Well, a week has passed. One teeny-weeny week. I am in Durham, NC attending the Animazement anime convention. It is huge, and it is run well, without a bunch of control freaks at its helm. It is probably my favorite con of the year. This also means Ragazzi's for supper!

Riatsila, Loen, Zoomerdog-the-Cousin, and Aaron-the-Practically-Adopted are here with me. They are at the table, and I am committing Reportage Most Foul. My aversion to crowds is rearing its ugly head, so I am in the room decompressing. Maybe I am just cranky.

On another note: I do not understand why women of A Sort delight in treating me as one dear, or at least one of interest. Maybe it is the Zeitgeist, or at least the Congeist. I am as flattered as the next guy by attention, but come ON. I do not enjoy tight hugs from total strangers of a wenchly sort (the Pirate thing has not yet run its course in fandom). Maybe it is their version of role-playing. I find the role unbecoming. The Dread Dormomoo is aware of my genetic predisposition to (social) flirting, and I am an affable guy, as well as Teh Hotness (haw), and ready with the avuncular hug, but ONLY when appropriate, and with them wot knows me. When I was accosted today, I literally cried "I need an adult!". (Riat can testify.) Fences make good neighbors, especially behavioral ones.

-----------------------------------
MEDICAL REPORT

I have been to the research docs twice since last I reported in. No biggie. They drew blood, checked all the non-invasive checkables, and that is pretty much it. On the visit two weeks ago, I received the third shot. There may or may not be any effects so far. No adverse effects, to be coy about it. Possible UT improvement, that or I'm just psyching myself.

I have had two different Vampirellas taking blood. My usual one is one of the best ever, virtually pain-free. The tech this week, though...there was absolutely no sensation that I could tag as "pain". There was a sliding sensation, and a sense of pressure, and that was it, and trust me, I'm a needle weenie. I think her super power is phasing the needle into the blood vessel.

Not a bad experience so far.