Fermata

A weekend of successful shopping for hats and sunglasses (treats I am allowing myself because a) I will need them to succeed with my "Greta Garbo as chemo recipient" disguise, and b) I don't have to worry about them fitting if I gain/lose 15 pounds on chemo, both of which I have heard are firm possibilities) and watching silly movies ("Borat" is every bit as offensive and genius as you have heard it is) made me forget the dull pain under my arm from lymph node surgery, and the dull pain in my head from worrying about all the decisions I have yet to make.

This week I have been distracted even further as I am attending a conference and conducting meetings in Las Vegas. Perhaps the fact that it is 10:30 pm local time as I write this in my pajamas (and admittedly rather luxe "Wynn" slippers) will serve as evidence that I am not living the high life everyone assumes I must when visiting here. Fortunately, several colleagues are in town with me, so I have actually been able to sample a few of the schmancy restaurants - normally when I am in town, it is room service for one and episodes of The Office dowloaded to my Mac. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, sure, but only because it is too boring to write home (or to my cozy universe on the blog) about.

I measure the insanity of my schedule when I am visiting Las Vegas for work in $9 cab rides taken from one property to another to meet candidates - from the past two days alone, I am up to $117. But the other reason I have not written much this week is that there is not much to write about. We are in a holding pattern for the next few days, a pause in the incessant appointments and treatments while we wait for the additional information that will influence my next decisions and actions. I will get my final lab results from the biopsy sometime this week. My genetic test results are due in early next week. And hopefully IVF2, Return of the Follicles, will begin around the same time.

So to expand on the musical reference from the title, now is not the part where you applaud. Instead, it is where the musicians briefly pause before continuing on with the original piece - its length is entirely at the discretion of the conductor.