Ulcers, Britney Spears, and things that actually matter.

If anyone has been wondering why its been exactly 2 weeks since my last post, fret not. Your questions will be answered. This blog comes to you in 5 parts.

1. The ulcer. Luckily, the ulcer has improved with the conclusion of my love affair with Ibuprofen. However it is by no means completely healed yet. If this doesn't go away soon, its doctor time. I hate doctor time.

2. Britney Spears. Okay, before anyone criticizes any child-like fascination I may or may not have with certain vapid celebrities, let me explain. The legal troubles and sexual exploits of people like Lindsay Lohan or Ms. Spears are not exactly pressing matters on my mind. That being said, I am someone who watches a lot of tv news channels and feels a general obsession with being aware of all current events at all times. And in America, current events include Britney. Sunday (Nov. 30th) was the big premiere of her new documentary Britney: For the Record and I gathered with friends and family to watch it. If the circus is coming to town, I might as well buy a ticket. I think the only thing I took with me from the documentary was that all the drama probably wasn't as much Ms. Spears' fault as some might think. She has clearly been nothing but a product for the entirety of her formative years, and that's bound to make anyone a bit of a nut job. My parents might suck, but they could have been Lynne and Jamie Spears. Oh and also I learned that the Spears family? Kinda hicks. That couldn't have helped. So I guess it kinda sucks to be Britney, bitch.

3. Grandpa Don. On Saturday, November 22nd, my grandfather Don Fowler lost his battle with lymphoma. He was taken off life support around 1 in the afternoon and passed away minutes later. He was the love of my Grandma Sharon's life and an incredibly loving grandfather. This has been my first experience with death on a close and personal level. I now find myself at 21 with a lot to learn about life and death and the relationship between the two. It isn't easy, and I miss my Grandpa.

4. Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, Grandpa passed away 5 days before Thanksgiving. Not surprisingly this meant a quieter holiday spent at home instead of at my grandparents house. This year I contributed my apple nut stuffing to the festivities, and the presence of my best friends and Rick Astley on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade did make it a bearable day.

5. Friends. This week I was lucky enough to spend time with all of my closest friends. 3 of my friends from out of town came to visit, and I was able to see a whole slew of friendly faces from near and far throughout the week. And I have to say Meg and Amanda have basically saved my life during this time. They stayed at my house with me the night my grandpa passed and have barely left since. Having those I love near me now has made everything easier.

And so now I am back to blogging. The memorial is this Saturday and with the opportunity to say goodbye comes the chance to move on and fall into a healthy routine. Expect to hear more from me soon.