A teensy bit of news…
http://www.winningwriters.com/new/wn_new.php
Check out August 2nd’s news! I totally missed it until today. Thanks Winning Writers!
Parents went home today. We had a great visit, including my first ever whale watching tour. There were lots of orcas, and a minke whale, and then they took us to an island covered with seals and baby seals, and nine bald eagles. When the boat drifted, the seals started swimming towards us. I just wanted to jump out of the boat and swim with the seals back to their little island and stay there, a la “The Secret of Roan Inish.” I know, not practical. Pictures to come!
Well, it’s August first and I still don’t have anywhere to live come end of September. We’re planning a trip out to Phoenix soon to take a look at possible places. But it’s all very nerve-wracking. Especially for a person like me who likes to be all settled. But the docs are saying it’s the best thing I could do for my allergies and asthma problems, so it’s a health-motivated thing. The allergies out here are pretty brutal. I’d like to feel healthy again! Soon! Anyone with a nice house to rent in say, the North Scottsdale area should contact me right away 
Speaking of nerves and doctors…I’ve been feeling sickly for the last month or so…fatigue, sore throat, etc. I also had a numb hand (which I mistakenly attributed to carpal tunnel.) Well, went to the doc, and after some blood tests it turns out I have a serious vitamin B-12 deficiency that was causing a lot of my fatigue/sore throat/numb hand stuff, as well as a generally crappy immune system. Huh. Apparently, when you don’t have enough b-12 it can cause numbness and tingling. Yikes! And some common drugs leach b-12 from the system. So, if you’re feeling tired and numb, go out and get yourself some b-12 stat! I’m taking 1000mcgs lozenges under the tongue each day (apparently we don’t absorb b-vitamins in the stomach very well, hence the shots and lozenges and other delivery systems.) This has been Jeannine’s monthly public health announcement.
Also, a little good news: my interview with Matthea Harvey for the Poetry Foundation (Post-apocalypse, Poetry, and Robots) a little while ago will be sent by the PF into syndication this fall. So it may pop up in a newspaper near you!
And I promise to get back to doing mini-reviews and poetry-talk soon…This week I’m entertaining my parents in this small town by the sea. We’re taking a four-hour whale-watching tour (I’ve never done anything like it, but I have seen whales twice while living here – once on a ferry, and once while vacationing on San Juan Island.) Should be fun! And windy.