Looking at pictures of the Mexican village I'll be in 19 days from now can help take the edge off, but so can pictures of Portland from a few days ago. Spring blooms are busting out all over the place, thank god.

I don't believe in astrology, but there are days like today and yesterday when everything feels off, not just for me but for Sean and everyone else I come in contact with. Someone today will shout "Mercury Retrograde" at me the way they do whenever things get a little twitchy. Or maybe it will be something about the Year of the Pig. Who knows. It does feel like bigger forces are at work. A collective, exhausted shrug of the shoulders. I can't quite make the leap to believe it's my Libran destiny to be in this mood. So maybe I'll blame it on the weather and go back to looking at pretty pink blossoms.