Seven Quick Takes Friday--Vol. XX

I. 

It snowed this morning. Snowed! And there was ice! Fortunately now it's about 50 degrees so both problems are taken care of. But I was not happy. 

II. 

Things that make me happy--St. Pat's fish fry! Tonight I'm going with one of my old college buddies. He has a hankering for fish fry, but he's not Catholic, so I am provided the Catholic creds. :) I, too, love a good fish fry, so I'm excited.

III.

And continuing in the theme of food--I am excited to watch this tonight. I have Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals, and I'll write up my first experience with it later. It involved whisky and avocado. Good stories.

IV. 

Sorry it's been such a slow blogging week. I think I might have finally caught up with the DST clock. I promise more posting in the future.

V. 

How's your bracket? Mine is OK. Half of my final four still in, so I'll take it. 

VI. 

Books: The Law of Similars , The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo (this is such a good novel. If you've never read it, you should.) 

VII.

Had a fantastic voice lesson on Wednesday. I was happy, Robin was happy, the music was happy. Gotta love days like that. 

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Vol. XVII

I.

First, the BIG NEWS: My best friend is getting married! She called me yesterday to tell me the news. I am so excited and happy for her and her fiance. They are a great couple.

II.

Other than that big news--thanksgiving was uneventful. I watched my high school band in the parade--they were the big purple group before Santa, weren't they great!?--made biscotti, and then headed over to my parents'. We watched Star Trek, had dinner from Bob Evans', and then played Apples to Apples. Dad won. It was a great day with lots of good food.

III.

It snowed last night. First snow of the season. It's mostly gone now, but there's still some wet powder clinging to my back porch. Hey, if the first snow of the year is on November 26, I'll take it.

IV.

I also have today off, so yesterday I was singing the "four days off! four days off!" song.

Can you tell I'm really excited about that?

V.

Bought House seasons 3 and 4 for $12 apiece this week, so I'm making my way through those.

VI.

Want an early Christmas miracle? I've been to the gym twice this week. And I'm going today.

Maybe I subconsciously knew my best friend was getting married, and I had a wedding to prepare for?  I mean, cute guys might be there.

VII.

Also making progress in my biblical studies class--planning on starting my second assignment today.

Oh, and the novel? Up to 159 pages.

Have a great Black Friday, y'all!

Sesame Street classic!

Making crayons

House and Catholics

I take on Catholicism on last night's House episode here.

Surgery update

So, two days later--
Not feeling too bad. Yesterday the vicodin and my system played "hey, we don't like each other!" and I vomited a few times, but I also slept a lot. Today I feel pretty good--eating more milkshakes (McFlurry for lunch, go me), and relatively awake, so that's good. I'm going to do some biblical studies reading and then watch hockey tapes with my dad. That's a good day.
Oh, and a plug--this is one of the best things I have ever bought.

It holds my laptop, books, insulin pens, med bottles, pens and pencils, journals, and everything else I could need to lug around. This may become my permanent work/travel carry-on bag. And I got it in the above pattern, which is Imperial Toile--a lot prettier in person.
(OK product plug done)
So I am feeling better, the Pens AND Jackets won, and the Steelers are on tonight. Go Steelers!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Vol. XIV (medical exploits edition)

I.

So, let's talk about the insanity of my week, which kicked off with this.

II.

Medical insanity continued with oral surgery today, which basically consisted of taking tissue from my hard palette on the left side of my mouth and moving it to four teeth on my lower jaw. After all those aerosol treatments, my gums had receeded, and this needed to be done so I didn't, you know, lose teeth. Which is just not a good look for anyone. The upside of this is that my diet consists of milkshakes, soup and ice cream for the next week.

III.

I also get to emulate Dr. House, because I have vicodin for painkillers, which I seriously need. I didn't think this would hurt so much!

IV.

Book update: Re-reading my Isabel Dalhousie books, and am reading Traveling With Pomegranates, but Sue Monk Kidd and her daughter, Ann. It's a great read so far, and also has a lot of great tidbits about the writing of The Secret Lives of Bees, so if you're a fan of hers, or memoirs, or travel memoirs, go pick this up.

