All right; I've written 1000 words about FRBRization (don't ask) and I'm feeling much better about this essay thing. I should have this done by the time I have to leave work, then I will sleep, and then I will wake up in the morning and make corrections and then turn it in and that will be just as good as having it in on time, since after all there's no way she's going to have read even half of the essays by tomorrow at 9AM. I think. I won't even have to skip work. Sadly, however, I have now used the words "FRBR" and "MARC" so many times that I have divested them of any meaning they may once have had. But it's OK, because in the next part of the essay I will be overusing the words "FRBR" and "OPAC", so "MARC" will get a rest, at least. FRBR is in for the long haul, I'm afraid.

I just got an email from my dad with the subject: "Gramp - not feeling so good." Which, in the context of my family's relentlessly optimistic/avoidant communication style, means... well, I'm not sure, but nothing good. Apparently his heart is "functioning at about 30%" and not likely to get better (what this means, I have no idea, because again, no one in my family would ever want to use an actual, look-up-able medical term). My dad says that although Grampie's not in inmmediate danger (he thinks), we should probably plan on visiting sometime in the next month or so; fortunately, I was already planning to go up to visit for a family party in two weeks. My grandfather is in his eighties (shamefully, I don't know exactly where in his eighties) so this shouldn't be a big surprise, but his mother lived until she was 103 (I was maybe 13 when she died) and his older sister still mows her own lawn (with a gas push mower! and it is a big lawn!), and I just kind of assumed he would live as long. I'm also feeling very guilty because I haven't seen my grandparents since Thanksgiving, and I've missed the last two Christmasses. On the other hand, I have been worried for a while now that Grampie would outlive Grammie -- he is so totally dependent on her that I can't imagine him lasting very long at all without her, whereas she is much more independent and could sort of enjoy widowhood, I think, not to be all callous and stuff -- and that seems less likely now. Still, I'm worried and sad.