when it rains it pours... Broken furnace, stolen purse, and now... root canal. Yes, at my dentist appointment this morning they said that most likely I need a root canal on one of my molars. Yuck! No fun! Not to mention an expense we didn't really need at the moment. (Like, does anyone ever need to part with a couple thousand bucks.) So tomorrow I'm off to get, most likely, a root canal.

At least I can thank my lucky stars I'm not living in a warzone.

And remind myself of one of my favorite verses... Inna ma'a usri yusra -- surely with difficulty, comes ease.

Ok, God, I'm about ready for the ease part...


Several interesting things that I found out through the grapevine:

I'm quoted in a Writer's Digest article about spiritual fiction. (After all, how many people are "experts" about Islamic Fiction?)(Heck, I wouldn't exactly call myself an expert on Islamic Fiction, but I do at least have a nice title -- Director, Islamic Writers Alliance -- and some clips, and some basic knowledge of the industry.) It's the May issue, if that sort of thing interests you.

The odd thing... I had totally forgotten about giving the interview until a friend mentioned that she had seen the article and liked the quotes I gave.

I also just found out I'm on the program for the Tikkun's Conference of Spiritual Progressives May conference. (May 18-20 in DC). Rabbi Lerner and I had corresponded a couple times, but I'd gotten no confirmation. Until, that is, a friend mentioned getting a newletter about the conference and it mentioned me as one of the speakers. (!!) Needless to say, I'm very excited about the prospect. PMU would really like to work with other left leaning religious and humanist groups, but it's an uphill row to hoe getting attached.

Maybe this the fulfillment of the "ease" portion of the above cited verse -- look how information is falling at my feet, without my having to look for it, or even being aware of it!

Of course, that's two items... with any luck, I'll have one more great thing waiting for me around the corner. :D

I could use that about now. Maybe a big tax refund. Yeah. That would be nice.

Which reminds me... why do tax preparation businesses hire someone to dress up like Uncle Sam? Seems kind of counter productive... like, come here for your tax preparation, we'll give all your money to Uncle Sam. Seems like they should be able to come up with a better mascot. Of course, I don't have any idea what it might be. Yet another reason not to go into the tax preparation business. (the primary one's being that you have to look at what other people are making (probably a lot more than you are) and that it's got to be tedious as all get out, filling out forms day and night, and you've got to learn new excemptions, retired exemptions, etc each year.)  ¶ 9:34 PM