FREAK OUT!!!! GAS SHORTAGE!!!1!!1!!!1one!!! Gouging! Last night my husband listed the steps he'll be taking to try to use less gas - use my car whenever he can when he needs to run an errand on the weekend, not use the a/c, drive his old truck since it has a full tank of gas (and he's not using a/c anyway), slow down. He said, "Well, a little. Trying to, anyway." Yeah, me too. I don't always succeed, especially on the highway. And people, please, I know you're trying to slow down, but can we at least go the speed limit? Fuck! I commented to a coworker that I doubted they'd let us work from home two days a week as they did that one time years ago during 'smog season.' He said it was 'being discussed.' Yeah, I'll hold my breath on that one.

Remember that project/system I mentioned? I'm not too optimistic about it. Tuesday we had a meeting with our 'user', who I'm convinced is making shit up as she goes. I even jokingly (or so she thought) said that. We can't get a straight answer. It's always, "Well, sometimes....and then there's another scenario..." Fuck. And that's just trying to get the new system done. Trying to get info on the existing system, which will be in place at least another 2-3 months, is just as difficult. I may have mentioned a highly skittish coworker who hardly ever speaks to anyone or leaves her office (yeah, I have room to talk). It's like pulling teeth to get any info. And her last day is Friday. We had a meeting with her on Wednesday. She gave us a bunch of printouts, most of which I had to stare at to make any sense of them. I think she was home-schooled. No, seriously. She's hard to talk to, much less extract info on this very complicated system, which the user makes up as she goes along. I swear, the answers change every time we ask.

Two passages to consider:

Gemini Horoscope for week of September 1, 2005

A respected medical journal reports that one out of four people thinks that "scientists have already found a cure for cancer, but that this cure is being withheld by the health care industry because it makes more money treating the illness." There are a lot of paranoid theories like this going around. Millions believe in the existence of elite puppet masters who manipulate our shared resources to serve their own power and wealth rather than the public good. I'm not smart or crazy enough to evaluate these theories. But I do know that for you right now, Gemini, it's crucial to be extremely skeptical of every authority, expert, and leader. You should express similar discernment toward those who present themselves as hip, high-status, or special. It will be to your advantage to disrespect hierarchies and become a devotee of pure democracy.

and...

Are the health history questions and my test results confidential?
Yes. The health history will be conducted by a trained professional in an individual booth arranged to preserve confidentiality. Your answers will be kept confidential, except where required by law. If your blood tests positive to any of the administered standard tests, you will receive confidential notification. The Red Cross maintains strict confidentiality of all blood donor records.

Emphasis mine. What the hell does that mean? Am I just paranoid? Fuck it, I'm donating cash.