V.

Another big highlight of my week--The Wizard of Oz. I love, love, love this movie; it was the first movie my parents ever bought, way back in the 1980s when VHS tapes cost $80+. (Can you believe that?) I would watch it over and over, transfixed, and the only sound I would make would be at the end, where I would cry, thereby telling my mom to rewind the movie. "OVer the Rainbow" is one of my favorite songs,a nd at any family wedding my grandpa always asks the band to play it for me. (This was somewhat embarrassing in my teens but I like it now.)

So, naturally, I bought the super duper special set on Tuesday, and let me tell you--it is gorgeous. Those ruby slippers! The yellow brick road! It's amazing. Do yourself a favor and go pick it up. The set also includes a watch (!), a collector's book, original marketing materials, and, of course, the movie, in a four disk set crammed with extras. I can't wait to watch the movie with the Sing-a-long track.

VI.

In the world of voice--Robin is very pleased with my progress. She said my interpretation and expression are excellent, especially in "He Was Despised", so I was really happy. This is something I get complimented on a lot, but it's also something that I am always working on fine-tuning.

The other great thing about lessons with Robin is how much we talk about! We talk about different singers, who we like and who we don't. She gave me a great piece of advice--"find the best recording of a piece and listen to that." As in, listen to different interpretations, and then find the one you like the best. I've been doing this with "Storybook". I have three recordings of it: Linda Eder; Christine Andreas (in the original cast), and Rachel York (in the second Broadway cast). Ms. Andreas' recording is, in my opinion, the best, and it's her interpretation that I like to emulate when I sing it. We also talked about favorite singers--we both love Renee Fleming. :) Yay!

VII.

I'm at my parents' house this weekend, so it's sort of Mac heaven. I enjoy that.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

The Simple Woman's Daybook--September 27, 2009

Outside My Window ...

It's dark now, but it was a beautiful fall day.

***

I am listening to...
L'Angelus, since it's Sunday.

***

To Live the Liturgy...

Rosary, Magnificat, Bible reading, classes

***
To Fit and Happy...

Gym tomorrow, ballet class on W.

***

I am thankful for...
Being healthy
***

I am pondering ...

How I can trick my body into letting me sleep tonight!
***

From the kitchen ...
This is what I made last night. And here's this week's schedule. 

I am wearing ...

A pink camisole, Pitt sweatpants.

***

I am creating ...
My memoir. It's going really well so far!

***
On my iPod...
(Isn't this the same as the above question? Oh well)

Stuff for my voice lessons--"Messiah", "Scarlet Pimpernel"

***

I am thinking...

that it was a good weekend.
***

Around the House

Not too much! The place is relatively clean!

.***

I am reading ...

"Home" by Marilyne Robinson

***

I am hoping and praying ...
For friends I know with cancer; for a good appointment tomorrow, and good oral surgery this week. 

***

On Keeping Home ...

these candles look awesome. (keeping this link because they are awesome)

And MORE candles: these are what I'm burning right now.

*yeah, I really like candles*

***
One of my favorite things ...

This jam. 

***

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

Monday: Gym

Tuesday: House!

Wednesday: Ballet, Glee

Thursday: Voice, Bones, going to parents'

Friday: Oral surgery--oh yay. 

***

If you like reading my daybook, you can find many more over at Peggy's!

Simple Woman's Daybook--September 22, 2009

Outside My Window ...

A gray day for the first day of fall. Leaves are already falling! A lot are turning gold and lighter green, with a few red leaves here and there. No rain today, but we had lots of it yesterday.

***

I am listening to...
The Dirty Dancing soundtrack (getting in touch w/ my 80s side)

***

To Live the Liturgy...

Rosary, Magnificat, Bible reading, classes

***
To Fit and Happy...

Gym yesterday--I've lost three pounds in a week! Ballet class tomorrow. (With hopefully more of the awesome company dancer as teacher we had last week?)

***

I am thankful for...
My family
***

I am pondering ...

What else I need to do for my parish council meeting tonight.
***

From the kitchen ...
Not much right now. Probably just spaghetti for dinner.

I am wearing ...

