dragonknitter, that could be about the nails. I've read that any kind of "stress" like that can lead to heavier production of keratin. So maybe playing the piano is good for my nails, who knew?

***

My fabric from Keepsake Quilting (the delivery UPS apparently messed up) came by postal mail today. On the invoice it said something like, "replacement order," so I wonder if the original order was actually damaged in transit, and that's why UPS sent it back. (I do know whenever I order stuff from Amazon and it comes in those ridiculously-oversized boxes Amazon sometimes sends stuff in, the boxes are frequently bashed in. Luckily I've never received anything damaged)

***

Project-monogamy didn't last long. When I got home (AFTER practicing the piano, AFTER doing some accounting junk that the Assessment people want - srsly, folks? averages of scores from a class I've taught nearly 30 times now (gads, that's a scary thought - 10 years x 3 classes a year, though) going back multiple years? I didn't even HAVE one set of the data any more and cannot find it)

Well, anyway, AFTER all that (and fighting with my computer at home; it doesn't seem to like Excel any more), I was just too tired to think of worrying about increases and the fiddliness of "Swiss Dot Stitch" (or whatever that stitch pattern is on the Airy Cardigan - it really doesn't show that much, but I know leaving it off WOULD show), so I just worked some more on Clapotis.

(Ellen, I will take photos of dropping the stitches when it comes to it. It is not as scary as it sounds)

***

I started reading The Tempest last night. It promises to be enjoyable (I am not very far into it yet; I think I'm midway through scene 2 of act 1). I really do like the Folger Library versions (of which this one is); they give glosses of terms, and sometimes explain the puns that modern people might not get, and give a short synopsis of the action at the beginning of each scene in case you get lost.

***

There's been some talk on the Ivory Tower Fiber Freaks forum on Ravelry (and other places) about "What are we going to do if H1N1 flu hits our university?"

Frankly, I don't know. I would HOPE they would cancel classes if a critical mass of people were sick - I have been known to (with some annoyance) cancel my Friday ecology lecture (it's an 11 am lecture) when 1/3 or fewer of the students show up. (Some weeks, it's excusable: there are field trips for other classes. Though some weeks it's either just the aftermath of "Thursday is the start of the weekend!" or the lead-up to a long weekend. I expect class to be thin tomorrow).

I worry about H1N1. In part, because with my low-grade asthma (Never diagnosed formally, mainly because I don't some doctor sticking me on an inhaler that will make me jittery and not-sleep), I get VERY sick with the flu. And yet, I am apparently not in any of the groups that will be eligible for limited vaccine supplies (unless I were to get myself knocked up...and no, I'm not soliciting offers).

And anyway, I admit some apprehension about this vaccine - the rapidity with which it was brought to market. The fact that it is being tested NOW. The fact that you have to arrange for two jabs, apparently, two weeks apart. (But mainly that it may not have been tested as heavily). I know they never "proved" that the 1976 vaccine caused those cases of Guillan-Barre, but still...I tend to be leery of any medical thing that's not been heavily tested. Perhaps that's foolish, I don't know, but I feel leery...

On the other hand, I am going to get the seasonal flu shot. (again, it may be foolish of me to not-trust the H1N1 shot and trust this one, but there you are). I see one of the local pharmacies is advertising that they have it for $25 a dose. I don't know whether to get it NOW (sometimes late in the season, immunity can wear off if you got the shot too early) or to wait a bit (then again, flu does seem to be showing up 'round here).

The other thing is, in my "service class" (I don't know, have I mentioned this before?) we have an attendance policy. I did not want one and voted against it, but I was voted down. (My rationale: these students (as much as I may call them "kids") are adults, and they should be able to choose. Also, people who chronically skip tend to fail my class anyway). The deal is - if you miss less than a set number of classes, you get bonus points. If you miss at the set number, nothing happens. If you miss more than that, points start being deducted.

(The other thing: I am not sure if that policy violates ADA. What if a student has some kind of disability, like severe asthma (as I once had a student with) that can keep him or her out of class unpredictably?)

So I decided to go "off the rez" and I told students that if they were ill, they could e-mail or call me and I'd make a note of it. (And if they use more than their allowed absences, I won't count the sick days). Because I DO NOT want someone coming to class when they're contagious just because they're worried about the rather draconian attendance policy.

If the administration doesn't like it, well, they can issue all of us surgical masks then. Or, better yet, those big blue hazmat suits like they wear in The Hot Zone.

Because, I'm seriously concerned that if I did get H1N1, I would probably wind up hospitalized. Or perhaps even worse. (I suppose I could be wrong; perhaps my overly-robust build would protect me against the worst ravages. But I do worry about my lungs)