Phoole At Last! Phoole At Last!

It's On. I have my renewed passport, after 79 hours on hold with the National Passport Issuance Vogon Office or whatever it's called, and I have Senator Feingold's staff and Senator Kohl's staff and Congresswoman Gwen Moore's staff to thank for that -- they helped me get my documents disentangled from the bureaucrazyness and get me ready to fly! Big shouts-out to them. Thank you!

My videographer, Jenn Higgins, has her creds now too, and now it begins to feel both real and unreal at exactly the same time.

The media bleeatz this week was Out of Control! I made the back page of the Journal-Sentinel Metro section (thanks for the fab article, Jacqui Loohauis!) and the FRONT PAGE OF THE ONION (have not even stopped fainting over that one yet, Steve Hyden! Too awesome!), and Many Other super Articles have appeared besides. Many many thanks to Bonni and the
crew at Miller Pear in Chicago for getting me into these gear rags!

I am both exhausted and jangling with anticipation of a Big Adventure. The ramp-up has been terrifying, dizzying, and deeply satisfying. I want to thank everyone who's helped me along the way, whether you've sent dough, fed me, supplied me with a rented Vodafone for keeping in touch overseas (THANKS DADDY!), organized or promoted or attended or performed at the Phoole-a-Thon, helped me get my freeeaccking passport renewal done, sewn bells to things, slapped me upside the head with a two-by-four, given me back massages, sat with me while I had emotional breakdowns, or just said, "Go A-E! Go Jane!" All of it has helped me more than I can convey, even using made-up words like "findlestein," "meelzytrengle" and "krustoogatimes."

Most of all, I must thank my husband, MBTC, Tom Charney. He is too good. Without his calming influence and his constant, gentle reminders of what's real, I would surely careen off course and asplode. He has sacrificed a great deal to help me get to Muncaster, and I am perpetually humbled by his devotion. I love you so much, Tom.

Friends of Phoole, I aim to do you proud in the home of Tom Fool!