But I don’t want to learn how to swim Dept.: I was worried that I would not be able to clear my mask this week, so I approached the pool with a pit of dread in my stomach. I followed my instructor’s advice and practiced with the snorkel, inhaling through the mouth and exhaling through the nose. When we first reviewed skills in the shallow end, I didn’t get it, and I almost panicked, because last night we were going to equalize and do all the skills in the deep end. I suddenly saw myself at the quarry, unable to clear my mask, and failing certification. So while the others were going over their stuff, I practiced it until I had the breakthrough- plugging up the regulator with my tongue and blowing through my nose was what helped me do it right.

So we all begin equalizing and drop to the bottom of the pool; I had to go back up because my left ear wouldn’t clear and it hurt. One of the instructors followed me back up and helped me slowly descend until I could clear both ears, and then he and I did the skills while the others did theirs in their groups. I did it! I was able to clear the mask like a pro the first time- even after removing it completely and putting it back on. *whew*!

Jen wrote me this about my comments on Manhunter/Red Dragon yesterday:

Have you seen the movie yet? Because perhaps that might be the best
viewpoint to be looking at the whole of casting from…
Although my heart belongs to William Peterson foreva!

I also found out that the Caesar quote Nate sent along was an Internet hoax, first debunked, apparently, by the ever-alert Matt Drudge. Yes, this will be the only time I ever mention Barbra Striesand in this log.

I liked this article, and the issues it brings up. How dare our legislators, ostensibly the people we have voted to represent us, journey to a foreign land to attempt to negotiate a peaceful resolution and avoid a war? Damn traitorous Democrats.

Timely horoscope, courtesy of Free Will Astrology:
If you were Bob Dylan, would you have licensed your poetic anthem, “The Times They Are A-Changin'” to be used in a commercial by a Canadian bank? Or are you more like Beck, who turned down Miller Beer’s plea to buy one of his songs for $300,000? You will soon face a quandary, Pisces, that will ask you to meditate on questions like these. To couch your looming decisions in even more universal terms: Do you have anything in common with the young woman in the fairy tale who gave up the work she adored in order to win the love of a prince? Or do you have a clear idea of how to stay true to what’s most valuable, even if an interesting temptation is calling you away?