I still hate the word mucus and everything it stands for, and I haven't stopped feeling this way about certain kinds of advertisements, but things reached a kind of critical mass last weekend and, well, steps had to be taken. I refused to purchase one particular product, however, despite all sorts of recommendations, so I was extremely relieved to discover that my favorite pharmacy has come up with its own version of that mucus-fighting miracle worker. As an added bonus, the shit makes you sleep like a freaking baby. I slept, like, ten hours a night plus naps all weekend, no coughing. My pancreas seem to be regenerating, thanks for asking.

I'm exhausted.

All of this being-the-sister-of-an-engaged-person stuff really takes a lot out of a person, I'll have you know. Also, colds suck. Also, also? I do not appreciate coughing up a kidney or other internal organ in the middle of the night (or, frankly, in a meeting, at the supermarket, or at any other time). I am not entirely sure, but I don't think the people around me appreciate it much either. Oh, and in case you were wondering, sugar-free cough suppressant lozenges made by Robitussin, Ricola, CVS pharmacy, and anyone else you can think of DO NOT WORK.

On the up side, I am going to California in April for my sister's engagement party. Hopefully all (remaining) internal organs will be available to make the trip.

I have an announcement to make.

It's big. No, it's huge.

Those of you who have been readers of this site for several years may have originally found me via my beloved sister, the inimitable former blogger best known as JadedJu. This news pertains to the formerly Jaded One herself, and she has granted me permission to announce, here in this humble little forum, that she is about to enter an entirely new phase of her life.

Before JadedJu ceased blogging, she mentioned she had started dating someone special. She and this special someone have been together for nearly two years now. I have never known my sister to be happier than she has been consistently for the past 20 months or so since they got together, and when she called me Sunday, she sounded even happier still. You see, last week he proposed, she accepted, and she's the happiest former lesbian I've ever known!

So please say a hearty congratulations to my newly engaged sister, the Formerly JadedJu, and please join me in welcoming her betrothed and my future brother-in-law, Mr. Ju-in-Waiting, to the misfunctional Ju family!

HUZZAH!!!

(Best of all: Mother Ju finally gets a married daughter and the pressure's off me. I suspect Olivia will still be the only grandbaby in the family, but a son-in-law is something pretty impressive that neither the never-blogging-sister nor I have seen fit to provide. Go, Jillbean!)