Bigger or Better: Life outside of Texas

 When I was high-school-age or younger, I thought the best way to approach (or, rather, receive ) difficulties in life was to take it all at once, and then you're home free for the rest of your life. No. Bad idea. If all of my trials came at me altogether as if they were the worst searchlight to ever locate a human being, I would crumple and burn. I believe my childhood logic was only taking into account the troubles that had happened to me so far, which were mostly non-fatal illnesses and school-related worries. I hadn't considered such things as conflict at work, or being overworked, or having (as I do now) no work. Logically, it's impossible to experience all of those work concerns simultaneously--how does one have conflict at a job if there is no job?--but even if there were no paradoxes, the "one-and-done" trial by all-existing-elements would not succeed. I'm defining success in trials as the ability to get back up after being knocked down, and it's a

 Once upon a time, back when I was single, I had an acquaintance [I know that sounds stand-offish, but I feel really bad saying she's a friend right now when I can't even remember her name. I am so sorry, whoever you are] who used the term "funemployment." Well, that's one way to spin unpaid productivity. Or, more realistically, periods of unpaid unproductivity. My last day of work at my temporary job was last week. I was feeling nostalgic, and took pictures of things I'd miss. Like how the pictures in the women's bathroom are odd for the demographic they should be aiming for. ~framed pics of golf courses--not the first thing I think of when considering the female gender in a bathroom~ Or being in my favorite stairwell ~inspirational quotes and everything~ Or the lame retardant. I find it very interesting that the thought didn't even occur to me to take pictures of the people I've been working with. But, you know, I have their emails and cell numb

 As I was trying to fall back asleep early this morning, I reflected on how much "x" is used in medical jargon. It doesn't represent a sound or a particular suffix, so I can't think how it got into so many abbreviations. Ultimately, this thought prompted me to go through the entire alphabet looking for all the ways "x" is used. And, no, it wasn't as soporific as counting sheep. But now I can share what I've come up with. A--[nothing that I'm familiar with. Actually, I'm going to skip all of the vowels because I don't think they are mainstream medical words] Bx--biopsy Cx--culture (as in microbial growth, not referring to the common beliefs and values of a group) Dx--diagnosis Fx; fxn--fracture; function Gx--[apparently used in pharmacology; I've never used it. or seen it.] Hx--history (e.g., social history, medical history, family history) Jx--joint [maybe. according to Google, anyway] Kx--[umm, nada.] Lx--maybe laxatives. maybe nothi