Boden skirt and top, grey pearl earrings that I bought in Duck.

***

I am creating ...
A CLEAN APARTMENT. REally it's coming along. And music.

***
On my iPod...
Everything is back! Yay!!!!

***

I am thinking...

that I'm excited for this evening.
***

Around the House

Vacuuming (again, always)...dusting a bit.

.***

I am reading ...

Just finished Moloka'i for facebook book club. Such a great read.

***

I am hoping and praying ...
For friends I know with cancer.

***

On Keeping Home ...

these candles look awesome. (keeping this link because they are awesome)

And MORE candles: these are what I'm burning right now.

*yeah, I really like candles*

Putting out my autumn Willow Tree Angel.

***
One of my favorite things ...
Fall, in general

***

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

Tonight: Parish Council meeting

Wednesday: Ballet class, "Glee"!

Thursday: "Bones"!, voice lesson

***

If you like reading my daybook, you can find many more over at Peggy's!

BEHOLD!!!

The Pie Recipes from Pushing Daisies!!!

Me in Threes

Three names I go by:
1. Em
2. Emmers
3. Emmy

Three Jobs I have had in my life:
1. Old Navy
2. Swim Club concessions
3. Congressional Intern

Three Places I have lived:
1. Pickerington, OH
2. Reynoldsburg, OH
3. Bexley, OH

Three Favorite drinks:
1. Diet Coke
2. PEach iced tea
3. coffee

Three Favorite hobbies:
1. acting
2. reading
3. writing

Three Pet Peeves:
1. Smoking
2. whiners
3. bad drivers

Three TV Shows that I watch:
1. Bones
2. Pushing Daisies (until it died. Wah!)
3. Glee

Three places I have been:
1. Houston
2. OBX
3. Chicago

People that text me regularly:
1. Mom
2. Bub
3. Tiffany

Three of my favorite foods:
1. carbonara
2. pizza
3. burgers

Three friends I think will respond
1. Abby
2. um...I got nothin'.

Three Things I am looking forward to
1. Christmas
2. Fall/winter musical auditions
3. Christmas :)

(Note on the musical auditions: they are--Wizard of Oz with Columbus Children's Theater; Jekyll and Hyde (AGAIN!) with Emerald City Players, and THe Music Man with Pleasure Guild (directed by one of my J&H castmates)

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Vol. VI

I.

I hope a lot of you had a chance to read this entry. I'm pretty proud of it and glad that Hollywood has put a story about this family onscreen. Seeing it is a much more visceral experience than reading about it.

I've read a few articles about the movie, and then the comments following, online. And I've seen a few people ask why books and movies like this are even written, then degrading the emotions of people who read them to people who view pornography--they want some sort of emotional hit. I don't know what people's psychological reasonings are for reading these books, but I'm glad they do. My family, and all the other families whose lives are just like this, need people to understand. We're not looking for pity--that's an easy emotion--but for empathy, for people to understand.

Case in point--I love birthdays. A lot of people I know don't--they don't like being reminded that they're getting older. But I love it. Each birthday is another victory for me. It's another year I got to do things, to enjoy life. I love knowing that I'm racking up more experiences and having more time here. Maybe my blog, and movies and books like My Sister's Keeper, can help people understand how precious life is.

II.

Wow, that was a long quick take. So some shorter things to follow, like: what books I've been reading. An updated list: Robert Louis Stevenson's South Seas Tales; Richard Paul Evans' The Last Promise (love, love, love his books), and, of course, Jane. Mansfield Park being started today. I'm a bit behind in the re-read this year. Oh, and Mrs. Dalloway.

III.

New favorite TV show--Bones. If you follow me on facebook or twitter, you know this. But really, fantastic show. And interesting to me, from a theological perspective. One of the main characters, Agent Booth, is very, very Catholic. His partner, Dr. "Bones" Brennan, is not. In fact, she's an atheist. But there is definite chemistry between them. I'm planning something on Booth to have up at CPG at some point--hopefully later this weekend. He's really a fascinating study.

IV.

Speaking of theology--nearing time for my Sacraments mid-term, and my first assignment is due in Biblical Studies. We're just about to start Genesis in the latter.

