situation--I won't even get into it. Mark is helping me (including paying for my gas!), and I don't need to pay rent or anything, but I do have lessons and cell phone bills and a credit card to take care of, plus some audition-related expenses coming in a few months. I know it's part of the whole depression-prone monster, but I'm tired of it. So Mark and I talked about it AGAIN last night (after a near-breakdown in Kmart on Sunday), and this morning I faxed off my first resume for a part-time job. I'm not really counting on any of the music schools in town to be interested in hiring me (or anybody) at this point--particularly in the summer--and I think working mornings is a great way for me to feel like I'm doing something. And I definitely will be able to pay my own bills this way. There's a program in Sarasota that I REALLY want to do in the winter (eleven weeks long, with only nine days off the whole time--now THAT is intensive), so right now I'm just trying to fill something in, to pay the bills. Plus I really don't mind administrative work--especially when it's part-time, because I don't have to stress over it. And I know I won't be doing it forever, of course. It will actually be nice to meet some new people.

I must go, but I have a question: how do people feel about April 16, 2005 for a wedding? Looks like it'll either be that or May 7th (which, incidentally, is the day Mark proposed, but we're leaning towards the former). We really wanted to get married on a Friday evening, but the church we're using (which was not our first choice, but will do just fine) only does weddings on Saturdays, before 2 PM. I think we're pretty sure about the reception site, as well; we just have to choose between two or three caterers. I think we're going to have a pasta station! Yay!

p.s. Helen, I owe you an apology for not getting back to you. As I mentioned, I've been sitting on my ass, and really have no excuse. How is Monday for you?