today I have a list of things to do a mile long... I'll be doing my best to take pictures along the way...

www.mobog.com/irpac

It's a pretty day outside... warmer than usual for November. I'm looking forward to going to all the places I'm going today, seeing the people I'll be seeing, listening to some Kenny Wayne Shepherd on the highway drive... drinking tea, giving flowers, sharing smiles, clearing the head and cleaning a friend's computer that has a virus or two.

Feeling pretty strong today... thought sure I was going to start smoking again yesterday (quit back in March), but pulled through the craving by heading outside to do some walking and yard work. Also got inspiration from a forum I frequent when a poster who keeps tabs on those who quit smoking posted a thread that showed I'm only days away from the 250 mark. Couldn't light up after seeing that, goofy as it sounds.

Still feeling like driving to Nebraska or New Hampshire... most likely will feel that way for a while. But I know that it's one thing to feel something and another thing to do it... in my mind, Nebraska represents a safe-zone, and my mind is just overwhelmed with the situations here in this state and for now my mind gets soothed by the idea of another state, and it's usually Nebraska, and sometimes New Hampshire. Can't even take phonecalls from Billy anymore... tried taking a few, only to feel myself closer to packing up the car and heading west. I'm hoping Nikki will be ok until her appointment in January, and lately it feels all I can do is hope... and I think I have a hard time with 'just hoping'. I'm more action-oriented. You do this and that happens... I want to be able to do more for her than 'just hope', but that's the stage things are at right now. Things are in place, and they will either work or they won't. There's nothing left that I can do that would increase the odds or make things better. I've done all I can. Somehow I still feel I should be able to do something more, though, but I know that's just the instinct as a parent.

On an offbeat note... I'll always remember Arafat's death being on a Wednesday night, because the announcement cut right into CSI New York as a special report during the last ten minutes of the show... 10:50 p.m ., which is when all the pieces of the crime/drama come together and you find out who did what, when, where, how and why. It's my guess that episode will have a lot more people watching than usual when it's re-aired during the off season. There was something about Arafat they mentioned that got my curiousity going... his comment about an olive branch in one hand and a weapon in the other.. I will be researching and reading up on him and his life at some point when I have time. I only know the basics, but now want to know more about him. I know he was considered a rebel of sorts, but I'm wondering now... rebel with a cause? Or rebel without a clue? He's got such a contagious smile, with his sunglasses on, like Snoopy as Joe Cool.

note to RiN: :O) :rocks: :huh: have a good one and let me know how things went at the school with K.