V.

Next week is my four year anniversary! Can you believe it? To celebrate, I'm going to visit my cousin, Di, her husband, and her baby girl in Houston. Never been, but I hear it is hot, hot, and more hot. Thank God for air conditioning! We're thinking about visiting NASA, Galveston, and a host of bookstores. :)

VI.

It's Independence Day weekend--do you know your Declaration? Brush up on it here.

VII.

And a happy, happy Independence Day to all of you. Let's go out and celebrate "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness," eh? If you're in the mood for some patriotic movies, I suggest John Adams and The Patriot for some good viewing, especially John Adams. Phenomenal, and faster than reading the book. (I read the book. I liked it. But whew, it's long!)

Gym thoughts

So. I have been doing the gym thing for almost a month now. I have belonged to lifetime for almost three weeks!

While I haven't really seen any significant weight loss (darn it), I am definitely seeing changes in my shape. My clothes fit better, my waist is better defined, and the weight machines are definitely helping my arms and legs.

Working out is also getting easier. I mix up the recumbent bike and the treadmill (sat. is always bike day, because I know I can get one), and on Tuesday I went almost 2 miles! I have never gone almost 2 miles on the treadmill. I've done a 5K, so I know I CAN go that far, (and father, actually) but I usually stop at a mile or 1.2. Not Tuesday. I rocked it out, and there was incline. (OK, yes, 0.5 incline, but still, incline!) I was really proud. I usually watch "Law and Order" or "Bones" (my new favorite TV show. I laugh out loud when I watch and I'm sure people think I'm nuts.), and those both help pass the time.

So while the weight is about the same, I am going, usually about 4 days a week (haven't made 5 yet), for 30 minutes (at least) of cardio, and then a weight machine circuit. I also took a yoga class last week that kicked my butt. Will have to go back.

The Simple Woman's Daybook--December 29, 2008

For MONDAY, December 29, 2008 (last Monday of the year!) 

Outside my window...

with no clouds. It's a very sunny winter day, with no clouds. 

I am thinking...

that House is a great TV show

I am thankful for...

spending time with my family

From the kitchen...

Trader Joe's brownies (made with the mix...yeah, probably cheating) 

To live the liturgy...

Magnificat, daily Bible reading, rosary

I am wearing...

jeans and a raspberry colored tank top. 

I am creating...

order.

I am going to breathe deeply ...

and enjoy a day off. 

Bringing beauty to my home ...

cleaning up the Christmas carnage!

I am going...

to hope for good things!

I am reading...

(The Christmas Edition) Wide Sargasso Sea; The President's Daughter; Helena; The Cambridge Companion to Vermeer; the Anontated Wizard of Oz; Feast (Nigella Lawson); Autumn in the White House; The Illiad; The Sweet Far Thing. 

I am hoping...

for audition news!

I am hearing...

Loreena McKennit, Live in Paris and Toronto

Around the house...

vacuuming, cleaning, etc. 

One of my favorite things...

my new Boden dress that I got for Christmas!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

Tuesday: back to work....

Thursday: Happy 2009!!!!

Quick updates

OK so I thought I had the computer glitch fixed, and then when I went to write the massive book post, not so much!
So here are some quick notes:

Books I've read lately (with star ratings):

--Anita Diamant, The Red Tent: ****
--Jacquelyn Mitchard, The Breakdown Lane: ****
--Tracy Cheavlier, Burning Bright: ***

Reading now:

--Portrait of a Lady
--Notre-Dame de Paris

Watching:
--Michael Clayton: ****
--Enchanted! Whoohoo! ****
--The Tudors: Season 1: Awesome possum--**** so far. OK, yes, there are mucho historical liberties, but it is so much fun to watch, with excellent acting.
--Disney: Snow White, The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Jane stuff: Sense and Sensibility starts tonight on PBS--USA Today gave it four stars. Go watch it!

Easter was wonderful--great music, great time with family. Pics up soon, if the computer cooperates!

