Talis(wo)man(s)

I'm not exactly one of those people with a multitude of lucky trolls at a bingo game, but at times like these (uhm, 14 days until my major paper is due, quickly followed by two exams and another paper!) I start to draw strength from things that remind me of those dear to me. I have two lucky objets du jour: a necklace that Ilush gave me when she visited from Israel two years ago (she's a PhD, so I draw strength from her academic staying power and her absolute wit about the academic life) and a scarf that Merlot knit for my last birthday which she only recently finished (symbolizing both: someone loves me enough to knit me a scarf and the old adage "better late than never"). I love these women. Even from afar (Israel and the West-friggin-End), they carry me on.