Tuesday, Icky Tuesday

I started the day slogging around the Beltway to visit with a friend who serves a church about 12 miles away. Took me 45 minutes in the miserable traffic. I have been blessed by either living close to work, working from home, or commuting in the off hours. I didn't realize how blessed until I did that drive this morning. Twas worth it, though, to have a cuppa and enjoy great conversation with my dear friend. It's nice to have friends who are smarter than I am, who get me thinking in creative and wonderful ways, and who put up with my occasional cluelessness.

I managed to utterly frustrate myself trying to work with a video recording of some of the research work I've been doing - the tape was on the fritz. After a consult with my boss, we decided to use our written documents to construct the timeline. Sometime technology is not my friend. I recovered by eating a fabulous tomato and fresh mozzarella salad for lunch while watching about 15 minutes of the Michael Jackson memorial service. C'mon folks, let's call it what it was - a bad tribute concert. There was little in the way of true religious sentiment and much in the way of melodramatic tears. 15 minutes was just about my limit. Let the poor, troubled man rest in peace, in his gold-plated casket (the cost of it would have fed many of the children of whom he sang in "We Are The World," but let's not mention that), and please let his three children be kept from the media circus until they're, say, 30 or so.

Then off to the wonderful Lucien, for a French-accented haircut - the man is a genius with the scissors and a wit as well.

And then...and then. To the dermatologist to deal with a rash on my face and scalp that has been worsening for a couple of weeks. And what was this bit of nastiness? The Heartbreak of Psoriasis! Lovely! So now I've got some new meds ($57 in co-pays - heaven only knows what they cost for those without insurance) and a new regimen to work into my busy life. The good news was that the dermatologist took care of some other little odds and ends while I was there and I am otherwise the owner of pretty darned good skin for someone my age.

Can't complain. On the whole, it was a good day. A good haircut always outweighs technology dramas, and good medical insurance outweighs yet another little medical problem. And tea with my friend made the whole day a joy.

Life is, above all, a great gift, for which I thank God every day.