Today I sang at a LOOP Donor Family Recognition event. It was the first time I had ever sung and accompanied myself (via piano) so I was a little nervous. I sang Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You", which went over well, and, Thank God, it was a simple arrangement. Again, if I get pics, I'll put them up (obviously I didn't take them when I was singing!)

Oh, and just a minor thing--Tricia may have lungs! Ha ha! YAY!

Meme time!

1) What is the last movie you saw in a theater? Was it good? I am going to see The Other Boleyn Girl tonight, so maybe I should wait on this. BUT the last movie I saw in the theater was Juno, and yes, it was good.

2) What is your favorite tv show? Desperate Housewives

3) What is the last album you bought (or stole from the internet, or burned from a friend) that you loved? Idina Menzel's I Stand.

4) If you were in charge of People Magazine’s Sexiest Person Alive, who would win? Colin Firth. No Questions. :)

5) Who is your favorite artist? (Like art artist) Oh, this is hard. Painting: Monet, Renoir...the Impressionists in general. Singing: Renee Fleming, Josh Groban and most musical theater kids :)

6) What is your favorite musical/opera/play? Musical: Phantom, of course! Opera: La Traviata Play: The Miracle Worker/A Man for All Seasons

7) What do you think is the worst song ever recorded? There are Simply Too Many.

A(nother) Meme

(because it's Friday and I need some fun)

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Auntie Em in the Wizard of Oz. Do Not Laugh. The fact that it is a Seminal Movie In My Life is incidental.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope. But only my pumas have laces, anyway.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Ice cream in ANY incarnation, but I love dark chocolate peppermint that I mix up at Coldstone Creamery. And yes, that's my sugar allocation for about a week.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? hair/clothes

15. RED OR PINK? Pink.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF? What, I'm not allowed to like everything? (kidding)

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My family, my godbaby (OK yes he's 10, but give me a break)
18. What shoes and bottoms are you wearing now? My blue and pink pj pants and socks.

19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? A Buckeye. :)

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Nothin'. But Idina Menzel is in the car.

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? blue.

22. FAVORITE SMELLS? things cooking in the over, garlic sizzling in the skillet, roses, flowers in general, the air by the ocean, my Coco Mademoiselle perfum.

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My mom.

24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Football (high school, college, and pro), college b-ball, hockey, and occasionally golf and tennis. And I love the Olympics!

25. HAIR COLOR? blonde.

26. EYE COLOR? blue.

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yup.

28. FAVORITE FOOD? Pasta. Pasta. More pasta.

29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? To quote Fauna, "I just love happy endings."

30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Becoming Jane (bien sur!)

31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? pink

32. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer.

33. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs.

34. FAVORITE DESSERT? You put chocolate in it, I'll eat it.

35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Let's make that books. "A Year in Provence", "Searching for Jane Austen", "Confessions" (St. Augustine), "The Interior Castle", "Orthodoxy"

36. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I got myself an iBook, therefore no mouse pad.

37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Fox News with Brit Hume.

38. FAVORITE SOUNDS? great music. Babies laughing, cooing, whatever. Kids playing in the swimming pool.

39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? I have no opinion.

40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Orlando.

41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Besides being obsessive about movie quotes? (:-)) my music--singing, especially. My piano playing is about par, but I think it's special given that I mostly taught myself. :)

42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Columbus, OH.

A face with the name

I was reminded last night of a story my mom told me in 2006, when Children's was running clips of my story as their feature on Channel 10 (the local CBS affiliate). Friends of ours were watching and they have three kids. The middle daughter, after watching the piece, turned to her mom and said, "Mom, I would give her my lungs."

(Insert cute noises here)

Besides it being just a cute story, it illustrates the main reason why I decided to be so "public" about my transplant and the events leading up to it. If people can put a face with the cause, the need for transplantation, I think the impetus for them to donate becomes much stronger. It's one thing to say that 18 people die in the US every day because enough organs are not donated. It's another thing to say that Person A is a computer scientist, with four kids and a dog and wife and who has season tickets to the Buckeyes. And that Person B is a six year old girl who loves Dora the Explorer and bath time with her baby brother but needs a new heart so she can play on her swing set and take dance lessons again. Or the college student who needs a new kidney so he can go to class instead of dialysis three times a week and keep studying criminology and play his violin with the orchestra.

