As an alternative to lying down I have been reading some online diaries. Well, trying to read them. I hate this computer we have. It's so irritatingly slow. The enervated 75 megaherz processor takes for-freaking-ever when anyone has big graphics on their page. I've decided to read through all of Mike Leung's web ring, Smart and Lazy, because he selected for sites without finicky, graphics-laden downloads. I haven't looked at it since it climbed over 50, but I need some new diaries to read. I begin to wonder if I ought to expand Archipelago. But then, I'm probably the only person who reads the whole ring and very little else.

Thanks to everyone who's filled out the survey I wrote with Rick. I find the answers quite interesting, especially the questions people choose not to answer. The most creative answers have been to the request to choose between (Jeffrey) Sinclair and (John) Sheridan on the excellent television series Babylon 5 which ran from 1994-1998. Our very own Diane Patterson was an intern on the show, you know.

Because it's actually a cool idea I created an amazon.com Wishlist. Family members who read my journal, check it out! I have no fear whatsoever that I'll be inundated by gifts from readers since I've never received any in the three years I've been keeping this journal. I don't appear to engender warm, fuzzy feelings in those who keep up with my life. However, if any of you do feel the urge, let me jump on Stee's very fine bandwagon and suggest that you send me a check made out to Pets In Need for the cost of whatever book you were thinking of getting me, and I'll send in your check plus one of my own for a donation. They are the Peninsula's only no-kill adoption center, and I would love to do more for them. All three of my pets are rescues. There are millions of unwanted and abandoned animals that need a home. There are always pets who outlive their owners, and they shouldn't have to die just because their original owner did. If you're thinking of getting a pet, please go to your local animal shelter and adopt. If you can't have a pet right now, donate to a no-kill shelter and make sure someone else has the chance. What goes around comes around.

This has been the closest I've come to a weblog so far. Links galore. How can people stand doing this every day? I hate having to look up all those web pages for the linkage. Maybe I'd hate it less if I had a faster processor. I probably won't do this again any time soon, so what the hell, let's go crazy. If you'd like to buy someone a really nice present, how about a piece of the rainforest? One size fits all! Or maybe you'd prefer to support something a little more local. If you, also, are looking for more diaries, Kim is a consistently good read. Check out Nancy's answers to our survey, and ponder the drag queen visage she currently has on the index! Live vicariously, you sad computer geeks, you, through the Artist at Large.

Enough links. I have to lie down for a while now. Being sick is the pits.

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