Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here

"Abandon all hope ye who enter here"

Cheery ain't it? According to the esteemed poet Dante Alighieri, this is the sign that hangs over the doorway to Hell. I read a translation of "The Divine Comedy" while I was doing my research on Joyce, so I guess my English degree should have warned me.

It didn't.

Today has been my own little Dantean trip through the afterlife; limbo, purgatory, and finally paradise. All I needed was the poet Virgil to act as my guide (guess that's you, mom). I'll be honest, you wouldn't believe the whole story even if I was willing to tell it so we will sum it up thusly.

When I woke up, we were going to get to go. Then we were going to go if certain conditions were met. Then we were NOT going to get to go. Then we could go if OTHER conditions were met. Then that fell through and we were back to No Go.

All this before noon.

It was the worst kind of tease imaginable. It was Limbo. Every time I found a potential land mine, we found a way to avoid it only to find another, larger landmine blocking the path behind it. At noon I found an insurmountable obstacle and it was over. I had to call and tell the Boss it wasn't going to work.

I cannot tell you how very badly I did not want to make that phone call. She has busted her attractive backside off for this opportunity and to have it taken away not once but twice seemed like the most awful thing imaginable. I really didn't want to do it. I was in Hell. Dante was right; abandon hope, 'cause dude...it's over.

The Boss took it well, all things considered. I felt bad for her...she felt bad for me...and we chalked it up to the Anti-Midas touch. Shouldn't have been surprising, but it was.

Then the Boss called back with a solution. We could go under another condition. It was not a best case scenario, but it would work. We decided to go for it.

Then the Boss called again and the condition was no longer required, so we could go without worry. Heaven.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I felt like I was on "As the World Turns" or something. It was one of the oddest days I have ever been through. Holy cow, it was weird. Up and down like a yo-yo.

I won't say we are back on because I know better, but it looks like we may get to see Mexico after all. I just ain't gonna hold my breath.

What I will do is profusely thank those friends, employers and family who are doing their best to see if they can't get us on a cruise ship someday. All you do is noticed and appreciated. From the people who offered babysitting help to those who just listened to me gripe all afternoon, you know who you are. Whether we finally end up going or not, I say thank you for your love and support anyway.

Now I'm going to go lie down. I've got class tonight and a doozey of a headache to get rid of.