The Contract Gambit remains unresolved ~ but some progress has been made. On Monday I talked to Mr. Kwon - telling him effectively the same thing that I told Mr. Kim. He said that he didn't think it inappropriate for me to speak directly to Mr. Im. So that became my plan. On Tuesday we got a new math teacher at Olympiad. I don't know whether he was the only reason, but Mr. Im was at my school all day. Before class I asked him if he was free that evening so that Link and I could talk to him. I got sort of a vague reply. But after work he came by while only Duke and I were home. His stay was brief: he seems always to receive an "emergency" phone call about five minutes after he has arrived. Anyway - he was here long enough to tell me that Link and I would receive our insurance cards next month (when I asked when he said I should ask Mrs. Han). It was brief and vague, but it seemed that we'll at least receive insurance... Then the conversation turned to Duke. Unfortunately, nothing came of it, for as soon as the conversation turned the phone call came. Link and I still expect to talk with him about a few other issues. We shall see. We shall see.
Um. I got some bad news. I called home on Sat. to tell Mom and Dad about my negotiations. They were not surprised. But they gave me bad news: Psilopsybone has been missing for three weeks. I don't know really how to react to the news. It is unconfrontable. I've had two recurring thoughts about it: 1) that it was about this time two years ago that Nastia ran away; and 2) that he is perhaps trying to get to Oberlin.
Yesterday [redacted] and [redacted] called me from London. I talked to [redacted] for a very short time (the call was on [redacted]), and [redacted] for somewhat longer. It was good to hear both of them: I thought that they'd call me. I'm glad that they did.
Finally - today I started acupuncture. Link and I left early in the morning to meet Sam (Link's Korean friend), who took us to an acupuncture clinic run by the son of a friend of his. I did my best to explain my migraines to him. I'm fairly sure that my explanation was not clear. Anyway, the doctor took my pulse (and felt the energy in my wrists), took my blood pressure, asked my about my diet and sleep habits. Then he set to puncturing me. He put three needles in my left ear (they stay until next week, when the same thing will be done to the other ear). Then we went to a little room (like the rooms where you lie under the heat lamp at the chiropractor), where he got out more needles: one in the top of my head, one in each temple, and one on each side of the back of my neck (you know, the soft place where you massage). Oh yeah, he also put one in each hand - in the headache nerve. These all stayed for five minutes, then they were taken out. And we left. I have to go back every week for an indeterminate length of time. But if it gets rid of my migraines, it will be well worth it. And, because Sam took us there, the treatment is free ~ Sam says that when its over I should give him a gift. That seems the least I could do. Anyway, that's all for now.