Wednesday, Apr. 05, 2006 - 6:34 a.m.

More than anything else (in its comparison class, anyway) I wish people would stop asking me if I've started my dissertation. Actually, what I really wish is that I could say, "yes, and it's going fabulously!". No, like every other day someone, well-intentioned and just wanted to make small talk, asks me this, and every time I have to mumble something or laugh in their face. It's awkward.

I've been having this horrible allergy thing lately inside the house-- I get sneezy, my lung capacity goes way down, I cough. Only in the house. I vacuumed, it didn't help. It comes and goes--night before last it was terrible, in the morning I woke up and I was fine, then last night in the middle of the night, again. Continuing into this morning.

Ballyhoo has been troublesome lately. He wants to wake me up for no apparent reason a half hour before my alarm goes off. And when a cat wans to wake you up, you wake up. He had food. He didn't want out. I don't know what the hell. So between the two, I did not sleep well.

On the bright side, it's getting warmer. Violets have appeared in my yard. I cannot express my gratitude.

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