the dog ate my last post....

no- not really. however, i have several good excuses for my monthlong ("month-and-a-halflong just doesn't roll off the tongue quite the same way) absence from posting.

1. i had a hangnail that prevented me from typing....at least until i could find some nail clippers or swiss army knife scissors or someone willing to gnaw it off for me. (damned braces)

2. speaking of braces, i couldn't post tuesday morning two weeks ago because i had a hot date with the hunky orthodontist, who switched my bands around, leading to a slightly painful taco eating experience the next day....which traumatized me so much i couldn't post then, either. (i mean, seriously- you know how much i love tacos....)

3. started playing with facebook. became a vampire and a zombie. do you know how time consuming fighting other zombies/vampires and biting people can be? seriously.

4. speaking of zombies, i'm not into the video so much, but i am currently obsessed with this song.

5. two weeks ago, when i finally had time to post, i fired up the laptop to check my email/zombie status on facebook, and it rudely shut down for no apparent reason before i could even enter my password.

lather, rinse, repeat- to no avail.

so, everything's been backed up, my techie friend ash has been thanked for reassuring me that purchasing the extended warranty was a good idea (despite the objections of my dad, SO, and at least two other people i discussed the extra $300 expense with), and my computer is probably sitting on a shelf somewhere at best buy's state of the art repair facility, where it will remain for 2-4 weeks, before (hopefully) being returned to me unscratched, unscathed, and ready to comply with my every request....like being able to finish my ireland posts.

in the meantime, as soon as i finish at the radio station this morning, i'm heading to greenville with SO for one last practice hike before the big whitewater rafting/hiking trip in the grand canyon next week. (yes, we've already purchased the optional "emergency extraction" (fancy way of saying "haul your butt out in a helicopter") insurance.) i'd offer to post pictures tomorrow, but.....