Lunch with Rachel and Aaron Homemade bean soup. How could I resist? Actually, what I couldn't resist was a chance to dine with two of my best friends, Rachel and Aaron. They've been married over four years, now, but I knew them back in college when they were engaged. Rachel is a high school math teacher by day and an amazing singer/actress by night. She's starred in a number of plays in the Nashville area and sings with a local, cover band. Aaron has his own recording studio in the downstairs of their cute home in Brentwood. He's also extremely spiritual and outdoorsy. After college, he hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, from Maine to Georgia, which took about six months. Both of them are very involved in their church and are absolutely the kindest, most open-minded ... read more

My flight from London Heathrow was delayed by about three hours, so I missed my connecting flight in Detroit. Now, I'm stuck here, trying to stay calm because I just want to go home! The wind is so freakin' cold, it practically burns my skin. I'm sitting in a huge van, a shuttle that's taking me to a Best Western down the road. The airlines is putting me up in a hotel for the night. To my right is a good-looking college-age guy.... I'd seen him in the airport in London, with his backwards baseball cap, cargo pants, and white t-shirt. He looked like a frat boy who was the star on the wrestling team in high school. That's an American boy, right there! I thought, as he strutted by. They don't make 'em like that ... read more

I managed to walk to the grocery store down the road to buy some medicine, and that has helped. Today, I'm feeling much better, but I took the day off anyway just to make sure. I really don't want to be sick when I'm on vacation. I've been cooped up in my bedroom for the last three days. Tomorrow is Friday, the last day of the school term. I've missed three days of work this week, so I'm going to be totally broke. Seriously. Furthermore, I don't know what I was thinking when I booked my plane tickets home. I'll be home only for a week! (Actually, I know what I was thinking. I thought a week would be enough and that I could use the rest of my break to travel around the UK a ... read more

I wake up this morning with a splitting headache. Yesterday, I felt horrible, so I came straight home from school and went right to bed. Slept all through the night, and I still feel awful this morning. I get up and stumble to the bathroom, coughing along the way. I can hardly walk straight. As I lean over the sick to wash my face, I realize that I'm burning up. I slpash cold water on my face and stand there, leaning over the sink, trying to keep the room from spinning. I can't go to work today. But I have to! I get paid by the day, so if I don't show up, I get nothing! And with the two-week Chrismas break coming up, plus the fact that I'm flying home for a week, I need ... read more

I put off my "women's health" appointment for as long as possible, and now...it's time. Really time. In fact, I'm running late. I printed directions from google, but I think they're wrong. There's no way a doctor's office is in this residential area. Luckily, I saved the phone number in my cell phone. No answer. They never answer! When I was trying to schedule the appointment, I think I let it ring for like fifteen minutes before the connection was finally severed. Then I had to re-dial and repeat the process about three times before finally speaking to another human being. And now, I'm walking in the rain, and they're still not answ-- "Parkhouse," the receptionist answers, sounding bored. "Hi! I had an appointment at five, but I can't seem to find where you're located." She ... read more