No wonder I'm so tired...

I tried to give blood a little earlier at the blood drive at work and they turned me down because my iron was too low. I'm not taking my vitamins like I should, so I wasn't really surprised.

This week, I reduced my Paxil dosage again. I was pretty snippy and sullen earlier in the week, but I'm feeling better today. I'm getting a decent amount of sleep for now, although I'm always fatigued lately. I've been having a lot of vivid, strange and sometimes disturbing dreams. I'm still having a hard time concentrating, which is why I haven't been blogging, although I have been commenting here and there. I used to be so organized...now I'm so disorganized it's ridiculous. It's very frustrating.

Regarding the earlier prayer request, things are looking up for the one who I asked you to pray for. She still needs a lot of prayer...although one bad situation is getting better, the other still remains the same. Thank you to all who have prayed for her. Keep praying!

A Bleg of Sorts -- I Need Some Information

I know that some people are sensitive to fragrances. I would like to hear from people who have this sensitivity. Specifically, I would like to know to what extent you are sensitive to fragrances -- particularly when it comes to bath products:

• Can you not tolerate any fragrance at all?
• Can you tolerate fragrances as long as they are not heavy? That is, would you be able to use very lightly fragranced bath products?
• Are there certain fragrances that you can tolerate, but others you cannot? For example, I have a friend who gets awful migraines if she smells anything too heavy and "perfumey". However, she is just fine with more natural, essential oil based fragrances like patchouli, cinnamon and lavender.
• Can you give me any other information about sensitivity to fragrance not covered above?

I would like to make some bath things for people who are sensitive to fragrances, so that's why I need this information. Thank you in advance to anyone who helps me out with this.

Update (8/13/07): I'm closing the comments for this post, but if you would like to contribute some information about this, feel free to email me at the address on the sidebar.

Personal DNA

This is a somewhat lengthy quiz but it's pretty accurate:

(Via Barb.)

Spam Flood!

Yuck! I just deleted a whole bunch of disgusting pr0n spam that slipped right through the spam filter and posted on my blog last night. If the flood continues, I may have to put all comments on moderate for the time being.

Update: The flood continues...this is like having a backflow of sewage in your house. All comments will have to be approved before they appear on the blog for the time being...sorry about that!

Update (7/10/07): I installed MT-Akismet last night and it seems to be working, so I'm turning comment moderation off.

The Hunted

A comment to this post by Andrea Harris -- where she reacts about the way I would to some over-the-top, sentimental goopiness written by an Episcopal priest -- has the following quote by C.S. Lewis from The Screwtape Letters:

"She's the sort of woman who lives for others -- you can always tell the others by their hunted expression."

I can't tell you how often I've worn that hunted expression.

Some have wrongly accused me of "not caring" or being too aloof. It's not that I don't care...I just don't want to become the one who causes others to get that hunted expression. I don't want to, "Be there for them with a vengeance," as the sentimentalist Episcopal priest suggests. Because the "them" in question often end up feeling smothered and resentful.

And hunted.

Big 4-0

Today is my birthday, and yes, it's that birthday. Strangely, I don't feel forty...whatever forty is supposed to feel like. As far as looking forty goes -- first let me point out here that I'm not saying this to brag, because the only reason for this is genetics and the fact that I was never into laying in the sun and/or tanning beds and ruining my skin -- I am happy to report that I look younger than my age. People are always surprised I'm as old as I am. However, I would look a lot better if I lost weight. (And I'm working on that, BTW. I started NutriSystem again yesterday. My mother says she will support me in staying on it, so I'm trying it again because I really did get great results.)

So, anyway...having my age start with a "4" will take some getting used to, but I'm okay with it. My sister gave me this...I think it's really cute and it made me smile. I don't know about the "sexy" part, but I'm still...not old! ;-)

A Prayer Request

This is not a request for myself but for someone else. It is what some call a "private intention" because I cannot elaborate at this time. I can only say that the one who needs prayer needs to be delivered from a miserable situation. For my Catholic readers, the appropriate saint for you to ask for intercession from is St. Rita of Cascia. The person this prayer is for is a fallen away Catholic and St. Rita was her confirmation saint.

Update: I just want to remind everyone that this person still needs lots of prayer. Please remember to pray for her. Thank you.

Lutheran Carnival!

This week, my good friend Barb is hosting the 53rd edition of the Lutheran Carnival. Go over there and take a look...lots of yummy Lutheran goodness!