went to a really cool community health fair today where i got....sick.

yup, after shaking hands with a million ppl i think i've caught something.

i love community outreach! i love setting up the table, telling folks about what our awesome nonprofit does (work with ppl with disABILITIES). i like setting out the fall flowers and creating the ambience to draw ppl into our little charitable world. i love educating ppl about all the free services that are available.

like today i helped a mom whose 7 month old baby has never gotten to come home from the hospital and just cuz they are poor and latina the hospital is threatening to institutionalize their disabled child. so my agency came to the rescue and she's already gotten some good info to help her advocate for her family's rights. yay!

and i like all the cool ppl i meet; so many do-gooders who really are caring activists! social workers get a bad rap and have such low pay and no prestige. but they work their butts off and do awesome things for the community.

i hate being sick.

ah, well. a little zinc and ecinachea and napping and soon i'll be back to health, surely.

tomorrow's my birthday and i'm planning on attending a pagan feminist ritual with a women's group i've been active with here in the mountains. yay!

and my bff has been here from nashville and we've had the awesomest hikes at tahoe and on the yuba. really beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!! i love her sooooo much. she's a total geek (that's a huge compliment!) and really into scifi and horror and fantasy. she's an amazing photojournalist who's just got the kindest heart.

i miss her already; she just left this am.

i already got several big pckgs for my bday in the mail; can't wait to open them tomorrow.