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Happy birthday, lasunshine!

I was sick earlier today, so I missed the training on the new microfilm reader/scanner the Family History Library got... %^&*#%^%* flares! Won't eat strawberry rhubarb pie again! such is life... but I'm better now (it was a quickie flare, I'll be able to go to church tomorrow.

( Comics and quizzes... )

I had 5 comments at general conference on how thin I was... Yeah, I know. I need feeding up. My pants do NOT fit me anymore. I actually have a waist size smaller than my leg length. (my pants pre-"February 2006 hospitalization" were 30 waist and 30 length, down from 34 and 30 pre-"January 2005 hospitalization". Can you tell I've been in the hospital too much these past few years?)

I went to the rebroadcast of both Sunday sessions - but my endurance failed me - I fell asleep during the second session.

I liked President Hinckley's comments at the end of the Sunday morning session, however:

I now face the sunset of my life. We are all totally in the hands of the Lord. As many of you know, I recently underwent major surgery. It is the first time in my 95 years that I have been a patient in a hospital. I do not recommend it to anyone. My doctors say that I stil lhave some residual problems.

I totally agree with him! I don't recommend it to anyone, either! And he was only in for a week or so, as far as I understand!

I also liked Elder Richard G. Scott's talk in the afternoon session about full-time missionary work, especially when he said:

Exciting fields of labor the world over allow the inspiration of the Lord to call young men and women and devoted couples to challenging assignments conditioned to each personal need and capacity. I rejoice in the opportunity to participate in this captivating effort that potently blesses so many around the globe. ...

I am constantly amazed at how the Holy Ghost matches the characteristics and needs of each missionary and couple to the widely varying circumstances of missionary service throughout the world. I have observed how some of the strongest, most capable elders and sisters are called to the United States and Canada to keep the roots of the Church strong there. I have seen how missionaries who return from unusual assignments, such as adapting to the native culture of a Pacific Island, Mongolia, or the highlands of Guatemala or otherwise serving with minimal personal contact with the mission president, develop previously unknown personal capacities extremely well.

I'm proud to have a brother who is currently serving in mainland Japan, and one who is preparing to serve (he's getting his medical and dental work done).

I'll have to watch the Saturday sessions later, but at least I can - and I just figured out how to hook up Dad's laptop to the TV to do it! I also went to lunch at Burger King in between sessions - missed the first afternoon talk - I'll have to watch that one, too! (The lunch ended up biting back a bit...)

And last but not least, here's a comic that Mom and I got a kick out of when we saw it last week:

We must hide Gotta hide now, we must fight gotta fight now, we must pray gotta save your soul and pray...

Okay, my family isn't military, we're civilians, but we get a kick out of this cartoon, too! And yes, the writer lives on Kadena, too!

Oh, and I finally got my "friends only" image put up!

( Here it is! )

Mommy, make the nasty penguin go away.
  -- Jim Allchin, MS head of OS development, regarding open source software (paraphrased).

Well, yesterday Mom and I went to the exchange (had to pick up a new CD case - the old one was getting smelly for being left in my (middle) brother's car too long - his car is NOT clean! - plus some other stuff my Dad and said brother needed), hit the bank to get a bunch of yen to pay the hospital bill (since the Japanese don't do checks, we have to get actual bills), got a key made, stopped by the post office (to send out more insurance claims, went to Platters, went to the hospital to pay the bill there, went to the USO to donate (and trade) some books, and finally got home after about 4 hours! Then 3 hours later we went to the Officer's Club for their Membership Night - I'll always take a free meal - and it was a good one!

Unfortunately, that was too much.

I overdid it yesterday, and I've been paying for it today... (Thursday) living on sleep and Tylenol because I've been cramping (but then, when your family has a 500-pill bottle of generic Extra Strength Tylenol, you don't need to worry about running out any time soon! :) )