still here. it's been a long week at work - long and good, but also filled with the reality of the depth of depravity that exists in the world. tomorrow evening i leave for our church's womens' retreat. i'm glad. the poor state of fidel castro's health has increased media interest in cuba, and, in turn, my interest. i've always wanted to go there, and now i'm determined to learn as much as i can about the island. my closest brush with it was seeing it in the foggy, twilight distance from our cruise ship last year. right now i'm listening to "buena vista social club," and trying to decide if i should try to hone my spanish or my hindi. any thoughts? wherever we end up some day, i hope it's in the tropics and by the sea. it's bed time. sweet dreams.