I was sitting in the school library reading when a woman wandered up to stand next to my table. I sit by the window most of the time, so I assumed she was looking through the glass. I ignored her for several seconds until she raised a hand out and over my head, as if praying. I quizzically looked up at her and when she met her eye, she flinched back.

Rummaging in her pockets, she produced a single round peppermint and placed it on the table before me. I smiled and thanked her despite my confusion, and watched as she waddled away.

She didn't get very far until she pulled another thing forth from those bottomless, crinkling pockets. This time she returned with a candy cane in hand. And a blue ink pen. Those were left in front of the chair opposite from me. She moved away a few steps again, then returned a final time to offer a second candy cane and a chewed up pen cap. After this, she seemed satisfied, and left the library.

I am mystified at this kind of behavior. It makes me question the nature of communication. The woman was at the very least a little unbalanced, and might have been a vagrant from her appearance. Yet she came to me offering gifts. What are their significance? Did she simply happen to like me, or were they some kind of apology for disturbing my studies? Did she think I would throw them away for her, or enjoy eating the candy? Do her actions mean anything at all? She certainly didn't pay any attention to anyone else in the room but me. She is gone now, and I've never seen her before or after.

People speak of being possessed by demons. They personify the thing that bends reality in them, the thing that bends the rules of perception and interaction from what most people consider "normal". I have seen people with the demons of fear and hatred and sadness and paranoia. But I wonder, are there demons to bend you toward compassion? Goodwill? That lady probably didn't have "all her marbles", as it were. But whatever it was in her that made her so odd also compelled her to be unusually friendly. Not a demons then... but angels? Angels of insanity?

Peppermints and pen caps for strangers. Ah, our minds hold the universe's complexity within a microcosm.  ¶ 09:16

New comic. Try not to die of shock.

I have had those pictures drawn forever. And the script written too. I'm just outta the swing of things with the coloring and assembly. I wonder if I'll do some black and whites, just to get some more story done? Not as pretty, but better than nothing I suppose. I wish more than anything I could be like RMG over at the Midlands. He keeps cranking them out in spite of school. He's my hero.

Bought my schoolbooks. My Med-Surg book is over five inches thick. Crazy! They say this the "hard level", and that a LOT of people will fail out next semester. Of the three friends I had first level, one of them has already failed. I'm not exactly nervous, but I'll be taking Pharmacology next semester too, and will have to memorize what all the drugs do on top of reading the entire 5" book. Eeek. School starts Monday.

I've taken up knitting lately. I've made scarves, hats, and purses, and am debating whether to make a stuffed animal or a sweater next. They're both pretty hard projects. I like keeping yarn and needles in my bag and listening to ebooks while I knit. Its a good hobby for waiting rooms. I pulled the needles out at the restaurant today during that 30 minute wait. Everyone was staring at me but I just stitched away serenely.

Christmas and New Years were good. A much-needed break. I got a new 250 GB hard drive, Myst IV (beat it), We <3 Katamari (almost beat it), some clothes, and a lot of sleep. My lovely boyfriend came and visited for a week, and I miss him a great deal now that he's gone again. I got to spend some time with old friends and new friends. I was out late last night... sorry I don't have much to say.

Those of you who have been IMing and emailing me lately, you are awesome. I wish I had the time to work on the thing that I love most, but I'm just a bundle of excuses. Thank you for your patience. I wish you the best this semester and year.  ¶ 19:58