Diary-x has suffered a massive drive failure. Due to an admitted failure on the part of the management, backups have not been performed. I don�t keep personal copies, so it�s a bit unsettling to think that all those entries could be lost� I�ve come to rely on journal entries to jog my memory on numerous occasions, but now there is a good chance that such an option will no longer be available to me�

Oh well, there�s nothing I can do, so there�s no use agonizing over this. And, in the grand scheme of things, this is a relatively minor problem. I recently had a good dose of perspective after hearing about an experience My Friend had. Last week, she went to Albany for a post-surgical appointment, and the results were troublesome. As she was driving home, with thoughts of what the doctor had told her weighing heavily on her mind, she got a flat tire. In the dark, on the Taconic State Parkway, a scary road even under the best conditions.

I told My Friend that I would have freaked out if that had happened to me, but she said she took it in stride. Fortunately, a passing State Trooper pulled over and stayed there until the tow truck arrived. The way My Friend handled the situation really made an impression on me. I wish I could be more like her, but I just don�t seem to be wired that way.

Besides being an English teacher and Department Head, My Friend does yoga, meditates and is a Reiki Master and Reflexologist. I, on the other hand, am a major worrywart. You�d think some of that peace and calm would rub off on me, but it hasn�t. Go figure.

In other news, I continue to be preoccupied with physical pain. A couple of years ago, when I was suffering from the agony of a herniated disc and related sciatica, I had a nightmare in which I dreamt that I was in heavy labor. That�s how my brain chose to deal with the pain I was experiencing in that part of my anatomy. A week or so ago, my brain chose to deal with the pain in my neck and head by causing me to have a nightmare about demonic possession. �Mother, make it stop!�

So, today is Valentine�s Day. To celebrate, I�ll be going to the dentist. What was I thinking when I made that appointment?? Afterwards, I�ll come home to a meal prepared by my daughter, Rebecca. She�s coming home from college just for the occasion, and will drive back to school tomorrow morning.

Speaking of tomorrow, Daniel and I have an appointment for a residency interview with the Department of Immigration in New York City. Wish us luck!

Song of the Day: The Exorcist by Hellacopters