My browsing habits have changed in the last week. I’ve always been a right-click-open-in-new-window kind of girl. I loved seeing each of those windows lined up below, I’d tab between them happy as a clam. This has been my method since I joined the intarwebs back in ’95. When tabs were introduced I baulked and I’ve said on numerous occasions that I hated them. Then I discovered Google Reader. I discovered that I could open five or so sites at a time in tabs and just click along updating myself on all the important things in life.

I even find myself using tabs when browsing websites that link to other websites. I feel so dirty.

This visiting Stoat and Mal thing has totally made me crazy. I was feeling the same feelings of apprehension at calling my parents yesterday, I even thought about asking Weasel to tell them I wasn’t feeling well enough to talk. But I made myself do it, I called them and I actually enjoyed some of it and felt better afterwards. So now I have to ask myself if these feelings of apprehension about the visit are something I ought to force myself through so I can remember how fun things can be or do I continue to hibernate at home? Part of the problem is the conversation thing, if I could guarantee that no one would want to talk to me and I could just sit on the sofa and people watch then it would be fine.

This ‘dilemma’ is interesting to me because for years I pushed myself, it was my default setting. I was always making myself do things I didn’t want to do. Then I got sick. This sickness has made me question so much of my basic personality; I feel so lost. The old me would push through these feelings, acknowledging that it is simply fear of the unknown and introducing new things [i.e. changing my routine]. Part of me says that to get back to my old life I need to push through these things. I’m positive that I will be apprehensive about going back to work, so if I can’t push through this now, how will I push through and get to work then?

It seems that my ‘wake up’ time has changed to 10am. No matter how early I manage to get to bed, my body wants to sleep until 10. I went to sleep around 10:30 last night, woke up at 10:17 this morning. I don’t like sleeping that late, it throws my eating off, which throws my pill taking off, my walk… I may not have anything that I have to do, but I prefer walking mid-morning as opposed to mid-afternoon. Only I could find a way to stress about a schedule when I have no schedule. When will I learn to relax?

There’s a website, Glassbooth which can help you find the US presidential candidate that best aligns with your own ideals. I took the quiz, and got matched with someone I’d never even heard of, Mike Gravel. I read through his speech highlights on various issues and my god, the man is awesome. I wish he actually had a chance of becoming president. I know ultimately it will be between Obama and Clinton, so I’m saving my research until I see who actually gets the nomination. Anyway, some highlights from the marvellous Mr Gravel…

On Gay Marriage
“Marriage is a commitment between two human beings in love. And understand me, I’m saying two human beings. They can be heterosexual, they can be two lesbians, they can be transgender, they can be two gays.”

On Abortion
“Any decision on abortion should remain between a woman and her doctor. There is no room for interference from politicians and judges.”

On Iraq
“We made a grave mistake. We should have the courage to admit it. We must bring our troops home now–not six months from now, not a year from now–NOW! The Democrats need to act resolutely–and I’m not talking about some mealy-mouthed, non-binding resolutions.”

On Anti-Terrorism
“Americans think the danger is terrorists. They don’t understand. Terrorists cannot take away habeas corpus, or the bill of rights, or the constitution, they cannot suspend constitutional government, abolish the separation of powers… the terrorists are not anything like the threat we face to the Bill of Rights and the constitution from our own government, in the name of fighting terrorism. Americans just don’t understand that, or at least a majority don’t.”

On Health Care
“Under the single-payer health care voucher plan we would issue vouchers to every single American. Everybody gets the same product universally. And then if you want more than the product you got, you pay for it. There’s no magic in this whole process. Somebody is going to pay. You know who pays, it’s the average American.”

On Immigration
“I also agree that we should put the 10 million or 12 million people that are already here on a path to acquire citizenship. That is probably not the best solution to solve the problem, but it is the most moral solution to solve the problem. And otherwise we damage a number of industries in this country.”

What an awesome man, I’d totally vote for him, offer to have his children and generally be really really impressed by him.