Terror keeps me from getting rest

I'm terrified I won't be well by Sunday. My throat still hurts, my neck is still swollen, and I've nearly finished the antibiotics.

I'm terrified that the loan agent hasn't called back. He said he'd have results by "Monday or Tuesday" (of this week).

I'm terrified I'll be homeless and without a job. Nobody has called wanting to interview me for over a week.

I'm terrified the only jobs that might come my way won't pay enough to make ends meet. I told Warren about the job I applied for that would involve my writing comedy for TechTV (really!). He doesn't think it'll pay well. I'm still intrigued by it because they want someone with a background in broadcasting, high tech, and writing comedy, preferably stuff that's slightly edgy. (Does "Grandma's Training Bra" qualify?)

Avinu Malkeinu for this congregation's cantorial assistant....

Today I woke up to the sound of my computer's fan going and the computer not going. I unplugged it and removed the battery so it'd cool off, then rebooted.

I continued my search online for the Hebrew music. Al Jolson's version of "Kol Nidre" is closest to the one I've heard done at this synagogue. I was able to find a copy to download for reference, as the Mountain View Library's copy was checked out till after Yom Kippur. (Dear RIAA, if you dare to come after me for studying liturgical music, you and your lawyers deserve a far worse punishment than anything I can dream up.)

My ENT appointment was at 2:15, and Warren wanted to go with me, so I dashed out of the house, picked him up in San Jose, and off we went. I walked through the door precisely at 2:15.

Dr. Burt said my infection was gone, but I have acid reflux. Yes, acid reflux. This was a new one on me, but supposedly it can interfere with your throat and sinuses without you even feeling it. While it sounded a bit outrageous, considering I keep bottles of Maalox tablets in my bedroom, my travel bag, my exercise bag, and my KLIV bag (next to my headphones), I figured there might be something to this. I filled the prescription for his second-choice medication (Health Net won't pay for his first choice). Now I hope he's right and that I notice an immediate improvement.

After the appointment, Warren and I headed down to Phil's Seafood in Moss Landing for his "birthday" dinner (his birthday was yesterday, but he wanted to spend it with his parents and vice-versa). We split an order of garlic bread, he had their broiled salmon dinner plate, and I gorged myself on a seafood-stuffed artichoke. We left, then I hit a produce stand and picked up a bunch of fresh artichokes to take home (10 for $5.00).

Next we went down to Monterey so he could go to the bathroom in a really posh hospital. The lobby looked more like a hotel lobby; it even had a fountain with koi and a coffee bar with menus! The only clue that it was anything else were the hospital rooms hanging off the hallways instead of hotel rooms.

After his little foray, we headed back up to Sand City so he could buy a SuperLotto Plus ticket. While he did that, I hit the PetSmart store and bought a couple of treats for Lady. I was kind of offended when the cashier was trying to coerce a buck out of every patron "to save dogs' lives." It may be a good cause, but I was buying cheaper treats because of my (lack of) job situation. (Why do you think I ordered an appetizer for under $5.00 instead of a full dinner?)

On the way back to Warren's place we decided to check out San Jose's new Martin Luther King Jr. library. This eight-story monstrosity is a joint venture with San Jose State, which effectively means anyone with a library card (and it only takes a photo ID to get one!) can check out goodies from SJSU's library. I took full advantage of this, checking out Jewish liturgical sheet music and a recording of vocal Jewish liturgical music. Next I plan to enter the Kol Nidre into Finale Allegro, take advantage of its transposition feature to see which key works best for me, and then make a printout and recording of it in that key.

Finally, I took Warren home and rushed back to call the rabbi. She had told me her knee surgery was tomorrow, but it turned out to be today (oops!), so I made the conversation quick. She was grateful I knew "Avinu Malkeinu." I figure I'll be begging "Avinu Malkeinu" to the congregation if I don't get this right.