Well, there are plenty of reasons today to stop ranting for a while and be happy. One is that zany QB wit Tricia Southard is out of the hospital and doing well after major surgery. Another is that an online acquaintance from an insect-oriented forum is also back online and feeling better after having his second (and hopefully last) round of surgical repairs on a brain aneurysm. A third is that yesterday a good friend of mine became the seventh person to ever get a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Western Michigan (and her parents threw the best celebration brunch party ever for her this morning). And, a fourth is that Rick is just about done with teaching for the semester and will be able to come out of his grading cave soon.

Perhaps there will be even more such reasons soon. Watch this space ....