What an interesting day today. I had a gyn appointment. Blecch. But the doctor was this sweet, somewhat older black gent. He really made me feel at ease, about as at ease as you could get when you're completely nude under an examining gown. His nurse was named Valerie, also an older black person, and she was a trip. She just bustled around doing stuff and joking with me and the doctor, and watching her kept my mind off what the doctor was doing. So it wasn't too bad of an experience. I would like to go back to them next year -- the two of them have made me feel the most comfortable at a gynecologist that I ever have been. And I've seen something like five different doctors in that specialty.

My stepmom made one of my favourite meals today -- stuffed shells!! YUMMY!! What I don't get is whatever we have for dinner that is Italian (like lasagne or stuffed shells), my stepmom ALWAYS has applesauce with it. Not just to the side of her plate -- she puts the applesauce right next to her lasagne or shells or whatever, and she takes bites that are half applesauce and half main course. Yuck! I've heard of applesauce and pork chops before, but not applesauce and Italian food. Strange.....

Speaking of strange stuff, one day my roommate came home from a trip to Target with one of those instrumental CDs that they sell, and stuck it in the CD player. I thought it sounded familiar, but just dismissed it. Later I was pawing through my tapes (probably looking for BON JOVI!) when I found a tape copy of the album she'd gotten at Target!! Which just proves that she and I share SOME taste in the way of music. Although you wouldn't know it, if you knew her fetish for Marilyn Manson and the Beatles and Radiohead and Hole and Filter.... and my proclivity towards Bon Jovi and Metallica and Barenaked Ladies (They're bare... they're naked... but they're certainly not ladies!! Hehe. My mom's favourite line.) and the Offspring. Our tastes do overlap (I like Radiohead and she likes Metallica), but from our music collections sometimes you wouldn't know it. :o)

I need to pause for a second to give mad props to my best friend Corey. He's been close to me for a full two years now, and he's put up with an insane amount of shit from me. But regardless, he's been there for me. When my life was falling apart before my eyes, he was the rock I could rely on. He always has a shoulder for me to cry on, and a solid body to snuggle into when I'm tired. He's a crazy funny guy that always manages to crack me up till I'm crying, and since he's so smart, he always manages to explain the stuff I miss in class. So Corey, YOU DA MAN, and I love you a ton! Thanks for just being you!

Did I ever mention that my brother is the COOLEST?!?! I have a baby brother (well, he's not quite a baby anymore) named Mark that's eleven years old and almost as tall as I am, and whoever's in charge of assigning siblings couldn't have given me a better brother. Tonight he wrote me a poem:

Poem To My Sister:
Sister, this is for you.
Roses are red, violets are blue.
You're really sweet, and that can't be beat.
Now wait, that's not the end, but if it is,
that's ok. I'll let you go and play.
But if you say no thanks it's ok,
Then listen to the poem I wrote you.
When all is good, something bad happens,
You always go with the flow.
Time after time you say, ok fine.
You don't worry much.
You are so cool, cooler than ice.
Instead thinking one idea, you think twice [as many] ideas.
You says things fast, you say things slow.
You say them tall, you say them low.
Then you make a rhyme and forget the time.
When I'm down, you pick me up and [make me] happy.
From the bottom of my heart it's true
That I love you.
This is the end just for now
Now listen you take a bow.

(additions not in the original are in brackets. Also, I split it into lines that aren't in the original. But isn't that the sweetest thing?!?! Hehe.)