There is some crying involved, Allyson, but just lightly, so as to not exacerbate it. And a lot of staring into the middle distance.

Can I take my meds yet? Maybe in half an hour.

The Five Stages of Grading for those among us who grade... hilarious!

this is awesome! I'm sending it to all of my friends who are starting to give exams.

I'm sure feeling back-to-work exhaustion, and what I'm doing isn't half as complicated as Erin's new job. (and, yay, beth!) (and, yay, Nilly & Khusband)

Oh ita, that's so bad.

I feel the need to soak in a hot bath and then go to bed early.

Allyson, treat the tension more than the pain. Massage, heat, breathing exercises... whatever works to help relax you. Sometimes I go to sleep with one of those microwavable gel packs against my neck & shoulders.

I wish I had helpful suggestions for ita, too.

Aww, I wish people didn't have cry-worthy stuff going on. I wish I could wave my magic feel better wand.

But I am home. I have made it home from my massive train saga, and the dog is thrilled, thrilled I say, to see us. He would have us believe that the dogsitter neither fed nor watered nor treated nor played with him the whole time. But I know this is not so.

And our plants are ridiculously massive. So the housesitter was 95% win. The only fail was that the heater didn't come on when we got home. We changed the battery, which should not have been the problem, but anyway it's working again. So I just hope that it wasn't broken for like the whole time.

I changed my sheets and brought in the luggage and squabbled briefly with the SO, but that was just fatigue, and now the Biscuit and I are nestled all snug in our bed and the SO is getting ready to soak in the bath and a fire is going and OMG am I so glad to be home.

Bah, upstairs neighbors woke me up at 5;50 yesterday morning, and again today at 2:50 a.m. At least they were nice just now when I talked to them.

I went to bed early and now am up early. I think mac went to bed shortly after I did, which would be a HUGE improvement on how he normally s when he has a bug up his butt and decides to ignore me about bedtime. He has also hidden the DS, which is smart on his side as I do plan to lock it up today, but I won;t do that until he is at school, I do not want to get him all upset before school as he has a big test today.

I tried this morning, I really did. But am staying home another day. Done the morning desnottification, and....no. Usually I can imagine faking it. Even after a shower, can't today. Back to bed.

Good on you for confronting (nicely) them, tommy.