"I was a heartbeat on the danger side."

Wednesday marked the one month anniversary of the morning I woke up with a sore throat. If I had known a month later I'd still be sick, I would have sped OFTL to Phase VII -- aka hysterical, melodramatic suicide by jumping in front of a Q Train. But no, we're still in Phase III -- field research. All things in good time, right?

That said, Phase III will be on pause this weekend while I travel down to DC for my cousin's wedding. I will miss my posse of Lesbians as I sip wine with my family at the ballroom in Leisure World. Yeah, a guaranteed Lesbian free zone unless they're over 65. At least the train ride down will give me time to work on the two book ideas that have been spinning in my head recently.

[ Pauses to cough and switch mental gears ]

Having lived in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens for almost six months now, all I can say is that I love it. Yes, it lacks yuppie bars and restaurants (apart from a recently opened cafe), but I can get on the train and only go one stop to reach Park Slope and Prospect Heights. Not a big deal. Hey, I used to live in an industrial park for a year.

I noticed two things today -- one, the New York Times has a fantastic Google Maps mashup showing murders over the last two years, illustrating how the murder rate has dropped to lows not seen since the 1960s. Hmmm, don't tell my Mom as there are a bunch of flag markers in my neighborhood. Second, there are a lot of PLG haters. Hey guys, it's really not as bad as everyone thinks it is.