all the way to the end: it was a pregnant woman who brought YOU into this world.Pig.

Ditto! But first, sever yourself from ALL contact with that"boyfriend". Is THAT the person you have a mental picture of as the putative father of your child? I think not. You deserve better. Really.

There is more than one man in the universe. You may never meet Mr. Perfect, but you may just stumble across Mr. Just Right any day.

Start to love and honor yourself. Learn to walk with your head up, making eye contact and a smile in your eyes, at least. Force yourself to un-freeze your face and smile.It will instantly make you feel better about a lot of things. Who knows where that will take you.

I'd love to fly with you Patrick, anytime, anywhere. Not to display my nonexistent flying skills but to observe a real pro at work. Every rime I fly, I love it.

It's only a tumor. It's not in control your life or the way you choose to live it. Your prognosis sounds excellent and very few doctors would tell you that if they didn't have a good prognosis in their sights.

So, mentally, consider that tumor bitch slapped! It's gonna be outa there!

Here's the fun part! I retired from a nuclear medicine pharmacy and I've heard from patients that they enjoyed driving around packed parking lots like Walmart and listening to see if the radioactive isotope will set off car alarms!

I never found out if it works but wouldn't that be cool?

You are stronger than you know yet. That realization will come to you when you don't expect it. You have unidentified as yet powers and healing strength, but that power will make itself known when you need it.

You can always focus on the famous Dr. Phil line. When they start the whining about their "bad luck" methods just ask, "How's that working out for you?"

from Cary but not applicable in the real non-writers world. You have a job! Lucky you. You are required to be there to work and earn your money to live on. Unlike writers, who can work at home, like Cary.

I also had to deal with jerk drivers at a job I worked for many years, delivering medical radioactive isotopes to hospitals and cardiac clinics.

All that time driving with the horrors of having a wreck hanging over you like a dark cloud on the horizon was enough to make sure we drove safely.

I suggest you leave for work an hour earlier, maybe an hour and a half or two. The rush hour really is an hour or so of driving hell and earlier driving times can eliminate a lot of that stress. You will be at work before everyone else so bring a book to read while waiting in your car for the job to unlock the doors. Or meditate or pray or balance the checkbook. Give yourself a calming cooldown time before you actually go in to work and it will be better in many ways.

If there's anyone I would look to for a clear picture of the military, it's certainly Geraldo. By the way, was HE ever in any branch of the military, what with that Hispanic name and all? Surely he was, right? Was he screened? What's his green card status, anyway. Is he a wetback? Or from one of the communist countries south of the US border? Que?

The fact is, the military put a LOT of time and money training this professional man for the job he was doing and he ended up as crazy as anyone he ever treated, evidently. The job of a wartime military is to KILL PEOPLE. And he did, the enemy being whoever he perceived to be.

I suggest screening all Hispanics named Geraldo or Rivera or any combination of the two, just for starters. War is hell and the home of hell is in the human brain.

are getting a bad rap for all the human crap in the world. It's just an animal and it has its own agenda to stay alive, as do humans. Unfortunately, humans evolved into needing toys and the money to acquire them and that pretty much leads to most of the rest of this stuff.

It does sound like postpartum depression you are dealing with and I hope you see your doctor about this.Don't try to fight it alone. I loved your view of things and I wish you a boatload of courage and kindness.

except for the I need you, cannot exist without you stuff. That part would only drive him to even lower lows. I can see that from here.

Wouldn't a Dick Cheney costume (complete with sneer) be the scariest thing you would ever see out Trick or Treating on Halloween? Makes MY blood run cold, for sure.

from Cary, but if she's old she'll probably up and die on you just to keep in control! Those Moms!

I am sorry to hear of the loss of your mother. What a cool and funny lady she seems to have been. I wish I had known her, as cool and funny ladies seem to be getting scarce and that's a shame. My condolences to you and your family.

What if the candidate were born by c-section? Or had been by being artificially inseminated? Or adopted?

Or is it only bi-racial kids who grow up to be Democrats who aren't, well, you know, white enough?