So that was 2003. Now it's 2006. I've lost more things, sure, but I've become a much better keeper of things than loser of things. I've lost being single, and currently still revel in being attached to Mr. Glenn. Married? Not yet, but we're working on it. I've lost the view of the Empire State Building, but gained a view of a parrot, his 10 "friends" in an aviary, and a lovely, dark, 78th street.

I've gained wait, too, which is something I'd rather lose. I've also lost a bit of my innocence. Mom's diagnosis with non-Hodgkins lymphoma took care of that. I still can't believe it. I can't believe she's with cancer. I can't believe she's so young. I really can't believe she may only have fill in the blank number of years to live. I know, we all have only that long, whatever time frame you fill in, but it is really unsettling to think about your mom that way. It's funny because I'm absolutely certain that there's a bit of self-pity and self-absorption going on in those sentences, but I can't help it. She is my mom, and I love her more than so many other things. She's always been so strong that I just can't imagine this stage of life with her. I've been strong and healthy too, so that also calls into question my unending belief that I'm fine. Come to think of it, this has obviously made me confront my own mortality and realize that I'm not even close to understanding at my core that I'm mortal. There, I said it. I'm so self-obsessed that I cannot even imagine myself not being. Which I guess, actually is a sign of being human. What conscious being can imagine itself as unconscious?

Darla's gained a new man as well. She's happier than I've ever seen her, and it's fabulous. She's not without her problems and challenges, but it's still fabulous. Anyway, yahoo for her, and may more wonderful things come her way.

Finally I want to start recording here my thoughts relative to what's wrong. There's so much wrong these days, that I feel the need to at least express my distaste for it and my wish that it was different. I hope to even express my opinions on how to change things. It at least gives me a creative outlet to explore alternatives to all of the bad news I feel inundated with daily. So there.