is speaking in a few minutes on a live statewide video broadcast. The fire alarm has been going off all morning during the other talks.

For those concerned about swine flu, there's plenty of reliable, validated info available from this page: http://ping.fm/dC035

has just submitted her final paper, logged out of Blackboard, and is ready for 5 whole weeks of no assignments (other than work...) Yay!

is _really_ finishing her paper. 1/2 of a chapter plus checking APA formatting (if you know it, you hate it.) 11 hours left this semester.

notes that her Twitter feed today is chock full of swine flu posts. Here's hoping all of the avian flu pandemic planning is tranferrable.

It's the end of the world, so maybe my last paper can wait...

From the top of the Drudge Report this afternoon (time indicated via Google gadget, as are my pending projects.)

Pig Flu, and we're all gonna die.

Fires at the beach, and they're all gonna die.

White House evacuated due to stray plane -- somebody's gonna ....

Smaller version pasted below.  

Definitely check out the full-sized screen shot so you can read the text.

is preparing to serve as an expert panelist on pandemic influenza. Woot.

has turned in last assignment in health politics class. Now to GVL for pan flu ethics forum.

is leaving work after a long on-call day.

just got this error message: "403 Forbidden: The server understood the request, but is refusing to fulfill it." Who knew they were sentient?

is back from the Great Easter Vigil. Jesus is back in the Tabernacle, the Santuary candle is relit, and He is truly risen, indeed.

is between Good Friday services and awaiting news about her father-in-law who is in the hospital. That's all we know right now.

Haiku Thoughts on the Drive Home

Mid-April ev'ning
Full moon over the dogwoods
Easter is coming.

I love how God has decorated the South for Holy Week this year. The dogwoods, remaining camelias, azaleas, and annuals are just lovely, and some streets are breathtakingly beautiful.

I hope to remember to take time to notice and marvel at the beauty of creation this week, even as all the hectic busy-ness of school, work and even our Holy Week observances tend to take my mind off of the Creator of all of this beauty. Long sentence, but you get the idea.

is off to choir rehearsal for the Triduum.

Mainly for @dogwooddell. http://ping.fm/Tjvzv

suggests this page of instructions for making palm crosses in the AM. They form up well and dry beautifully. http://ping.fm/nLrnv

thanks G for reminding her that today was the 4th anniversary of the day we lost John Paul II. Santo Subito!

now has 3 sisters and 6 brothers and finds this BBC news story quite interesting (not posted on April 1!): http://ping.fm/1u46i

Rabbit, Rabbit

There -- I've collected your luck for the month.

Just completed the taxes (yay!), and tomorrow will resume writing about lice whilst also mounting the fake campaign for my health politics class. We have to run a simulated campaign and I'm the lucky candidate running for a random house seat.

Sample slogan: Lizzie O'Cayce: Right for District 4. (We're group #4 and I've reasonably conservative, so you get the idea.) 50% of the project grade is the budget and fundraising parts of the Wiki. Not the issues or the comprehension of health and political topics -- nope, the money stuff is most of the grade. To quote the txtng nephews: wat up widdat?

In other news from my non-work, non-school life, another more family bday gathering let me get a few neat shots.



Izzy with our youngest great-niece, Mackenzi. He calls this one "Mac and Cheese."



Uncle Izzy flying the baby through the air. She's finally smiling.



Universal sign of needing a nap.



Bro (B3) and bandmember of a nephew.



Nephew, age 14, not the one in the band.

In the realm of being grown-ups. 25 years after we got rid of the Flintstones furniture that Izzy had in his "bachelor pad" (model home cast-offs), we've finally bought a real live coffee table. We put the pretty throw we got in Morocco onto it and the place looks even more homey.

Speaking of homey, the azaleas are coming back after the massacre 16 months ago. We've got light pink and deep magenta blooms next to the last of the camellias and the white dogwood blossoms. It's such a pretty time of year and I'm glad we got our flowers back this year, though it doesn't quite look like it did before. (scroll for after and before shots.) I drove down the street my Mom and Step-Dad live on last night, which was awash with dogwoods and azaleas and other flowers -- I just felt so happy seeing all of the color. I'm grateful for spring flowers and renewal and all of the loveliness that leads up to Easter -- and against which Good Friday will stand in stark contrast.





Last pic -- I love B&W for shapes.