As per usual

Back pain sucks. The thing I don't know is how long the remedy for the back pain, the epidural injection of steroids that might blow out my transplanted pancreas, especially in combination with the prednisone I take so I don't lose the kidney... it seems like that should have lasted longer than two weeks.

Oh well, the anesthesiologist who administered the injection was very cute, so it's not like I'd mind going back to see him again. It's just my luck that I'd get some variety of troll the next time, isn't it. I mean, if a guy is going to stick a needle in your spine, he ought to be eye candy, don't you think.

Oh, by the way, if any of you reading this are either pregnant or considering becoming pregnant any time in the future, get the epidural. The give you a local beforehand, and it truly doesn't hurt.

So I am taking my achy back to IKEA in a few hours. Actually I think Fedward is driving. It occurs to me that the last time I was trapped in the hospital for more days than I'm comfortable counting, a trip to look at semi-disposable Swedish furniture preceded it by a few days. I don't really need anything there, with the possible exception of picture frames, but you know how I feel about lingonberry drink.

No, seriously, a friend from North Carolina is coming up here for an IKEA fix and Fedward and I said we'd meet her out there.

In any case, I have been trying to think what any one of the passel of Democrats who want to unseat GWB could say that would make me believe s/he has any real reason to be running for president. I came up with this.

I'm all for a balanced budget and fiscal responsibility, as Howard Dean says he is, but I'm not seeing any guidelines as to how he'd achieve this. All the candidates have a whole host of social programs they think would be good for the U.S., but if you want to cut the deficit plus increase social spending... there you have the root of the Tax and Spend Democrat cliche that GOP candidates like to invoke.

I'm thinking that if somebody got up and started talking about looking at line item in the budget the way you and I have to do when it's time to tighten our belts, I would at least respect his honesty. (Sorry, Carol Moseley Braun. I don't think you'll be in the race after Iowa and New Hampshire, if you last that long.)

BTW, I am also considering a separate blog about politics, because you guys know I'm obsessed. (You know that, right? Why else would I live here?)

Now, if you are still reading, go visit my pal Tunguskan. He snarks to the nth degree, and that's a good thing.

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