Last night, without warning, the modem on the laptop stopped working. Even though self-diagnostics tell me that the modem is present and working, it just can't connect. Just like that, we are without either email or internet access - except here at the library, or at work.

Kurt is coming over tomorrow to have another look at the desktop computer, which is still unusable after - has it been over a month yet? Two months?

Ever since my first yoga class with Lisa, I've wanted to have my mat next to the altar. It's a pretty altar, and it seemed like it would be interesting to look at during spinal twists. Last night's class was smaller than normal - probably because it was the day after Thanksgiving - and I finally got to roll out my mat next to the altar.

Lately, I'm been suffering from a lack of both motivation and enthusiasm. I still haven't finished this month's Church Council meeting minutes. I sit down to write them ,and I lose interest in it after a paragraph or two. I've lost interest in a lot of things. The smallest of things bring me enjoyment these days - the four raccoons on Dave & Marji's porch, or listening to Beth read aloud to the kids during Thanksgiving.

I'm also interested in the design of voicemail interfaces. At home, it's 7 to delete a message, 9 to save it, 4 to replay it, plus various less-used options. I don't much like it, but it's what I'm used to. It's especially annoying that the "replay" button is right on top of the "delete" button - it's too easy to accidentally delete a message when you meant to replay it, and there's no "Undo" or "Are you sure?" feature.

At my previous clinic, all the options required two buttons. 73 deleted a message, 95 saved it, and so on. It cut down on accidentally pushing the wrong button, and that was really nice. There was no "undo" feature, but you did have the option of aborting after pushing the first button. The problem with it was that it was difficult to remember which combinations did what. (I don't remember them now - I just made up those two examples.)

At this clinic, the voicemail uses letters instead of numbers. Press D to discard the message, K to keep it, P to play it, G to give it to another mailbox, etc. I like it a lot. It's very easy to remember, once I got used to it. Why not S for save, instead of K? Why not T for transfer instead of G? Obviously, there had to be some concessions made for the telephone keypad layout.

Out of all the dreams I had this morning, and last night, the one I remember was of being in a classroom. The teacher - a woman - was standing in front of the class singing a slow, heartfelt, a capella rendition of Creed's "With Arms Wide Open."

Of course, that is the song stuck in my head right now.

Finally! Blogger is back up. I wrote the following last night, as a Word document, in anticipation of the day that I could post again:

Blogger's been down for two nights now. It's Saturday, November 20, 2004, at about 10:12 PM.

We buried Squeak today.

We buried her in the box from Africa Mama. Inside the box, I drew a picture of Gladys, Gladden, Phillip and me looking into the sleeve that Squeak is looking out of. I cut the sleeve off of the shirt I usually wore during playtime - the sleeve that Squeak loved to climb into - and wrapped Squeak in it. (That was Phillip's suggestion.) Tonya gave me that shirt, because it didn't fit her. I'm going to miss that shirt, but I miss Squeak more. We put some lavender and popcorn in the box with Squeak.

We buried Squeak next to Gladys, at the spot where Phillip and I got married.

Pet went with us to the burial. Afterwards, we went to Puerta Vallarta, the Mexican restaurant in Eatonville. I didn't even have to look at the menu to know what I wanted. I have never had anything quite like their "veggy fajita salad." That is a very yummy dish.

I had completely forgotten that today was Kurt and Lori's party. Phillip reminded me about the party at about five this evening. At first, he suggested that I go, then he decided to go with me. I'm glad we went, even though we were both tired and didn't stay long. It was wonderful seeing Nathan and Linda again. It was nice to meet Teri - I wish I'd been bold enough to ask her about the nature of her chanting to the east.

Yesterday evening's yoga class was more crowded than ever. Dennis and I joked to each other that we're going to have to start showing up an hour early to avoid being up at the front of the room again.

Someday, I am going to memorize the Sun Salutations (surya namaskar), so I can go through it without having to either keep the guide sheet next to my yoga mat or else keep looking at the surrounding students.

A
1. mountain pose (tadasana)
2. raised arms pose (hasta uttanasana)
3. standing forward bend (uttanasana)
4. hands to feet pose (pada hastasana)
5. plank pose
6. cobra pose (bhujangasana)
7. downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana)
8. hands to feet pose (pada hastasana)
9. standing forward bend (uttanasana)
10. raised arms pose (hasta uttanasana)
11. mountain pose (tadasana)

B
1. mountain pose (tadasana)
2. chair pose (utkatasana)
3. standing forward bend (uttanasana)
4. hands to feet pose (pada hastasana)
5. plank pose
6. cobra pose (bhujangasana)
7. downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana)
8. lunge pose
9. plank pose
10. cobra pose (bhujangasana)
11. downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana)
12. lunge pose
13. plank pose
14. cobra pose (bhujangasana)
15. downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana)
16. hands to feet pose (pada hastasana)
17. standing forward bend (uttanasana)
18. chair pose (utkatasana)
19. mountain pose (tadasana)

Someday, I am going to memorize the chant, so I can join in with the class better.

Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
Saccidananda Murtaye
Nispraprancaya Shantaya
Niralambaya Tejase

I offer my heart to the power of Grace
That lives in us as Goodness
That is never absent and radiates Peace
And lights the way to Transformation