Faces are so important. They bring the entire issue to vivid life.

"Heartland" starts tonight...

10 PM on your TNT station...

Transplant TV!

Just read on the WaPo site that Treat Williams is starring in a new TNT drama series, "Heartland," about a transplant center in Pittsburgh. How cool is that? He plays (even more cool) a lung transplant surgeon. It's going to be on Mondays at 10. Not sure when it starts...check your papers. But I found this to be waaaaay cool.
If I don't currently get TNT I would upgrade my cable so I could watch this. :)

transplants in popular culture: The Last Summer (of You and Me)

OK, if you want to read the above book, haven't yet, and hate spoilers, CLEAR OUT.

Room clear?

OK Good.

I just finished reading this book last night. I had read a lot of good things about it and I do like my modern fiction as well as the greatness of Jane. The plot revolves around two sisters, Riley (24) and Alice (21), and their friend, Paul (who I guess is around 22, 23). They have always spent their summers together at a Long Island beach, but now a relationship is springing up between Alice and Paul.

Anyway, Riley ends up having congestive heart failure and a lot of damage to her heart, possibly due to the two bouts of rheumatic fever she's had, the one recently caused by failing to finish a course of antibiotics for strep throat. Riley ends up getting sicker and sicker and is eventually placed on the heart transplant list. Her illness, and the secrecy she has sworn Alice to (she asks Alice not to tell Paul), leads to the disintegration of Paul and Alice's fledgling romance, at least until after things with Riley are resolved.

Now I am always glad to see organ donation in literature, movies, etc. in a positive/accurate way, since it has potential to bring the cause before a lot of people in a way that non-profits often can't. This particular writer, for example, wrote the widely popular series The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, so she already has a large following, and since this book is more adult than those, she has the potential to attract new readers (like the Sisterhood's readers' mothers). So I am glad for that.

However. (You just knew that was coming, didn't you?)

I do wish that the author had done some more research or presented the facts of transplantation a bit more clearly for her audience. There are a few things that are glaringly questionable:

1) From the outset it's made clear that Riley hates taking pills and is ambivalent about following rules. She doesn't finish her first round of antibiotics because she loses her beach bag, where the drugs were placed. Yet she doesn't try to get a new script. When you're evaluated for transplant, compliance is one of the main things centers consider, because they're not going to give an organ to someone who isn't going to take care of it. Riley's history of not liking to take drugs, as well as her lack of compliance in something as simple as treating strep, would not make her a good candidate.

2) Riley is a lifeguard; in the novel, she continues to swim even after she is placed on the list, in fact, she swims right up until...well, whatever. Now I have no doubt that that can happen. Heck, I worked until two days before my transplant! It's important to live your life as much as possible while you're waiting, or you'll go nuts. But she is portrayed as extremely sick; the author talks about her lips and complexion being bluish. She would've been on home oxygen therapy at some point, and thus unable to swim.

3) The family gets a beeper. NOTE TO AUTHORS/MOVIE WRITERS: You don't get a beeper anymore! For most centers it's too expensive, and with everyone having cell phones, you just get their numbers. Karen had every single number in our family, including Bryan and Mel's cell phones, so she could ALWAYS get ahold of someone. Which leads to point

4) Riley gets the call for a heart but she left her beeper at home and thus missed it. Note that this story takes place in TODAY'S time period. As per point 3 this would not have happened. The coordinator would've called all the other numbers on the list and they would've found Riley. Now whether or not she would've gotten the heart could've been done more realistically by having it be a 'dry run' as opposed to Riley not having her beeper with her and missing it that way. Because only having one number to call wouldn't have happened. The center did also call the house but, as usual in novels, no one was home.

OK I think that's it. Like I said, I'm glad to see transplantation becoming more prevalent in the media and popular culture. And I am aware of the dramatic element--that is, wanting to up the drama so that it's compelling. When I used to watch ER they usually had at least one CF case a year, and of course they were always pathetically sick. It made for good drama; it made explaining to my friends that I could have a normal life difficult.